Long afterward, when Li Gu and Xie Yuzhang looked back on that day, they would discover that on the very same day, at nearly the same moment, they had each broken free of the thing that had bound them.

And there in the Hanyuan Hall at that time, Xie Yuzhang’s self-designation as Mobei Khan’s consort drew knowing smiles from many of those who understood what it signified.

Her maternal uncle, the former Duke of Xun who now served as Director of the Chancellery, Yang Changyuan, had moist eyes and a heart full of relief.

Li Weifeng, the Marquis of Beirong, kept winking and gesturing at the Ministry of Revenue Vice Minister Chen Liangzhi across the hall, while Chen Liangzhi pretended not to see him and continued to ignore him entirely.

Fortunately, the Protocol Officer on duty that day — responsible for overseeing the conduct of officials during court audiences — had himself forgotten all proper composure and was still fixed on staring at the beautiful Mobei Khan’s consort without managing to look away in time, which spared the Marquis of Beirong from being caught making mischief again.

The young emperor and the beautiful newly-widowed Khan’s consort gazed at one another, and many thoughts inevitably began to stir in the minds of the assembled court. Having seen Xie Yuzhang’s appearance, more than a few men thought to themselves that if the emperor wished to take this Khan’s consort into the rear palace, perhaps they ought to leap forward at once with congratulations — to claim first honors and curry favor in a moment like this.

No one was thinking of opposing it.

This princess might carry the bloodline of the former dynasty’s imperial house, but the world had always worked on the principle that wives follow husbands, and children follow fathers. Even if she were to bear a son, that son would be a thoroughly legitimate Li dynasty prince.

Unless that prince had something seriously wrong with his head, he would not think to destroy his own family and restore the nation of his maternal uncles and cousins.

In the Former Zhao Founding Emperor’s rear palace, there had been a princess of the preceding dynasty, who had also borne two imperial princes. That mother and her sons had lived out their days in peace and obedience.

After a long silence in the hall, the emperor finally spoke. “The princess who departed for a political marriage with Mobei has been gone eight years. It has been a hardship.”

But the Khan’s consort said, “The times have changed. The title of princess — Your Majesty need not use it again. Your servant is only Ashina Xie of the Xie clan.”

The Khan’s consort said, “Your servant had originally believed that she would spend this life buried on the steppe. It was not expected that Your Majesty’s imperial might would sweep Mobei clean, and that your servant would live to see Yunjing again in this lifetime — all of this is entirely by the grace of Heaven.”

The emperor said, “In this campaign in Mobei, with the submission of the five tribes, you have rendered outstanding merit.”

But the beautiful Khan’s consort said, “The victories in Mobei belong entirely to the strength of the royal army and the invincibility of the iron cavalry. The pacification of the realm and the enrichment of the nation and military were achieved by Your Majesty and the civil and military officials together. Your servant contributed only the most modest of efforts, and could not bear such praise from Your Majesty.”

These words were exceedingly well-suited to the occasion, and the officials assembled in the hall could not help but nod inwardly with approval. Of course, the extent of the Khan’s consort’s contribution was something they all had a clear reckoning of in their own minds.

What remained to be seen was how the emperor intended to reward her.

“You are too modest,” the emperor said. “Now that you have returned, what are your intentions?”

Xie Yuzhang had been waiting a long time — waiting for the emperor to ask precisely this question.

Back when she was in Mobei, although she often joked with Lin Fei about what it would be like to return to Yunjing someday — commanding servants by the dozen, keeping handsome men in her household — that was only banter. In her heart she understood perfectly clearly that returning to Yunjing and dealing with the emperor would require twelve measures of mental alertness; it would be another kind of battlefield entirely.

She had long since made her calculations.

I will request permission to leave the secular world and become a Daoist nun, she had told Lin Fei on the road. If he permits it, so much the better — a person outside the mundane world has fewer entanglements with worldly affairs. Much less trouble.

She had said: But I think he will not be so petty-spirited. With my merits, even if I cannot be ennobled as a marquis, I could at least be granted an earl’s rank. Since I am a woman, he would at minimum give me an honorary title. To properly serve as an officially designated noblewoman of the Da Mu dynasty is genuinely far better than being a daughter of the Xiaoyao Marquisate, a princess of a fallen dynasty. That is the best outcome.

Lin Fei had sighed and said: And if he takes you into the rear palace?

