Zhao Yen was astonished.

She had forgotten about Wenren Lin, completely not expecting that he would stay behind to bathe!

She wondered if it was still in time to go over to Phoenix Pool now…

As she pondered, Zhao Yen stepped back nonchalantly, preparing to slip away.

“Agreed to serve this prince for a day, and it is only evening.”

Wenren Lin blew out the fire wick in his hand, turned back to look at her, “Your Highness is going to go back on your word again?”

This Wenren Lin, his moods were unpredictable, his city depth profound. If things did not go according to his will, he could always dig out a new pit for her to fall into.

Thus Zhao Yen turned back again, dawdled forward, and asked: “Does Prince Su also want to bathe to dispel poison?”

Wenren Lin lifted his eyelids, and Zhao Yen at once knew she had asked a useless question. It was said that the spiritual spring beneath Yuquan Palace came from the depths of the dragon vein, under the protection of heavenly gods, and that the pool water could cure a hundred illnesses. Since he had come, how could there be reason not to bathe?

Wenren Lin spread his arms slightly. This posture, without doubt, was for her to disrobe him.

Back at Hegui Pavilion she had undone it quite smoothly, yet today it seemed as though she had not grown any hands. Zhao Yen lowered her gaze and grumbled inwardly, bracing herself to go forward.

Her fingers touched the chi-patterned jade hook belt at his waist. Thinking of what this warm jade had originally been used for, Zhao Yen guiltily averted her eyes, frowned, and picked at it for a long time—yet the more she tried to undo it, the tighter it became.

Wenren Lin’s patience was exceptional. He just watched the little Princess’s soft, fluffy hair sway at his chest, allowing her slender white fingers to struggle arduously against the jade hook belt.

After quite some time, she managed to undo the belt, and then wrestled with the clothing knots.

After a long while, Zhao Yen finally dropped her shoulders in defeat, raised a slightly flushed and damp face, and said innocently: “It turned into a dead knot.”

Wenren Lin raised his sleeve, looked at the string of unsightly clothing knots at his waist, and that eternally unchanging expression at last showed a fleeting trace of daze.

“Your Highness truly is of golden branches and jade leaves, born to be served.”

For some reason, when Zhao Yen heard him say “to be served,” it was as though he were alluding to something else with hidden meaning.

“In this life I have never served another, so of course I am unfamiliar.”

As if, she said to herself inwardly.

Though she was a Princess living amidst brocade and fine food, she was not so useless as to be unable to undo clothing knots. She simply knew well that once she took the initiative, did things too perfectly and obediently, then the days of being grasped in his hand would only increase.

Couldn’t handle the matter well, could she not at least spoil it? She did not believe that if she dampened his spirits like this, Wenren Lin would still have the leisure and elegance to continue anything.

Sure enough, Wenren Lin pinched that string of knots with a twist, and they burst open at once with a harsh sound of tearing silk.

“Clothing knots, are undone like this.”

Wenren Lin brushed a hand at Zhao Yen’s waist, and the loose outer robe immediately slid down, piling at her feet.

Zhao Yen wore only a thin undergarment, the chest binding faintly visible. She stared blankly for a moment, and still did not see clearly how he had just moved.

Wenren Lin hung the outer robe upon the lacquered wooden rack, then stripped off his inner garments by himself, wearing only a pair of underpants, and stepped barefoot into the water pool.

Ripples spread layer upon layer, the whole pool’s fragments of light refracting upon his strong, well-defined upper body, like a beautiful male demon wading forth.

So his chest was this solid, his waist and abdomen muscles this distinct? With clothes on, one truly could not see it.

And those arms full of explosive strength—no wonder he could so easily draw up a heavy bow of seven stone weight…

Fragments of memory suddenly flashed through her mind. Back at Hegui Pavilion, Zhao Yen recalled how even when she joined all ten fingers together, she could not grasp Wenren Lin’s arm clamped at her waist, could not push it away nor escape. In the end, she could only sobbing bite down, the tensed muscle rebounding so that her jaw went numb.

Realizing what she was recalling, Zhao Yen abruptly turned her face aside, driving all matters related to that defeat out of her mind.

She forced herself to recognize clearly the identities of the two of them, calmed her heart slightly, and then poured all the moist petals from the basket at her side into the pool. The red and white mingled in splendid profusion, immediately floating across the surface, veiling the clear ripples beneath.

