In good spirits, Noble Consort Ya answered every question the three women asked, and at times even spoke to them on her own.

The carriage caught up with the wedding procession and left the palace, traveling along the great road toward the Altar of Heaven.

The cheers of the crowds on either side were loud; inside the carriage, at last, it grew quiet.

Feng Jiu’er lifted the curtain now and then to peer out, but unfortunately couldn’t see what was happening ahead.

After a long while, the carriage finally stopped. A moment later, the voice of an attendant outside carried in.

“Noble Consort Ya, if you please!”

Noble Consort Ya smoothed her sleeves and looked at the three seated across from her.

“Who will accompany me?”

“Noble Consort.” Gong Xinyue stood, bowed. “Why not let Miss Feng go with you?”

“This humble one… is afraid… most afraid of spirits and such…”

“If Xiao You doesn’t want to go, Your Highness, this humble one is willing,” Feng Jiu’er said, standing as well.

Noble Consort Ya glanced at Feng Jiu’er, an expression on her face as though she’d seen straight through Feng Jiu’er’s true intentions, and extended her hand.

Feng Jiu’er had mentioned more than once how much she longed to catch a glimpse of the Night Prince and the Emperor’s faces. Noble Consort Ya assumed that was exactly what was on her mind now.

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together, hurried over, and took Noble Consort Ya’s hand.

The two got down from the carriage and, led by an attendant, walked steadily forward.

Also in the group were a number of consorts and concubines. The Empress was up ahead — Feng Jiu’er spotted her too.

Unfortunately, this stretch was all women, and she still hadn’t caught sight of her father.

The group ascended the Altar of Heaven, and Feng Jiu’er finally spotted, from a distance, the figure she’d been looking for.

Her father stood together with Feng Qiongcang, receiving the bows and homage of the crowd.

Feng Jiu’er only got one glance before she and the rest of the women knelt.

The people beside her did not raise their heads, so Feng Jiu’er kept hers lowered as well.

Ahead, the sound of prayers rose. After a good while of bowing, a monk announced the ceremony’s end.

Those at the very top of the altar began descending; those below made way for a path.

Feng Jiu’er watched, helpless to do anything, as Feng Li walked past in front of her.

The procession moved on, and Feng Jiu’er returned to the carriage.

“Noble Consort, where are we headed now?” she asked, looking at Noble Consort Ya.

“To the Night Prince’s manor. I hear the bride is waiting there now — this counts as going to receive her.” Noble Consort Ya answered.

Feng Jiu’er thought of the lonely figure of Feng Li just now, and turned to lift the curtain and look outside.

But aside from the crowds along the road, she could see nothing at all.

Outside the Night Prince’s manor, dozens of men sat on horseback, waiting off to the side.

The one at their head looked to be somewhat advanced in years, but one could tell — he had once been a formidable warrior.

As the wedding procession drew near, the man dismounted and knelt in the middle of the road.

“Greetings to His Majesty! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!”

“Who are you?” An’bao, the attendant walking beside Feng Qiongcang, shouted. “How dare you obstruct the imperial wedding procession?”

“This humble one is He Zhongnan. I came only to welcome the Night Prince home, not to obstruct anyone,” the man said, cupping his hands, then rising at once, stepping back to clear the way, before kneeling again, forehead pressed to the ground.

“Night Prince! He Zhongnan has returned! Night Prince, please come out — He Zhongnan has returned!”

“You, He Zhongnan, how dare you—” Before An’bao could finish, a low cough sounded from the first carriage.

The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Feng Li appeared before everyone’s eyes.

The procession halted for a moment, and Qiao Mu stood up.

“Noble Consort, what’s going on up there? I think I just heard someone say something about obstructing — could someone be trying to steal the bride?”

“Your Highness, this humble one wants to go down and take a look — may I?”

Qiao Mu did exactly what Feng Jiu’er had wanted to do herself, and Feng Jiu’er withdrew her head from outside the curtain.

“Someone’s kneeling up ahead.” The procession ahead had turned a corner, and from Feng Jiu’er’s position she could just make out a little of what was happening.

But the distance was too great — she couldn’t see clearly, nor could she hear a thing.

“Someone trying to steal the bride?” Noble Consort Ya raised an eyebrow. “That really would be quite the affair.”

“Go take a look, the two of you. See what’s going on. Just don’t get caught doing anything you shouldn’t.”

At this, even Gong Xinyue stood up. But Noble Consort Ya waved a hand.

“Xiao You had better not go — stay and keep me company.”

“The two of you had better not step out of line. If you really do get caught, don’t say you’re one of my people — I’d be humiliated!”

“Yes.” Qiao Mu, full of excitement, lifted the curtain and got down from the carriage.

Feng Jiu’er followed right after.

“Night Prince.” He Zhongnan, seeing Feng Li, was overjoyed.

Feng Li’s expression, however, was far from good.

“Go,” he said, waving a hand.

“Night Prince.” He Zhongnan rose. “This humble one won’t go. This humble one only wants to stay and attend you.”

“There’s no need!” Feng Li turned away coldly.

“Night Prince.” He Zhongnan hurried after him.

“Fourth Brother, since these are your own former subordinates, showing their goodwill, why not let them stay?” Feng Qiongcang said flatly.

“Only — He Zhongnan, what’s the meaning of the people behind you?”

He Zhongnan raised his eyes to meet Feng Qiongcang’s gaze and dropped to his knees at once.

“Reporting to Your Majesty — these are simply commoners who wished to come and offer their blessings to the Night Prince.”

“Fewer than a hundred people, no violation of the law — I beg Your Majesty to see clearly!”

“Since that’s the case, let them through!” Feng Qiongcang raised an eyebrow. “It wouldn’t do to delay the hour.”

“Yes.” He Zhongnan cupped his hands, then raised his eyes again.

“If I may ask Your Majesty — why has the Night Prince, though back in the capital for so long, still not been permitted to return to his own manor?”

“The imperial palace is, in the end, not the most fitting place for the Night Prince. I wonder when Your Majesty might allow the Prince to return and live at his own residence?”

“This humble one knows my days are numbered, and only hope that in the months I have left, I might attend the Night Prince’s side and repay the life-saving kindness he showed me back then.”

He Zhongnan knocked his head against the ground once more.

“Your Majesty, I beg you, for the sake of this humble one’s small merit back then, allow the Night Prince to return to his manor?”

“He Zhongnan, how dare you!” An’bao snapped.

“Is His Majesty’s arrangement something you can presume to sway?”

Feng Qiongcang raised a hand and spoke again. “Lord He, this matter truly has nothing to do with me.”

He turned his head to look at Feng Li.

“I have suggested many times that Fourth Brother return to his manor to rest and recover — it was he himself who refused.”

“I assumed Fourth Brother simply preferred palace life, and so the matter was dropped.”

“If Lord He doesn’t believe me, you’re welcome to ask the Night Prince himself.”

He Zhongnan followed Feng Qiongcang’s gaze and looked to Feng Li.

“Night Prince, I hope you will agree to let this humble one stay. Night Prince, I beg you!”

Several men kneeling behind He Zhongnan also raised their eyes to look at Feng Li.

“Night Prince, this humble one hopes you’ll give us a chance as well.”

“We only wish to stay by the Night Prince’s side — please, Night Prince, grant us this.”