The spring scenery of Cloud Mist Mountain was picturesque, with an easily accessible stone staircase leading up the mountain. However, the place was crowded with tourists at this time, and Emperor Yuanjia disliked the excessive number of idlers. He asked Qi Ping, the heir of the Marquis of Pingxi, "Is there another mountain path?"
Qi Ping, who was very familiar with the area, smiled and replied, "Yes, Seventh Lord, please come this way."
Led by Qi Ping, the five of them soon arrived at a secluded mountain trail. Two imperial guards took positions—one clearing the path ahead and the other following behind—while Qi Ping and Lu Mu stayed by Emperor Yuanjia's side, both as companions and as escorts.
As they strolled leisurely, they reached the mountainside, where two kites suddenly rose from a flat, open area—one a black eagle and the other a colorful butterfly. The two kites took off almost simultaneously, seemingly competing to soar higher than the other.
Probably children from some family , they thought.
Emperor Yuanjia and his party continued forward, the scenery shifting with each step. A quarter of an hour later, the emperor scanned the area and spotted the kite owners: three young men. Two shorter youths were flying the kites, while a tall man in his twenties stood under the shade of a tree, calmly watching them.
A mountain breeze swept by, pressing the youths' robes tightly against their bodies and revealing the graceful curves of young women—they were girls disguised as boys.
Emperor Yuanjia quickly averted his gaze.
The path forked into two ahead—one leading to Cloud Mist Temple and the other deeper into the mountains. Carrying his quiver, Emperor Yuanjia headed into the deep mountains.
Having lived in the imperial palace year-round, he cherished this rare chance to breathe fresh air. He had no interest in seeing people and simply wanted to stretch his limbs. Focused on hunting, Lu Mu and the other three were primarily responsible for vigilance, guarding against potential assassins.
By late morning, they came across a stream and decided to rest there. The two guards went to gather firewood and set up a stove, while Emperor Yuanjia leaned against a tree, contentedly gazing at the clear blue sky above the river.
Suddenly, a black kite wobbled and fell, landing on the opposite bank of the stream.
Qi Ping frowned and said, "That's the kite from the three people we passed on our way up. What a coincidence."
Lu Mu recalled for a moment and added, "The older one possesses martial skills, but the two girls seem to be delicate and frail."
Emperor Yuanjia remarked, "That's how it appears."
If the kite had been intentionally dropped here, its owners would come looking for it. If it had fallen into the deep wilderness by accident, the two girls were unlikely to venture into such a place for an ordinary kite.
As Emperor Yuanjia expected, even after they finished their picnic, the black eagle kite remained lonely and untouched, tangled in the branches across the stream.
"Let's go," Emperor Yuanjia decided, ready to return to the palace.
No one came to retrieve the kite along their way back.
Descending to the mountainside, they encountered the same trio again.
The tall young man stood like a guard near the path, while the two cross-dressed girls sat on rocks under the shade of a tree. Hearing footsteps, they glanced toward the roadside. Emperor Yuanjia inadvertently looked over and met the gaze of one of the girls. She immediately averted her eyes. Noticing her petal-like skin and familiar phoenix-shaped eyes, a thought stirred in him, and he walked toward the tree opposite the girl.
Lu Mu and Qi Ping were inwardly surprised but followed him.
With three grown men sitting under the tree—especially under Emperor Yuanjia's unabashed scrutiny—Zhou Fu felt displeased. She stood up and said, "Let's go higher up."
With that, Zhou Fu took Ying Gu and their guard and headed uphill.Emperor Yuanjia smiled, signaling to Lu Mu and Qi Ping not to follow as he went after Zhou Fu and her two companions.
Qi Ping asked Lu Mu in bewilderment, "Has His Majesty... developed a spring fancy?"
The Emperor Yuanjia he knew had never been one for lustful pursuits.
A slight smile touched Lu Mu's lips as he reminded, "I noticed that young lady bears a striking resemblance to Shou An Jun in her eyes and brows."
Shou An Jun?
Qi Ping thought carefully and realized it was indeed true!
Since she was a young lady of the Zhou family, Qi Ping stopped worrying.
Zhou Fu had been waiting here for her sister, but her sister was taking too long to return. Instead, she encountered a man with ill intentions.
She had just settled under a newly chosen shady tree when she saw the same man who had been staring at her boldly approaching again.
If not for seeing that he had four companions with him, Zhou Fu would have already cursed him out.
Even so, Zhou Fu didn't give him a friendly look, shooting him a sharp glare instead.
"Why is this gentleman following my young lady?" Zhou Fu's guard stepped forward with displeasure, directly stating that his charge was a young lady in hopes the other party would tactfully withdraw.
Emperor Yuanjia wasn't angered. He smiled as he looked at Zhou Fu, "Earlier while hunting in the mountains, I saw a goshawk kite. Might it belong to you, young lady?"
Zhou Fu's kite had indeed flown away, but she didn't care - she could always buy another one later.
"I threw it away on purpose," Zhou Fu said coldly, cutting off any chance for him to use the kite as a conversation starter.
