Li Wuting stood silently for a few seconds, then started walking toward Fan Wan’s carriage.

Meanwhile, Fan Wan, who had been struggling with his thoughts, suddenly saw the emperor approaching with the chief eunuch, De Quan. He jumped in surprise, hurriedly dismounted, and bowed, “Your Majesty!”

A soft “Mm” came from Li Wuting.

Fan Wan, unsure if he had done something wrong, was about to ask when he noticed that Li Wuting’s gaze had shifted past him and was now focused on the carriage behind him.

The curtain of the carriage was still raised, revealing a person inside.

Ning Rushen was curled up under a blanket, deep asleep, his face flushed with the warmth of slumber. The noise from outside hadn’t even disturbed him.

Fan Wan stood frozen, unsure of what to say or how to explain why Ning Rushen had mysteriously appeared in his carriage, sleeping so soundly. He fumbled for his words.

“Uh, Lord Ning… just came up to rest for a moment…”

Each word he spoke seemed to make Li Wuting’s face grow colder, and by the time he finished, his words seemed to fade away.

Li Wuting coldly looked into the carriage.

Sweat was beginning to bead on Fan Wan’s forehead. He couldn’t help but admire Ning Rushen’s ability to sleep so soundly even with the emperor right there.

De Quan couldn’t hold back anymore and softly muttered, “Ugh…!”

The chilling atmosphere, coupled with the faint alarm in the air, finally roused Ning Rushen’s sleeping mind.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Upon opening them, he saw Li Wuting and De Quan standing outside the carriage, and Fan Wan, sweating profusely, standing awkwardly.

Ning Rushen slowly woke up and muttered, “Your Majesty…”

He sat up, still wrapped in the blanket, and leaned out of the carriage. “Fan Wan, are you coming with us?”

Li Wuting: “…”

Fan Wan: “No, no, it’s not like that…”

Wait a minute, “Coming with us”… What does that mean?

De Quan, unable to watch any longer, couldn’t help but warn, “Lord Ning! You’ve gotten on the wrong carriage! Hurry up and get down—ah, and give that blanket back before His Majesty has to wait too long!”

…The wrong carriage?

Damn! Ning Rushen jumped in shock, finally fully awake.

After apologizing to a bewildered Fan Wan, Ning Rushen hung his head and followed Li Wuting, boarding the correct carriage.

Well, it wasn’t entirely his fault… There were so many carriages outside, and he had only spotted the blue one.

It’s just like back in school, when you’d accidentally get into the wrong car, right?

He was about to make his way to his seat when he heard Li Wuting’s voice:

“Did you sleep well?”

“Still…” Ning Rushen was about to say more when a strange sense of caution struck him, “N-No, not too well.”

Li Wuting: “Oh, why wasn’t it good?”

Ning Rushen slowly scooted over beside him, “I couldn’t sleep as peacefully in Your Majesty’s carriage.”

Sorry, Fan Wan, no offense meant. It’s just survival instinct kicking in.

Li Wuting’s cold expression softened slightly.

He gave the order to “move out” and then turned his gaze toward Ning Rushen’s face.

“Your face is marked from sleep, and the sounds of someone paying their respects couldn’t even wake you. You’re saying you didn’t sleep well? How well can you sleep in my carriage?”

Ning Rushen steadied himself against the rocking carriage, “I… I can sleep through the emperor’s hammer and still not wake up.”

Li Wuting: “…”

After a brief pause, Li Wuting lightly murmured, “Then perhaps, you can’t wake up at all, Ning Qing.”

Ning Rushen awkwardly lowered his head.

The carriage moved forward for a while, and after that comment, Li Wuting didn’t speak again, leaving the atmosphere in the carriage far quieter than usual.

Ning Rushen glanced at him, wondering: What’s going on?

He had already admitted his mistake and returned, didn’t he? Was he embarrassed that he got into the wrong carriage? But it wasn’t like he had lost his dignity…

Ning Rushen rubbed his nose, glancing toward De Quan for some clarity.

De Quan pointed out the snacks on the table, the blanket on the cushion, the incense in the corner: “Look, His Majesty prepared these for you. Could you find such a setup in another carriage with a flimsy blue curtain?”

Li Wuting’s carriage was clearly different from the others!

How could he make such a mistake!

Ning Rushen: “………”

So, it was because he didn’t recognize this noble carriage?

