From Dongling’s capital to Beiyuan’s Shengjing, even at full gallop, it would take at least twenty days for a round trip. With Huo Kangshou captured and the long-sought treasure almost within reach, neither Zhao Mian nor Wei Zhenfeng wanted to wait too long. So, Nanjing and Beiyuan resorted to their traditional diplomatic tactic: negotiation.

Given that the highest leaders of both embassies had just shared a bed, to avoid suspicion, neither the Crown Prince nor the Young Prince directly participated in the negotiations. Nanjing was represented by Rong Tang, and Beiyuan by Yi Qian. They engaged in a three-day, intense negotiation regarding the allocation of the Western Xia treasures.

“Intense” was perhaps an understatement for Beiyuan’s side alone. Yi Qian used both hard and soft tactics, combining firmness with flexibility; he gallantly kicked tables and politely offered tea. But Grand Tutor Rong Tang maintained a consistently cool and aloof demeanor throughout, showing no emotional fluctuations, and calmly uttered two words: “Fifty-fifty.”

Yi Qian: “…”

Yi Qian returned to the Beiyuan Embassy, found the Young Prince, and poured out his grievances: “Your Royal Highness, your subordinate truly cannot get anywhere with that Grand Tutor Rong. Why don’t you personally step in and have a good talk with Nanjing’s Crown Prince?”

Since resolutely leaving Zhao Mian’s bed on the fifteenth, Wei Zhenfeng had remained at the Beiyuan Embassy. At this moment, he lay idly on a soft couch, holding a book on military strategy, without having turned a single page for a long time.

Wei Zhenfeng said blandly, “It’s not appropriate for this prince to visit the Nanjing Embassy right now.”

Yi Qian anxiously asked, “Why?”

Wei Zhenfeng thought gloomily, Why else? Of course, because as soon as he saw Zhao Mian, he would… want to go to bed with him. 

It was his fault for starting so young, at eighteen. Naturally, he’d keep thinking about it, even dreaming about it. If he were twenty-eight, he definitely wouldn’t have this problem. 

Annoying, he wanted to get old quickly.

“Young Prince, please say something!” Yi Qian was almost frantic. “Also, please don’t always lie down while reading; it’s bad for your eyes.”

Wei Zhenfeng slowly sat up and asked, “Is Nanjing’s stance is still so firm?”

“Indeed, they’re immovable. No matter what your subordinate says, Grand Tutor Rong only ever says ‘fifty-fifty’.”

Wei Zhenfeng said, “’50-50′ is definitely not Nanjing’s bottom line.” This was standard negotiation practice; no one would start with their true bottom line. Just as his bottom line wasn’t 80-20; he could reluctantly accept 70-20. But once he became the first to concede, the other party would surely push for more, stubbornly sticking to 50-50.

“Beiyuan can accept 60-40,” Wei Zhenfeng said. “But we have a condition: Nanjing must assist Beiyuan in eliminating the remnants of the Imperial City Division, and all past and future cases related to the Imperial City Division must be handled by Beiyuan.”

Yi Qian’s eyes widened: “This… will Nanjing agree?” Eliminating the remnants of the Imperial City Division was no easy task, these remnants were hidden throughout the three nations, and completely eradicating them would undoubtedly consume immense manpower and resources.

“That’s for you to negotiate, Lord Yi,” Wei Zhenfeng said with a smile, patting Yi Qian’s shoulder. “This prince can give you another bargaining chip—Beiyuan is willing to offer an additional three hundred thousand taels of silver as a reward for the Nanjing brothers who assist us.”

Yi Qian curiously asked, “Why three hundred thousand?”

Wei Zhenfeng’s face was filled with heartache: “Don’t ask about that. Go ahead, this prince will take a short nap in his room.”

Finally, there was a glimmer of change. Yi Qian was full of anticipation and had a much-improved opinion of the Young Prince’s inaction over the past few days. He respectfully bowed: “Farewell, Your Highness.”

After seeing off the Young Prince, Yi Qian noticed that the Young Prince’s military strategy book had been left on the soft couch. He curiously leaned over to peek, and what he saw almost made him faint. Behind the military strategy book, another book was hidden. The Young Prince truly was… set in his ways! Yi Qian was heartbroken, even considering that if the Young Prince continued to be so obsessed with romantic affairs, he would have to submit a memorial to impeach him and ask the Emperor to discipline his youngest son properly.

