“Your Majesty’s golden word. This old woman, on behalf of my eldest grandson, thanks Your Majesty.”

The Old Pei Dowager sat up. Xiao Lie reached out his hand upon seeing this but was gently blocked by the Old Madam.

She supported herself on the edge of the bed, slowly got down, and finally prostrated herself on the ground. Kneeling before the Emperor, she performed a grand salute with the utmost respect, remaining bowed for a long time.

Xiao Lie’s figure froze as he stared fixedly at the gray head bowed on the ground.

He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to ask something more, but ultimately did not speak. After a long while, he simply turned slowly, his footsteps unusually stiff, moving step by step toward the outside, his figure finally disappearing behind the door.

The Old Pei Dowager remained prostrated on the ground. In the inner chamber, only the dancing candlelight remained, with deathly silence all around.

Behind the brocade screen, Jiafu’s palms and back were completely covered in cold sweat. She looked at the Old Pei Dowager’s silhouette, fearing the Emperor might return, and still dared not come out.

After a long while, accompanied by the sound of footsteps, Pei Quan, Madam Xin, and others rushed in. Seeing the Old Madam kneeling and not rising, they hurried forward to help her up and laid her back down on the bed. Seeing her ashen face, some gave her water, while others rubbed her back.

The Old Madam opened her eyes and said, “I just exchanged a few words with His Majesty about his childhood memories. His Majesty instructed me to rest and recover, nothing more. I’m somewhat tired. You’ve all been working hard these days. First daughter-in-law, please stay behind—I have a few words of instruction for you. The rest of you may disperse and go rest.”

Madam Xin was momentarily stunned, then complied.

The Second Madam glanced at her, showing a slightly perplexed expression, seemingly curious and reluctant, but didn’t dare to ask questions. She eventually followed Pei Quan, taking the others with her as they successively left the room.

Only Madam Xin remained in the room, standing before the Old Madam’s bed. Seeing that she remained silent for a while, Madam Xin felt somewhat uneasy. After hesitating, she stepped forward and asked, “Mother-in-law, have you kept me behind to give instructions?”

The Old Pei Dowager pulled out a key from under her pillow and handed it over: “Go open that cabinet and take out the box inside.”

Madam Xin was puzzled but took the key and opened a gilt cabinet with a copper lock against the wall. Inside was a sandalwood box that appeared quite old. She lifted it, finding it rather heavy, and brought it to the bedside.

The Old Madam instructed her to open it.

Madam Xin opened the box and saw another gold casket inside. She dared not touch it and looked toward the Old Pei Dowager.

“Open it.”

Madam Xin carefully opened the gold casket and recognized what was inside. Surprised, she raised her head to look at the Old Madam: “Mother-in-law, this is…”

“This is the iron certificate and cinnabar writ bestowed by the Founding Emperor to meritorious officials when the dynasty was established. It was cut in half, with one half given to the meritorious official and the other half kept in the ancestral temple. It can exempt one from death or be used to request titles and emoluments. At that time, only four were bestowed, with the Pei family being among them. I am about to depart now and have nothing else, so I’m leaving this to Second Son. Take it. If you truly cannot bear to part with the noble rank, present it at an opportune time in the future, and the title might be restored.”

Madam Xin was dumbfounded, wanting to accept it but not daring to. Her hand hovered in mid-air, her appearance somewhat strange.

The Old Madam closed her eyes and spoke no more.

Madam Xin slowly reached out toward the box. At the moment she touched it, the Old Madam suddenly opened her eyes again. Madam Xin’s hand trembled slightly, and she instinctively withdrew it.

The Old Pei Dowager stared at her: “I know you have harbored resentment and grievances over these years. Now that I am about to depart, I offer you one final piece of wisdom, which is also the last insight from my lifetime of experiences: in life, man’s calculations are not as good as heaven’s calculations. I hope everything ends here. If you continue to be obsessed, even if the ancestors had left ten iron certificates, I fear you would not be fortunate enough to enjoy them.”

Madam Xin’s face turned crimson. After standing for a while, she kowtowed to the elderly woman on the bed, tightly held the box, and hurriedly left.

The candlelight flickered, and the wick crackled, making a soft “pop” sound.

“Come out now.”

The Old Pei Dowager’s voice came across.

Jiafu finally emerged from behind the brocade screen where she had been hiding and slowly walked to the Old Madam’s bedside. She saw her half-lying, half-sitting there, looking at her with a slight smile in her eyes. Feeling a surge of mixed emotions, Jiafu fell to the edge of the bed, tightly gripping one of her hands, softly calling “Grandmother,” her eyes reddening.

The Old Madam’s fingers were ice-cold, but her palm was burning hot: “All these years, Grandmother has been most concerned about You’an. Fortunately, now that she has you, Grandmother can set her mind at ease.”

