She slowly descended the mountain and crossed the Jade Hail Garden, then lifted her head and drew a breath. There were still no stars in the night sky, but for some reason, the girl thought of the smiling face Her Highness would wear a little later. Her own lips curved first, and she chuckled twice.
She hoped Her Highness could spend a little more time with Young Master Yong Ji today.
When Her Highness had returned the past two nights, she had always told her what they had talked about that day while sitting on the bed washing her feet. Her Highness said Young Master Yong Ji did not talk much and was not particularly fond of smiling, but he was a very generous, gentle person.
She said there were few rules at the residence in the Northern Frontier, either. Prince Yan disliked showing himself most of all, and they could live wherever they pleased. She had heard that every winter brought boundless snow, with plum groves stretching twenty or thirty li, and they could ride tall northern horses through the deep snow to their hearts' content.
It was utterly different from the winters here, where the cold seeped into the bones.
A faint light shone in Meng'er's eyes as she gazed at the starless night sky and imagined it. After a while, she lowered her head a little and gently pressed her lips together.
...So of course she absolutely had to find it.
The girl suddenly gave a muffled grunt and stumbled a little. The drop of over a foot at this last step always jarred her leg painfully. She turned and glared at it, then laughed at her own childishness, rubbed her leg, and continued forward.
But just then, an icy voice came from ahead, bringing her abruptly