"It was a dream..."

Pei Rusong clutched his faintly aching forehead and buried his face in his palms. Even though he was awake, the intense grief from the dream had not completely dissipated.

In his previous life, he often had this dream. In it was the ruined Ciyun Temple, where the heavy rain seemed as if it would never stop. He trudged and wandered through the ruins, trapped in an endless, dazed search. Sometimes it was a piece of bone, sometimes a scrap of a sleeve. No matter how desperately he dug, he never found anything until he woke up with a start.

But this time, he finally saw the truth he had been desperately searching for. Yet, it was the bloody reality he had always been avoiding, comparable to cutting open his own heart with his own hands.

Pei Rusong tried to calm himself down with 'dreams are fake, it's just me scaring myself'. However, on second thought, in his previous life, let alone a skull, he hadn't even found a single complete bone. He instantly felt even worse.

The great fire had burned the entire mountain temple to the ground, and naturally, it had left no traces behind.

Pei Rusong had once deceived himself into believing that finding no body was proof that Wen Chan was still alive. That she had just used the fire to escape, and that perhaps one day she would miraculously reappear before everyone. As long as he was willing to wait patiently, he would eventually see her return.

However, until the very last moment when he was at the end of his rope, she still hadn't appeared.

Fortunately, the heavens took pity. Although fate had taken an inconceivable detour, it finally allowed him to wait for her...

Boom—

The dim inner chamber suddenly lit up as the sky split open with a blinding white light, and a clap of thunder immediately exploded overhead. Pei Rusong stared blankly out the window. In the brief moment he was dazed, a fierce wind howled through the courtyard, and rain poured down, beating fiercely and densely against the roof and window lattice. In an instant, the sound merged with the pattering rain from his dream.

Had he... waited long enough?

Pei Rusong suddenly tumbled out of bed, pulled the outer robe from the rack, and threw it on haphazardly before rushing out the door without looking back.

The Princess Manor was vast and deep, intricately constructed. The sleeping quarters and courtyards were connected by winding corridors, a fact Pei Rusong had never felt so keenly. He ran frantically and ungracefully all the way to Wen Chan's chamber door, scaring the young eunuch on night watch so much that he jumped three feet in the air. As if he had seen a ghost, the eunuch desperately blocked his way, "Prince Consort, stop!"

Pei Rusong's breathing and thoughts were a complete mess. After the mad dash, he stopped abruptly, choking so hard he almost coughed his heart out. The young eunuch hurried forward to support him, so frightened that he could barely speak properly, "Wh-wh-what's wrong? What happened? Someone! Someone come help him, this servant will go get Her Highness—"

Before he could finish, a pale, sinewy hand grabbed his forearm, yanking him back from the step he was taking.

"Cough, cough... I'm fine," Pei Rusong said between coughs, stopping him. "I'm fine, don't panic, don't disturb Her Highness..."

Waking someone up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare—even someone as composed as the Princess would get angry. Besides, it was he who had gone mad for no reason. Disturbing Wen Chan over such a trivial matter would not earn him any pity; it would only make her feel annoyed.

The night wind carried raindrops that struck his face, bringing a faintly stinging chill that helped him come to his senses from his panic and palpitations. Pei Rusong knew himself that he was being ridiculous. He leaned against the covered walkway and waited for his coughing fit to pass. The young eunuch at his side kept stealing worried glances at him and mumbled, "Prince Consort, are you really sure we don't need to tell Her Highness?"

In truth, just standing before her chamber door, hearing others say "Her Highness," and knowing she was still there, was enough for him to break free from the terrifying dream and return to the mortal world. It's just that the human heart has its moments of cowardice. Even though he knew everything was fine, he couldn't help but linger and hesitate.

Pei Rusong shook his head, regaining his usual calm and gentle demeanor. "There's no need. I'll go back after standing here for a bit. You should go rest."