Ning Rushen let out a soft sigh, “Your Majesty, I know I made a mistake. There were so many carriages outside, I got confused. I must have been blinded by all the options. Your Majesty’s carriage is clearly different from the others.”

“Oh,” Li Wuting responded, “How is it different?”

“…”

Ning Rushen was taken aback, scanning the surroundings to find something to say:

“The curtain is blue, the cushion is a bluish-gray, and the carriage walls are silver-gray. There’s a blanket, a low table, and De Quan…”

“Heh,” Li Wuting sneered, completing his sentence, “And two windows, one curtain? You can answer with more nonsense if you want.”

Ning Rushen: .

Realizing his words were only adding fuel to the fire, he immediately decided to promise, “From now on, even if I close my eyes, I’ll be able to recognize Your Majesty’s carriage!”

A long silence followed.

“Close your eyes and recognize it?”

A silk ribbon, about two fingers wide, was suddenly pulled from the food box lid and fell in front of him.

Ning Rushen:?

Li Wuting looked at him seriously, “I’ll have to see how you recognize it with your eyes closed.”

Ning Rushen: “…”

No, he was just exaggerating.

Li Wuting waited leisurely for his response.

Ning Rushen swallowed, then reached for the ribbon and tied it around his eyes.

The cool, smooth texture of the fabric sent a slight shiver through him, and then he heard the low voice next to him, “Now, try recognizing it.”

“Yes…” Ning Rushen felt his heart beat a little faster.

Without sight, his other senses sharpened, and he suddenly felt a touch of insecurity.

He tentatively reached out and touched the cushion beneath him. The fine, soft fabric revealed intricate thread patterns, making him realize the elegant craftsmanship hidden within the seemingly simple cushion.

Next, he ran his hand along the carriage walls.

The firm surface of the walls felt like they were not made of wood but wrapped in silk fabric, detailed and refined.

It was indeed different from other carriages…

Ning Rushen continued to touch the objects around him, but as he realized Li Wuting was sitting not far from him, he carefully avoided reaching in that direction.

“What have you recognized?” Li Wuting’s voice suddenly broke the silence.

“The cushion and the walls… they both have hidden patterns…” Ning Rushen answered, looking in the direction of the voice.

He kept his hand braced against his side, instinctively lifting his chin to respond.

The blurred vision between them made the distance seem ambiguous.

Li Wuting lowered his eyes to the person leaning close to him.

The black ribbon covered Ning Rushen’s eyes, leaving only his straight nose and slightly parted lips visible. It emphasized his pale face, dark hair, and red birthmark, making his features more striking.

His voice deepened slightly, “What else?”

“Also, the carving on the table corner…”

Ning Rushen reached out and felt along the edge of the table.

As he focused on whether his hand touched Li Wuting, he leaned forward, unknowingly getting closer to the emperor.

De Quan, who was kneeling near the corner, noticed and couldn’t help but feel his heart race. Ning Rushen’s proximity seemed almost like he was unknowingly leaning into the emperor’s embrace…

The carriage swayed twice, and Ning Rushen almost fell forward.

Just as their bodies were about to touch, a large hand swiftly grabbed his shoulder—Ning Rushen startled, his body trembling. His hand shifted forward and met a firm, warm surface.

The hand on his shoulder pulled him back gently.

Cool air rushed in as Ning Rushen hastily removed the ribbon from his eyes, his heart still racing.

“Your Majesty?”

“Sit properly,” Li Wuting said, his expression calm. “You’re almost pushing me out.”

Ning Rushen: “……”

I wasn’t! I didn’t even touch anything!

What do you mean “push”? My presence doesn’t even fill the space!

Li Wuting seemed to read his expression, his gaze falling to Ning Rushen’s fingers, “Were you recognizing the carriage or recognizing me?”

So that’s what he meant by the hand earlier.

Ning Rushen felt Li Wuting was exaggerating, but since he had already been in the wrong, he decided to humor him: “If I can recognize Your Majesty, I can certainly recognize the carriage.”

Li Wuting paused for a moment.

Just when Ning Rushen thought Li Wuting would mock him again, he heard the emperor’s voice soften a little:

“You really know how to recognize it.”

“……?” Ning Rushen blinked.

Li Wuting had already moved on from the topic, gesturing to the food box, “Still want to eat? If not, De Quan can throw it away.”

Throw it away? What a waste!

Ning Rushen quickly pulled the food box closer, “I’ll eat.”

Li Wuting threw a blanket onto his lap, then leaned back with his eyes closed, resting.

