Pei Yan slowly opened his eyes and saw a clean and tidy tile-roofed house. Dim light shone in from the wooden windows and the air was filled with a faint scent of medicine.

He frowned and just as he was about to get up, he felt the pain in his chest and back very clearly and he groaned in pain.

The next moment, a confused moan sounded at hand.

Pei Yan turned his head and saw Tao Ti lying on the bed with sleepy eyes.

Tao Ti was still a little dazed from sleep. She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes. Seeing his dark eyes looking at her, she immediately showed a surprised expression, "Your Highness, you are awake! That's great! How do you feel now? Are you thirsty or hungry?"

Without waiting for his answer, she reached out and touched his forehead again. The high fever had subsided. Tao Ti breathed a sigh of relief, "Brother Hao is right. Old Man Xu's medical skills are really good. He just gave you a soup and your fever subsided."

Pei Yan looked at her, with many questions in his mind. He wanted to speak, but his throat was so dry.

Tao Ti saw his difficulty, slapped his forehead, and responded, "Your Highness, you want to drink some water, right? I'll pour it for you."

She quickly got up and went to the table to pour some water.

Pei Yan then realized that she had changed her clothes. It was a light blue coarse cloth dress with no patterns and a little too big. Wearing it on her, it made her look even smaller. Her hair was also changed to a low bun that ordinary women often wear, with a wooden hairpin in it.

Although her face was unpainted, she was sixteen years old, with fair, tender skin that looked like water could be squeezed out of it, and a peach-petal-like complexion. However, she had not had a good rest for a day and a night, so her eyes were slightly dark and her eyebrows were tired.

Tao Ti came back with a teacup, put one hand on his arm, helped him up, and put the teacup to his mouth, "Your Highness, come, drink some water."

She approached him so naturally that Pei Yan's heart moved slightly. He lowered his eyes and drank the water in the cup from her hand.

"Your Highness, do you want to drink more?" she asked softly, and her gentle breath inadvertently brushed Pei Yan's ears, causing his ears to feel a little hot.

"No...no need..." He spoke hoarsely, still weak.

Tao Ti helped him lie down again, covered him with a thin blanket, and said softly, "Your Highness, do you remember that before we entered Luoyang City, we took shelter in a mountain temple?"

Pei Yan looked at her quietly, "Yeah."

Tao Ti's dark eyes sparkled, and she could not hide her excitement in her tone, "That time, there was a grandfather and grandson who took shelter with me. They gave me some wild vegetables before they left. It is said that the fate between people is really wonderful. When I went to look for help for the second time, I happened to meet them. The old man is a herbal farmer and also a doctor. We are living in his house now!"

Pei Yan understood, smiled weakly, and said hoarsely, "What a lucky guy."

"Yeah, I almost jumped up with joy when I saw them!"

Tao Ti seemed to have opened a chatterbox, and she chattered, "The old man's surname is Xu, and his grandson's nickname is Hao Ge'er... Well, our current location is Taoyuan Village, 40 miles outside Luoyang City. It's really far away, and I don't know when Master Zhan and the others will be able to find us."

After learning his current location, Pei Yan began to think calmly.

Although he was caught off guard by Tao Ti's sudden appearance during the assassination, it seems to be going well given the current situation?

At least... the effect is much better than what he had imagined at the beginning.

He came back to his senses and said calmly, "Don't worry, they will find this place in three to five days at most, and I can recuperate here."

Hearing him say this, Tao Ti was relieved, "That's good."

The two of them fell silent, and Pei Yan's beautiful peach blossom eyes curved and looked at her gently.

Feeling his gaze, Tao Ti was a little nervous and whispered, "Your Highness, why are you looking at me like that?"

Pei Yan smiled, "Ati, you look pretty good in this outfit."

Tao Ti looked down at her blue cloth dress which was a little pale from being washed out. Is this... beautiful?

She couldn't help but doubt Pei Yan's aesthetic taste.

She coughed lightly and said, "Mr. Xu has no women in his family. The clothes I'm wearing were borrowed from a lady in the village."

"Did you do your hair yourself?"

"...No, it was that aunt who helped me tie it." Tao Ti touched his nose feeling a little guilty.

Speaking of combing hair, she was really troubled. In her previous life, she always had neat short hair, which could be combed twice. But here, all the noble ladies were very fond of her long and thick hair, which was extremely difficult to manage, let alone put into a bun.

