Learning that Princess Changle had already released Su Yao, Emperor Yong’an felt relieved and admonished: “Don’t make such a scene in the future.”

Princess Changle obediently agreed: “Your daughter understands.”

“You may go.”

“Your daughter takes her leave.” Princess Changle curtsied slightly and quietly withdrew.

As she retreated to the hall entrance, she couldn’t help but look up and saw Emperor Yong’an embracing Imperial Noble Consort Xiao, chatting and laughing cheerfully.

Princess Changle pressed her lips together and walked out of Yuhua Palace.

Outside the hall, everything was a vast expanse of white, with hardly any other colors visible—just like the desolate and barren state of Princess Changle’s heart at this moment.

Once upon a time, she had been the sole focus of Father Emperor’s gaze, but now Father Emperor completely ignored her.

All of this was because of the child in Imperial Noble Consort Xiao’s belly!

Thinking of Imperial Noble Consort Xiao’s languid, casual manner, Princess Changle couldn’t help grinding her teeth.

She was merely a concubine-born daughter of humble origins who had reportedly been a doormat at home. Having transformed into Imperial Noble Consort and gotten pregnant, she no longer took her seriously at all.

Just like Wei Wen, who had relied on her brother becoming Crown Prince when she first came to the capital, thinking she could compete with her.

And what was the result?

The image of the beautiful Birthday Immortal Maiden flashed through Princess Changle’s mind, and she slowly curved her lips.

The flowers and trees covered in icicles and mantled in snow stood solemnly, making the garden appear even quieter. Two figures in the distance caught Princess Changle’s attention.

“Who are those two?” Princess Changle directly asked Little Zhenzi, who was leading the way.

Little Zhenzi took a look and replied: “They appear to be Consort An and Beauty Wang.”

Princess Changle raised her eyebrows and said indifferently: “Oh, no wonder they look unfamiliar.”

By this time, they had drawn near the two women.

Little Zhenzi spoke up to remind them: “Lady Consort An, Beauty Wang, this is Her Highness the Princess.”

Beauty Wang immediately prostrated herself.

Consort An hesitated slightly before following suit with a bow.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Princess Changle signaled for them to rise and asked casually: “In this freezing cold, why are you two wandering about the garden?”

Beauty Wang kept her head lowered, not daring to speak carelessly. Resentment flashed in Consort An’s eyes as she lowered her gaze and said: “It was a bit stuffy indoors, so Beauty Wang and I came to the garden for a stroll.”

Princess Changle’s face revealed nothing, but she sneered inwardly.

In such cold weather, in this bare garden—what kind of stroll? Clearly their interest lay not in drinking but in hoping for a chance encounter with Father Emperor.

Though Princess Changle disdained this, she also felt a certain pleasure at watching the fire from across the river.

No flower blooms for a hundred days, no person enjoys good fortune for a thousand. With so many new women entering the palace, did Imperial Noble Consort Xiao really think she could maintain exclusive favor forever?

At the end of the day, Imperial Noble Consort Xiao’s greatest asset was the child in her belly.

A cold light flashed in Princess Changle’s eyes.

If Imperial Noble Consort Xiao were to lose her child, how would she compare to these new women who had become pregnant?

In Princess Changle’s view, if Imperial Noble Consort Xiao, whose beauty was fading with age, could become pregnant, these new women would certainly find it even easier. Imperial Noble Consort Xiao had merely seized the advantage of timing.

Examining the exceptionally beautiful Consort An, Princess Changle seemed to recall something: “Are you from the Li family?”

The Li clan of the empress’s maternal family—in her childhood, it too had once filled her with longing.

Back then she had been just one unremarkable princess among many, and the privileges she enjoyed couldn’t compare at all with those of legitimate-born princesses.

Consort An’s eyelids trembled lightly as she nodded: “Empress Yuan was my clan sister.”

Though this clan sister was several decades her senior and she had never seen what she looked like, she always remembered the glory of the empress’s maternal family.

Thinking of this, she quietly straightened her back.

Princess Changle noticed this subtle reaction and couldn’t help curving her lips.