Yi Qian righteously lifted the disguised military strategy book. When he saw the book hidden underneath, half of his anger immediately dissipated. Thank goodness, the Young Prince hadn’t been reading “Tales of Romance and Love” for half the day, but a…calendar?

In the subsequent negotiations, Beiyuan made the first concession. Nanjing also knew that if they continued to stalemate, neither side would benefit, so they followed Beiyuan’s lead. After a series of additional conditions, both sides finally reached a mutually satisfactory consensus.

After the treaty was signed, Wei Zhenfeng no longer needed to avoid suspicion. He returned to the Nanjing Embassy, intending to discuss the next steps with Zhao Mian.

He found Zhao Mian alone, enjoying some pastries. Zhao Mian hadn’t gone out today and had no plans to summon his officials, seemingly enjoying a rare half-day of leisure. But even when alone, the Crown Prince was dressed in noble and luxurious attire, wearing a goose-yellow robe with golden-trimmed edges and a soft white fur collar. He elegantly savored the exquisite Nanjing tea pastries.

However, the Crown Prince seemed somewhat distracted, his brows furrowed. When he tried to pick up a chestnut cake with his chopsticks, he missed it entirely and unknowingly ate a mouthful of air.

Wei Zhenfeng secretly chuckled and simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

See, he was looking at Zhao Mian now, and he wasn’t thinking about going to bed with him, so he probably wasn’t addicted yet.

However, Wei Zhenfeng soon stopped smiling as he realized the contradiction in his thoughts. Although he wasn’t thinking about going to bed with Zhao Mian, he was thinking about whether he wanted to go to bed with Zhao Mian. Did that count as thinking about it?

Zhao Mian, having missed the chestnut cake, picked up another with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the Young Prince standing outside the door, looking like he was lost in thought, with a subtle expression on his face.

Zhao Mian put down his chopsticks and said blandly, “So you finally decided to come over.” There was even a hint of complaint in his voice.

Wei Zhenfeng: “…” Uh oh.

Zhao Mian continued, “Marquis Anyuan has interrogated Huo Kangshou extensively these past few days, but that man’s lips are unusually sealed. The old Marquis has used every method, but Huo Kangshou still refuses to reveal a single clue about the Western Xia treasures.”

When serious matters were mentioned, the miscellaneous thoughts in Wei Zhenfeng’s mind automatically vanished. He sat down beside Zhao Mian, not acting like a guest at all, and used Zhao Mian’s chopsticks to pick up a chestnut cake to taste. “Didn’t Huo Kangshou say he’d only tell either Beiyuan or Nanjing?”

Zhao Mian had some reservations about Wei Zhenfeng’s casual behavior and initially wanted to reprimand him, but then remembered that they had already kissed and shared each other’s bodily fluids. And they would continue to kiss on the fifteenth of next month, so there was no need to fuss over such things now.

Zhao Mian tacitly approved Wei Zhenfeng’s actions, saying, “Yes, later he also said that unless he personally sees me kill you, causing Nanjing and Beiyuan turn against each other, he won’t say anything.”

Wei Zhenfeng said, “He’s not stupid, then. But this isn’t difficult to handle. I’ll figure it out. Don’t let this affect your enjoyment of food.”

“It’s not just that,” Zhao Mian’s brows furrowed slightly. “Xiao Rang hasn’t eaten much these past few days. He’s been buried in mechanisms and calculations all day, forgetting food and sleep, working day and night, completely consumed.”

Wei Zhenfeng let out a “tsk,” displeased: “No, why are you calling ‘Xiao Rang’ so frequently now? You yourself said you only called Zhou Huairang that when you were little. Are you lying?”

Zhao Mian explained: “I’ve always wanted to call him that, but it feels awkward in front of him, so I just indulge myself in front of you.”

Wei Zhenfeng was a little exasperated: “Think about your own logic. You call him by his full name in front of him, but his nickname in front of me. Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?”

Zhao Mian was puzzled: “Does calling him ‘Xiao Rang’ provoke you?”

Wei Zhenfeng was momentarily stunned, then instantly calmed down considerably. He slowly said, “It’s not exactly ‘provoking,’ but I’m not used to hearing it.”

