The carriage was indeed spacious and warmly furnished, with a table in the middle. However, there was no food on it now, only a chessboard.
Upon entering, they discovered a servant kneeling in a corner, head bowed in attendance, inconspicuous. Neither of them paid any mind.
"I never knew the Prince enjoyed playing chess?"
Ling Yao and Qu Linglong sat down, tucking their legs beneath them. They glanced at the chessboard. Who was he playing with? Was he playing by himself?
Xie Bo let out a laugh, his voice soft and alluring.
Qu Linglong glanced at him. Xie Bo winked at her, a simple greeting, with no hint of flirtation.
However, paired with his foxy face, it still made Qu Linglong blush.
What a true enchantress.
Compared to the openly flirtatious and boisterous Grand Princess, this one was on a different level. Her charm wasn't superficial; it was ingrained in her very being.
"Princess, why so reserved? You can just call me Xie Bo. And who is this beauty?"
His voice also carried a soft, lingering quality, not feigned at all. The ends of his words would rise, his tone like a lover's whisper.
Qu Linglong felt a shiver run down her spine. She quickly looked at Ling Yao, only to see her seemingly unaffected, showing no reaction.
"This is Physician Qu from my palace, and also my elder sister-in-law."
Qu Linglong's heart skipped a beat. This title made her heart pound a little faster.
"Xie Bo, do you have any more Plum Blossom Wine!"
Ling Yao licked her lips, her eyes scanning under the table with a greedy look.
Xie Bo laughed again, his foxy eyes narrowing into slits. "I dare not give you any more. General Shenwu is not to be trifled with."
They chatted like old friends.
Qu Linglong was quite surprised.
She glanced at the chessboard, not understanding it, and then looked around the carriage.
The carriage had eight wheels, likely specially designed, making the ride smooth and silent. A circle of lamps hung from the top, and one in the center resembled a palace lantern from the Great Jing Imperial Palace.
At this moment, Xie Bo noticed Qu Linglong's gaze and casually explained, "Does it look familiar? This palace lantern was a gift from the Princess. The divine fire within it is eternal."
What? It was a gift from Ling Yao?
Qu Linglong looked at the palace lantern again. Ling Yao glanced at Xie Bo and then looked over as well.
Xie Bo lowered his head, his foxy eyes cast down, and made his own move on the chessboard.
He had blocked himself.
Ling Yao frowned, picked up a white piece, and placed it casually.
"The Princess's chess skills are superb. I am no match," Xie Bo said with a smile, complimenting her.
He then collected the chess pieces and replaced them with a tea tray.
With fluid movements, he brewed two cups of tea.
"I didn't bring Plum Blossom Wine, but I do have Phoenix Dan Cong tea. Princess, please try it. Aren't you always sensitive to heat? This tea is perfect for you."
Ling Yao was sensitive to heat?
Qu Linglong glanced at the tea cup and was the first to pick it up, bringing it to her lips.
Ling Yao leaned over, staring into Xie Bo's eyes. Her peripheral vision caught the servant in the corner glancing in their direction.
"Princess, please don't get me into trouble. General Shenwu might get angry." Xie Bo quickly retreated.
"Didn't you say last time that if we met again, you would grant me one wish?"
"Uh..." Xie Bo's eyes flickered, as if shy, or perhaps nervous. "Please, Princess, say it."
"Tonight, you will serve me!"
"Pfft!"
The tea Qu Linglong had just taken into her mouth spurted out, landing precisely on Xie Bo.
"Oh, it's too hot, too hot. My apologies."
Qu Linglong fumbled for a silk handkerchief to wipe him, still replaying Ling Yao's words in her mind.
She must have been joking, right?
"Physician Qu, no need to panic. It's a small matter." Xie Bo moved away, casually loosening his collar, revealing a neck more beautiful than a woman's.
Qu Linglong's face turned bright red. If anyone else did this, she would find it scandalous. But with this fox, she found it rather pleasing to the eye.
Besides, most people here dressed similarly, revealing even more than he did. Why did she find Xie Bo so captivating when he revealed just a little?
Truly a demon.
She couldn't stay with this person any longer.
"Ling Yao, let's get off the carriage and walk. We must be close to the military camp."
"Mm, alright."
Ling Yao lifted the brocade curtain and peered outside. They were indeed outside the military camp.
Qu Linglong got off the carriage first.
As Ling Yao was about to disembark, she turned her head again, her red lips parting slightly. "At the banquet, I will have someone call for you."
Xie Bo: "..."
Uh... my body feels numb.
Is this one the real enchantress?
Qu Linglong waited below for a while before Ling Yao finally got down. She quickly reached out to help her, her gaze lingering on Ling Yao's face.
After Xie Bo's carriage clattered away, Qu Linglong eagerly asked, "What were you doing? What did you mean by that?"
"What, what did I mean? Don't you think Xie Bo is very beautiful? I thought you were mesmerized."
He was indeed beautiful. Who wouldn't want to look at something beautiful? But what did that have to do with serving her? She wasn't someone she cared about.
"Hahaha, I was just joking! You didn't take me seriously, did you!"
Qu Linglong stared at the nonchalant Ling Yao, her gaze full of suspicion.
Was this something one could joke about so casually? Moreover, Ling Yao wasn't usually like this.
Then, what was the reason?
"Meng Jiu, Chi Yun—"
Ling Yao called out to the two who had followed, "You follow the carriage..."
"Yes, Miss."
Qu Linglong didn't hear what they were saying, but she sensed Ling Yao's grave expression and couldn't help but recall their conversation in the carriage.
Ling Yao must have said that deliberately, right?
"Sister Xue, where did you run off to? Brother Xiao asked me to pick you up at the manor, but you weren't there. I searched for you all over the streets, panting—"
Yutou ran over, hands on his knees, panting heavily.
Behind him, Feng Shihao followed leisurely, dressed in a light blue silk robe.
The people here were dressed lightly, wearing as little as possible. On the street, dressed like this would attract a lot of attention, especially with his good looks.
Had he also been searching the streets?
Qu Linglong's eyes were fixed on Feng Shihao.
Feng Shihao cleared his throat softly, reminding her not to be so obvious, as it could easily make people walk with their feet out of sync.
"Where did this dark kid come from! Tsk tsk..." Ling Yao raised her arm, lifted Yutou's hair bun, and shook it mockingly.
"How am I dark? I'm the same as Brother Xiao. You should be used to it!"
Honestly, weren't all the people in the military camp like this? Even the strategists who didn't have to train had this skin tone.
He wasn't a woman.
"In the military camp, the darker you are, the more man you are!"
"Uh, man? Does having more scars also make you more of a man?" Ling Yao reached out to pull his clothes. "Let me see how much of a man you are."