Snow Viewing on the Mountain

The East Palace's carriage was extravagantly luxurious, lined with warm cushions. Xiao Hanye had wrapped Shen Tingjue tightly in fox fur, leaving only his sleepy, bleary eyes exposed. He seemed not to know where he was, and after being jostled by the carriage for a while, he fell asleep again.

Afraid he might fall, Xiao Hanye kindly let him lean against his chest. Yet even asleep, the other man could flirt shamelessly. In his sleep, Shen Tingjue suddenly slipped a hand into Xiao Hanye's lapel, smacking his lips with a blissful expression.

Xiao Hanye's face went cold as he forcefully pulled out his hand and gripped his wrist tightly, refusing to let him move.

The carriage stopped beside the mountain road.

Scholars and poets always traveled in groups, each carrying brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and lofty aspirations. They had come here to discuss the past and present, seeking a moment of uninhibited freedom. But the mountain path was truly difficult to traverse, and with light snow drifting down, everyone moved slowly. They had not advanced a single step for ages, clogging the entire road.

Shen Tingjue clawed his way out of the thick fox fur, yawned, sprawled against the carriage window, and poked his head outside. He let out a long sigh, pulled his head back in, and shook Xiao Hanye's shoulder. "There are so many people. What do we do? It's all your fault for insisting on coming."

Xiao Hanye wanted to smack him on the forehead.

What did he mean, the Crown Prince had insisted on coming?

Shen Tingjue suddenly thought of something, his face lighting up. "How about you carry me and fly over? We can leap across roofs and scale walls. That would definitely look impressive and draw a chorus of amazed admiration. Maybe the scholars will even paint us and make us part of some masterpiece!"

Xiao Hanye refused. "You can fly yourself. If you want to become a masterpiece, go do it yourself."

"I can't." Shen Tingjue shook his shoulder. "Hurry up."

His Highness the Crown Prince had only dragged him here out of sheer contrariness. Now, he deeply regretted it.

Xiao Hanye sincerely suggested, "How about we go back? You can keep curling up under the covers and sleep. Wouldn't that be nice?"

"No, I've slept enough. I'm full of energy now." Shen Tingjue grabbed him and shouted into his ear, "Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Xiao Hanye had a terrible headache.

Xiao Hanye lifted the curtain. Before anyone could look over, he wrapped one arm around Shen Tingjue's waist and leaped into the air with him. They skimmed across the roofs of carriage after carriage, landed atop a tall tree, then sprang down again. At midair height, he lightly stepped on a branch, stirring up a thin, swirling gust of wind. His qinggong was exquisite beyond compare.

The scholars, dizzy from being trapped in the congestion, all looked up. "Wow!"

Was being able to fly such a big deal?

It really was.

Today, Xiao Chongrui had been forced by his mother consort to invite the Xiang family's second young lady out for an excursion and cultivate their relationship.

Second Miss Xiang was a lively, chatty little beauty, unlike other noble ladies who were so reserved. Unfortunately, Xiao Chongrui had long since given his heart to someone else. He found her unbearably noisy and disliked everything about her. His face remained dark throughout the journey, and he barely responded to her.

Xiang Rong pointed at the two figures flying past, envy filling her eyes. She turned to Xiao Chongrui. "Your Highness, why don't you fly me over like that too? Then we won't have to be stuck here."

Xiao Chongrui folded his arms and glanced up. He could not see their faces, only vaguely feeling that their backs looked familiar. He snorted. "Stuck is stuck. This prince has no desire to show off like them."

He would never admit that he lacked confidence in his qinggong.

What if he suddenly fell? The people of the entire capital would laugh at him for ten years.

But if the woman beside him were Cousin Ping Lan, Xiao Chongrui thought he would probably show off a little.

After all, before the one you loved, even the impossible had to become possible.

Xiao Hanye held Shen Tingjue and landed steadily on the ground.

This was the highest point of Danyang Mountain. Winding streams ran through the landscape, the mountain cloaked in white armor, red plum blossoms blanketed in snow. From afar, heaven and earth seemed to merge into one, snow mist hazy and indistinct, the ridges like a silver-white python dancing through the air.

"Snow without poetry makes one vulgar." Shen Tingjue was brimming with excitement. "Your Highness, recite a few lines for me."

Xiao Hanye shot him a sidelong glance. "If I recite poetry for you, do you know what that's called?"

Shen Tingjue blinked. "Hm?"

Xiao Hanye poked him in the forehead. "Playing music to a pig."

Shen Tingjue lacked learning, but that did not mean he was stupid. At those words, he viciously reached to tug Xiao Hanye's face. "You're the pig!"

Taking advantage of his height, Xiao Hanye easily pressed down on his head and kept him a slight distance away. "You actually understood it. You're not completely stupid."

Shen Tingjue punched him in the chest.

Xiao Hanye stared at his flailing appearance. After a moment, he suddenly burst out laughing.

It was Shen Tingjue's first time seeing him smile. Though he was laughing at him, before such beauty, Shen Tingjue did not mind in the least. Instead, his heart raced wildly, and he rose onto his toes to kiss him.

Xiao Hanye deliberately lifted his head and leaned back.

Shen Tingjue clutched his lapel. "I can't reach you. Lower your head."

Xiao Hanye said cruelly, "Figure it out yourself."

Shen Tingjue had already stretched to the very limit of his toes, yet he still could not reach him. Even pulling tightly at his lapel failed to drag him down. Furious, he pressed his lips into a thin line and simply bit his shoulder instead.

Xiao Hanye's expression did not change.

Seeing that he remained unmoved, Shen Tingjue was about to bite him again when a wide sleeve suddenly fell over him. His vision was blocked, and his nose was filled entirely with the Crown Prince's scent.

With his head covered, Shen Tingjue was kissed until his waist went weak. When they parted, he licked the spot that had been bitten open and could not help gasping, yet his words remained provocative. "I remember our first time was out in the open on a mountain. Want to relive it?"

The wind here was somewhat strong, tousling his hair, yet it could not disperse the blazing love in his eyes. Xiao Hanye's heart stirred, and he raised a hand to touch his eyes.

Whenever these eyes looked at him, they always made him feel that he, too, was loved.

Xiao Hanye lowered his head.

Shen Tingjue instinctively closed his eyes, allowing him to kiss his long lashes.

A conversation suddenly drifted over from nearby.

"Brother Zhang, a talent such as yourself will surely place first in next year's imperial examination. I heard you even received a calling card from the Prime Minister. If even he values you so highly, you are bound to rise steadily through the ranks and soar to great heights."

"You flatter me, you flatter me. Zhang has come this far mainly thanks to Prince Jing's favor and support. As for the Prime Minister, he is merely someone who seeks fame and reputation, far less virtuous and esteemed than Xie the Grand Secretary. If I could become Xie the Grand Secretary's student, that would truly be the fortune of three lifetimes."

"Indeed. Prince Jing's worthy reputation has spread far and wide, and he often moves among literary circles, treating talented men with courtesy. His maternal grandfather, Xie the Grand Secretary, serves the nation and its people, possessing both virtue and talent. Once one enters officialdom, relying on Prince Jing would be the wise choice. As for the Crown Prince, he is nothing less than a murderous fiend. The moment he is displeased, he kills and sheds blood. With a flick of his sleeve, he can chop off ten heads—more demonic than any villain of the martial world. If the realm is ruled by him in the future, officials and commoners alike will surely find life unbearable."

The moment the words fell, he heard someone shout, "Watch out!" Before he could react, an entire snowball had already struck him, leaving stars spinning before his eyes and his whole body shivering from the cold.