Zhao Mian remained indifferent: “If you’re not used to it, you’ll have to endure it. I must indulge my habit.”

Wei Zhenfeng: “…”

Zhao Mian wasn’t the only one worried about Zhou Huairang. The taciturn Guard Shen also expressed his concern for Zhou Huairang in a special way. Shen Buqi personally cooked several dishes that Zhou Huairang usually enjoyed. Upon hearing this, Zhao Mian said, “I’ll go with you.”

Wei Zhenfeng seemed unenthusiastic: “Then I’ll go too.”

The three arrived at Zhou Huairang’s courtyard. The doors inside were tightly shut, and there was no sign of life, as if no one had lived there for a long time. Zhao Mian and Shen Buqi exchanged glances. Zhao Mian said, “You go ahead.”

Shen Buqi nodded, raising his empty hand not holding the food container, and was about to knock when the door suddenly burst open from inside. The “missing” Zhou Huairang appeared before the three of them, disheveled, with unkempt hair and a dull, blank expression, like a walking corpse.

Zhao Mian thought, This is bad. The last time he saw Zhou Huairang in such a disheveled state was several years ago when he had Zhou Huairang play with his younger brother for half a day.

Zhao Mian tentatively called out: “Zhou Huairang?”

Hearing the Crown Prince’s voice, Zhou Huairang’s eyes gradually rekindled their spark. He first saw Shen Buqi standing in front of him, then suddenly let out a strange cry and gave Shen Buqi a bear hug.

“Aoooo, Old Shen—!” Zhou Huairang cried, “I succeeded! I successfully deciphered the jade mechanism left by Gu Ruzhang!”

Shen Buqi paused slightly, then patted Zhou Huairang’s back: “Congratulations.”

Zhao Mian stood to the side, watching the two embracing, his eyelashes trembling slightly. He didn’t know that while he was watching Shen Buqi and Zhou Huairang, Wei Zhenfeng was watching him.

The next moment, Zhao Mian felt a weight on his shoulder—Wei Zhenfeng’s arm had draped over him. Wei Zhenfeng’s movement was very casual, without any hint of intimacy or flirtation, like a spirited young scholar in a school, naturally getting close to a good friend.

Zhao Mian’s heart fluttered restlessly.

After making this gesture, Wei Zhenfeng didn’t even look at him but instead said to Zhou Huairang, “Didn’t you see your Crown Prince is here too?”

Zhou Huairang immediately turned to Zhao Mian, rubbing his hands together, excited to the point of stammering: “Your Highness… I, I found it, I succeeded!”

Zhao Mian showed a faint smile: “Hard work.”

“Not hard work, not hard work,” Zhou Huairang’s voice was hoarse, seeming on the verge of tears of joy, “To be able to accomplish something for Your Highness, your subordinate, your subordinate… waaaah.”

Zhao Mian: “…”

Why is he actually crying? This is all the emotional maturity you can expect from a sweet and simple-minded person.

Zhou Huairang had always been self-aware. He knew very well that with his “intelligence and wisdom,” he was far from worthy of staying by the Crown Prince’s side. He always believed that His Majesty chose him to be the Crown Prince’s study companion simply to amuse the Crown Prince when necessary. He had never imagined that he would also have a chance to assist the Crown Prince with important matters, just like Bai Yu and Shen Buqi.

Zhou Huairang said apologetically, “Your Highness, please forgive me, your subordinate lost his composure.”

Zhao Mian’s tone was unusually gentle: “It’s okay.”

“Alright, alright,” Wei Zhenfeng interjected promptly, cutting off their deep master-servant bond. “So, what exactly is the mechanism Gu Ruzhang left behind?”

Zhou Huairang dropped a quick “Young Prince, please wait,” rushed back into the room, rummaged through a stack of books almost as tall as himself, and pulled out a diagram covered in strange symbols: “Young Prince, please look.”

Wei Zhenfeng glanced at it and quickly lost patience. He casually handed the diagram to Zhao Mian: “Too complicated, I’m not looking. Summarize it.”

Zhou Huairang said, “These bizarre symbols are from the Western Xia Desert…”

Wei Zhenfeng raised an eyebrow slightly: “Choose your words carefully, Minister Zhou.”