She could tell that this clan younger sister of Empress Yuan was no docile character.

And she liked such unruly people.

“No wonder Lady Consort An is so exceptional.” Princess Changle said with a smile.

Consort An keenly detected the shift in Princess Changle’s attitude, and her heart skipped a beat.

What did Princess Changle mean by this?

“Your Highness flatters me.” Consort An thanked her coolly.

She simply wasn’t willing to forever bow her head before Imperial Noble Consort Xiao, but she wasn’t a fool.

Princess Changle’s expression grew even warmer: “This princess should be going. I won’t disturb Lady Consort An and Beauty Wang’s stroll.”

The two women bowed in unison: “Farewell, Your Highness.”

After Princess Changle had walked far away, Beauty Wang said in a small voice: “Sister An, Princess Changle seems to quite like you.”

Consort An pressed her lips together: “What use is Princess Changle’s favor?”

In the end, one still needed to win His Majesty’s affection to gain a foothold in this harem.

Beauty Wang glanced around and blinked: “Don’t forget, Princess Changle is currently His Majesty’s only flesh and blood and has been favored for many years. If she were to put in a good word for you before His Majesty, how could it be useless?”

Consort An’s expression changed several times before she smiled: “You’re right, younger sister. Regardless, making friends is better than making enemies.”

The two women wandered the garden over and over until the sky was nearly dark, never seeing Emperor Yong’an emerge from Yuhua Palace, and returned to their quarters shivering with cold.

As the year’s end approached, the government offices sealed their stamps, and Youjian Tavern also closed for the holiday.

A man of about fifty walked along Qingxing Street, heading straight for Youjian Tavern.

The tavern’s main gate was tightly shut. Only a few scattered sparrows hopped about in the snowy ground before the entrance, fluttering away as the tall man approached.

The man paused before the door and raised his hand to knock.

Before long the door opened, revealing a face that still retained its beauty.

The proprietress was stunned and blurted out: “Are you Uncle Zhu Wu?”

The man was also taken aback for a moment before smiling: “I didn’t expect the proprietress would still remember me.”

The proprietress’s expression was somewhat strange.

How could she not remember? She was the proprietress—other abilities aside, remembering people was the most basic skill.

Moreover, this uncle of Zhu Wu’s had eaten at the tavern once several months ago, with Zhu Wu treating.

Well, as proprietress it wasn’t her place to comment on how much he had eaten, but in any case Zhu Wu probably wouldn’t need to receive his monthly wages for the next ten years.

The proprietress opened the door: “Uncle Xing, please come in quickly. Are you looking for Zhu Wu?”

Uncle Xing walked in, looking at the familiar layout of the main hall and feeling inexplicably timid.

He still remembered his nephew’s reaction to him eating a meal on his tab—the boy had nearly severed their uncle-nephew relationship.

“Uncle Xing, please sit.” The proprietress efficiently brought over a cup of hot tea.

Uncle Xing took it, politely thanked her, and asked: “Where’s that boy Zhu Wu?”

The proprietress’s mouth twitched.

Having an elder really was wonderful—an old bachelor could still be called “boy.”

Thinking of her parents who had died young, the proprietress felt somewhat dejected.

Uncle Xing noticed the change in the proprietress’s expression, and his heart stirred.

Why did the proprietress show such a strange expression when he mentioned Zhu Wu?

Could it be—thinking of a certain possibility, Uncle Xing was first delighted, then calmed down.

Forget it, he couldn’t let Zhu Wu drag others down.

“The master felt it was a bit crowded with everyone living at the tavern, so she arranged for Zhu Wu to go back to living at his original rented house.”

Seeing Uncle Xing’s expression change slightly, the proprietress hurriedly added: “The master is paying for it.”

Uncle Xing’s feelings were complicated.

What did she mean the master was paying for it? That house clearly belonged to Miss Luo—it even had a tunnel dug beneath it.

These people following that young lady—they’d been sold and were still counting the money for her.

“Thank you. I’ll go find him.” Uncle Xing thanked the proprietress and headed outside.