Petals clung to Wenren Lin’s chest and arms. He raised his brows imperceptibly, lifted a hand to brush them away, as though disdaining them.

Wenren Lin rested one arm backward on the dragon-carved poolside, eyes closed in repose, letting the droplets run down his long hand with raised veins, dripping from the fingertips with soft plinks into the pool.

Zhao Yen observed for a long while and discovered that Wenren Lin, soaking in the hot spring, did not sweat. His complexion remained frosty and cool, as though his entire person were carved from icy jade, unable to feel the warmth of the world.

It had been the same last winter. He ordered a dozen braziers moved into Chongwen Hall, and while Zhao Yen was so hot she was drenched in sweat, he showed not the least trace of heat, remaining clean and refreshing like one not of the mortal world.

Occasionally when touching his knuckles, they too were faintly cold.

For a full quarter of an hour, Wenren Lin soaked in the hot spring without moving at all.

Soaking this long without coming up for air—would he faint?

Would he not die?

Zhao Yen suddenly had such a ridiculous thought. Unable to restrain herself, she propped her hand on the pool’s edge, creeping like a cat closer, attempting to observe more carefully.

Separated by no more than a foot, Zhao Yen could hardly discern the rise and fall of Wenren Lin’s chest. She only faintly felt that his complexion looked somewhat more normal, his lips also recovering their usual pale hue. It was very strange.

Just as she concentrated, a wet large hand suddenly stretched up from beneath the pool, and with a splash seized Zhao Yen’s wrist.

Startled, Zhao Yen nearly toppled into the pool. Her other hand desperately sought support, pressing against Wenren Lin’s chest.

Wenren Lin paused slightly, his gaze falling on that slender white little hand upon his chest.

Zhao Yen bit her lip, wishing to withdraw, but it was already too late.

Having waited long without Zhao Yen arriving, Liu Ji came storming in with clothes in her arms. Annoyed, she pushed open the hall doors: “Agreed to soak together in the hot spring, yet Your Highness threw me and Liuying over there, while enjoying yourself alone here—how utterly boring!”

At this moment there was no time to stop Liu Ji, nor could she be allowed to see Zhao Yen and Wenren Lin in such a relation.

Panicked and without a plan, Zhao Yen instinctively pressed down on Wenren Lin’s head and shoulders, saying: “Quickly, hide under the water!”

“…” Wenren Lin narrowed his eyes dangerously.

But Zhao Yen could not care so much, forgetting even that she was still pretending to be a maidservant or concubine. Using both hands and feet, she exerted all her strength to push down!

With a loud splash, damp petals slapped against the poolside.

“My body is not something just anyone can see. Liuying has no such blessing…”

Liu Ji, chattering, lifted the curtain to enter. She was dumbstruck at the chaotic, unsettled waves filling the pool, and after a moment exclaimed, “Your Highness, are you Nezha, making havoc in the sea here?”

Zhao Yen’s feet were sunk in the petal-strewn water. To cover, she kicked at the waves, forcing a smile: “The water temperature is just right, so I could not resist playing with it for a while… Did Liu Ji come to find me for something?”

No sooner had she spoken than a sharp pain came from her toes beneath the water, as if bitten by some water demon.

Zhao Yen quickly pressed her lips together, swallowing the muffled groan into her belly.

Liu Ji clearly had something on her mind. Usually so observant, she now failed to notice Zhao Yen’s abnormality, only lifting her chin and humming: “Your Highness agreed you would bathe together with me.”

“Ah, that matter…”

Zhao Yen said with difficulty, “These few days are inconvenient for me, I cannot bathe. How about postponing two days?”

At her words Liu Ji immediately understood, and could not help being somewhat disappointed.

Fearing that she might again propose something like “soak our feet together,” Zhao Yen quickly diverted the topic: “When I passed through the marketplace, I brought you some fresh flowers and fragrance sachets, they are placed in Guanyun Hall. Will you not go and see them?”

At the mention of gifts, Liu Ji’s eyes brightened again, and she raised her brows: “Then I shall wait two more days.”

She turned to leave. Zhao Yen hurried to look at the gradually calming pool surface, but who would have thought Liu Ji would turn back halfway: “Oh yes.”

Zhao Yen was startled, and asked: “What is it?”

“I just seemed to see Prince Su’s men coming out from here. That one is ruthless and vicious—Your Highness must keep far away from him.”

After saying this, Liu Ji finally carried the clothes out to look at her gifts.

