The drums sounded sternly, the bells and chimes chimed in succession.

From the small path outside Diyin Temple hurried a young boy dressed in a seven-patterned ceremonial robe.

He was in a hurry, and the attendant behind him urged in a sharp, high-pitched voice, “Eighth Prince, please slow down. The Emperor has not yet entered the venue. You will definitely make it in time!”

Ji Chenyan snapped, “Shut up,” lifted his robe with both hands, and quickened his pace.

He had missed the appointed time today and feared he wouldn’t make it to the grand sacrificial ceremony. If no one noticed, it would be fine, but if caught, his father the Emperor would surely punish him.

The attendant jogged behind him, but before they reached the altar, Ji Chenyan suddenly stopped.

The attendant wasn’t prepared and bumped hard into the boy’s firm back, letting out a startled “ouch” while clutching his nose.

Ji Chenyan seemed to suddenly remember something, turning around guiltily and asking, “Is the carriage and horses arranged properly?”

The attendant replied immediately, “Everything is ready. Once Young Master Shen leaves the altar, I will immediately call for him to get into the carriage. How to handle things after that is entirely up to Your Highness.”

Ji Chenyan nodded, “Don’t make it too extreme; just scare him a bit. After all, Young Master Shen is the son of my cousin, and I hold no grudge against him. Under no circumstances should he be hurt.”

“This—”

This was different from what the prince initially instructed? The attendant cautiously spoke, “A few days ago, didn’t Your Highness say you promised the Tenth Princess to teach him a good lesson…?”

“That was then, this is now,” Ji Chenyan frowned, “The Tenth Princess is clever; if she doesn’t appear at the altar, then if anything really happens to Young Master Shen, it can’t be blamed on her. If it is investigated, I’d be the one in trouble.”

Besides, Shen Xuefeng was a decent person and quite handsome; he had no reason to pick a fight with a sickly beauty.

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“I promised the princess I’d give him a bit of a lesson. If you find some people to spread rumors that Young Master Shen was indeed hurt, wouldn’t that be enough?” Ji Chenyan rolled his eyes at him. “I’ve told you before to be a bit smarter, why can’t you learn?”

“Yes, yes, Your Highness’s orders are clear.”

“Then it’s settled.” Ji Chenyan straightened his robes impatiently and waved his hand. “Alright, alright, I’m going in now. You all hurry down and prepare!”

He hurried quickly to his designated position.

Since Ji Chenyan was the fifth prince and the fourth prince Ji Xuanyan was far away on the frontier, he had to stand to the left of the ninth prince Ji Liushuo and to the right of Ji Wu.

As soon as he stood still, Ji Chenyan couldn’t help but glance at his half-older brother.

Ji Wu was dressed the same, also embroidered with seven patterns. The red flame pattern on his robe seemed vividly alive, with tongues of fire licking the hem. A dark crown cap rested firmly atop his head, with the jade-beaded hanging crown decorations drooping naturally and motionless.

It was clear Ji Wu’s bearing was dignified and steady.

Ji Chenyan’s eyes moved upward, away from his slender, upright waist and the knee cover attached to the belt, all the way up to Ji Wu’s cold and sculpted profile. For some reason, Ji Chenyan felt this person gave off an intimidating aura full of pressure that made others uneasy.

Indeed, clothes make the man; rising in rank had changed his aura entirely.

Ji Chenyan snorted, pursed his lips, and withdrew his gaze, pretending to tidy his attire.

When he finished, he couldn’t help but look toward the spot for the presenting officials at the Chongwen Pavilion.

Several classmates stood beside the officials, dressed similarly to him. Among them, Shen Xuefeng’s eyes were also fixed tightly on Ji Chenyan’s position.

Could it be that Young Master Shen was looking at him?

Thinking this, Ji Chenyan pressed his fist to his lips and cleared his throat, showing his better side profile toward Shen Xuefeng.

After a while, he caught a glimpse of Shen Xuefeng quietly raising his hand to greet him, a shy smile appearing on the soft, delicate face.

Ji Chenyan thought: …No need to admire me so obviously.

He turned to face Shen Xuefeng squarely and reached out to return the greeting, only to realize Shen Xuefeng was staring straight at Ji Wu instead, not greeting him at all!

Ji Chenyan’s raised hand casually brushed his hanging crown and said, revealing the truth blatantly, “Ahem, this thing is too flashy, distracting people’s vision.”

“…”

Naturally, no one paid him any mind.

The three drum beats sounded sharply, the bell stopped, and the ceremony officially began.

The sky was already bright, but the air had turned stifling and dry. Shen Xuefeng listened to the steward’s announcements, sweat trickling down relentlessly from his jaw; he felt unbearably hot.

Especially since he was wearing such thick layers.

Yet when he secretly glanced at Ji Wu, he saw that Ji Wu’s expression remained calm as usual, as if he didn’t even feel the heavy heat around them, handling everything with ease.

Shen Xuefeng bit his lip.

From the very first meeting, Ji Wu had always been like this—no matter if he was kneeling and humiliated, his face never betrayed a hint of agitation, as if nothing in the world could faze him.

Shen Xuefeng forced himself to stay alert. He usually liked to carry an umbrella when going out, so over the years his eyes had grown sensitive to light; even a slight glare made him want to close them.

But for the sake of the plot going smoothly, he still tried hard to keep his eyes open and, along with Fan Qinghe and others, properly completed all the required rituals without any mishaps.

If he remembered correctly, after the afternoon’s sacrifices ended, Ning Ziyou, daughter of the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, would take a walk with Ji Changran on the back mountain. The two would disappear for one night and then, as usual, reappear in their respective rooms the next day before leaving Kuanhua Mountain by carriage.

