he clenched his fists tightly

Entering the inn, Cui Yi practiced swordsmanship downstairs before returning upstairs, finding Chi Ying washing diapers. He offered, "Let me help."

"You?" Chi Ying laughed, "Your Highness, such tasks are beneath you."

Cui Yi insisted, "If you, once a noble lady, can do it, why can't I?"

Chi Ying yielded, letting him wash while she changed clothes. Cui Yi clumsily stirred the water, declaring it clean, but Chi Ying corrected him, "Smell it. Still smells."

Embarrassed, Cui Yi rinsed it again and hung it up. Chi Ying confirmed it was clean, and he dried his hands, asking, "Have you been doing this alone?"

Chi Ying replied, "Sang Duo helped sometimes, but everyone needs to do their share. She's a princess, but still does chores."

Cui Yi nodded silently, embracing her from behind, whispering, "Thank you for your hard work."

Chi Ying smiled, touching his head, which he dodged, pretending seriousness. Their eyes met, filled with months of longing. Words became unnecessary as they shared a deep kiss, conveying their emotions.

The next day, they planned to formally bid farewell to Sang Duo. Now with Cui Yi present, they could leave openly. Chi Ying hoped Sang Duo would understand.

"Your Highness, Lady, time to go," Cao Qian called from the corridor. Cui Yi kicked open the door, carrying Chi Ying out.

Cao Qian was speechless. Chi Ying sighed, knowing reconciliation between the two men was impossible.

Show off your love so brightly that it blinds people. "Zhongxing, take the things and let's go." Cui Yi didn't notice his confidant's unbearable expression at all, hugging his wife and daughter as he strode downstairs, causing a stir.

Chi Ying felt like she had lost face for her past life as well. Fortunately, Cui Yi had long legs and large strides, directly passing through the hall to the backyard, placing her on Jinwu's back before mounting himself and riding out grandly.

"Your Highness should not drink so much wine in the future; this is simply..."

"It's not about the wine, it's because of that damned Ten-Complete Tonic Soup."

Chi Ying's face was burning hot enough to boil water, but Cui Yi looked refreshed and energetic. Upon reaching the city outskirts station, he placed Chi Ying into the carriage again.

"Why did you bring an army?" After setting off, Chi Ying heard the noise from behind and peered out, startled, "Your Highness, bringing so many people will scare them!"

Cui Yi rode beside the carriage, his black cloak flapping in the wind. "They've already been scared. The Bogijik grasslands are the border area between Great Chu and Northern Di. If we don't bring troops, what if the Northern Di discover us?"

Chi Ying thought it made sense. Bumu had returned the previous night and informed their tribe of their intentions. They shouldn't fight when they met again.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the Seler Riverbank, all the Boxia tents were gone. Bumu had led the tribe away after returning. Chi Ying squatted on the hillside, gazing at the golden river, sighing, "After this parting, who knows if we'll meet again."

Cui Yi stood behind her, the wind blowing his black cloak loudly. "We will meet," he said firmly, looking towards the horizon. "When I reclaim the Central Plains and seize the throne, I will reunify the northern grasslands within my lifetime, and then you can see them again."

Chi Ying couldn't help laughing, teasing, "Your Highness speaks boldly. Be careful not to bite your tongue in the wind."

Cui Yi narrowed his eyes, smiling warmly and confidently, "Don't you believe me?"

"No," Chi Ying shook her head with a smile, "Even our founding emperor couldn't conquer it—Ah! Your Highness, what are you doing!"

Cui Yi held her waist with one hand and tickled her armpit with the other, asking mischievously, "One more chance, do you believe or not?"

Chi Ying laughed until tears streamed down her face, quickly conceding, "Believe! Believe! I believe, Your Highness, please let go, there are so many people watching below…"

Below, a thousand Yanzhou soldiers stopped to watch. Cao Qian coughed and said, "Do not look at what is improper!" The soldiers echoed, "Do not look at what is improper—!"

Cui Yi: "…"

Chi Ying: "…" It seemed she wouldn't have any face left in her next life either.

"Alright, no more fooling around, let's go home." Cui Yi held her shoulder, walking down the hill together.

The grayish-yellow grassland resembled a smooth animal skin. When the wind blew, the withered grass rolled rhythmically, like waves, carrying a pleasant scent, hinting at the approaching spring, refreshing and invigorating.

Leaning against the carriage window, Chi Ying watched the scenery, suddenly realizing something was wrong. She hurriedly lifted the curtain and asked, "Where are we going? Aren't we returning to Ganzhou?"

Cui Yi, leading the way on horseback, shouted back, "To Yanzhou!"

Chi Ying was instantly blown away by the news.

"Why Yanzhou—!"

"Because I am now the Yan Prefecture Governor—!"

In the opposite direction, the Boxia tribe was migrating towards the northwest Chaoyan Mountains. After a night of travel, they were exhausted. Bumu ordered a rest in a sheltered slope, eating before continuing. He rode out to patrol nearby.