Seeing her lower her head in shame, Pei Yan chuckled, "It's okay, I will comb your hair for you in the future."

Tao Ti's heart skipped a beat and her cheeks felt hot.

She quickly stood up and stammered, "Well, the medicine is still warm on the stove. I'll go take a look. You, you lie down and rest first..."

Looking at her fleeing back, Pei Yan snorted and laughed.

After a moment, he put away his smile and stared at the roof indifferently.

He was assassinated last night and his whereabouts are unknown——

Perhaps tomorrow evening, this news will reach my father's ears.

He was actually a little curious about the reactions of the people in Chang'an.

………

Soon, footsteps were heard again in the house.

Pei Yan turned around and saw that the person coming was not Tao Ti, but the ten-year-old grandson.

He came over with a bowl of medicine, looked at Pei Yan with his round eyes, and said timidly, "Big sister said she was going to prepare dinner, so she asked me to bring you the medicine."

Pei Yan glanced at the child calmly and smiled, "Thank you for your help."

When Hao Ge'er saw him smile, he thought, when he was unconscious, he looked as dignified and unapproachable as a god, but I didn't expect that after waking up, his temper seems to be quite good?

He walked forward, put the medicine aside, and asked, "Sir, can I help you up?"

Pei Yan said thank you, and with his help, he slowly sat up and leaned back against the pillow.

"Do you want me to feed you medicine?" Hao Ge'er picked up the medicine bowl and added angrily, "My elder sister said that you have injuries on your chest and arms. If you can't drink it yourself, let me feed you."

She gave detailed instructions, but she stayed far away.

Pei Yan thought so, took the medicine bowl with his uninjured hand, and said calmly, "I can drink it myself."

The medicine was warm and just right in the mouth, but it was too bitter. But for Pei Yan, drinking medicine had become his habit.

Sometimes he even felt that what was flowing in his body was half warm blood and half bitter medicine.

Seeing him finish the medicine in the bowl in one breath, Hao Ge'er opened his mouth in surprise, "Wow, you are amazing, you drank such bitter medicine directly."

Pei Yan smiled but said nothing. Hao Ge'er suddenly seemed to remember something and took out two purple plums from his pocket. "Here, have them. They are picked from the mountain and are very sweet."

"Keep it for yourself."

"No, that won't do. My elder sister told me to give this to you. She said there was no honey left after taking the medicine, so she asked you to eat two plums to get rid of the bitterness."

Hearing this, Pei Yan's heart moved slightly, she still remembered what she had said.

She took the two plums with her slender hands and took a bite. The sweet and sour juice filled her lips and teeth. It was sweet and soft, and the bitter taste in her mouth suddenly faded a lot.

After eating the plums, he asked Hao Ge'er, "Whose clothes are I wearing? Who changed them for me?"

He was now wearing a dark blue cotton and linen robe. The fabric had been washed soft. Although it was not gorgeous, it added a bit of elegant bookish air to him, like a young scholar going to Beijing to take an imperial examination.

"This is my grandfather's clothes. My grandfather and I changed them for you together."

At this point, Hao Ge'er tilted his head and asked in confusion, "My dear, aren't you and my elder sister married? Why is she embarrassed to change your clothes?"

Pei Yan, "..."

Good boy, you really know how to ask.

He was silent for a while, then suddenly remembered something and frowned, "When you were helping me change my clothes, did you see the purple scented sachet?"

"A sachet? I think there is one, but it's extremely dirty. It's placed outside with the clothes you took off." Hao Ge'er asked, "Which one do you want, my dear? I'll get it for you."

"Thank you." Pei Yan said.

Hao Ge'er went outside for a walk and quickly gave the plain sachet to Pei Yan. He was still muttering in his heart, it's just a sachet, what's so special about it?

But the handsome man opened the sachet and took out two red ropes from it.

Now Hao Ge'er was even more confused. Ah, they are just two ordinary red ropes. What's so special about them?

Pei Yan saw that the red rope was still there, and the corners of his mouth relaxed. After thinking for a moment, he simply tied the two red ropes around his wrists to avoid losing them.

After he tied the red rope, he started chatting with Hao Ge'er.

He was gentle and gave people a feeling of comfort like a spring breeze. Hao Geer was very happy to talk to him, and he told him everything he knew without any defense.