Just as the young eunuch was about to speak, he heard a 'creak' as the door behind him was pushed open from within. Xianyun, draped in a robe and holding a lamp, was slightly taken aback when she saw Pei Rusong. "Her Highness heard a noise outside and ordered this servant to take a look. Prince Consort, what brings you here?"

Pei Rusong answered in a low voice, "It's nothing. Did I wake Her Highness?"

Xianyun glanced back into the room and said softly, "Her Highness is a light sleeper and was awakened by the thunder just now. Prince Consort, please come inside to talk."

Pei Rusong hesitantly stepped over the threshold. A lamp had been re-lit inside the room, and the maids all tactfully withdrew. Wen Chan, wearing a simple ivory robe, sat on the edge of the bed. Her expression was a little tired, but her tone was calm. She waved him over and said, "What's wrong? Running over here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping. Don't tell me that after two hours, you're finally starting your drunken antics."

Pei Rusong's current appearance was quite disheveled, his hair unbound and his clothes in disarray. This sight was miles away from being 'pleasing to the eye,' yet it was surprisingly beautiful, like a flower branch battered by the rain. The more precarious it seemed, the more inexplicably captivating it was.

Wen Chan watched him approach, looking utterly distraught. Her lips moved slightly, but she made no sound, as if she didn't know what to say. Then, just like on their wedding night, he came closer and hugged her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck as if seeking comfort.

Ah, here we go again.

Wen Chan let him hold her, unconsciously raising an eyebrow. "Don't think acting cute will solve everything. Speak."

The Princess was sitting right here, perfectly fine and alive, so Pei Rusong didn't want to mention any inauspicious words in front of her. He could only say evasively, "It's raining outside... I just, suddenly wanted to come and see..."

"..."

Wen Chan said pleasantly, "Mm, thank you for making a special trip to tell me this good news. When you leave, take a basin with you and remember to drain the water from your head too."

Pei Rusong: "..."

He whispered listlessly, "I'm sorry..."

Wen Chan let out a soft laugh. With a motion akin to stroking a cat, she ruffled his cool, smooth long hair, running her hand from the back of his head down to his lower back. Then she raised her arm to embrace and pat him, her tone knowing. "Did you have a nightmare, hm?"

Pei Rusong wordlessly nuzzled against her shoulder.

A nightmare that could scare him this badly—one didn't need to ask to know what it was about. Wen Chan continued to soothe him, "You came looking for me because you were scared, so why didn't you come in just now?"

Pei Rusong buried his head again.

She looked at Pei Rusong's evasive posture, a little amused and a little soft-hearted. Thoughtfully, she didn't expose him. "Alright, it's rare for the Prince Consort to be so considerate. Too bad it was all for nothing this time. Don't be so considerate next time. Go change your clothes and sleep here."

Pei Rusong looked up in a daze, like a small animal that had just been suddenly kissed, all his raised fur smoothing down. He looked at her with his beautiful eyes, then leaned in and gave a light peck of a kiss by the upturned corner of her lips.

Wen Chan calmly accepted his display of affection. She pinched his earlobe and gestured for him to open the small wardrobe nearby.

This was the first time she had seen Pei Rusong have a nightmare, and that it would unsettle him to this degree was a bit unexpected for Wen Chan. Seeing him in this miserable state, she didn't have the heart to send him back. If he had another nightmare, at least she could just roll over and comfort him.

Outside the window, lightning flashed and thunder roared, the wind was fierce and the rain heavy, and it looked like it was getting stronger. But within the bed enclosed by silk curtains, it was as peaceful as a paradise. Perhaps because of all the commotion, however, both of them found it a little hard to fall asleep for a moment.

Wen Chan said with her eyes closed, "I remember in my last life, it was around this time. After entering the sixth month, the north suffered a drought, and grain prices skyrocketed. At the time, the court officials pleaded with Father Emperor to move to Pingjing for grain. Zhaojing took two years to recover. Following the grain is not a long-term solution. We still need to find a way to completely solve the grain shortage."

