But stories must always continue.

Speaking of which, it was mid-autumn in August, with osmanthus fragrance everywhere. Counting carefully, Song Langsheng and I had been living in the small Guangling town for over a year.

That morning, we had breakfast as usual. After he left, I leisurely carried my vegetable basket to stroll through the market. I had originally planned to detour to the riverside to see if I could buy two fresh fish for soup, but while passing through a grove of trees, someone suddenly blocked my path.

Before I could react, the person fell to his knees before me with a thud, crying: “Princess… this servant has finally found you…”

Only then did I see clearly that it was Cheng Tiezhong, Jingyan’s personal attendant. Not to mention his ragged clothes, his right sleeve was completely empty, making his appearance extremely wretched. I stammered: “Eunuch Cheng… how did you manage to find this place… your right arm…”

Cheng Tiezhong wept bitterly, kowtowing to the ground: “Please save His Majesty, Princess…”

I was completely stunned: “What happened to Jingyan?”

“His Majesty… His Majesty might not be able to hold on much longer…”

With a crash, my vegetable basket fell to the ground.

When Song Langsheng and I were wandering the world, our knowledge of imperial affairs was the same as most common people. We only heard that after the wars were settled, the Emperor had made the daughter of the Minister of War his Empress. Soon the Empress was with child, ensuring the continuation of the imperial line. All the court officials breathed a sigh of relief, and from then on, both court and palace were harmonious scenes.

Cheng Tiezhong said that not long after that, Jingyan suddenly fell seriously ill, throwing the entire palace into panic. Though the illness was eventually cured, his health declined day by day. Even on summer nights, his hands and feet would be ice cold, dripping with cold sweat. Despite this, Jingyan never neglected governmental affairs, never tiring of morning court or reviewing documents. When his strength failed him, he would have Jinglan handle things in his place.

“Jingyan entrusted governmental affairs to elder brother?” Hearing this, I was already greatly alarmed. “How could this be? Elder brother is just a commoner—what qualifications does he have to help Jingyan…”

Cheng Tiezhong said: “During the Princess’s absence, His Majesty encountered several extremely thorny problems, all resolved through his counsel and strategy. His Majesty… trusts him greatly… A year ago, he restored Prince Qing’s imperial genealogy status…”

My heart sank like a stone. “Jingyan is truly confused. I clearly warned him—how could he still… What about the Empress Dowager? Didn’t she have any objections?”

Cheng Tiezhong shook his head: “The Empress Dowager also quite approved of this. They are both her sons—how could she stop them…”

I blurted out: “How is this possible? Elder brother clearly isn’t…”

Cheng Tiezhong looked up: “What?”

“Nothing.” I was completely puzzled. The Empress Dowager knew Jinglan’s true parentage—how could she not inform Jingyan and let him act recklessly? “What happened next?”

Naturally, Jinglan wouldn’t refuse Jingyan’s requests. He handled court affairs brilliantly in Jingyan’s name, and all crucial memorials and matters were submitted to Jingyan first. Over time, important court officials’ impressions of Jinglan grew increasingly favorable. Some even speculated that the Emperor’s weak constitution might not last more than a few years, and the throne might very well fall to Jinglan in the future. Thus, countless people secretly curried favor with Jinglan. Jinglan remained unmoved by all of this, decisively refusing anyone who tried to form factions for personal gain. Jingyan’s secretly dispatched agents all reported that Jinglan harbored no disloyalty, and the more loyal he proved himself, the more Jingyan trusted him.

And trust was the beginning of crisis.

After Jingyan thought he had a complete understanding of Jinglan, he forgot one thing: Jinglan had once been Daqing’s most brilliant Crown Prince, and Jingyan’s current imperial position was only obtained because of Jinglan’s departure back then. Keeping such an elder brother by his side meant that as long as he had the will, he could reclaim the position that once belonged to him at any time.

Especially since elder brother didn’t know his true parentage. In elder brother’s heart, he was the true eldest imperial son, and with his beloved wife no longer in the world, he wandered the jianghu alone and rootless—could he truly have purged all ambition? With opportunity within easy reach, the possibility of his rekindling ambition was far too great.

At this thought, I was suddenly alarmed: “Jingyan was frail from childhood, and the Imperial Medical Bureau was always extremely cautious. Whether his food or medicine, everything was strictly prepared according to his physical condition. Because of this, he actually rarely fell seriously ill growing up. How could he become so sick?”

Cheng Tiezhong said in a trembling voice: “His Majesty’s serious illness was no accident, but… Prince Qing’s poisonous hand…”

The world seemed to thunder with the sound of heaven and earth: “You… what did you say?”