The old and the young were chatting enthusiastically, and before long, an alluring fragrance wafted in from the door and windows.

Hao Ge'er stopped talking immediately, raised his chin, squinted his eyes, and sniffed deeply a few times, "What a nice smell!"

He felt like he had lice under his butt and couldn't sit still. He smiled at Pei Yan embarrassedly and said, "I'll go see what delicious food big sister has made!"

After saying that, he skipped away.

In the kitchen.

Tao Ti rolled up her sleeves and was busy in front of the stove. Old Man Xu was sitting on a stone block, adding firewood to the stove. The blazing fire made his old face red.

"Madam Tao, do you want more firewood?"

"No, no, the dishes are almost done. The remaining wood in the stove is more than enough to steam a fish."

As Tao Ti spoke, she scooped out the stir-fried beef from the pot and sprinkled it on the plate and the semicircular pot with a graceful movement.

The pot is freshly fried and still hot, fried to a golden brown, crispy and shiny finish. The fried beef is evenly sprinkled on the pot, which immediately makes an alluring "sizzling" sound. The aroma of the beef mixed with the aroma of the rice in the pot is so delicious that it makes your mouth water.

Following the aroma, Hao Ge'er looked at the dishes on the table and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, big sister, you are so amazing. You made so many delicious dishes in such a short time!"

Tao Ti stuffed the scallions into the fish's belly with quick movements and said with a smile, "If you want to eat, then go wash your hands quickly and then bring the dishes to the table. Once the fish is steamed, we can start eating."

When Hao Ge'er heard this, he immediately stood up straight and obeyed the order obediently, "Okay, I'll go right away!"

Watching his little grandson serving dishes back and forth, he was as happy as if it was New Year's Day. Old Mr. Xu, who was sitting in front of the stove, felt very emotional. His grandson had really suffered a lot following him.

Seeing his solemn expression, Tao Ti asked softly, "Uncle Xu, what's wrong with you?"

Old Man Xu came back to his senses, shook his head, and said with a smile, "Brother Hao has always been naughty and mischievous. This is the first time I have seen him so obedient. It seems that he really likes you."

Tao Ti smiled and said, "Hao Ge'er is at the age when he loves to play. Although he is a little naughty, he is a good boy with good behavior."

Speaking of this, she couldn't help but think of the fifth prince who was similar to Hao Ge'er. Compared with that domineering young master, Hao Ge'er was very well-behaved and sensible.

…

The house of the grandfather and grandson is not big, with a main room in the middle, two side rooms on the left and right, and a small courtyard in the middle, where various herbs and the like are usually hung to dry. There is a small bamboo building in the backyard, which is regarded as the study of the gray-robed old man. Next to the study is a vegetable field, where some simple daily vegetables are grown.

When the rosy clouds filled the entire sky, three hot dishes and a soup were placed on the dining table in the small courtyard.

Haoge'er couldn't wait to climb onto the table, staring at the dishes with his eyes wide open. Although he was greedy, he knew how to behave. Seeing that his grandfather and elder sister didn't pick up their chopsticks, he obediently held his hands and sat there waiting.

"You guys are hungry, so eat first. I'll go in and see my husband." Tao Ti said with a smile, took off the apron in front of her, turned and walked towards the left room.

Inside the house, two small candles were lit, illuminating a small space.

Pei Yan was resting with his eyes closed when he heard familiar footsteps and slowly opened his eyes.

Taoti walked up to him and asked softly, "Your Highness, dinner is ready. Can you get up? Or should I bring some to you?"

"I'll go out and eat with you guys." Pei Yan stood up with one hand and chuckled, "My upper body is injured, and my lower body is not injured."

Seeing that his tall figure was still a little shaky, Tao Ti subconsciously reached out to hold his arm and said, "Let me hold you."

Pei Yan glanced at her hand supporting him calmly, and raised his thin lips slightly, "Okay."

The two of them supported each other and walked out, the orange afterglow of the sunset quietly shining on them.

Pei Yan looked at the square courtyard, the lush banyan tree in the courtyard, the steaming fresh food on the square table, the blond and the little boy in front of the table, the cat and the puppy in the corner... An unprecedented feeling of security surged in his heart.

That's great.

Thinking of this, the two of them sat down together.

The food on the table has not been started yet. There is a steamed sea bass, a beef hotpot, a stir-fried Chinese cabbage, and a sauerkraut and tofu soup. They are all homely dishes that look delicious.