Emperor Yuanjia looked into Zhou Fu's eyes. Did this young girl truly not remember him at all?
Zhou Fu merely glared at him before turning her head away with an impatient expression.
Emperor Yuanjia felt quite helpless. If he didn't reveal his identity soon, she would only grow more suspicious of his character.
"Ah Fu, it's me," Emperor Yuanjia said gently.
Both the guard and Ying Gu, who was dressed in male attire, were taken aback.
Zhou Fu looked at Emperor Yuanjia in surprise, her watery eyes wide open, "You... you know me?"
Emperor Yuanjia smiled, "Not only do I know you, I've even told you stories and taught you how to write."
Zhou Fu was even more astonished. Besides her brother, the only man who had told her stories and taught her writing was from the palace...
Only then did Zhou Fu finally see traces of the Crown Prince in the man before her.
When Shou An Jun left the palace, Zhou Fu was only eight years old, while the newly enthroned Emperor Yuanjia was eighteen. Now six years had passed - Zhou Fu had transformed from a little girl into a graceful, beautiful maiden, while Emperor Yuanjia had matured from a somewhat green youth into a majestic emperor. He had grown taller, his shoulders broader, and his features more mature and handsomely stern.
Zhou Fu stood up in disbelief, "You... you're really..."
Emperor Yuanjia smiled, "When Ah Fu was little, she loved date cakes most and hated taking medicine the most. Ah Fu loved watching the little red carp but disliked keeping them confined."
Hearing this, Zhou Fu no longer doubted. Overjoyed, she ran up to Emperor Yuanjia and stared intently at his face.
The former Seventh Prince and Crown Prince had treated her like a younger sister, and Zhou Fu had likewise regarded him as an older brother. Though six years had passed since their last meeting and the Emperor Yuanjia before her seemed somewhat unfamiliar, she couldn't suppress the joy in her heart.
Yet Zhou Fu also knew that he was the exalted Emperor now, the Son of Heaven. Her friendship had been with the former Seventh Prince and Crown Prince - how did the Emperor view her?
As these thoughts raced through her mind, Zhou Fu suddenly bent her knees, intending to perform a kneeling ceremony.
Emperor Yuanjia promptly caught her by the wrist and with a slight pull, helped Zhou Fu back to her feet.Zhou Fu nervously said, "Your Majesty, I, I..."
The guards and Ying Gu immediately dropped to their knees in panic.
Emperor Yuanjia ignored the two, gazing at Zhou Fu's fluttering lashes as she looked down, and said gently, "Between us, it's not about ruler and subject."
With that, Emperor Yuanjia released her hand.
Zhou Fu felt warmth spreading through her heart, as if sunlight had poured in. The man before her was the Emperor, the person her mother cared about, and also an elder brother she had once missed. Yet their statuses were vastly different—both she and her mother had silently kept him in their hearts without speaking of him. Now, meeting him and discovering he still remembered them filled Zhou Fu with joy.
"Your Majesty, you..."
"Call me Seventh Brother," Emperor Yuanjia said with a smile, gesturing for her to sit and talk under the shade of the tree.
Unaccustomed to the address, Zhou Fu skipped the title: "Why have you come to Cloud Mist Mountain?"
Emperor Yuanjia sat on a rock and looked at her. "I came out for some fresh air. And you, why are you sitting here?"
Zhou Fu pouted slightly and glanced up the mountain. "I came out with my sister this morning. She didn't like flying kites and ran off to play elsewhere. We just had vegetarian meals at Cloud Mist Temple, but then she disappeared again, telling us to wait here for her."
Though dressed in male attire, her bright eyes, pearly teeth, and rosy lips made her beauty unmistakable. As she pouted in complaint, her lips appeared vividly red and tender, unintentionally drawing Emperor Yuanjia's gaze.
When Zhou Fu turned her head toward him, Emperor Yuanjia snapped back to attention and asked concernedly, "Shall I send someone to look for her?"
After a moment's thought, Zhou Fu shook her head. "Never mind. My sister knows Cloud Mist Mountain better than I do. She's probably already on her way back."
Shifting the topic to Big Zhou, Emperor Yuanjia inquired about her situation after the divorce. Shou An Jun might have glossed over the hardships, but Zhou Fu, being young, was unlikely to conceal much.
Zhou Fu clearly disliked her former brother-in-law, cursing him thoroughly before adding, "My sister was unlucky to marry such a man, but she's taken it in stride. Soon after the divorce, she stopped caring about him. Now she spends her days riding and playing with me—she's incredibly happy."
Emperor Yuanjia expressed surprise. "You can ride horses?"
Zhou Fu replied proudly, "Of course I can! I learned two years ago. I even rode here today."
Seeing her bright, captivating eyes, Emperor Yuanjia guessed she must love horseback riding.
"Are you settling in well at Secluded Manor?"
"Yes, yes! Secluded Manor is enormous—even bigger than the Eastern Palace at Cloud Sea Residence where you used to live. We can even go boating there..." After praising it enthusiastically, Zhou Fu suddenly remembered that Secluded Manor was a gift from Emperor Yuanjia. She smiled sheepishly. "Look at me, I haven't even thanked Your Majesty yet."
