The journey back to the frontlines was a silent one, perhaps due to the very recent nature of their not-quite-an argument, and the sore lack of apologies from either of the two involved. Neither spoke; thusly, allowing a deep silence to settle amidst the howls of frost-bitten winds blowing outside the carriage.

Li Xinyuan shifted, somewhat discomfited by the biting chill of the winter. The temperature difference between the comfort of the clinic and on the road outside was dramatically large.

Involuntarily, a shiver wracked down his spine, causing a compensatory warmth to follow right after under his skin. Affected as he was, Li Xinyuan burrowed the lower half of his face in the fur cloak, exhaling into the thick cloth.

Perhaps his cultivation was still too low, the cold was chasing his steps, snapping at his heels. Or, it really was too cold.

The surgeon stole a discreet glance beside himself, eyes flickering to drink in the side of Liu Mingyun’s face. Though handsome, at the moment, he was frowning, brows pinched and lips curled down.

For a fleeting moment, Li Xinyuan allowed himself to wonder what could possibly be going through the Crown Prince’s mind before looking away, naturally as can be.

He knew what he felt for the Crown Prince was way beyond the limits of simple liking, or fleeting affection. And that made him rather susceptible to being easily flustered. Li Xinyuan could deal with momentary attraction and lust with ease, but heaven forbid he felt emotions anything but shallow of nature.

In that, he floundered without intention.

As a chilling trickle of wind found its way into the carriage and nuzzled against his flushing skin, Li Xinyuan’s body gave another shudder — this time, more pronounced. Teeth clenched, he stubbornly remained pressed to the extreme of the seat, Liu Mingyun having occupied the other extreme, refusing to budge; lest even a little of his clothes brush to the Crown Prince’s.

"Xin’er," he heard the Crown Prince sigh, silently envying the stability of his voice, "are you cold?"

And who was Li Xinyuan if not a man with a defiant streak, self-destructive as it may be?

With a terse shake of his head, the surgeon denied the implication, refusing to use words, lest he open his mouth and have the silver-haired youth hear his teeth chattering together. By the gods above, he was growing old, internally, at least.

His body was worthy enough proof of that sentiment.

"Xin’er." Liu Mingyun sighed once more, if a bit amazed at his betrothed’s stubbornness. Deft as wind, he unfastened the cloak tied around his shoulders and jerked it open, turning to gaze at the one sharing his carriage. "Come here."

"Allow me to de-decline, Your Highn-ness."

Li Xinyuan bit his tongue to control his chattering teeth, finding time to shoot him a narrowed look all the while. Who did Liu Mingyun think he was? They had yet to make up for the quarrel. He would be damned if he gave in first.

"Xin’er, you’re cold."

"My bodily functions are intact enough for me to produce sufficient heat." He fought back another shudder.

Liu Mingyun stared at him, arm spread helplessly. "Clearly not quite enough."

"Was that condescension, Your Highness?"

"This Prince would not dare."

Once more, silence lingered between them, wrapping its thick tendrils around, coiled like a snake with too many limbs. Yet another gust of freezing wind licked at Li Xinyuan’s skin, forcing him to begrudgingly shift towards the Crown Prince, who did the same.

When the surgeon was close enough, Liu Mingyun wasted no time in wrapping his arm around his shoulder and tugging him closer, throwing his cloak over the former’s shoulder, effectively sharing it and its warmth.

Li Xinyuan swallowed a startled yelp threatening to escape his throat as he fell against the Crown Prince’s side, a warm surge overtaking the cold spread throughout his own body. Relaxing minutely, he snuggled closer — discreetly — and let a content sigh drop off his lips.

Damn it, he thought whilst fighting the haze brought by the warmth akin to a blazing furnance, why did he have to be so warm?

As he pushed closer on the human instinct of chasing source of heat in the cold, he felt the Crown Prince rest his chin on the crown of his head, the youth’s hand slipping down to wrap loosely around his waist.

"Why are you so warm?" Li Xinyuan asked, not bothering to look up at the prince.

Liu Mingyun glanced down at him, his chest rumbling with an amused noise as he shrugged. "Cultivation."

Li Xinyuan snorted flippantly, thoroughly unamused by the obvious answer. "Ah, indeed?"

"Indeed." The Crown Prince nodded in a wretched mockery of gravity, the smile tugged at the corner of his lips, however, betrayed his true countenance. "Why, were you expecting any ailment?"

"Any man of sound mind would have that expectation," Li Xinyuan pushed himself away from him, feeling his frozen limbs thawed as he stretched in relief. "Was the royal family not disallowed any involvement in the affairs of JiangHu, Your Highness?"

Liu Mingyun persisted under his scrutinizing gaze, an eyebrow raised ever so slightly. "If This Prince’s memory serves him well, learning cultivation and martial arts do not break that treaty."

To that, Li Xinyuan gave him a smile not unlike that of a cat who had caught a mouse it had long set its sights on. Head tipped back slightly, and chin angled towards the Crown Prince, with his golden eyes hooded, the surgeon hummed, languidly.

"Verily? What I speak of is not lost on you, Your Highness. You are as aware of this as I am."

Liu Mingyun’s crimson eyes turned cold and his face a stone statue instantly. "This Prince is merely acting in accordance with the Imperial Will, Xin’er. And for the good of people."

Li Xinyuan scoffed, tongue pressing against his cheek as he turned to face the drawn curtains, breathing evenly under the Crown Prince’s pressure. One leg crossed over the other, elbow propped on his thigh, and knuckles tucked under his chin as he bent forward.

"Yes, just as we all know, a war prolonged is a war lost. It will do no one any good to keep its end stretched out; and yet, this war the Heavenly Demon Cult and its enemy wage seemed to have no end."

Liu Mingyun flinched at his words, jaw ticking. "It is not in the hands of a single man to put an end to this war." He did not turn to face Li Xinyuan’s gaze straightforwardly. "You know it as well as I."

"I agree," voice faintly, the surgeon nodded contemplatively, his eyes falling to his own lap, "why, yes, I agree. Or would have, had the people involved in this were not the Heavenly Demon himself and you."

He let the words fill in the silence, he allowed it to linger and fall over them like a thick blanket.

"This Prince senses you have much else to add."

"Indeed, why indeed, I do. I do so because I am in the know of both your capabilities. Should you desire it, this war could have ended in a fortnight at the latest. I see no sense in why either of you could allow it to continue this much longer."

All of a sudden, Li Xinyuan was disoriented, thrown off-balance by the sudden movement of the Crown Prince. Now, he was pressed against the curtains, Liu Mingyun’s hand covering his mouth as the man loomed above him, pinning him to the carriage.

He was gazing down at the surgeon, crimson eyes narrowed in thought. His voice was baritone, velvet in its smoothness as he spoke slowly, flexing his blazing palm against Li Xinyuan’s lips. "You should not meddle in things you possess no knowledge of, Xin’er. It will do you well to remember that. Yes?"