Pei Yan thanked Uncle Xu, who waved his hand and said with a smile, "Mr. Pei, we can talk about these polite words later. Let's eat first. This dish is very delicious. It will taste worse if it gets cold."

Hao Ge'er was already very hungry, and his little head was nodding, "Yes, yes, let's eat, I'm starving."

Pei Yan smiled amiably and said, "Okay."

Everyone picked up their chopsticks and started eating. Hao was most interested in the beef hotpot, while Uncle Xu scooped a bowl of sauerkraut and tofu soup first.

The pot is fried until very crispy, and a large piece can be broken off with a chopstick. The golden pot is extremely fragrant, and it tastes crunchy, with a light salty taste and a strong rice aroma, which satisfies the taste buds in the most simple and rustic way. It is paired with the spicy and delicious stir-fried beef, and the green and red millet peppers are spicy and the beef is extremely tender. Although there is no broth to thicken it, the broth is still very delicious. The crispy pot is paired with the tender beef, and the taste is extremely wonderful.

The spicy and fresh taste spread on the tip of his tongue. Hao Geer inhaled because of the spiciness, but he refused to stop eating. He kept praising, "It's delicious, so delicious!"

His appearance reminded Tao Ti of those elementary school students who bought spicy noodles from the school canteen, stuffing them into their mouths even though tears were streaming from the spiciness.

She couldn't help but laugh out loud and said, "Eat slowly, drink some soup first to calm your stomach."

Here, Mr. Xu had already drunk half a bowl of sauerkraut and tofu soup, squinting his eyes in enjoyment, and said, "Madam Tao, you made this soup very well! I didn't expect that sauerkraut and tofu soup could taste so delicious. The sauerkraut is crisp and appetizing, and the tofu is smooth and tender. Especially there are some pickled radish cubes in it? Well, it tastes crispy and chewy, which really adds the icing on the soup."

"As long as you like it, this soup is easy to make and is especially suitable for the elderly and children." Tao Ti said with a smile. She caught a glimpse of Pei Yan's chopsticks reaching for the beef pot, and she stopped immediately, "My Lord, my husband..."

Pei Yan paused with his chopsticks, a hint of surprise flashing across his dark eyes.

I don't know whether it was because of her blocking action or because of her soft and gentle "husband".

Tao Ti's dark pupils were very bright, and she said seriously, "You are still injured, so you must avoid spicy food."

As she spoke, she picked up a piece of steamed sea bass with chopsticks and put it in his bowl. "Eat this. It's light and delicious. Eating more fish will help your wound heal as soon as possible."

Pei Yan lowered his eyes and looked at the snow-white and tender fish in the bowl. His black eyes curved and he said softly, "Yes, thank you for your concern, my wife. I will eat more fish."

He was both a wife and a husband, and Tao Ti's cheeks turned red as she heard this.

She lowered her head, took a mouthful of rice, and told herself: This is just a title, stay calm.

But Hao Ge'er smiled and said, "Big sister, you are so good to your husband, and your husband listens to you very much. You two are really a perfect match, just like the golden boy and jade girl in the opera... If I can get a daughter-in-law like you in the future, who is considerate and can cook, I will definitely listen to her."

Tao Ti almost spit out her rice. "You're less than ten years old, and you're already thinking about a wife?"

Hao Ge'er said, "Ten years old is not too young. Grandpa said that I can talk about marriage when I am sixteen."

Pei Yan ate the piece of fish in the bowl gracefully and smiled faintly, "It's fine if you want a considerate wife who can cook, but my wife is unique in the world. It's hard to find someone like her."

Hao Ge'er, "......?"

Why did he smell a faint smell of vinegar?

——

After dinner, Tao Ti and Hao Ge'er cleaned up the dishes, while Uncle Xu helped Pei Yan change his wound medicine.

Under the dim light, Pei Yan took off his robe, revealing his lean upper body wrapped in white gauze.

Mr. Xu checked the injury, then removed the gauze and changed the bandage.

Pei Yan didn't make a single sound during the entire process.

After the change was completed, Mr. Xu packed up the medicine box and sighed, "You are really patient."

Pei Yan put on his robes slowly and said calmly, "As long as you are still alive, the pain is nothing."