“His Majesty originally felt that taking the Imperial Medical Bureau’s medicine showed no improvement. Later he remembered Kang Lin, the shopkeeper of Tong’an Hall, and summoned him to the palace for diagnosis. Doctor Kang Lin initially said the same as the imperial physicians—that it was old ailments triggered by wind-cold, requiring more care and rest. But seeing His Majesty so afraid of cold, he tried using cupping therapy to expel the cold qi from his body… Strangely, the cupping made His Majesty feel even colder. Doctor Kang found this extremely odd and re-examined His Majesty thoroughly… only then discovering that His Majesty had been poisoned… The poison was extremely rare, even Kang Lin could barely identify it. He only knew this poison was the key to triggering His Majesty’s old ailments. The so-called toxicity merely made one prone to illness, fatigue, cold, and physical weakness, so the imperial physicians never suspected…”

Cold ran through my entire body: “Then… can the poison still be cured?!”

Cheng Tiezhong closed his eyes: “Originally it was said to be curable… His Majesty ordered us not to make this public. Doctor Kang immediately returned to prepare an antidote. Who knew that the next day, Doctor Kang suddenly disappeared from the capital without a trace… His Majesty ordered this servant to leave the palace to investigate. When this servant returned to the palace, His Majesty was already bedridden, his whole body limp, unable… unable even to speak…”

Whole body limp… unable to speak… Why did these symptoms seem so familiar…

“…What happened after that?”

Naturally, Cheng Tiezhong first suspected Jinglan, but at that time Jingyan was unconscious, and all court affairs were in Jinglan’s hands. He was merely a small attendant—how could he possibly shake Jinglan based on one-sided words? Cheng Tiezhong quietly stayed by Jingyan’s bedside until one day he saw Jingyan regain consciousness. However, he prevented Cheng Tiezhong from summoning the imperial physicians. Though he couldn’t make sound, he traced out the truth word by word in Cheng Tiezhong’s palm—it turned out the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau had completely become Jinglan’s person.

Jingyan knew his days were numbered. What he worried about most was his Empress and the child in her womb. At this point, that unborn prince was the greatest obstacle to Jinglan.

He asked Cheng Tiezhong to do two things for him. The first: have the Empress leave the palace under the pretext of praying for the Emperor’s blessing at a temple. The monks there were all highly skilled in martial arts and had deep ties with the imperial family. If the Empress could be delivered there safely, they would surely protect the child until birth.

But this first task proved extremely difficult.

Cheng Tiezhong was unwilling to recall the sword lights and blade shadows along that journey. He said when he watched the Empress’s carriage fall into the valley below, he felt such shame and regret that he wanted to jump down with it. But he didn’t—thinking of the critically ill Emperor in the palace, even though he had already had one arm severed and was bleeding profusely, he still held on to that last breath and finally managed to escape alive.

After a long while, I heard my own shocked voice: “Then… then the Empress…”

“Heaven has eyes—the Empress… didn’t die, and the prince is also safe.” Cheng Tiezhong’s eyes filled with tears.

Before the carriage went out of control, the Empress had jumped out when the assassins weren’t paying attention, hiding in a tall haystack. So when the assassins thought the Empress had fallen off the cliff, they naturally all dispersed. No one expected that a mother eight months pregnant could survive such circumstances, just as even Cheng Tiezhong hadn’t expected that when he found the Empress, she had given birth to the premature baby alone in the wilderness by her own strength.

I could hardly imagine how, on such a night when even the moonlight was cold, an eighteen-year-old young mother overcame fear and endured excruciating pain, desperately fighting to protect her child. But I knew that was Jingyan’s only flesh and blood, father’s final bloodline, and the Xiao family’s ultimate hope.

I took a deep breath and asked: “The second thing Jingyan asked you to do—was it to find me, then return to the palace to expose all of elder brother’s schemes and support that child to ascend the throne?”

Cheng Tiezhong was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head: “His Majesty said… he knows this matter is difficult for Your Highness… after all, the Princess’s wish is to live with the Prince Consort far from worldly affairs in peace… but…”

I crouched down and picked up the scattered vegetable basket, looking at the fresh beef inside. Suddenly I felt something was gradually leaving me. “Eunuch Cheng, we both know clearly in our hearts that I’ve been away from the palace so long, I’m no longer the Princess Xiangyi of the past. Without power, without trusted allies, without father’s favor—if I return this time, far from bringing down elder brother, I’m afraid the moment I appear in the capital, even the chance of survival would be slim…”

Cheng Tiezhong choked: “Princess…”

I placed the last tomato in the basket: “But Jingyan only has me left, doesn’t he?”

Back then, if I hadn’t been so eager to leave the imperial city, abandoning the newly enthroned Jingyan to live carefree alone, how could today’s situation have come to pass?

Perhaps this was an inescapable calamity.

I smoothed my sleeves and slowly stood: “Tonight at the zi hour, have horses ready here and wait for me. I still have some important matters to handle.”

Light rain began falling outside.

I was just serving dishes when Song Langsheng returned. He used a bamboo cape to cover his head, running into the courtyard and ducking under the eaves to brush raindrops from his sleeves. Seeing me turn to look at him, he smiled: “It really is the rainy season. When classes ended this evening, it was still sunny, but now it’s raining.”

I arranged the bowls and chopsticks, went over to take his outer robe, and handed him a clean one to change into: “That’s why I said you should take an umbrella when going out. Think about it—if you catch a cold, we’d have to sleep in separate rooms. During those long nights, I’m afraid of the dark, so I’d be the one suffering.”

