Isolated town in northern border region

After Jiang Tai left Wenshu City, Xiao Lie did not rush to take Jiang Min back to the Northern Frontier. Instead, he calmed down and wandered around Wenshu City like a tourist.

Jiang Min did not mention returning to the northern frontier.

As if by prior arrangement, the two temporarily set aside matters concerning the court, power struggles, and undercurrents of the outside world, leaving home at sunrise and returning to the inn at sunset each day.

Jiang Min seemed like a different person. She no longer acted like a princess, no longer constantly calculating pros and cons, and became just like a woman from an ordinary family.

On the first day, Xiao Lie rented a small boat and took Jiang Min boating on the lake outside Wenshu City.

Jiang Min sat at the stern of the boat, reaching out to stir the water. Ripples spread out in circles, reflecting the sunlight and breaking into a flowing golden hue.

Xiao Lie slowly rowed the small boat through a lotus pond; the edges of the lotus leaves were already turning yellow.

She sat quietly, as if trying to memorize every ripple on the lake's surface.

"I used to come here often when I was a child, with my elder brother."

She spoke "Royal Brother" in a very soft tone, as if afraid that the word would shatter the moment it touched the ground.

Xiao Lie didn't ask any further questions, and pushed the boat a few more feet deeper into the lotus pond.

"Then whenever you want to come in the future, I will accompany you."

Jiang Min turned her head and glanced at him.

"The dignified King of the Northern Frontier, do you really have time to accompany a weak woman like me back to my parents' home?"

Xiao Lie made a funny face.

"Isn't it nice to accompany your wife to visit her parents' home during holidays?"

"If you think the journey is too bumpy, then I'll just lay the railway tracks all the way to Jing Kingdom, and we'll take the train and 'choo-choo' rescue you!"

Xiao Lie certainly understood how difficult it was for Jiang Min to return to her parents' home.

She was a staunch supporter of the Third Prince Jiang Tai. Now that she had failed in her bid for the throne, it was a miracle that she had survived!

If it weren't for Xiao Lie, the King of the Northern Frontier, Emperor Jing, Jiang Jun, might not have given him the courtesy he deserved.

She and Jiang Tai, one married far away to the northern frontier, and the other supposedly served as a witness at their wedding, were actually both exiled.

Xiao Lie deliberately answered lightly, just to offer Jiang Min some comfort.

Jiang Min nodded obediently.

"It's settled then."

Sunlight fell on her face, and her eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyelids.

The boat rocked slightly as they went ashore, and Xiao Lie reached out to help her.

After Jiang Min held his hand and stood firm, she did not immediately let go, but looked down at their clasped hands.

"Your hands have such thick calluses. Are all men who go to war like this?"

Xiao Lie withdrew his hand.

"Drawing a bow, gripping a knife, raising a spear—it's normal to be a bit rough around the edges."

Jiang Min nodded, said nothing more, and took Xiao Lie's hand in hers.

"It's thick and feels much more reassuring to hold than a pen."

Jiang Min's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and her cheeks resembled the setting sun.

The next day, they went to the night market in Wenshu City.

The night market in Jing Kingdom was more lively than that in the northern border region, with glass lanterns hanging along the streets, forming a luminous river.

Jiang Min changed into ordinary women's clothes and walked in the crowd, and no one recognized her anymore.

Xiao Lie followed behind her and watched her stop in front of a sugar painting stall.

The vendor asked her what kind she wanted, and she looked at it for a long time before answering.

"I'd like a little raccoon dog." The vendor flicked his wrist, and the syrup stretched out on the iron plate to form a round, chubby little dog.

Jiang Min took it and took a bite; the candy made a crisp cracking sound in her mouth.

She turned to look at Xiao Lie.

"You know what? This is the first time I've ever bought anything on the street."

Xiao Lie took half a step forward and gently bent down...

Jiang Min's throat tightened as she watched Xiao Lie get closer and closer, and the wicked smile on his lips made her freeze on the candy in her mouth!

"You...this is on the street!"

"Don't do this..."

Jiang Min raised her hand and placed it against Xiao Lie's chest, but the force felt more like a caress to Xiao Lie...

The next second, Xiao Lie snapped his fingers in one gulp!

Jiang Min suddenly lost more than half of the little fox in her hand!

"Hmm~ Not bad, the first thing you bought was delicious!"

Jiang Min blushed crimson, her two small fists pounding against Xiao Lie's chest, looking like a spoiled kitten.

"Hahaha!"

"Keep going, let's see what good stuff you can buy the second time, so I can also try some of Jing Kingdom's delicacies!"

Xiao Lie laughed loudly, put his arm around Jiang Min's slender waist, and disappeared into the crowd, drawing pointing fingers from those around him.

"Hugging and kissing in the street, what kind of behavior is that!"

"Alas! The world is going to the dogs!"

"A vulgar scoundrel!"

Jingguo was a place of great literary tradition and people were very disciplined in their work, but Xiao Lie didn't care about any of that.

With such a beautiful woman before me, so adorable and endearing, how could I possibly fail to show my respect?

Throughout the journey, Jiang Min kept her head buried in Xiao Lie's arms, her face as beautiful as a peach blossom. Every time she secretly looked up to peek at Xiao Lie's face, she would be caught red-handed by him, and then she would let out a "Oh dear" in her heart and bury her head even lower.

On the third day, Jiang Min had the postmaster prepare two horses and took Xiao Lie out of the city.