When the footsteps had gone far, Zhao Yen at once reached out to stir aside the floating petals, nervously calling: “Prince Su?”

Layer after layer of petals stirred, the rippling water would not settle, and she could not see the bottom at all.

Could it be that he had fainted?

“Grand Preceptor?” Zhao Yen called again.

Still no response.

Finished, finished—could it be that she had unintentionally rid the nation of a scourge!

Zhao Yen lay upon the pool’s edge, nervously stretching her hand into the water to grope. Suddenly her wrist tightened, and before she could cry out she was pulled entirely into the water.

With a splash, water flew in all directions.

Heat surged from every side. Zhao Yen felt herself like a reed drifting with the current, floating without ground to rest upon. She could not hold her breath; her breathing at once grew disordered. She could only flail her limbs in confusion, until she was pulled into a broad embrace.

Her lips stung, as though punished for her earlier bold and discourteous act. Then something soft pressed upon them, prying open her teeth at the moment she could not hold on, granting her the chance to breathe.

Zhao Yen opened her eyes in bewilderment, only to see the candlelight shattered upon the pool’s surface, Wenren Lin in the water transformed into something bizarre and illusory. She seemed to have encountered a water demon that sucked human essence, her body bound, her breath chaotic, even her soul about to be seized entirely.

She somewhat regretted treating Wenren Lin in that manner just now, yet she had already received the most “terrifying” punishment.

The lamplight was tranquil, floating brilliance leaping like gold.

Petals swayed with the waves, and from the depths of the water at times two tiny strings of bubbles rose, breaking apart amidst the rippling eddies.

When she came up from the water, Zhao Yen felt as though she had died once, able only to cling feebly to Wenren Lin’s shoulder and gasp mouthful after mouthful for breath.

Her hair was wet, her garments were wet, even her eyes seemed filled with the gleam of water—a fragile dampness all over.

Her scattered gaze gradually focused. Zhao Yen wished to strike Wenren Lin, yet had not the least strength. For a moment, she truly thought she would drown amidst the pool’s entanglement.

Wenren Lin supported her with one hand, lacquer-dark eyes fixed upon her alluring lips that opened and closed slightly, his voice low and deep: “Your Highness has quite the courage. Those kicks—were they not venting private resentment?”

“You… also dragged me into the water.”

Zhao Yen unwillingly opened her eyes, panting, and said, “We’re even.”

Her undergarment clung wetly to her body, dripping with water. Now her mouth still hurt, surely the skin was broken.

Wenren Lin gave a low laugh, yet at this moment his laughter was more unsettling than if he did not laugh at all.

Tok, tok—abrupt knocking sounded.

“My Lord, there is news.”

Outside the hall came the voice of a personal guard deliberately lowered. Zhao Yen remembered, he was called Cai Tian.

The tense atmosphere slightly eased. Wenren Lin’s gaze shifted, after a moment loosening his arm.

Once his hand let go, Zhao Yen could not suppress herself from slipping back into the water, hastily floundering as she pressed upon the poolside to steady her body.

When she lifted her eyes, Wenren Lin was already stepping up the stone steps, leaving a trail of dripping water.

His tall, strong figure passed behind the screen, and when he emerged from the other side, his body was already clad in dry garments.

His steps were unhurried, his expression appeared extremely calm, yet Zhao Yen inexplicably felt uneasy, and quickly asked: “Grand Preceptor, where are you going?”

Heh, now she called him “Grand Preceptor” again.

“Tonight’s moonlight is very beautiful.”

Wenren Lin lifted the dark outer robe and draped it on, his voice incomparably gentle: “When killing obstructive people, it must be a pleasure.”

Kill whom?

The suspects involved in the case, or the meddlesome Liu Ji just now?

The more Zhao Yen thought, the more she felt the latter possible. Reasoning anxiously, she said: “Those unaware are without guilt. It was I who panicked, it has nothing to do with the people at my side.”

Wenren Lin gave a sneering laugh.

Zhao Yen nervously lowered her eyes, then raised them again, brushing aside the damp hair stuck at her lips, and said: “What must be done for Grand Preceptor to quell his anger?”

Wenren Lin’s moist lashes half-lowered, slowly fastening his wrist guards, casting a cool sidelong glance at the graceful maiden floating in the pool.

“If Your Highness also sends a sachet, a fragrance pouch, and more diligently offers bathing, perhaps this prince could quell his anger.”

He gave a light laugh, “Who knows.”