The hunting grounds.
Qi Yunheng emerged from his tent in riding clothes.
He raised his eyes.
Wherever he looked, his gaze found Xiao Yu.
At the sight of him, he hurried toward him with light steps.
As though sensing his approach, Xiao Yu turned around.
Seeing him, his eyes flickered, and he smiled softly. "A-Heng, you're here."
Qi Yunheng stopped, his gaze burning with admiration as he took in Xiao Yu's sleek riding outfit. "An An, you look beautiful."
Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, the corners of his lips curving as he looked at him. "My A-Heng looks just as good."
The ministers passing by all instinctively averted their eyes.
The way their king and Queen acted as though no one else existed was simply... too much to watch.
Qi Yunheng took the quiver a subordinate handed him, slung it over his back, and vaulted easily onto his horse.
He said to Xiao Yu, "An An, wait here. This King will venture deeper in and hunt something big for you."
In the past, as winter approached, the men of Southern Zhao would take it upon themselves to hunt plenty of game for their beloveds, ensuring they could spend the winter warm and well provided for.
Now, the custom had become for men to venture deep into the forest on the day of the winter hunt and hunt for their beloveds.
The bigger the game they brought back, the greater their love and regard for their beloveds.
"Be careful," Xiao Yu reminded him.
In truth, he did not need A-Heng to prove his love through such things.
But seeing how eager he was, Xiao Yu did not want to dampen his spirits and could only follow the local custom.
"I'll wait for you to come back,"
he said.
Hearing this,