The color drained from Zhao Xitai’s face until he was completely pale.

“I came to you sincerely, and this is how you treat me?” he murmured. “If I refuse to comply, will you kill me?”

Mu Fulan looked at him steadily.

“Crown Prince, I have no intention of targeting you — but Xie Changgeng’s mother is someone I am determined to have. You had best find a way to have her brought here. If you cannot manage it, I will have no choice but to hand you over to Xie Changgeng.”

Zhao Xitai stared at her, motionless for a long moment.

“Brother, take the Crown Prince to rest.” She turned to Yuan Handing. “Once he has thought of a solution, let me know.”

This childhood companion from the palace — when he had calmed himself and thought it through, he would surely realize quickly that while his father would be furious at the Kingdom of Changsha for detaining his son, he would absolutely not, at a time such as this, launch a long-distance military campaign against Changsha just to take his son back.

In the last campaign, though his father had been unable to hold the capital for long, the victory had allowed him to rapidly expand his territory and seize nearly half of Hedong. The newly self-proclaimed Emperor Prince Qi now had his hands full consolidating the eastern capital in preparation to meet any attack from Xie Changgeng at any moment — how could he possibly spare energy to contend with the Kingdom of Changsha?

As for Zhao Xitai himself — to secure his position, he had to return as quickly as possible. Unless he was prepared to abandon everything he had now.

He turned his face away in stubborn refusal, his eyes locked on hers. His footsteps rigid, he moved out one step at a time. As that lost and dazed figure walked away, Mu Fulan found a faint trace of pity rising in her heart.

But the pity was quickly gone.

Having come this far, whether one was born Prince Qi’s son like Zhao Xitai, or was the Princess of the Kingdom of Changsha — everyone had become a player in the game. Who could do as they truly pleased?

She knew Zhao Xitai would not keep her waiting long.

That very night, a small cart draped in blue felt entered through the north gate of Yue City. The wheels rolled over the smooth paved stone, and the cart sped in the direction of the royal palace.

The next morning, a door opened.

Mu Fulan walked in.

Zhao Xitai was seated cross-legged on the couch inside, eyes closed, as though in meditation.

Mu Fulan felt his pulse, then after a moment withdrew her hand and produced a prescription.

“Take this and nurse yourself carefully after you return — your health will recover.”

“Your people are waiting outside the north gate. I will not see you off.”

She placed the prescription in his hand.

She was walking toward the door when she heard a voice behind her.

“Princess — had I been in a position to make good on my word this time, would you still have treated me with such coldness?”

Mu Fulan stopped, and slowly turned her head.

Zhao Xitai descended from the couch and came toward her.

“I bear you not the slightest resentment. You have lost your brother — I understand how difficult things are for you.”

He stopped before her, his gaze resting on her with immeasurable tenderness.

“Your doubts were right. My father — he truly cannot be trusted. How could you possibly stake the safety of your people on a promise from him?”

“It is also because of you that I understand more clearly what I must do from now on.”

He carefully tucked the prescription she had given him inside his robe.

“I will go now. When the day comes that Zhao Xitai’s word means something, I will come and find you again.”

He held her gaze for a long moment, as though imprinting her face into his memory, then turned and strode out through the door, walking swiftly away.

A maidservant came to report that after the old Madam had arrived the night before, her condition did not look well at all. She was very weak and appeared to have fallen ill. On top of that, her temper was difficult — she had been grumbling and cursing nonstop.

Mu Fulan went to the place where Xie Changgeng’s mother had been temporarily accommodated, crossed the courtyard, and came to the door. She had not yet gone in when she heard the sound of crockery smashing inside, followed by a low, moaning groan.

“Who are you people, and why have you brought me to this place again — what do you want… If you won’t let me go home, just wait until my son comes to kill you all, and you’ll be sorry…”

Mu Fulan stopped on the threshold and looked inside.

Xie Changgeng’s mother lay sprawled on the bed, her hair disheveled, her complexion ashen, her appearance utterly worn and haggard.