Ning Rushen, holding the blanket, sat in the now peaceful carriage, munching on the pastries.

Halfway through, he suddenly remembered:

…Speaking of which, why did Li Wuting want him to wait in the carriage for half an hour?

After the Qionglin Banquet, the newly appointed scholars began their duties.

With more hands on deck, some were assigned to Ning Rushen’s team, easing his workload significantly.

As the imperial exams concluded, Huo Mian, responsible for the martial exams, and the soldiers from Dingyuan Army were preparing to return to the northern frontier.

They left in a hurry.

Ning Rushen didn’t realize Huo Mian had already left until he returned to his estate, where he found gifts sent by them—such as a knife from Huo Mian and various other items from his guards…

A whole bunch of things were piled up on the table.

Ning Rushen looked at them, a slight pang of sadness welling up in his chest.

He fiddled with the items for a while, contemplating: Now that they’re far away, there’s no way he can return their gifts in time.

“Parting is inevitable,” Yan Min comforted him.

“But the thoughtfulness of my brothers, I should at least return the favor.”

Ning Rushen sighed lightly and walked over to the pigeon cage, sadly grabbing a gray pigeon, “It seems only you can manage to deliver it now.”

Yan Min: Hm?

Gray pigeon:?

Ignoring the confused stares, Ning Rushen quickly wrote a letter to Huo Mian, naming the plump gray pigeon “Gray Fertilizer,” and tossed the letter along with the pigeon into the sky.

He muttered to the pigeon trying to return to the cage, “Hurry up and get to Huo Mian, and maybe you’ll survive.”

Whoosh! Gray Fertilizer flapped its wings and took off.

The next day, Ning Rushen went to the Imperial Study to take his shift.

As usual, he rolled up his sleeves to prepare ink for the emperor. After just a few strokes, he heard Li Wuting’s voice, cool and distant.

“I heard you sent provisions to the Dingyuan Army?”

“…” Damn that Shi Yi.

Ning Rushen blushed and corrected himself, “Just a small gift in return.”

It’s not like they were even eaten yet.

Li Wuting, “Oh. You and the Dingyuan Army seem to get along well. They’ve always been wary of civil officials, but they seem to think highly of you.”

Ning Rushen felt the unexpected praise weigh on him. “It’s just… people I met when I visited the general’s residence. We’ve gathered a couple of times after.”

At the mention of their first encounter, Li Wuting fell silent for a moment.

Then, the topic shifted. “You said you wanted to practice archery. Are you still practicing?”

“…”

Ning Rushen swallowed, “I’ve been busy lately, but I practice occasionally.”

“Well, since you don’t have much to do today, go ahead and practice.”

“?”

Li Wuting took the inkstick from his hand and sent him off, “No need to grind more ink. It’s enough for me. Go practice at the archery pavilion. I’ll join you after I finish the memorials.”

Ning Rushen opened his mouth to speak, but he nodded instead. “Yes.”

The path from the Imperial Study to the archery pavilion was familiar.

Ning Rushen didn’t wait for a servant and went ahead on his own.

The pavilion was by a lotus pond near the East Gate of the palace.

It was summer, and the pond was filled with blooming lotuses. A winding corridor bridge crossed the pond, leading to the pavilion, the path meandering gently.

As he crossed the bridge, nearing the end, he encountered a group of palace servants heading in his direction.

And there, ahead of him, was the Empress Dowager, whom he had met during the banquet.

He bowed, “I greet Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager.”

A gentle “Mm” came from ahead.

He was about to step aside and wait for them to pass when he saw the maroon-colored skirt come to a stop right in front of him. Then, a soft voice asked:

“Are you Lord Ning?”

Ning Rushen looked up and saw the Empress Dowager observing him carefully.

Her expression was serene, with a simple wooden hairpin shaped like a carved peony in her hair, giving her a dignified and graceful look.

Ning Rushen was unsure, “Yes?”

The Empress Dowager looked at him thoughtfully, then added, “At the banquet, I heard Tang’er mention that His Majesty thinks highly of Lord Ning. I noticed you from afar. Today, I’ve had the chance to meet you in person. You look like a broad-minded and open-hearted person.”

… So, Prince Xuan is paying such close attention to him.

Ning Rushen replied, “Thank you, Your Majesty, and His Highness, for your kind words.”

The Empress Dowager observed him for a moment, then spoke again, “Lord Ning seems to have a connection with Buddhism.”