Emperor Yuanjia's gaze softened. "I told you to call me Seventh Brother."
Seeing his handsome face up close, Zhou Fu felt her cheeks grow warm for some reason.
Recalling her mother's words, she lowered her eyes and twisted her fingers. "I'd better call you Your Majesty, or my mother will scold me for being improper."
Emperor Yuanjia didn't want her to stand on ceremony. He missed the adorable little mushroom who used to sneak into the main courtyard of Cloud Sea Residence.
A brief silence fell between them before Emperor Yuanjia broke it. "That kite—are you really giving up on it?"
Zhou Fu looked regretful. "That kite flew the highest, but since it's already lost, I don't want to go looking for it."Emperor Yuanjia said regretfully, "Had I known the kite was yours, I would have brought it with me earlier."
Just as Zhou Fu was about to speak, Big Zhou returned.
Zhou Fu smiled and called her sister over, introducing Emperor Yuanjia to her.
Big Zhou shared no childhood familiarity with Emperor Yuanjia and performed a proper, formal greeting.
Since they were close in age and Big Zhou was a divorced woman, Emperor Yuanjia felt it inappropriate to appear overly familiar. He nodded and took his leave.
After the imperial entourage departed, Big Zhou pulled her sister aside and asked, "How did you happen to meet the Emperor?"
Zhou Fu explained the encounter.
Big Zhou glanced at Emperor Yuanjia's retreating figure and whispered, "The Empress Dowager dislikes our family. You'd best keep your distance from the Emperor."
Zhou Fu thought for a moment and said, "He usually remains in the palace. Even if I wanted to be near him, there would be no opportunity. Don't worry, sister."
Emperor Yuanjia returned to the palace.
The Empress Dowager, having received news of his return, came to see him and casually inquired about where he had been.
Emperor Yuanjia set down the memorial in his hand and said, "Cloud Mist Mountain."
The Empress Dowager smiled. "Cloud Mist Mountain? Doesn't Lady Li reside in that area?"
Emperor Yuanjia nodded and glanced at the Empress Dowager. "Yes. I passed by Secluded Manor and stopped there for a while."
His lack of concealment left the Empress Dowager with little more to say.
After the Empress Dowager left, Emperor Yuanjia suddenly felt restless. He rose from his desk and stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back.
Zhou Fu's lively eyes and brows surfaced in his mind. Clenching his fingers, Emperor Yuanjia summoned one of the imperial guards who had accompanied him that day and ordered him to retrieve the eagle kite from the deep mountains.
The guard went discreetly and quietly brought the black kite back to the palace.
Emperor Yuanjia placed the kite on the top shelf of the last bookcase in his study.
Time flew, and soon it was August—the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Although the palace lanterns were exquisite, the crowd admiring them left Emperor Yuanjia feeling uninspired. He selected a few guards and ventured out of the palace in plain clothes once more. Under the hazy night sky, he chose not to leave the city but wandered aimlessly through the bustling streets of the capital.
As he strolled, Emperor Yuanjia spotted Lu Mu. Dressed in brocade robes, Lu Mu held a three- or four-year-old boy in one arm and led an exceptionally beautiful woman with the other. It was said that Lu Mu's wife, though not of noble birth, was stunningly beautiful and had utterly captivated the Young Lord. Seeing them now, the rumors appeared true.
Not wishing to be recognized by a subordinate, Emperor Yuanjia turned into another alley.
Emerging from the alley, he encountered another couple. He quickly retreated into the shadows by the wall, frowning slightly as he watched Big Zhou walk away side by side with a dashing man.
The man carried himself with remarkable grace. Had Big Zhou found someone she favored?
If Big Zhou was out enjoying the lanterns, had Zhou Fu come as well?
After leaving the alley, Emperor Yuanjia began purposefully observing the passersby.
After some time, he halted.
Not far away, in front of a lantern stall featuring riddles, Zhou Fu stood beside Wei Jin, this year's Tanhua (the third-ranked scholar) whom Emperor Yuanjia had personally appointed. Wei Jin looked up at the lantern riddles, his handsome face illuminated by the lantern light as if the God of Literature had descended to earth. Zhou Fu, clearly captivated by his elegance, gazed up at him with adoring eyes.
Wei Jin solved a riddle and won a prize—a jade comb.
He presented the jade comb to Zhou Fu.
Zhou Fu shyly clasped her hands behind her back, so Wei Jin gently tucked the comb into her dark hair.
They exchanged a glance filled with unspoken affection, then both turned their heads slightly and walked shoulder to shoulder in Emperor Yuanjia's direction.Emperor Yuanjia retreated into the shadows of the trees.
The moonlight remained bright, and the layered lantern lights were splendid yet soft, yet Emperor Yuanjia had lost all interest and returned to the palace.
The following year, Zhou Fu came of age and married into the Cheng'an Marquis' residence. The day before the grand wedding, Emperor Yuanjia sent someone to the Secluded Manor, bestowing a pair of jade Ruyi scepters as an additional gift.
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