Nayang circled above him, soon followed by Sangduo, "Brother!"

Bumu reined in his horse, Sangduo catching up breathlessly, "Brother, where is Chi Ying? You went out together, why didn't she return? And why did you make everyone migrate overnight without explanation? This isn't like you!"

"Answer me one question first." Bumu's voice was cold, his expression grim.

Seldom seeing him like this, Sangduo lowered her voice, "What is it, what question?"

Bumu stared at his sister, asking slowly, "Was someone telling that man while I was away that Chi Ying agreed to marry me, and we would get married when we returned?"

Sangduo's lips trembled, stepping back fearfully, "Brother…"

Bumu instantly understood, "Did you say it? Did you say it!?"

Sangduo, panicking, stepped back repeatedly, "Brother, I… I thought you two would be together. Weren't you always close? That man is rude and clumsy, showing no manners. I just wanted to provoke him, making him slink away in shame…"

Bumu asked coldly, "Do you know who he is?"

Sangduo shrugged nonchalantly, "He calls himself 'This King,' not sure which king he is. Even if he was Chi Ying's man before, he must have treated her badly. Staying with us is better than returning to him."

"He is the Martial King of Great Chu!" Bumu roared, "A war god who alone repelled three thousand Northern Di soldiers, Wu Wang Cui Yi! You got your wish, but instead of keeping Chi Ying, you offended this scourge. If we don't leave immediately, do you want to wait here to die?"

Sangduo was terrified, covering her mouth with both hands, "What? He… then…"

Bumu was filled with anger and bitterness over losing his beloved to another man. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't calm down. "Chi Ying never intended to stay. Her heart belongs only to that man. I saved her life, yet I mean less to her than a man who abandoned her in times of trouble."

No matter how well he treated her or her child, it couldn't change her feelings. Just thinking of her defending that man and glaring at him made him unable to bear it!

"…Brother, I'm sorry," Sangduo bowed her head, wringing her hands, "I was wrong, I'm sorry."

Bumu turned his horse without a word, continuing to patrol. Where his sister couldn't see, he clenched his fists tightly.

He almost believed that Cui Yi would eventually march south, wiping him and his tribesmen off this grassland. As long as he existed, it would be a thorn in that man's side. No man could tolerate another man coveting his woman.

But beyond that, a greater danger was looming, unexpected by anyone.

After a long journey, Chi Ying was finally brought back to Yan Prefecture. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, she was embraced by Xiaqiu, who cried loudly, "Madam!"

Xiaqiu was deeply attached to her, almost fainting from crying. Nongyue held Xiao Cui Xian aside, smiling, "Alright, alright, let Madam rest. She must be tired after the long carriage ride."

Apart from these two maids, Yang Qiong and Xie Yong also came to greet her, unexpected visitors.

"When did Mr. Yang come to Yanzhou?" Chi Ying asked in surprise.

Yang Qiong smiled, "I followed right after Your Highness and Madam left the capital."

Chi Ying slapped her forehead, "Look at me, I wasn't careful when checking the roster."

Cao Qian had led the troops to the barracks first and arrived later. Hearing their conversation, he said, "Among the eight thousand troops allocated by the Ministry of War, Brother Yang wasn't listed. General Dai secretly replaced him, changing the roster without informing anyone. Not even Your Highness knew until arriving in Yanzhou."

Chi Ying suddenly understood, turning her gaze to Xie Yong, her smile intriguing, "Mr. Xie, how have you been?"

Xie Yong bowed slightly, "Thank you for remembering me. I'm relieved to see Madam safe and sound."

Everyone knew Chi Ying disappeared from the Xie family, inevitably implicating them. But without direct evidence and needing the Xie family's financial support, they had to endure. Now that Chi Ying was back, Xiaqiu was the first to confront him, "Relieved? I think you were worried. Without you, how could Madam disappear for so long?"

Xie Yong remained calm, "What does Miss Xiaqiu mean? Are you suggesting Madam's disappearance has something to do with me? We have no grudge, why would I harm Madam?"

Xiaqiu was about to argue further, but Chi Ying stopped her, "Xiaqiu, I haven't eaten your steamed pork buns in a long time. Why don't you buy some ribs and prepare some welcoming dishes for me?"

"…Alright." Following her mistress's wishes, Xiaqiu reluctantly left.

Once Xiaqiu was gone, Chi Ying smiled ambiguously, "The person who forced me away may not have been Mr. Xie, but as the eldest son of the Xie family, saying you knew nothing is unbelievable. I'll assume you were powerless to resist Lady Ye and thus chose to stand idly by."

Unexpectedly, Xie Yong maintained his innocent tone, "Madam jests. I truly knew nothing. If I did, even if I couldn't stop it at the time, I could have told Your Highness after leaving Xuancheng. How could Madam suffer for months? Why would I be standing here greeting Madam?"

Chi Ying smirked, declining to comment on his defense, glancing around, "Where is Master Bai?"