Gazing at the distant mountains dyed red, while nearby, the jade-green waves shimmered brilliantly.
Everywhere he looked, beauty surrounded him—beautiful scenery paired with a beautiful companion.
If it weren’t for the lingering worries in his heart, this very moment would be truly enviable.
The charcoal on the iron stove burned bright red, sizzling the red meat on the grill, filling the air with the aroma of meat and flowers alike—a feast for the senses that even immortals would not trade for.
“Sir, please have some wine.”
Yu’er gently lifted her long sleeves, her delicate face flushed by the firelight, making her appear even more enticing and dewy.
With her fair hand holding the cup, the pale purple wine rippled under the sunlight.
A single crimson leaf floated down on the breeze, landing perfectly atop the Wumei Wine.
“Heh, sir, look—these peach blossoms seem to fancy fine wine as well?”
Seeing the graceful and serene Li Yuer before him, the lingering worries in Xu Ping’an’s heart seemed to fade just a little, softened by her smile.
At a time like this, to give in to sorrow would be such a pity.
“That’s not because I crave wine; it’s the fallen flowers thinking of the beauty, meeting with the wind.”
At these words, Li Yuer’s pretty face reddened slightly—perhaps the wine was affecting her, or maybe it was that people sometimes become drunk without needing wine.
“Sir, you have quite the talent with words. Why not take the imperial examinations and earn a title?
Even if you dislike Great Qi, with a title, wouldn’t things be much easier no matter what you do?”
A title?
Xu Ping’an stared into the Wumei Wine, the ripples in the cup seeming to show him a glimpse of his past self.
As a child, though he had not yet awakened his Innate Wisdom or recalled past lives, the innocent boy never thought about earning a title.
His parents were alive then, and with a large family estate, he intended to inherit his father’s legacy, marry several wives, expand the Xu family, and care for his parents in their old age.
But who could have foreseen that at the age of ten, disaster would strike.
His parents died tragically, their bodies never fully recovered.
When Uncle Hu brought him the news, he felt as if the sky had fallen, dizzy and faint, the world blacking out… and when he awoke, memories of a past life flooded his mind.
His past and present lives intertwined, and though only ten at the time, he knew this was no mere accident.
Someone coveted the vast Xu family estate and had secretly taken his parents’ lives.
But he was just a child—no power, no influence, and no relatives to turn to.
Only the family fortune remained in his hands, but even that was pressured by distant relatives within the clan.
Helpless, he had Uncle Hu tally everything, and within a month, sold off the entire estate.
Then he fled his hometown, barely saving his own life.
Had he waited any longer, even he might have died without a trace.
“Yes… titles are a good thing, but I’m not interested.”
He already suspected those who coveted his family estate, and later, some old friends of his father passed on more information.
Since then, he disliked Great Qi’s system but was powerless to resist such a vast nation.
Under a roof, how could one not bow?
Afterward, Uncle Hu accompanied him on a path seeking immortality and enlightenment, until one day, Uncle Hu passed away far from home.
Finally, Xu Ping’an found a clue—he traveled to Shang Prefecture, located the immortal mountain, and entered the Floating Cloud Sect, Great Qi’s premier sect.
Yet sadly, eight years of exhausting his fortune ended with a “wood too hard to carve” result.
Gods knew how desperate he was as a transmigrator who had awakened Innate Wisdom.
He thought that with his gift, even if he couldn’t turn the world upside down, he could at least cultivate immortality, seek enlightenment, and avenge his parents.
But in the end, it was all for nothing.
Life’s ups and downs were too extreme.
During the period just after leaving the mountain, he even contemplated ending it all.
But in the end, he recalled Uncle Hu’s last words:
“Live well.”
Yet just when he truly let go of his grudges and wished for a peaceful life, the belated System treated him like an eternal elementary student—endless lessons day and night, nonstop tutoring.
It was almost as if it wanted to pry open his skull and pour knowledge in directly.
“Sir… Sir?”
A voice called, pulling him out of his memories.
The face before him was so close that, for a moment, he felt a soft brush against his lips.
In an instant, their eyes met.
In the peach blossom-shaped eyes, Xu Ping’an clearly saw surprise, shyness, and a hint of secret delight.
The owner of those eyes could be none other than Li Yuer.
“Sir, Miss, what are you two doing? Competing to see who can keep their eyes open the longest?”
Just then, Xiao Jing’er’s voice broke the strange, intimate atmosphere.
“Ah~ yes, yes…”
Li Yuer was the first to react, stepping back half a pace as if shocked, her delicate body turning away from Xu Ping’an.
But the redness spreading down her slender neck laid bare her thoughts completely.
Only then did Xu Ping’an realize that he might have just brushed Li Yuer’s lips.
Was that… a kiss?
Probably not, right? An accident?
Xu Ping’an was momentarily at a loss, then glanced at Xiao Jing’er.
After a brief silence, he gave a thumbs-up.
If it weren’t for Xiao Jing’er breaking the mood, who knows what might have happened.
At this thought, Xu Ping’an secretly chastised himself.
After tasting the sweetness of having a wife, his mind was a little restless.
Indeed, life is easy to complicate but hard to simplify.
Once you’ve tasted the flavor and it’s suddenly taken away, anyone would crave it.
Xiao Jing’er looked puzzled, staring at Xu Ping’an giving her a thumbs-up, then shyly lowered her head and returned the gesture.
Though she didn’t know why, she felt obliged, and perhaps a flutter in her heart as well.
Mutual praise exchanged!
Meanwhile, Zhao Pingzhi, who had been watching the roast by the fire, understood everything clearly.
Now he realized: Miss Yuer’s reluctance to go to Chaoge was due to this unresolved knot!
But continuing like this wasn’t a solution!
At Chaoge, the prince had already taken out his seal.
This alone meant the prince didn’t expect to survive the coming storm.
By handing the seal to Li Yuer, he had made his will in advance—if anything happened to him, the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence would be entirely entrusted to her.
This was a sign of trust in Li Yuer.
“Ahem~ this wine really is quite good.”
Feeling awkward, Xu Ping’an could only change the subject with a sip.
Li Yuer nodded in agreement:
“Yes, sir, this wine is truly excellent.”
Only now did Li Yuer turn back, her heart seemingly calmed, though the flush on her face lingered.
The love shining in her eyes was even stronger than before.
Her lovestruck expression made the hand holding the wine cup tremble slightly.
Looking out at the peach blossoms covering the mountains, Xu Ping’an sighed deeply:
“Beautiful flowers… yet such a difficult matter.”
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