Although Su Lianyun was a rogue fighter from the martial arts world and a wandering swordsman, having lived with his wife for so long, he had heard a bit about court affairs. After hearing Yang Shao’s delirious rambling, he fully understood his wife’s intentions.

They picked up their son from a neighbor’s house and returned to that peaceful sanctuary that belonged exclusively to them.

About five miles east of Wu’an City lay Xinghua Village. To the south of the village was a low hill, and at the foot of that hill stood a solitary house. The house was built against the hill, and spring water from the peak gurgled down beside it, forming a water flow that looked much like a curtain. The stream was not large, splashing loudly against the mountain rocks and flowing through the crevices between the stones into a small creek behind the house.

This was the home of Su Lianyun and Zhong Yueping. It was not only cozy but also incredibly lively, because the rushing spring water cascading down beside the house sounded just like falling rain, never ceasing for a single moment throughout the year. It could truly be described as listening to the wind and rain from a small bamboo cabin, quietly watching the martial arts world while living hidden here. This was an artistic conception usually found only in poetry, yet it manifested perfectly right here.

Su Lianyun and Zhong Yueping had wandered for months before accidentally discovering that the residents of Xinghua Village lived in harmony with no conflict, so they decided to live here in seclusion. They searched all around the area and finally found this perfect dwelling place. It possessed not only mountains and water, but also trees, grass, flowers, and birds, making it exactly the utopian paradise they yearned for.

Zhong Yueping was responsible for washing clothes, cooking, weaving garments, and embroidering shoes, while Su Lianyun was responsible for chopping firewood, carrying water, hunting, and growing vegetables. It was truly a beautiful mountain life.

In their spare time, they would either help the villagers slaughter pigs and cattle, or they would embrace each other by the creek, leaning against the building to listen to the rain.

Peaceful times seemed to be coming again. Su Lianyun and Zhong Yueping exchanged a glance, showing their smiles from the past, and then they began to clean up the house that had been unoccupied for a month.

There were many mosquitoes and insects in the mountains, making it a sacred paradise for spiders that loved to eat them to survive. Taking advantage of the empty house, they had already woven large webs inside, setting up camp, apparently intending to multiply and thrive in this stunningly poetic place.

“Yueping, look at these spiders, aren’t they bullies? Just because we didn’t come back for a month, they decided to act like a dove taking over a magpie’s nest.” Su Lianyun said jokingly.

Three year old Nan’er asked half-understandingly, “Daddy, where is there a pig?”

Su Lianyun pointed east for a bit and then west for a bit, saying as he pointed, “Here, there, everywhere.”

Nan’er scratched his little head, looking completely confused. After a long while, he opened his little mouth, “How is this a pig? Isn’t a pig that big speckled sow at Auntie Wang’s house?”

Su Lianyun was instantly speechless, while Zhong Yueping laughed so hard she could barely close her mouth. However, this smile was as brief as a night blooming cereus, quickly vanishing from her cheeks. She patiently explained to Nan’er, “Nan’er, this kind of spider is not that kind of pig. It’s just like people; although everyone is called a person, there are men and women, and everyone is different.”

“Mhm, I get it, this pig is not as cute as the one at Auntie Wang’s house.” Nan’er said. Then, fearing his parents would be unhappy that he praised another family’s things, he added, “But Mommy is much prettier than Auntie Wang. Auntie Wang even said Uncle Wang always drools when he sees you!”

“Nan’er, you cannot just eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. That is impolite, do you understand?” Although Zhong Yueping felt a bit embarrassed, she did not forget to educate her son. She knew her son was smarter than typical children. If he was not disciplined from a young age, she feared he would learn bad habits and go astray, which would cause great harm.

Nan’er pouted his little mouth, saying with a bit of grievance, “Mommy, Nan’er didn’t eavesdrop. They said it very loudly when they were arguing. I already tried very hard to sleep, but I couldn’t fall asleep. I really didn’t mean to listen.”

Su Lianyun chimed in, “Nan’er, you must never say such things again. If your Uncle Wang and Auntie Wang hear this, they will be unhappy, do you understand?”

Nan’er nodded and began to mimic them, cleaning up the room in an orderly fashion.

However, they did not notice that Yang Shao, who was lying on the bed, had already woken up. He heard everything perfectly clearly, a trace of envy flashing in his eyes, and then his gaze fixed onto Zhong Yueping, unable to move even a fraction.

Such a beauty who seemed completely untouched by the mortal world, and such a peaceful life, was it not exactly what Yang Shao yearned for? He had put on his armor and gone to battle at the age of twenty to reclaim a vast territory of the Sui State, all so that the citizens exiled in foreign lands could return to their home country, so that brothers and sisters separated for years could reunite, and so that the Sui State could enjoy prosperity with no more wars, allowing everyone to live the quiet pastoral life that he dreamed of but could never achieve.

Because he had been fighting away from home all year round, he was nearly thirty years old but had not yet started a family. Now seeing the woman he favored, his competitive and aggressive nature constantly spurred him on, and an evil soul seemed to be slowly rising from the deep recesses of his heart.

Time slipped away quietly again. A few days later, Yang Shao could barely manage to walk on the ground. Seeing that his injuries were recovering so quickly, Zhong Yueping thought that if she did not tell him her thoughts soon, she feared he might leave without saying goodbye one day.

This day, it just so happened that Auntie Wang came to deliver mutton soup. Auntie Wang said, “Nan’er’s mother, the weather is getting colder and colder, and the first snow is coming soon. I heard from Nan’er that his father got hurt while out this time and cannot go into the mountains to hunt. Your Brother Wang slaughtered an old sheep and asked me to bring it over to help you keep warm.”

Seeing the two full buckets of mutton soup, Zhong Yueping felt too embarrassed to accept them, so she said, “Over the years, we have received so much help from you and Brother Wang. You were both reluctant to slaughter this old sheep yourselves, so we absolutely cannot accept it. You should take it back quickly!”

“Our two families live closest to each other and are both far from the village. We have supported each other for so many years, so why are you still acting like an outsider with us? Besides, several times when hunting in the mountains, it was Nan’er’s father who saved my man. Are you trying to say that your Brother Wang’s life isn’t even worth this mutton soup?”

“That… I didn’t mean it that way.” Although Zhong Yueping was intelligent, her verbal skills were completely no match for Auntie Wang, who argued with her husband every single day.

Auntie Wang set down the mutton soup, turned around, and walked back, saying loudly as she walked, “I carried it all the way here with great effort. If you don’t appreciate it, carry it back yourself, because I can’t carry it anymore.”

Seeing Auntie Wang abandon the task and leave, Zhong Yueping could not help but smile faintly. Her eyes suddenly lit up as she thought to herself: This mutton soup really came at the perfect time. The prince’s condition is improving and he needs nourishment. I can use delivering the soup as an excuse to talk to him about this matter.

So Zhong Yueping poured a bowl of mutton soup and pushed open the old wooden door with a creak. Yang Shao was using his single hand to brace against a wooden stool, his severed arm swinging in the air, slowly moving across the room with great effort much like a child taking their first steps. His handsome, serious face was currently flushed red from the exertion.

He was currently facing away from the door. Hearing the sound of the door opening, he did not turn around, but simply said coldly, “Brother Su is here to deliver food again? It doesn’t seem to be mealtime yet, does it?”

“Prince, it’s me. I brought you some mutton soup to help you stay warm and nourish your body.” Zhong Yueping said, already stepping into the room.