With Prince Nolan by her side, even traveling day and night, Serena Feng never felt tired. She didn’t have to worry about any of the trivial matters along the way—her only task was to rest and heal. Whenever she got bored, she would flip through the medical books Nolan had gathered from all corners just for her.
If Nolan truly sets his mind to pampering someone, he can spoil them to the extreme—lifting them up to heaven itself, making them forget who they are.
Of course it’s impossible not to be moved by this, but Serena refused to lose herself in Nolan’s indulgence, or to believe he would drop everything—including his duties and the Capital—just for her.
She held the medical text in her hands for ages without turning a single page. Her gaze was fixed on the book, but her thoughts were far away.
She knew perfectly well that Nolan wasn’t the kind of man who’d get lost in romance and forget his identity or responsibilities. His affection for her was genuine, but he always had other reasons for his actions. Nolan was a master at using any situation to his advantage.
If she’d still had doubts before, the moment she saw the words ‘Everfrost Lily,’ Serena couldn’t help but start piecing things together.
It was obvious: Nolan was preparing to face off against the Skyvault Palace Sect. When he destroyed Sienna Skyvault’s face, he must have already planned out his next moves.
Her resemblance to Sienna was likely one of the weapons in this confrontation. Otherwise, Nolan wouldn’t have bothered to ruin Sienna’s looks instead of simply killing her.
Nolan and Skyvault Palace had already begun their sparring, and the first round was underway—right in the Eastlyn Imperial Capital. When Serena realized their first battlefield was her home ground, she finally let out a long breath.
This was her main battlefield; either way, she held the advantage. Let Skyvault come.
Nolan sat across from Serena, quietly watching her lowered gaze and thoughtful expression, perfectly content.
The woman he’d chosen would never lose herself over a bit of pampering, nor would she ever stop thinking for herself. That kind of Serena was exactly what he wanted—it saved him a lot of trouble.
He knew that even without spelling things out, Serena would understand—and cooperate. In some ways, they were the same kind of person.
Three days later, Nolan and Serena returned to the Eastlyn Imperial Capital, stepping through the season’s first snow. The Crown Prince had already brought a full ceremonial escort to wait at the city gate.
The city gates were sealed, forbidding commoners from entering or leaving. Both sides of the street were lined with armed guards, one every three paces, radiating authority.
After all, Nolan had gone out to suppress bandits and returned in triumph. No matter how you looked at it, he’d earned this reception—and he deserved it.
The Crown Prince wore full court attire, draped in a snow-white fox-fur cloak. Even standing at the snowy city gate, he was impossible to miss.
As Serena would say, he was a walking target—if there were assassins around, they could find him with their eyes closed.
Nolan’s carriage had barely stopped when the Crown Prince led a group of civil and military officials forward. “Your nephew welcomes Royal Uncle back to court.”
“Welcome back, Ninth Royal Uncle!” Aside from the guards and the Crown Prince, everyone else knelt, waiting for Nolan to step down.
Even with snow swirling all around, Nolan still wore his usual simple attire. His close-fitting clothes looked anything but bulky, and the black cloak made him seem even more composed and severe.
Nolan stepped down from the carriage but didn’t let the crowd rise. Instead, he turned aside to help Serena out of the carriage.
A month ago, Serena had suddenly vanished from the Capital. Soon after, Nolan left the city in full view, rushing to Easestream City to suppress bandits. No one believed these events were unrelated.
The outside world didn’t know the details—only that Nolan and the Emperor had joined forces, and in just one month, used thunderous means to purge the harem and various shadowy sectors, uprooting the hidden agents planted by the great clans.
That wasn’t all. Over the past month, countless people had died at the hands of Prince Samuel Zhai’s guards and Storm Cloud Bu—most of them the covert forces of the great clans.
In other words, because of Serena’s disappearance, the great clans and nobles had suffered heavy losses. None dared blame the Emperor or Nolan, so they pinned it all on Serena.
This time, as Serena returned to the Capital, many things had changed. It was her first public appearance after a month away, and the grand reception wasn’t so much Nolan’s demand as something he deliberately secured for her. He wanted Serena to reenter the city in full glory—to make it clear to everyone that she was no soft persimmon to be squeezed at will.
In fact, Serena was truly dazzling—after today, there wouldn’t be many women across the Nine Provinces Realm who didn’t envy her.
Serena took Nolan’s hand and stepped down from the carriage, instantly drawing every eye.
A fire-red long dress, a phoenix hairpin studded with bright gems, and a matching red cloak—she looked like a living flame, brilliant and flamboyant, a peony in full bloom against the snow, making the white surroundings seem pale and dull by comparison.
Wearing such an outfit, in all the Capital only Serena could truly pull it off. The moment she stepped down, her cloak swept up like a soaring phoenix—her bearing proud, her eyes bright and unrestrained, boldly announcing to every faction: Serena Feng is back, making her return on her own terms.
Once Serena was steady, Nolan spoke coldly, ordering the crowd to rise. He let go of her hand and walked beside her, shoulder to shoulder.
One in black, one in red, one tall and one slightly shorter—there was no other pair in the world so perfectly matched. Ignoring the stares and scrutiny, they walked side by side, leaving matching footprints in the snow...
Through this silent display, Nolan and Serena made it clear: even after Serena’s month-long disappearance, her place in Nolan’s heart hadn’t changed. Serena was still Serena—just as before.
In a teahouse above, Prince Damien of Southlyn and a woman in a blue jacket stood by the window, taking in the whole scene. Only after Nolan and Serena boarded their sedan chairs did they look away.
“Su Rou, that’s your enemy. Your elder sister already disappointed me—if you let me down too, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I gave you a name, and I can destroy you just as easily.” Prince Damien had just crushed his rival’s influence back in Southlyn and was in high spirits, which was why he’d come to Eastlyn again.
This time, he was here to deliver the Summers clan’s new candidate for the riding-and-archery contest against Serena.
After Su Wan was injured, Nolan publicly announced the contest would be postponed, and even “graciously” told the Summers clan: lest they accuse Eastlyn of bullying, he’d allow them to send another woman.
From the many illegitimate daughters, the Summers clan chose the eighth-ranked girl—good-looking and shrewd—and gave her the name Su Rou.
In the Summers clan, only the legitimate daughters have names; the rest are just numbered tools, their worth measured by usefulness. The legitimate daughters get better treatment and upbringing, while the illegitimate ones are given less.
For Su Rou to stand out among a dozen illegitimate daughters was no small feat. Her learning and polish might not match Su Wan’s, but her scheming easily surpassed her sister’s.
Su Rou was gentle and demure, always wearing a modest, warm smile, her eyes clear and innocent—like a naïve girl, pure and unworldly, making it easy for others to drop their guard. That’s exactly why Prince Damien chose her.
A beautiful, soft-spoken woman can always be used as a honey trap if nothing else. The flowers Su Wan raised were always meant to be picked by others.
Su Rou was quick to understand the situation. She bowed and said, “Please rest assured, Your Highness—Rou’er will not disappoint you.”
To stand out among so many illegitimate daughters, Su Rou was anything but ordinary. Compared to the pampered Su Wan, Su Rou understood survival and the art of struggle much better—especially when facing a strong, proud woman like Serena Feng.