As Shen Xuefeng thought about this, his stomach began to growl again. His waist belt had been tightened too much that morning; he hadn’t eaten much and was already full, but the entire morning had passed and now he was starving, standing there dizzy and lightheaded.

He felt like he might be about to faint from heatstroke.

He had no idea how long it had lasted, but finally the ceremony ended. The eunuchs immediately raised yellow silk covers to escort the enthroned Emperor back to the temple. The officiants filed out in an orderly fashion, and everyone hurried away from the sunlight as if fleeing for their lives.

At that moment, a young attendant came up to support him. “Young Master Shen, Miss Fu’s carriage has arrived. Let me take you to rest.”

Shen Xuefeng said “Oh” with some confusion. “It’s not far from here to Dinyin Temple; why take a carriage back?”

“Well,” the attendant stammered, “Miss Fu thinks the midday weather is too hot, so it’s cooler sitting in the carriage than walking. She’s inviting several young masters to return together.”

“I see. Then you go find Bo Ying first; I’ll go look for Fan Qinghe.” Shen Xuefeng patted the attendant’s shoulder.

“I just went to invite Young Master Fan; Young Master Shen can go directly,” the attendant quickly stopped him. “As for Young Master Bo, I’ll go find him now. No need to trouble you.”

Shen Xuefeng eyed the attendant suspiciously for a moment before saying, “Alright, then you lead the way.”

The carriage was parked among the trees near the Altar of Watching the Sun.

From afar, Shen Xuefeng could tell

this wasn’t Fu’s carriage. But curiosity got the better of him. Supported by the attendant, he got into the carriage, where a cool breeze greeted him, bringing great relief.

“I’ll wait here. You go ahead,” he said. He wanted to see who exactly was playing these little tricks.

Once seated in the carriage, Shen Xuefeng loosened the red tassel under his jaw, removed his hat, and fanned himself casually.

After about fifteen minutes, the curtain of the carriage was gently pulled aside.

Ji Wu’s flawless, handsome face appeared in sight. He bent slightly and made eye contact with the obedient young boy inside.

“Unexpected that Young Master Shen trusts this carriage’s owner so much—he came in early and has already started loosening his clothes, looking forward eagerly.”

Ji Wu boarded the carriage unhurriedly, staring at the boy’s loose collar, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his lips. “If those officiants saw the solemn and sacred representative of the official academy with his clothes so loose right now, they’d surely be surprised.”

Shen Xuefeng looked down at himself. He only felt too hot, so he had just loosened his collar and waist belt a little; if one didn’t look carefully, it was hardly noticeable. How could it be so exaggerated as to be ‘disheveled’?

“Your Highness, how did you come to be here? Wasn’t the eunuch calling for Qinghe and Bo Ying?”

Ji Wu asked in return, “Who’s Qinghe? Besides you and me, there is no one else here.”

“He didn’t come?”

Before Shen Xuefeng could react, the carriage suddenly jolted. The door slammed shut tightly as if someone outside had firmly locked it.

The horses neighed loudly, startling Shen Xuefeng. He pushed open the window to look outside, barely sticking his head out before the carriage body narrowly brushed past an ancient tree. Had he been any slower, his head would have smashed against the tree.

A hand pulled him back, and Ji Wu’s low voice sounded: “Sit properly. Don’t move.”

The carriage went wild, bouncing violently.

Shen Xuefeng, scared, immediately wrapped his arms around Ji Wu’s waist and tightly shut his eyes.

Ji Wu: “…”

There was suddenly an extra person in his arms, making movement a bit awkward. He sat up from his seat, swung his long leg, and the wooden carriage door instantly shattered into pieces. The scene before his eyes became clear.

The coachman was nowhere to be seen, but the horses, as if startled, galloped wildly. The roaring hot wind blew fiercely into the carriage, scattering Shen Xuefeng’s hair.

Ji Wu remained as calm as ever despite the chaos. Shen Xuefeng, however, grabbed him in fear. “Y-Your Highness… we won’t be harmed, right?”

“I won’t,” Ji Wu said, staring at him steadily, “but Xuefeng, not necessarily.”

Shen Xuefeng’s heart dropped halfway.

Alright, it seemed this Ji Wu was just as the original story said—a cold-blooded creature.

At this moment, it was too late to regret. Fighting fate might give even a slim chance to survive, though he wondered if his body could still function after a fall.

The carriage sped up, passing through the dense forest into a thicket of bushes. The trees gradually thinned out, replaced by thick undergrowth.

Shen Xuefeng relaxed a little, but Ji Wu’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Ahead was likely a cliff.

Ji Wu pulled a curved blade from his sleeve, as if considering a plan—or waiting for the right moment to strike.

If the frightened horses weren’t killed in one blow, they would only cause greater trouble in their current predicament.

“Your Highness, it looks like when disaster strikes, we’ll have to fly apart,” Shen Xuefeng said, his body trembling like a leaf but forcing calm. “Let’s jump off separately. No matter what, Your Highness’s life must be saved!”

“If this time I really don’t survive, then… let’s be good brothers again in the next life!”

With that, he lunged forward, grabbed the carriage door, closed his eyes, and jumped out. His movement was unexpected and so fast that Ji Wu failed to stop him.

“Shen Xuefeng!”

Ji Wu’s pupils contracted. He reached out to catch him, but his fingertips only brushed the silken sash—the boy vanished like a butterfly from sight.

Without hesitation, Ji Wu also jumped after Shen Xuefeng.