Qin Man sat before the ancient zither, carefully adjusting her posture to achieve the most comfortable position for playing.
Her long, slender fingers lightly brushed across the strings.
A cascade of elegant, profound notes flowed into the night air, ethereal and otherworldly, as though heavenly music itself had descended upon the camp.
Prince Mo Xuan watched her profile, a refined smile resting on his lips while a fierce intensity flickered deep within his eyes.
In perfect harmony with the melody, he moved.
His sword flashed through the cold night air in a dazzling sequence of strikes. Tall and graceful, his figure seemed to merge seamlessly with the blade, radiating a captivating elegance that left the audience spellbound.
The soldiers and officials surrounding the bonfire were utterly entranced by the flawless coordination between music and swordsmanship. Cheers and applause erupted continuously across the meadow.
Listening to Qin Man’s performance, Xiao Ruochen felt a rare sense of astonishment.
Her playing was remarkably pure and expansive.
One moment, the melody painted a serene landscape of flowing streams and quiet bridges.
The next, it transformed into the fierce roar of a raging storm.
Without exaggeration, her skill had already reached the level of a true master.
Through the flickering firelight, Xiao Ruochen studied her quietly.
A single question lingered in his mind.
Who exactly are you?
Mo Xuan’s sword grew faster and faster.
Qin Man matched every change effortlessly, her fingers dancing across the strings as the music surged forward like galloping cavalry charging across endless grasslands.
While maintaining the rhythm, Qin Man found herself observing Mo Xuan.
The prince’s handsome features and effortless charm finally made her understand why the original Qin Muxi had remained so deeply devoted to him throughout her life.
Nearby, Murong Xue listened to the performance with growing bitterness.
She had always believed her own zither skills were unmatched among her generation.
Now, hearing Qin Man play, jealousy nearly consumed her.
Years of noble upbringing prevented her from revealing any emotion, but her fingernails dug deeply into her palms beneath her sleeves.
Mo Xuan’s gaze never left Qin Man.
His expression softened into one of unmistakable affection.
Qin Man, however, remained completely detached.
To her, he was simply a beautiful work of art worthy of admiration.
Unfortunately, from an outside perspective—and especially through Xiao Ruochen’s increasingly jealous eyes—the exchange appeared intensely intimate.
A layer of frost settled over the Grand Preceptor’s face.
His brows tightened.
Darkness gathered in his eyes.
Abandoning his usual self-control, he seized a large jug of strong liquor and began drinking alone.
When the final note faded and Mo Xuan sheathed his sword, thunderous applause erupted throughout the camp.
The formal game gradually dissolved into a lively celebration.
Groups gathered around smaller bonfires.
Some sang folk songs.
Others danced beneath the stars.
Having consumed enough wine to lower her inhibitions, Qin Man allowed herself to relax completely.
Together with Mo Xuan, several noble youths, and a crowd of cheerful maidservants, she joined the dancing.
Above them stretched a brilliant sea of stars.
A gentle breeze swept across the plains, carrying the scent of grass and earth.
For the first time in many days, she felt completely at ease.
By the time the celebration finally ended, it was long past midnight.
Qin Man returned to her tent, washed up quickly, and prepared to crawl into bed.
Just then, an urgent knock sounded outside.
It was one of Xiao Ruochen’s personal guards.
The man bowed respectfully.
“Miss Qin, Grand Preceptor Xiao is experiencing some physical discomfort. I respectfully request that you examine him.”
…
When Qin Man entered Xiao Ruochen’s tent, she immediately noticed its luxurious furnishings.
Though dimly lit, the interior was spacious and elegantly arranged.
A large bed occupied the center of the tent.
Polished wooden furniture stood neatly around the room.
Soft carpets covered the ground.
Of course, Qin Man grumbled internally.
The beautiful demon gets a luxury suite while the rest of us are squeezed three to a tent.
Her sleep-deprived mind silently listed a dozen sarcastic complaints.
Xiao Ruochen was seated in a chair.
His black hair hung loosely over his shoulders in unusual disarray.
The strong scent of alcohol filled the room.
The moment he saw Qin Man enter, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
He attempted to stand.
Immediately recognizing the danger of him falling over, Qin Man hurried forward.
“Grand Preceptor, you’ve clearly consumed far too much alcohol. Please sit down. I’ll have someone prepare a hangover remedy.”
She turned to leave.
She never made it a single step.
Xiao Ruochen’s hand shot out with astonishing speed.
He seized her wrist and pulled her backward.
Before she could react, his arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
His chest pressed firmly against her back.
He lowered his head and buried his face against her neck.
Warm breaths carrying the scent of wine brushed against her skin.
Qin Man froze.
Completely froze.
In her previous life, she had devoted herself entirely to medicine and research.
Relationships had never been part of her plans.
She had certainly never experienced such intimate physical contact.
Her heart began pounding wildly.
Even her professional instincts automatically classified her pulse as tachycardia.
She tried to free herself.
Her body refused to cooperate.
Meanwhile, seeing Qin Man spend the entire evening beside Mo Xuan had shattered Xiao Ruochen’s remaining self-control.
He had tried drowning the turmoil inside him with alcohol.