"You're lucky. If the sword wound on your chest was two inches off, even Hua Tuo wouldn't have been able to save you." Old Man Xu said, "But your injuries are pretty severe, and you've been soaking in the water for a night. If you want to fully recover, well... based on your physical condition, you'll need at least two months of recuperation."

Pei Yan's fingers trembled slightly, and he said nonchalantly, "Uncle Xu, your medical skills are good. If you become a doctor, you should be much richer than being a herbal farmer collecting herbs."

Old Man Xu smiled and shook his head. "Being a doctor is not as comfortable as being a herbalist. Besides, I am just an old man like me and a ten-year-old child at home. It is enough for me to have a roof over my head and a meal to fill my stomach. Why should I seek wealth?"

Pei Yan said, "That's a pity."

Hearing this, Old Man Xu raised his eyebrows, turned around slowly, and looked at Pei Yan. His old eyes, which seemed cloudy but were actually sharp, shone with wisdom. "What a pity?"

Pei Yan stopped pretending, cupped his hands, and said politely, "Hello, Mr. Xu."

The old man in front of him was none other than the miracle doctor Xu Wenhe, who was famous for bringing the dead back to life.

Hearing him call him "Mr. Xu", Xu Wenhe's face flashed with surprise, but he quickly returned to his normal expression and his tone became calm, "How did you know?"

Pei Yan chuckled, "Brother Hao."

Xu Wenhe snorted indifferently, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is really perceptive. He knows how to trick a child right after waking up."

Pei Yan was not angry at the half-exaggerated, half-deprecating tone, and just said, "Mr. Xu, please don't blame me. It's really dangerous these two days, so I have to be more vigilant."

He paused for a moment and then asked, "Mr. Xu has already guessed the identities of my wife and me?"

Xu Wenhe closed the medicine box and said, "They could have created such a large formation just to hide from the rain. Even a fool could have guessed it."

Pei Yan, "..."

The dim candlelight made a clicking sound, and the two people who knew each other's identities felt more at ease.

Xu Wenhe stared at Pei Yan on the bed and said straight to the point, "To be honest, I didn't want to save you at first."

Pei Yan was not surprised at all. Qingjun still had that indifferent smile on his face. "I understand."

This surprised Xu Wenhe. He looked at the young man in front of him carefully and asked, "Do you understand?"

Pei Yan said, "I know you want to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests, and no longer be concerned about the hustle and bustle of the world. But my father is looking for you in secret, disturbing your peace for no reason."

Xu Wenhe stroked his beard, gave him a look that said "it's good that you know it", and added, "The reason I saved you this time was mainly because of your wife. I'm an old man who has lived to such an old age, and I don't want to owe anyone anything at the end of my life. Last time at the mountain temple, she kindly took us in. I've always remembered this favor, and this time I just paid it back."

Pei Yan thanked him sincerely.

"I don't deserve the name of thank you. I just hope that the prince can pretend that he doesn't know my identity, so that I can enjoy my grandchildren and live out my life. After all—"

Xu Wenhe stared at Pei Yan deeply and said solemnly, "Your Highness is in very good health and does not need me at all. Don't you think so, Your Highness?"

Pei Yan's handsome face became even more profound under the light and shadow. His deep eyes were like a bottomless pool of stagnant water. A flash of murderous intent flashed across his eyes. After a moment, he smiled little by little, "You are indeed a miracle doctor. Fortunately, my father didn't find you."

Xu Wenhe said, "Don't worry, Your Highness. I will keep this matter to myself and will never mention it again."

Pei Yan said, "Mr. Xu, there's no need to be so nervous."

Xu Wenhe: "..."

Just at this moment, a burst of cheerful laughter came from outside the door. It was Tao Ti and Hao Ge'er coming over.

The expressions of the two people in the room changed slightly.

Xu Wenhe picked up the medicine box and said respectfully, "The wound has been bandaged. I will leave first..."

"Mr. Xu."

Pei Yan suddenly called out, and Xu Wenhe looked at him in confusion.

Pei Yan nodded at him, his peach blossom eyes smiling, but with an invisible pressure, "Please keep my physical condition a secret from my wife."

Xu Wenhe's eyes flashed with surprise, and he lowered his voice and asked, "You even hid it from her?"

Pei Yan's eyes dimmed, his thick eyelashes drooped slightly, and his tone became heavier, "Now is not the time to tell her."

When the time is right, he will tell her everything and never lie to her again.