“Fine, fine, I can’t argue with you.” He looked around: “Where’s Huang Po?”

I made a sound of realization: “She had a family emergency and went back temporarily. She said she’d return in a few days.”

He glanced at the four dishes and one soup on the table: “So… you made all today’s food?”

“What, don’t trust me? Don’t forget, my cooking was personally taught by the head chef of the imperial kitchen. I wonder who I was trying to please back then, and who tried to poison the food only to be discovered by me…”

Song Langsheng pressed my shoulders to have me sit down, smiling broadly: “Wife, let’s not bring up old matters, shall we?”

I smiled mischievously: “Alright, alright, my dear husband.”

I had put my heart into preparing this table of dishes.

Though each was just ordinary home-cooked fare, they were all Song Langsheng’s favorites. Especially since I had made them myself, he ate more than usual. While eating with great relish, he said: “There are only two of us—we can’t eat so much food. Tomorrow you shouldn’t cook so much. Actually, forget it—until Huang Po returns, let’s just eat out. I didn’t marry you to be a cook.”

My nose stung: “Then what did you marry me for?”

He chuckled teasingly: “To have children and do the things necessary for having children…”

I stomped hard on his foot. He swallowed a mouthful of rice and laughed heartily. I watched his handsome smile, momentarily dazed. Seeing me staring blankly, he stomped back on my foot: “Eat.”

I lowered my head and took a bite of rice: “A’Sheng… I want to ask you a question…”

“Mm?”

“If… I’m saying if… one day I had to leave you for unavoidable reasons, would you live well on your own…”

Song Langsheng had been enjoying his soup, but hearing me say this, he suddenly paused: “What happened?”

“Nothing. I’m saying if…”

“You never make pointless hypothetical assumptions.” Song Langsheng put down his chopsticks, his expression gradually becoming serious: “Why would you leave me? Did something happen in the capital?”

I shook my head repeatedly: “Really nothing… I just today…”

Song Langsheng was about to stand but stumbled and fell back into his seat. He looked at me in disbelief: “You drugged the food?”

I tried hard to hold back, but at this moment couldn’t stop the tears in my eyes: “I’m sorry…”

“What exactly happened! You…” He rubbed his forehead, trying to stay conscious: “Don’t act rashly! No matter what happened, you still have me. I’m your husband—we must face it together…” He gripped my hand tightly: “A’Tang, listen to me… no matter what reason you have… I will never allow you to leave me… if you… act willfully… I, I absolutely won’t… forgive you…”

As he spoke, his voice grew quieter and quieter. Finally unable to hold on, his eyelids drooped completely and he collapsed unconscious in my arms, his hand still refusing to let go of mine.

I watched my tears fall on his cheek.

I understood elder brother too well.

Song Langsheng was a fugitive general, a deserter who had violated military discipline and committed a capital crime. He was different from me—elder brother couldn’t openly do anything to me, but he could execute Song Langsheng anytime, anywhere.

Song Langsheng wouldn’t stop me from going to the capital to save Jingyan, but he wouldn’t allow me to go alone.

I had once resented him for refusing to die with me, but when it came to this moment, even I couldn’t do it.

Several figures emerged from the back courtyard. I said flatly: “Even with Song Langsheng’s martial arts, he couldn’t last a quarter-hour. The Mingjian Division’s sleeping drug is truly effective.”

They exchanged glances: “This drug’s effect can only last until tomorrow at most. If the Prince Consort awakens, we might not be able to stop him from pursuing the Princess.”

Yes. Song Langsheng’s perceptiveness—just from my asking one question, he could connect it to the capital. Even if I drugged him temporarily, I couldn’t stop him. To truly confine him for a period of time, I would probably need to rely on the Mingjian Division’s power.

I looked at one of them—he was the chief administrator of Guangling’s Mingjian Division, also Guangling’s highest-ranking official: “Lord He, please trouble yourself to have Song Langsheng confined in prison. After this month, just release him under some pretext of arresting the wrong person.”

“This…” Lord He looked troubled: “I’m afraid regarding the Prince Consort…”

“He won’t acknowledge his identity. Since that’s the case, you needn’t treat him as the Prince Consort. As long as his food and lodging aren’t lacking, there won’t be any problems.” I said: “However, regardless of what he says, there’s no need to pay attention. Lord must remember this point.”

Lord He hesitated for a while, then gritted his teeth and nodded: “This subordinate obeys.”

I had said everything that should and shouldn’t be said. Though I still wanted to stay a bit longer, thinking of Jingyan’s life hanging by a thread, I knew I couldn’t delay even a moment.

“A’Sheng, as agreed—don’t forgive me.”

Those were the last words I said to him in my heart, even though he couldn’t hear them at all.

Heavy rain poured endlessly. Horse hooves splashed up droplets. As I left this peaceful village town, I suddenly remembered that there was still one fish from today’s purchase, lively and jumping in the water bucket. What a pity I couldn’t find good weather to grill and eat it.