Now, holding her in his arms and breathing in the faint citrus scent lingering on her skin, his already intoxicated mind sank even deeper into confusion.
“Qin Muxi…”
His voice was low and slurred.
Filled with raw vulnerability.
“Why… ever since we were children… have your eyes always followed Mo Xuan?”
“Why… have you never looked at me?”
…
After a moment, Qin Man carefully pried his arms away.
Supporting his weight, she guided him to the bed and pulled the blankets over him.
Only then did she release a relieved sigh.
Unfortunately, one problem remained.
Even after lying down, Xiao Ruochen refused to release her wrist.
His grip was like iron.
Qin Man considered forcibly breaking free, but feared it might wake him.
In the end, she gave up.
Settling onto the carpet beside the bed, she decided to wait until he entered deeper sleep.
The tent gradually fell silent.
Qin Man turned her head to look at him.
Even asleep, Xiao Ruochen remained extraordinarily handsome.
His posture carried the elegance of a pine tree standing proudly atop a mountain peak.
Few people could rival his appearance.
“Qin Muxi…”
He suddenly murmured in his sleep.
His brows furrowed painfully.
“Take the kite…”
“Mo Xuan didn’t come today…”
“Will you fly it with me instead…?”
Qin Man blinked.
Combined with the fragmented memories she had experienced earlier that evening, everything suddenly became clear.
The original Qin Muxi.
Mo Xuan.
Xiao Ruochen.
The three of them had grown up together.
And Xiao Ruochen had apparently spent those years silently loving the same girl.
A childhood love triangle.
Qin Man’s eyes sparkled with amusement.
Now this is some incredible historical gossip.
Once Xiao Ruochen finally entered deep sleep, she carefully freed her wrist and slipped out of the tent.
…
Back in her own quarters, Su Li and Xiao Ya were still awake, waiting anxiously for her return.
Only after confirming she was safe did they extinguish the lanterns and go to sleep.
Qin Man, however, found herself unable to rest.
Her thoughts churned endlessly.
Eventually, she wrapped herself in a cloak and stepped outside.
The night sky was clear.
A brilliant full moon hung overhead.
The vast plains lay silent beneath the silver light.
Qin Man climbed a small rise near the edge of the camp and sat down, hugging her knees.
For the first time since arriving in this world six months ago, a deep homesickness welled up inside her.
Half a year had passed.
Yet she had discovered no clues regarding the ancient medical manuscript that had brought her here.
Even after gaining unrestricted access to the Imperial Medical Academy’s archives through Xiao Ruochen’s influence, her search had produced nothing.
Even Xiaobei remained unable to determine how she could return to the modern era.
What am I supposed to do now?
She stared at the endless stars.
Lost in thought.
So lost that she never noticed someone approaching.
Only when a figure sat down beside her did she return to reality.
It was Mo Xuan.
…
“Your Highness,” Qin Man began, turning toward him, “during my years in exile, I suffered a serious illness that erased many of my childhood memories.”
She looked at him sincerely.
“Did we truly share a close relationship when we were young?”
“Would you tell me about my past?”
For six months, Mo Xuan had wrestled with a single question.
Why had Qin Muxi seemingly forgotten him completely after returning to the capital?
He had assumed her facial scar had left her too insecure to face him.
Believing that, he had deliberately kept his distance.
The restraint had been agonizing.
Now, hearing the truth, his final doubts vanished.
In their place came overwhelming sorrow.
His beloved childhood companion had endured years of hardship and illness alone.
Softly, he began telling their story.
He spoke of how he, Qin Muxi, and Crown Prince Mo Yechen had been inseparable as children.
Of flying kites together.
Studying side by side.
Playing throughout the palace gardens.
Whenever Qin Muxi practiced the zither, he would practice swordsmanship nearby.
He even described a serious injury he had suffered during training, and how she had tirelessly cared for him until he recovered.
His voice was filled with nostalgia.
As though recounting a beautiful dream.
Then his tone darkened.
“Everything changed that winter.”
“You fell gravely ill.”
“When you recovered, the scar remained.”
“Before leaving for the countryside, you looked at me and said…”
“If I can’t remove this scar, you are forbidden from ever looking at me again.”
Understanding dawned upon Qin Man.
The original Qin Muxi’s deep inferiority complex had driven her away from the person she loved most.
Looking down at her hands, Qin Man smiled faintly.
Muxi, I’ve already removed the scar for you.
Consider it my repayment for borrowing your body.
As for your feelings… I’ll leave those to fate.
After a moment, she looked at him.
“Your Highness…”
“May I still call you Brother Mo Xuan, as I did when we were children?”
“Muxi.”
Mo Xuan answered immediately.
His gaze never wavered.
“In my heart, I have always been your Brother Mo Xuan.”
“And there is something you must understand.”
“Whether your face is flawless or scarred, my feelings for you have never changed.”
Beneath the moonlit sky, his words carried the weight of a confession.
To Mo Xuan, the night had never seemed more beautiful.
As dawn gradually approached and the chill deepened, Qin Man bid him goodnight and returned to her tent.
The moment her head touched the pillow, exhaustion finally overwhelmed her.
Despite all the unanswered questions crowding her mind, she quickly drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.