Xie Yuzhang had also sighed. Then that is the worst outcome.

She had no idea why Zhang Fen had not become empress and had ended up married to the Seventh Prince of Li, but as for the rest of the beauties — those were minor matters. She had only made a point of asking about the Xie clan members; just as in the previous life, they were confined to Xie Family Village. She specifically asked after the Lady of Kangle, Xie Baozhu, and Yang Huaishen did not know.

“Lady of Kangle? She should be with Prince Shou, I expect?” Yang Huaishen had said. “I am not sure — I never saw her when I returned to the capital.”

Yang Huaishen had not been close with Lady of Kangle before. It was natural that he would not have paid her attention.

But if Lady of Kangle had entered the rear palace, he ought to have known. Xie Yuzhang’s heart eased somewhat.

Although this life had seen all manner of changes, they all seemed to be developing in a better direction.

Xie Yuzhang raised her head and said, “Your servant was fortunate enough beyond measure to return to Yunjing, and in this life desires nothing more. She wishes to seek out a Daoist temple and take her vows, and from this day forward to pray for Your Majesty and the Da Mu dynasty day and night. This is your servant’s heart’s wish. May Your Majesty grant it.”

She looked directly at the emperor, and the emperor, standing on the imperial dais, looked directly back at her.

The emperor said, “Those who have rendered merit must be rewarded. Xie of the Xie clan — receive your investiture.”

Xie Yuzhang lifted her hem and knelt once more. “Your servant is listening.”

The emperor stood with his hands clasped behind his back. “Although you are of the blood of the former dynasty, you hold righteousness above all else in your heart. You did not place the name of a single clan above all others. You kept in your breast the peace and safety of the border regions’ people, and through the strength of one person brought about the submission of the five tribes.”

“Your merit, were you a man, would be sufficient to receive a marquisate. Yet you are a woman.”

“You departed in the capacity of a princess, and so you shall return in the capacity of a princess.”

“Xie of the Xie clan — We hereby also invest you as a princess of the Da Mu dynasty, and bestow upon you the title — Yongning.”

Xie Yuzhang looked up, stunned.

In truth she had only hoped to obtain from the emperor an honorary title of an officially designated noblewoman — or, at one step back, his permission to take religious vows and withdraw from the entanglements of worldly life would also do, and the worst outcome was that he would draw her into the rear palace.

But princess — that was the one thing she had never imagined for even a moment. The look of shock on her face now was a hundred percent genuine, without the slightest trace of pretense.

The emperor stood there, looking down at her with a slight incline of his head.

In that instant, Xie Yuzhang seemed to see a double image layered over him.

The emperor’s shadow and the shadow of a young man overlapped.

Was that so? Was this emperor truly not the same emperor who had once seized her wrist in the covered walkway?

The moment the emperor’s words landed, a commotion spread through the assembled ministers.

Truly, this act of investiture had far exceeded everyone’s expectations. And everyone’s expectations had in fact been quite close to what the Mobei Khan’s consort had hoped for herself. Moreover, as men, many of them had harbored a private sense that it would not be an unreasonable choice for the emperor to take the Khan’s consort into his own rear palace.

Only the emperor had surprised everyone.

Chen Liangzhi finally could not help but glance over at Li Weifeng, and Li Weifeng was looking back at him at precisely the same moment.

The two men stood there, both dazed.

No matter what the future holds, no matter what becomes of the world — to your servant, Your Highness will always and forever be a princess.

Xie Yuzhang looked at that man, and somehow those words began to resound in her ears.

She understood.

This man was making good on words he had once spoken.

He had become emperor, yet he still remembered what he had said.

Perhaps he was the same emperor who had seized her wrist in the covered walkway and made her tremble with fear — but in his body was also still hidden that young man who had held a blade to protect her.

The years had flowed past. Eight years had rushed by in a moment. Meeting again, things had indeed changed.

But at this moment, Xie Yuzhang and Li Gu were of one mind again, just as they had been that time in the great tent so long ago.

Only then, what separated them had been a thin felt curtain. Now, what separated them was the height of the imperial dais and the jade steps.

Always, always, something lay between them.

Li Gu saw that incomparably beautiful young woman’s expression go distant for a moment, and then a glimmer of water flickered through her eyes.

Li Gu knew — she had remembered.

She had not forgotten either.

So it turned out that he was not the only one who had held on.