Jiafu held the Old Madam’s hand tightly: “Grandmother will live to be a hundred years old. Afu and my husband still need Grandmother’s care…”

Tears could no longer be held back, bursting forth as her voice choked with emotion.

The Old Pei Dowager smiled faintly: “Silly child, everyone must eventually depart. Grandmother has lived to this age and has enjoyed all the blessings that life can offer. As long as you all fare well in the future, what regrets could there be in leaving?”

Jiafu shook her head continuously, tears falling profusely.

The Old Madam grasped Jiafu’s hand tightly: “If You’an ever learns of his birth origins, with his temperament, Grandmother fears he will never reconcile with it for his entire life. If possible, Grandmother would rather he never knew. Grandmother should not burden you with such heavy pressure, but husband and wife are one body. Grandmother can now only entrust him to you. If someday he faces this ordeal, you must, on Grandmother’s behalf, take good care of him, never leaving or abandoning him. Do you understand?”

The elderly woman’s expression became extremely serious.

Jiafu stopped her tears, knelt by the bed, and solemnly said: “Rest assured, Grandmother. Afu will certainly do her utmost to remain by her husband’s side for this lifetime, never leaving or abandoning him.”

The elderly woman gazed at her, a smile gradually appearing at the corners of her lips: “With this, Grandmother can be at peace…”

She seemed tired and, after speaking, slowly closed her eyelids and fell into a deep sleep.

…

On this deep winter night, snow was falling heavily, and the accumulated snow on the ground was already ankle-deep.

The guards at the western gate of the capital had lit charcoal fires on the city wall. Several men huddled around the brazier for warmth, complaining about the weather. Suddenly, a lookout guard called out: “Someone’s coming!”

The rest hurried over and peered in the direction he was pointing. Indeed, amid the heavy snowfall, on the pitch-black postal road leading to the western territories, a group of people were galloping toward them on horseback. The hooves splashed up clusters of snow like scattered jade fragments. In the blink of an eye, they had raced to the city gate, with someone calling loudly for the gate to be opened.

“Could it be Master Pei returning?”

The gate captain had received instructions from superiors, stating that Pei You’an might return to the capital in these few days and ordering them to be attentive about opening the gate. Now seeing this group of riders, he immediately bent down and called out loudly.

“Indeed it is!”

An attendant raised his arm and tossed up his token of authority. The gate captain caught it, verified it without error, and immediately descended from the city wall to open the gate.

The group entered through the city gate and galloped off in the direction of the Pei residence.

…

Several days had passed since the Emperor’s visit.

During these days, Jiafu had not left the Old Madam’s side for a moment, attending to her day and night. When extremely tired, she would take a brief nap on the bed behind the brocade screen, truly never taking off her clothes to rest.

Earlier, after learning from the Imperial Physicians that the Old Madam would not survive until the end of winter, she had sent a letter to Pei You’an, informing him of this news.

Although the Old Madam had previously stopped her from writing to Pei You’an to prevent him from being distracted while away, the circumstances then were different from now.

In Jiafu’s view, allowing him to return and see his grandmother one last time before her death was as important as official business.

In these past few days, the Old Madam had been unable to take food or drink, spending most of her time in a state of drowsiness, kept alive only by ginseng soup maintaining her spirit.

Jiafu knew clearly that she was probably waiting for Pei You’an.

On such a snowy deep night, where had the footsteps of that returning person reached?

Jiafu stood by the window, gazing at the heavily falling snow in the night sky, her forehead resting against the cold window frame. While lost in thought, she suddenly heard the urgent rustling sound of footsteps on snow coming from the courtyard, followed by the faint excited cry of an old woman: “The Young Master has returned!”

Jiafu’s heart skipped a beat, and her blood instantly boiled. She swiftly turned and hurried out, turning to the outer room. Before she reached the door, she saw the door curtain being lifted, and a man slightly bending down, quickly striding in.

It truly was Pei You’an who had returned!

Snow and ice covered his shoulders and clung to his eyebrows and hair. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and his entire body emanated cold air as if he had just emerged from an ice hole.

“Cousin—”

Before Jiafu could finish her call, her voice choked, and she stopped in front of him, her eyes rimmed with red.

Pei You’an’s footsteps didn’t pause for a moment. He quickly reached her, opened his arms, and took her into his embrace, lowering his head to quickly kiss her forehead with his lips that still carried the cold temperature of ice and snow. Then he said softly: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve returned.”

As if to comfort her, he tightened his arms, hugged her forcefully, then released her.

“Where is Grandmother?”

“Inside!”

Jiafu suppressed the thousands of emotions churning in her heart and immediately turned toward the inner chamber. Pei You’an followed her, hurriedly entering.