Nianzu took Chuntao to her home as per her request in the evening, to not get into the eyes of the people. They both rested in the room for some time. Chuntao lit a lantern and placed it over the table.

"Do you remember the day when I came to you and we both confessed our feelings for each other?" Nianzu asked her.

"Yes," Chuntao replied as she covered the feet of Nianzu with the blanket. "The floor is cold," she said and moved closer to him. Nianzu put his arm around her shoulder.

"We have come so far, holding each other's hands," Nianzu stated and passed a tiny smile to her. "I will be away for a few days," Nianzu suddenly informed her.

"Why?" She tilted her head to gaze at him.

"I will leave with Prince Jian and General Wang for Lu Province. We are going to meet Sister Qi Jing. Since Brother Sheng cannot go, so I shall go there," Nianzu replied. "The Former Empress did not treat her own daughter well. And the demise of our father has shaken her. She is pregnant too, so it would be great if we brothers go there and meet her," he then explained to her.

Chuntao hummed. "Can I not go with you?" She asked.

"No, you cannot. Stay here. Also, take care of Sister Lili. I will surely return within a week," Nianzu promised her. Chuntao nodded her head.

"I will probably go to Juyan which is the neighboring city of the Lu Province. Juyan is Sister Lili's home. I will meet her aunt and younger cousins." He recalled Sheng Li's words about checking the well-being of Ying Lili's remaining family members.

"The Empress has suffered so much. I heard how she lost her father on the first day of meeting the Emperor. Later, her mother died too. Her childhood friend lost his life saving the Emperor. However, she never once became weak. I admire her for this quality, Prince Nianzu," Chuntao asserted.

"We all admire her," Nianzu stated. "You are also strong too. You lost your family in a day," he said. Chuntao lowered her head and shook it.

"I am not. If the Prince had not saved me, I would have probably died," Chuntao said as tears appeared in her eyes, "instead of fighting." She completed her words.

Nianzu cupped her face between his palms and told her to look into his eyes. She did so and met his gaze. "You are not weak. Circumstances made you weak at that time. Also, as a commoner, it is tough to raise your voice. Fate was there, so we met," Nianzu told her.

Chuntao agreed with him. "Brother Wanxi taught me archery," she told him with a smile.

"When?" He asked and put his hands down.

"Today. You were busy at work. I met Brother Wanxi while coming from Sister Lili's chamber when he told me to accompany him to the Palace Grounds. It was fun yet a tough job. I managed to hit the board after twenty attempts," Chuntao said with a smile. Nianzu found that his wife wanted to learn that. It was his fault that he never asked her.

"I will teach you after returning from the journey," Nianzu stated.

"I would love to," She answered. "I will wait for you," she stated. Nianzu caressed her head and kissed her lips. Withdrawing he peered into her eyes while stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"I will leave tomorrow," Nianzu finally told her. The smile on Chuntao's lips vanished. She had never been away from Nianzu for many days.

"I will miss you," Chuntao said.

"Me too," he replied and again kissed her. She kissed him back and circled her hands behind his neck. Nianzu put his calloused fingers behind her head and drew her closer. After a while, they pulled away from the kiss. Chuntao wiped his lips with her cold fingers while Nianzu kept the eyes fixated on her.

"Your fingers are cold. Let's head back. We need to reach before dinner time," he asserted. She nodded her head and the two stood up from the mattress. She folded it while Nianzu folded the blanket. Keeping it inside the cupboard, they both left for the Palace.

~~~~~

Lei Wanxi looked at his elbow in the mirror which was bruised badly. He fell on the ground while practicing with Weng Yu. The maidservant asked her if she should call the physician. Before he could say yes, Zhu Lin came there. She asked the maidservant to bring the lukewarm water and a clean towel.

The maidservant bowed and left.

Lei Wanxi looked at her. "Will you treat me? The Royal Physician will do better," he said in a low voice and put his arm down.

"He is examining the Empress. Also, it is a minor injury. There is no need to disturb him or his assistants," Zhu Lin suggested to him.

"How is it minor? I am unable to move my right hand. It is aching," Lei Wanxi replied. "I wonder how Brother Sheng bore those painful hits from swords on him. Same with you," he said.

Zhu Lin sat beside him on the chaise. "Prince Wanxi, when I started to train, I also used to feel immense pain. With time, such pain will not matter much," Zhu Lin asserted.

"You should show concern towards me, Zhu Lin. My soft skin is not made for it. Can't you act a little lovey-dovey while saying this?" He asked her and pouted.

"Are you a kid?" She chuckled.

"Are you fighting with me? I am not in a mood to fight with you," he stated and put his hand on his right arm. "Ahh, my limb," he mumbled in pain. The maidservant arrived and placed the tiny vessel on the table. Beside it, she kept the clean towel and walked out.

Zhu Lin soaked it into the water. She pushed up the sleeve of Lei Wanxi's dress.

"Be gentle," he told her.

"I will," she assured him. Folding his sleeve, she lightly twisted his arm and dabbed the towel over it. Lei Wanxi hissed in pain, so Zhu Lin leaned a little down and blew over his elbow.

She cleaned the wound and took out a tiny porcelain bottle from her pocket. "It's a magical powder. It treated many of my wounds," stated Zhu Lin and applied it over his elbow.

"It will not leave any mark on my elbow, right?" Lei Wanxi asked her.

Zhu Lin lifted her head and glared at him. "Who will check your elbow? Are you serious?" She got angry at him.

"I have the Royal body. It should not have any mark on it," Lei Wanxi answered back in a loud voice.

Zhu Lin did not say anything and pressed her fingers over the bruise.

"Ahh," Lei Wanxi shrieked in pain. "What are you doing? I told you not to let me feel the pain," he complained.

"Bear this pain. You have the Royal body which can bear anything," Zhu Lin remarked and then scoffed at him. She unfolded his sleeves and the two glared at each other.

"Are you going to treat me this way after the marriage?" He questioned her.

"What about you?" She queried him and wiped her hands with the second towel. She called in the maidservant, who took them away.

"I don't treat you badly. You always pick a fight with me," Lei Wanxi said.

~~~~~~~

Merry Christmas Everyone🤩

As per the promise, I will do mass release today. 

Sorry, Naron, I mistakenly deleted your comment in the previous chapter🥺

Thank you

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