The mountain’s daytime warmth gave way to a night chill like deep autumn, with a hooked crescent moon casting soft light over still waters.
Moonlight spilled onto the rock walls outside the cave, mingling with the faint glow amid a sky full of stars. The boundless darkness of the mountains transformed into a dotted Milky Way, shadows sparse and mottled.
Yun Shen and Li Xiang sat outside on night watch, plucking at the weeds on the ground. The others had already leaned against the stone walls and fallen asleep, the quiet serenity perfect for rest. Yun Shen nudged the idle Li Xiang. “You sleep first. Take over for the second half of the night. Wei is watching inside anyway—she’ll call us if anything happens. If we both stay up, how will we travel tomorrow?”
Li Xiang considered it and found it reasonable. This wasn’t like marching in the army; no major issues would arise. If pursuers caught up, Yun Shen alone could wake everyone. She nodded and lay down on the ground in her clothes.
Once Yun Shen saw her asleep, she climbed into the cave to check. Xun Changqing had taken an arrow during the day without medicine. With her delicate skin, she was bound to develop a fever at night.
Unlike the scattered stones outside, Wei Lingci had gathered grass to lay on the cave floor inside. It wasn’t as soft as bedding, but it allowed for restful sleep. A fire burned in the cave; Yun Shen added more firewood, brightening the flames.
Drawing closer, she saw Xun Changqing’s face no longer as pale as during the day—whether from her own feverish heat or the firelight, her cheeks burned red, her lips tinged with color. Yun Shen scratched her head and suggested, “She’s really feverish. Wei, should we fetch some cold water for a compress? That’s how we did it before.”
Wei Lingci nodded in the shadows, and Yun Shen dashed out, waking the others to fetch water together.
The cave fell quiet again. The person lying on the ground turned her head slightly, as if uneasy. Her thick lashes trembled, and a surge of intense panic rose in Wei Lingci’s heart. She hurried over, propped her up, and her voice rose unexpectedly. “Changqing, Changqing, how do you feel? Answer if you hear me.”
The words echoed loudly in the silent cave. Xun Changqing opened her eyes and looked around dazedly, her senses gradually returning. She gasped roughly. “Still on the mountain?”
“Mm. We’ll head back to Ji Province at dawn. How do you feel?” Wei Lingci asked patiently again, grabbing a water skin nearby to feed her a few sips before continuing. “Tomorrow after we reach Ji Province, you head back to the Imperial Capital first. I’ll return once reinforcements arrive—I should catch up with you.”
Today’s efforts had failed spectacularly, nearly costing both their lives. Xun Changqing understood the peril. Staying here helped neither her recovery nor Yuan Man’s defense of the city. She nodded, her dry lips curving like a crescent moon in a beautiful smile. “I think that old fox Gu Liang Gan will come. No one knows the borderlands like him. Plus, with Father about to ascend the throne, and him being the late Princess Consort’s brother, he’ll step in for public and private reasons. That ace he kept up his sleeve can finally be used. It’s just that the Wise Noble Consort might not be pleased.”
The Virtuous Noble Consort Gu Liangyin was a collateral branch of the Gu Liang Clan, but Gu Liang Gan’s inaction that day had led to the Third Prince Xun Yishu’s tragic death. Such a rift couldn’t be mended.
Wei Lingci’s gaze darkened. She held her tighter, rubbing her feverish cheek before whispering softly, “That’s what you were dreaming about earlier. Changqing, you’re truly concerned for the realm. It’d be a shame for the people if you didn’t enter court.”
Teased like this, Xun Changqing lost interest in continuing. She leaned into her embrace and heard her say, “Don’t think about these things anymore. It’s all set in stone now. Focus on healing—that’s your job. Ji Province has me and Yuan Man.”
Xun Changqing lacked enthusiasm. “Fine, I won’t. But this isn’t the Imperial Capital. You probably don’t have people here. Avoid Gu Liang Gan if you can—he’s connected to the Pingnan Prince’s Mansion by marriage, after all.”
Awake, Xun Changqing’s voice carried a soft weakness far from her usual cheerfulness. Though she said nothing, Wei Lingci understood her thoughts. She seemed to have truly grown up, learning to hide her emotions, never mentioning Ana Yanran—not longing, not resentment, nothing at all.
Wei Lingci suddenly ached for her. She’d thought rebirth would make things smooth, but fate proved stronger than human effort. The feelings she already bore were unforgettable, and now this—should she cherish or hate? The entangled national grudges made it hard to choose.
The body in her arms grew hotter. Wei Lingci glanced outside. Xun Changqing, feeling better after waking, closed her eyes in enjoyment. She liked being cherished in Wei Lingci’s palm, though her body felt cold. Gazing at the fire a few steps away, her eyes flickered.
“I feel a bit cold. Is it windy outside?”
“Nights in the mountains are chilly—nothing like down below. Lie down; I’ll add more wood.”
Wei Lingci laid her flat on the grass and added firewood. As the flames roared, she glanced back at the unusually quiet girl, unease stirring. Xun Changqing wasn’t one for such calm; she seemed to be suppressing herself, bitterness spreading in Wei Lingci’s heart.