Ning Rushen, thinking of his generally easygoing nature, responded, “I also think I’m quite Buddhist in nature.”

“…” The Empress Dowager paused for a moment. “Buddhist in nature?”

Ning Rushen realized he had used an unusual phrase and quickly corrected himself, “I mean, I have a peaceful, open heart, and I adapt easily to situations.”

The Empress Dowager nodded thoughtfully, “This is the first time I’ve heard such a phrase.”

The two of them continued talking on the bridge.

When Li Wuting finally finished his memorials and came over, he saw them talking quite animatedly. The sight made his head ache.

He walked over quickly.

The palace servants immediately bowed, “Long live the emperor!”

Ning Rushen turned around at the noise. “Your Majesty.”

Li Wuting gave him a brief glance before greeting the Empress Dowager, “I haven’t seen Mother for a few days. How is she feeling recently?”

The Empress Dowager smiled softly, “I’m doing well, feeling quite Buddhist.”

“…” Li Wuting, “??”

He paused for a moment, then turned to Ning Rushen with a deep, thoughtful gaze.

Ning Rushen felt nervous, lowering his head.

But it seemed Li Wuting didn’t want to address it in front of the Empress Dowager, and the two of them switched topics:

“In a few days, it will be June, and the Tianzhu Festival will be upon us.”

“Mm, I’ve already instructed people to prepare.”

The Empress Dowager’s voice softened, “I plan to visit Shaojue Temple to pray. Your mother’s ever-burning lamp is still there.”

Li Wuting nodded quietly. “Alright.”

Perhaps due to the presence of palace servants and officials, the Empress Dowager didn’t go into more details, but she couldn’t help but reminisce, softly mentioning past memories with the Concubine Xian.

Ning Rushen listened quietly.

In the few words exchanged, he couldn’t help but think that Li Wuting’s birth mother must have been a gentle and beautiful woman… Ah, except for that nail incident.

While lost in thought, the two of them finished their conversation.

“I’m getting a bit tired. I’ll head back first.”

The Empress Dowager, who rarely spoke so much, excused herself and left.

The procession left in a grand display.

The bridge grew quiet again, and Ning Rushen stood there, watching the Empress Dowager leave, when he suddenly heard a voice from beside him.

“Buddhist in nature?”

He looked up, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Li Wuting, with a smile that wasn’t really a smile, looked at him. “You’ve been teaching even the Empress Dowager your weird phrases. Your courage really seems to be growing.”

Ning Rushen lightly tried to explain, “It’s just a little hometown phrase.”

Li Wuting scoffed, “A phrase from Yuchuan? Do people from Yuchuan speak like this? What else do you say? Tell me.”

Ning Rushen had no choice but to explain, “That’s right. We just stack adjectives together and add a light ‘da’ at the end to make it sound cute.”

Li Wuting took a moment to process.

Then he looked at Ning Rushen, his long fingers tapping his head, “So, would ‘empty’ be ‘empty-da’ for you?”

Ning Rushen: “…”

Please, don’t say such cute things with that tone.

When they reached the archery pavilion, Ning Rushen’s thoughts shifted.

He recalled the Tianzhu Festival that had been mentioned earlier and asked, “Your Majesty, where is Shaojue Temple? Is it far?”

“It’s not far, just to the west of the capital, at Shaoguang Mountain.”

As they stepped off the bridge and into the bright sunlight, Li Wuting’s voice was steady.

“I’ll be going too. Would you like to come with me?”

“?” Ning Rushen was caught off guard but, as usual, accepted without protest. “Yes.”

He then became curious, “Is Shaojue Temple really that spiritual?”

“Indeed,” Li Wuting said, his mind seemingly drifting. “Especially with Master Jingxi’s fate readings.”

Ning Rushen glanced at him. Could it be that Li Wuting had visited to get his fate read?

Li Wuting, noticing his probing gaze, smiled faintly. “It happened many years ago.”

With that, his gaze drifted again, as if lost in distant memories.

Many years ago?

Ning Rushen thought, Could it be from when he was a child?

He leaned in, “So, was it where the emperor’s true dragon fate was predicted?”

As soon as he spoke, Li Wuting’s gaze snapped back to him. He gave a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No.”

“Not a good reading. Want to hear more?”

The Author’s Note:

Li Wuting: Dropping a miserable bait.

Ning Rushen: ? (testing his luck)

Empress Dowager: My fate is indeed miserable.