The plains outside Wenshu City are open and flat, with a more humid atmosphere than those in the northern frontier.

Xiao Lie mounted his horse nimbly, and Jiang Min's horsemanship was also quite good.

The two ran side by side for a while, then Jiang Min suddenly slowed down and turned her head to look at him.

"After I marry and move to northern Xinjiang, you can't bully me!"

Xiao Lie touched his face.

"How dare I?"

"How dare I bully the world-renowned Princess Minyue?"

Jiang Min flicked his whip, turned his head, and shouted angrily.

"You have to give in to me anyway!"

Xiao Lie shook his head and smiled.

He knew in his heart that after leaving Jing Kingdom, Jiang Min would only have him to rely on in the world.

As a woman born into royalty and accustomed to scheming and intrigue, it took immense effort for Jiang Min to completely trust herself.

"From now on, you will be the chief steward of my northern frontier!"

They ran across the plain for more than an hour.

Jiang Min didn't complain of being tired. Only when the horse began to slow down did she rein in her horse and look back into the distance.

"Do you usually ride horses like this in northern Xinjiang?"

Xiao Lie nodded.

"Hey! The horses in your Jing Kingdom are very steady, but they run like they're being pampered!"

"The northern frontier is a vast and open land; both people and horses there possess a wild spirit!"

"If you live in northern Xinjiang for a long time in the future, you will naturally feel a surging vitality, the kind that is unrestrained."

Jiang Min didn't speak, but followed his gaze into the distance. The wind blew from the lake, carrying the damp scent of grass and trees, and ruffled the stray hairs on her forehead.

She turned to the side on horseback.

"Will you teach me archery?"

She spoke very naturally, as if she were recounting a small thing she was learning.

Xiao Lie glanced at her.

"Now?"

Jiang Min nodded.

"Yes! Right now!"

"I think you have a special kind of charisma when you shoot arrows..."

Xiao Lie grinned like a fool.

"Oh dear! I am a bit too handsome... Ahahaha!"

Outside Wenshu City, there is an abandoned training ground, overgrown with knee-high weeds, but the targets are still there.

Xiao Lie borrowed two soft bows from the post station manager and handed one of them to her.

Jiang Min took it and tried to pull the bowstring, but it didn't budge.

She pulled it again, this time bending it a little more.

Xiao Lie stood behind her and reached out to help her adjust the angle of her bow grip.

"Don't pull with your arms, use the strength of your back."

Jiang Min tried once, and finally managed to pull the bowstring halfway. When she released it, the bowstring snapped back with a muffled thud.

She looked down at her fingers; the base of her thumb was slightly red from the shock.

She didn't cry out in pain; she simply gripped the bow tighter and pulled it again.

The third arrow landed crookedly on the edge of the target as it left the bowstring. She put down the bow, turned to look at Xiao Lie, and had a smug look on her face.

"You've won."

Xiao Lie looked at the arrow stuck on the edge.

"Great! I didn't even hit the target the first time!"

Jiang Min narrowed her eyes; Xiao Lie's flattery was rather affected.

But she wasn't angry; instead, she handed the bow to him.

"Can you help me hit the bullseye?"

Xiao Lie gripped the bow, walked around behind Jiang Min, gently took Jiang Min's hands, and whispered in Jiang Min's ear.

"Your Highness, I would be more than happy to oblige!"

Xiao Lie's voice was very soft, and his breath tickled Jiang Min's ears.

"You...don't do this!"

Xiao Lie pretended not to understand and moved even closer.

"No...what?"

Jiang Min bit her lip and softly hummed in agreement, her whole body feeling weak.

Xiao Lie held Jiang Min's hand, nocked an arrow with his own fingers, drew the bowstring taut, and released it.

The arrow pierced the bullseye steadily.

"Your Highness, I have fulfilled my mission."

On the morning of the fourth day, just as dawn broke, Jiang Min was already standing on the training ground. This time, Jiang Min had somehow acquired a set of flashy battle armor.

Peonies were embroidered on the shoulder armor!

The morning light spilled over from the eastern ridgeline, casting a veil over her.

Xiao Lie raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight, stared at Jiang Min in front of him, opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words.

Jiang Min was already extremely beautiful, but today, dressed in military attire and embroidered armor, she was even more heroic!

Xiao Lie stared wide-eyed!

"Clouds remind me of her clothes, flowers of her face; the spring breeze caresses the balustrade, the dew is heavy."

"If we don't meet on the summit of Mount Qunyu, we'll meet under the moon on the Jade Terrace."

Brother Bai! I'm so sorry! I'm really at a loss for words!

Xiao Lie apologized to Li Bai in his heart, his face perfectly composed.

Jiang Min's eyes lit up, and she quickly asked.

"Are these verses... meant for me?"

"This...this...you've been hiding your true abilities all along!"

Xiao Lie breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stepped forward to put his arms around Jiang Min's shoulders.

"It's not that I'm hiding my beauty, but the princess is stunningly beautiful!"

"Besides this poem, I can't find any words or phrases that can express even a fraction of its meaning."

These words were very pleasing to the ear, and Jiang Min proudly raised her chin.

"I used to think all you knew was how to fight."

Xiao Lie looked down at her.

"And now?"

Jiang Min thought for a moment.

"It wouldn't be bad to marry her as a husband!"

Xiao Lie understood the implied meaning from the zither strings and casually pulled Jiang Min into his arms.