A maidservant was crouched on the floor, gathering up the shattered bowl from just a moment ago. She looked up at the sight of Mu Fulan and called out, “My lady!”

Xie Changgeng’s mother heard the words, and seemed to flinch as though pricked by a needle. She opened her eyes.

She turned her face and fixed her gaze on Mu Fulan standing in the doorway. At first she appeared not to trust her own eyes and rubbed them. Then at last, as though something had clicked in her mind, she let out a cry of “Mu clan!” and scrambled to sit up.

But she was evidently far too weak for it. The moment she sat up, her eyes rolled back, and with a dull thud she fell backward — and passed out cold.

The servants and maidservants behind Mu Fulan rushed in at once — some pressed on the philtrum, others poured ginseng broth. After a little while, Xie Changgeng’s mother gradually came back to herself. She opened her eyes and murmured in a daze, “How can it be you? Where is this? Did Geng’er rescue me and settle me here with you? Where is he? Why hasn’t he come to see me?”

“Old Madam, this is the Kingdom of Changsha! Lord Xie is not here! It was our Princess who rescued you from Prince Qi’s hands!” The maidservant Zhuyu answered.

“And furthermore — our Princess and Lord Xie no longer have any connection!”

This maidservant still remembered the humiliations Mu Fulan had suffered at this old woman’s hands when she had first been married into Xie County. The resentment in her heart was unquenched, and she could not help adding that one extra sentence.

Xie Changgeng’s mother froze, her expression blank. Then, as though pricked by a needle, she let out a trembling cry of “Mu clan!” Her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.

“Is what this girl said all true? Surely not! Geng’er would never repudiate you! It’s all my fault — I was blind before, how could I have looked down on you. I have wronged you…”

The old woman wept, tears and mucus mingling, and began to recount how she had been seized that day.

“…My son’s people were coming to take me away. I thought that before leaving, I ought to go and see her one last time — she had saved my life before. She said she didn’t want to get married, she couldn’t serve me, she’d rather shave her head and become a nun. I had a moment of soft-heartedness and brought her along on the road with me. I never thought she would deceive me…”

She grabbed Mu Fulan’s hand with both of hers.

“Now I understand — you are still the best! Dear child, do not worry. You have saved me, and when I see my son, I will make him take back the repudiation letter. You are still my Xie family daughter-in-law — you two will live happily together, and give me a grand…”

As she spoke, something seemed to suddenly occur to her. She wiped her eyes and looked at Mu Fulan.

“Where is my little grandchild? The one you have been raising — the one called Xi’er! Quickly bring him here so I can have a good look at him! Last year at the horse grounds I caught a glimpse of him, and I knew at once — he is surely a child of the Xie bloodline. He looks exactly like his father did as a boy. Such a sweet and lovely child! He must have grown quite a bit taller by now? My poor little grandchild — grown this big and still hasn’t been officially acknowledged…”

The servants and maidservants exchanged bewildered glances, assuming that Xie Changgeng’s mother, having suffered such a fright, had fallen ill with confusion and was speaking nonsense in front of the Princess.

“What are you all standing there for — go and fetch him quickly!”

The old woman, who had seemed so frail and listless just a moment before, appeared to have suddenly rallied with a burst of energy. She scrambled up from the bed, looking left and right, urging everyone on without cease.

Mu Fulan had been listening to Xie Changgeng’s mother rambling on, evidently referring to Xi’er, and felt somewhat puzzled. Seeing how agitated the woman was, she dismissed everyone else and said, “Old Madam Xie, once you have recovered your health, I will have someone escort you back to your son’s side — that, and nothing more. I am no longer part of the Xie family, nor do I have any intention of becoming so again. Please do not misunderstand.”

Xie Changgeng’s mother was taken aback, staring blankly at Mu Fulan.

“You’re not coming back?” She murmured. “Can it be you’re still worried? I won’t make things difficult for you anymore — I’ll tell my son to treat you well too…”

“Old Madam, please rest at ease. If there is anything you need or any discomfort, just say the word to the maidservants.”