The emperor’s act of investiture truly took everyone by surprise.

Only those who had standing to raise objection weighed the matter in their hearts and decided to hold their tongues.

A princess, after all, held no actual power. At most she would be given a food fief for her keep, and would not stir up any real trouble. And recorded in the history books, this would be a brilliantly handsome blow against the face of the Former Zhao dynasty.

And so, presented with an act of investiture that was not entirely conventional, the ministers chose to accept it without objection, and not one voice was raised in dissent.

“Your servant Yongning gives thanks for the Emperor’s boundless grace.” Xie Yuzhang raised her hands to the level of her brows.

“That your servant’s paltry contributions should receive such lavish reward fills her with awe and trepidation.”

“She dares not fail the grace bestowed upon her. Your servant prays that the realm may be at peace, and the people may live in ease, and that she herself may rest her heart. She further prays for the Emperor’s blessed body to be well and hale, and for His Majesty’s fortune and long life to be without limit — ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand thousand years!”

Princess Yongning of the Da Mu dynasty performed a second full bow.

Li Gu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gaze resting on Xie Yuzhang’s slight and slender form.

Yongning.

May you, upon your return, know peace and tranquility for all the years of your life.

Xie Yuzhang was led to the rear palace, where palace maids presented her with court dress — now that she was a Da Mu princess, it was no longer fitting for her to wear steppe garments. But the court dress had all been prepared in advance, which meant he had… made arrangements long ago.

With the assistance of the palace maids, Xie Yuzhang removed the steppe garments and changed into court dress.

Compared to the Former Zhao period, the court dress had undergone many changes in its details. The people of Yunjing always had a passion for what was fashionable, and eight years had passed — of course the popular styles were entirely different now.

Once she had finished changing, Xie Yuzhang sat quietly and waited for the person who would come to escort her.

The formal audience was already complete. According to the day’s schedule, there was still a midday imperial banquet. As she was a woman, the interval between these two events, following the pre-arranged itinerary, would be used to bring her to pay her respects to the ladies of the rear palace.

She was still thinking this over when she already heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching outside the door.

They were here.

The person pushed open the door and stepped inside with one stride.

Xie Yuzhang looked up and could not help but smile slightly — an old acquaintance.

The person who had come was none other than Fuchun — the one she had caught a brief glimpse of in the hall, but had not had the chance to look at properly.

Yang Huaishen had escorted Xie Yuzhang all the way to the northern border. On that stretch of the road, Xie Yuzhang had kept a firm hold of her maternal cousin and asked after many things.

The matter of Zhang Fen not becoming empress had surprised her most of all. As for the other beauties — those were minor affairs. She had only specifically asked after the Xie clan members. Just as in the previous life, they were all confined to Xie Family Village. She specifically asked after the Lady of Kangle, Xie Baozhu, and Yang Huaishen did not know.

“Lady of Kangle? She should be with Prince Shou, I expect?” Yang Huaishen had said. “I’m not sure — I never saw her when I returned to the capital.”

Yang Huaishen had not been particularly close with Lady of Kangle before. It was natural he had not paid her attention.

But if Lady of Kangle had entered the rear palace, he ought to have known. Xie Yuzhang’s heart eased slightly.

Although this life had seen all manner of changes, they all seemed to be developing in better directions.

She had also asked about matters of the inner court, and sure enough, Fuchun had already appeared at Li Gu’s side. No matter how greatly this life had changed, that had not been affected.

Xie Yuzhang genuinely felt that she had done the right thing, years ago, in quietly cultivating this goodwill with him early. This one step had been taken very correctly.

Seeing that it was Fuchun, she stood up — although she was once again a princess now, things were nonetheless different from before. She was an outside-clan princess, while Fuchun had already become the chief steward of the inner court, the eunuch most trusted and relied upon by the emperor.

Only before she could smile and offer a greeting, she saw the inner court’s Chief Steward, Grand Eunuch Fuchun, go furtive and shifty-eyed as he turned to shut the door — shut it tight and solid.

Then he turned back around, and in an instant his expression shifted entirely.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, please save Fuchun’s life!” The inner court’s Chief Steward dropped his voice to a whimper, and as he spoke he lunged toward Xie Yuzhang — thud — dropping to his knees and wrapping both arms directly around Princess Yongning Xie Yuzhang’s legs!

Xie Yuzhang: “……”