Zhou Huairang quickly corrected himself: “…are from an early minority civilization in the former Western Xia Desert, now the Beiyuan Desert. Gu Ruzhang made some modifications
 on this basis. Your subordinate believes this should be a ‘key’ for unlocking something.”

Zhao Mian looked at the strange cubic triangles on the diagram and asked, “How early?”

“Approximately 500 to 800 years ago.”

According to the ancient texts Zhou Huairang had found, this desert tribe was called the Yi clan. They had once established a glorious civilization in the desert, but later, due to increasingly harsh climate and continuous invasions and plundering by the Central Plains nations, the Yi clan ultimately vanished into the vast yellow sands.

Though their civilization had perished, their ruins still existed in the world. Legend had it that the Yi clan’s royal palace was built in an oasis, its imperial gardens filled with roses, and paved with massive golden bricks. Those seeking wealth flocked to it, braving the sandstorms to venture deep into the desert, all to chase the glorious remnants of a centuries-old civilization.

Unfortunately, most of these people never returned, their fates unknown. Whether the Yi ruins truly existed, or if they had been swallowed beneath the sand, remained an unsolved mystery.

Now, the desert was Beiyuan’s territory. Beiyuan had tens of thousands of troops stationed in the desert, and they had also tried to find the Yi clan’s ruins but without success.

Zhao Mian asked Wei Zhenfeng, “Are you familiar with the desert?”

Wei Zhenfeng said, “Not exactly familiar, but I’ve been there for six months.”

“The desert is too vast, and the location of the Yi ruins is no longer traceable,” Zhou Huairang said with a worried expression. “If we don’t know the exact location of the ruins, having the key is useless.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Wei Zhenfeng said dismissively. “Don’t we have a ready-made guide?”

Zhao Mian’s heart stirred: “You mean, Huo Kangshou?”

Wei Zhenfeng said, “Exactly. First, we take him to the Red Sea Sands. I have plenty of ways to make him talk.”

Zhao Mian hesitated. The Red Sea Sands was where the Beiyuan army was stationed in the desert. Once there, they would be entirely on Wei Zhenfeng’s territory. Wei Zhenfeng was young and reckless; he already dared to be so arrogant in Dongling, doing many disrespectful things to Nanjing’s Crown Prince. If he returned to his own territory, he might completely suppress Zhao Mian.

Just imagining Wei Zhenfeng being superior to him made Zhao Mian quite uncomfortable. But with the Western Xia treasures at stake, how could he stand idly by?

Zhao Mian said, “Alright. We have no time to lose. Let’s pack for two days and leave as soon as possible.”

Hearing the word “we,” Wei Zhenfeng was somewhat surprised: “You’re coming too?”

“Naturally.”

“I’ll warn you beforehand, the scorching sun of the desert is no joke,” Wei Zhenfeng said pointedly. “It’ll turn the Crown Prince into a dark-skinned person.”

Zhao Mian’s temple twitched: “Shut up.”

Wei Zhenfeng laughed: “Then let’s go together. Although the desert has a harsh climate, it also has many interesting things, like the starry night sky and fine grape wine, which you can’t find anywhere in the Central Plains.” The young man’s tone was filled with a desire to share. “I can take you camel riding, and I can also take you to see the dark-skinned beauties you’ve been thinking about for a long time.”

Zhao Mian asked, “How long does it take to get from the capital to the Red Sea Sands?”

Wei Zhenfeng said, “If we travel day and night, it will take at least ten days.”

Zhao Mian said nonchalantly, “So, it seems we’ll be spending the fifteenth of next month in the desert.”

Wei Zhenfeng suddenly froze, a scene uncontrollably forming in his mind.

A starry desert sky, an endless sea of sand, a bright moon, a tent, and him with Zhao Mian.

Wei Zhenfeng couldn’t help but cover his face. He chuckled softly and said, “…I give up.”

Zhao Mian noticed that Wei Zhenfeng’s ears seemed a little red and was also startled: “You…”

“I finally stopped thinking about it, why did you bring it up again?” Wei Zhenfeng said helplessly, “Can you please stop reminding me, Crown Prince?”

The author has something to say:

Young Prince:
Me, lost my viriginity at eighteen, spent every day with my wife, and then only once a month.*