Mu Fulan had no wish to linger further. She turned to leave, but Xie Changgeng’s mother lunged forward and seized her sleeve.

“Then what about my grandchild? The one you are raising — the boy called Xi’er! Let me take him back with me!”

Mu Fulan bore her patience. “Old Madam, Xi’er is a child I have adopted. He has no connection whatsoever to the Xie family. Please do not let your imagination run wild.”

“That’s wrong! Stop trying to deceive me! My own son told me with his own mouth — that child is the son you bore him in years past! He could not bring him home openly, and that is why he has always been raised by your side!”

Mu Fulan stared blankly for a moment, then came back to herself and withdrew her sleeve.

“He was speaking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart.”

The Mu woman she faced today — though she spoke with courtesy and propriety — radiated a cold detachment that left Xie Changgeng’s mother afraid to act presumptuously as she once had.

This was the Kingdom of Changsha, and she was here alone, without a single person to rely on. On top of that, in recent days she had endured a great deal of fear and shock. She no longer had any of her former boldness to put on display.

Grief welled up in the old woman, and she wept. “That child is clearly my Xie family’s grandchild — the very image of my son when he was small! You may choose not to come back — I won’t force you. But can you, as his mother, truly be so heartless as to let this child grow up without a father? If you won’t give me back my grandchild, I won’t go anywhere — I’d sooner die here!”

Her weeping was quite loud, and the sound carried outward. The maidservants and servants waiting outside must certainly have heard every word.

Facing this unreasonable old woman who had once been her mother-in-law, Mu Fulan felt an overwhelming helplessness wash over her. At the same time, something stirred deep within her — a thin, nameless thread of anger beginning to rise.

That man could not possibly know the truth of what had happened before. She was the only one in this world who knew. She truly could not understand why he would have casually acknowledged such a thing before his mother and brought about this entirely unexpected trouble.

Her only wish had been to secure this person’s release, let her recover her health, and send her on her way as quickly as possible.

“Old Madam, please stop crying.”

A child’s voice came from outside the door.

Xi’er stepped across the threshold and walked inside, stopping beside Mu Fulan. He bowed in greeting toward Xie Changgeng’s mother.

Xie Changgeng’s mother stopped crying at once. She opened her eyes wide and stared at Xi’er. Slowly, a smile spread across her face. She scrambled down from the couch in a great hurry — she hadn’t even gotten her shoes on properly, but came shuffling over anyway. She cupped his little face in both hands, stroking it, and said, “My dear little grandchild — you have grown so tall! Quickly, call me grandmother!” The more she looked, the more she loved what she saw. She pulled the child into her arms, held him tightly, and would not let go.

Xi’er let her hold him without struggling, and said, “Old Madam, my mother has not deceived you. I was raised in a temple from birth. Later I came to be with my mother. Lord Xie is not my father.”

Xie Changgeng’s mother was taken aback. She glanced at Mu Fulan, then lowered her voice and said, “Don’t listen to what she tells you! Your own father told your grandmother — you are his son.”

Xi’er shook his head. “Old Madam, if you don’t believe it, get well quickly, and when you go back and see Lord Xie, ask him again — then you’ll know.”

Xie Changgeng’s mother looked at the child in her arms. She hesitated for a good while, then turned her head toward Mu Fulan and said, “Very well — my grandchild can stay with you for now. Send me back quickly! Once I have made things clear, don’t even think about keeping my grandchild from me!”

Mu Fulan took Xi’er’s hand and walked out, making her way along in silence for a stretch.

Xi’er looked up at her and said, “Mother, are you angry with me?” He hesitated for a moment.

“I could see you have been so exhausted these past days — you have grown so thin, and you cannot sleep at night. I wanted to help you.”

A wave of warmth rushed through Mu Fulan’s heart, and she felt suddenly as though her whole body was filled with strength once more.

“You did very well. You helped Mother with something enormously important!”

She said, with a smile.