"..." Pei Rusong asked with difficulty, "At a time like this, are we really going to talk about this?"

Wen Chan laughed in the darkness. "To change the subject. To stop you from thinking about all that nonsense."

Pei Rusong fumbled for her hand and held it. After thinking seriously for a moment, he replied, "Zhaojing is the ancient capital of three dynasties. Having expanded several times, its population now exceeds four hundred thousand. Relying only on the farmland near Zhaojing has long been insufficient to supply provisions for so many people, not to mention the princes and nobles who endlessly build manors and villas, forcibly occupying farmland and conscripting labor. In previous years, the censors impeached them several times, but His Majesty was lenient. He basically only ordered the land to be returned without imposing punishment, nor did he issue an explicit edict to forbid it."

"With the Imperial Family's attitude being what it is, it's no wonder the practice of land seizure is rampant and the common people abandon their fields and flee. Solving the grain shortage is not something that can be done overnight. Right now, it's too late to build new irrigation works or intervene in grain transport. I estimate that in the end, we will still have to go to Pingjing for grain. But if Your Highness wants to find an angle to break through, you might as well start from this point."

"..."

The space within the bed curtains was silent. No one responded. He could hear Wen Chan's long, steady breathing as she fell into a deep sleep.

Pei Rusong: ?

The Princess had indeed once joked that listening to him talk about official business was very hypnotic, but this was a bit too fast!

Pei Rusong turned his head, using the dim, hazy light to look at her peaceful sleeping face. Only at times like this did she let go of all her worries, not a single crease between her brows as she sank into a carefree, peaceful sleep. Her hand was still resting in his palm—slender and long, her pulse strong. If he just closed his fingers, he could hold it tightly.

He would never let go again.

At dawn the next day, while the sky was still dim, Pei Rusong was woken first by the maid who came in for the morning call.

Today was the court assembly, held once every five days, and he absolutely could not be late or absent. However, his two periods of sleep last night added up to less than six hours. He was completely dazed now, and it took all the willpower he had just to sit up in bed. With the movement, he sensed Wen Chan's breathing pause. Her voice was still husky with sleep, "Is it time for you to go?"

Pei Rusong turned back to cover her properly with the quilt. His movements were gentle and restrained, and he kept his voice as soft as possible, afraid of startling away her sleepiness. "Yes, I'm going to the morning court. Your Highness should sleep a little longer."

Wen Chan yawned. Seeing his sleepy, half-closed eyes and the obvious dark circles under them, she was suddenly filled with sympathy. She patted his back and lamented, "It's not easy supporting a family, is it, Lord Pei."

Pei Rusong: "..."

His limbs already felt heavy, and the thought of leaving this tender place to stand in attendance at morning court filled him with exhaustion. After being teased by Wen Chan, it was even harder for him to move a single step. He turned his head and said to her forlornly, "Your Highness, I don't want to work hard anymore."

Wen Chan suddenly burst out laughing and went along with him. "Oh? So what do you want to do? Have you finally decided to be the Little White Flower in the golden basin?"

But Pei Rusong leaned closer to her, his cloud-like black hair spilling down, separating the two of them from the rest of the world.

"Can I have a kiss?" he asked Wen Chan softly. Though his posture was domineering, his words came out like a plea. "One kiss, just one, and I'll keep working hard to support the family."

He looked at Wen Chan expectantly, likely having figured out her temperament—that she yielded to soft tactics but not to force—and was certain she would not refuse.

Wen Chan didn't say yes or no. Instead, she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed the back of his head with one hand, forcing him to lower himself. At the same time, she used the momentum to prop herself up and quickly kissed him on the lips.

Pei Rusong: "..."

"Alright, kissing's over." She lay back on the pillow and snuggled comfortably into the quilt, leaving him with the ruthless sight of the back of her head. "Go to court now, Prince Consort. Take care."