Bei Zhou

Bei Zhou sometimes wondered, if the first person who caught him secretly styling his hair like a woman in the Yi household wasn’t Yi Nan, but anyone else, he likely would have been expelled from the estate immediately, and whether he could have survived would have been uncertain.

But Yi Nan wasn’t just anyone.

The young mistress looked at the trembling little bodyguard, and only hesitated for a moment, before breaking into a smile. “Brother Bei looks very pretty this way too.”

She was at the playful and mischievous age, and as if finding a new doll, she excitedly pulled him to sit in front of the mirror, stole her mother’s rouge and powder, and applied it to his face.

Bei Zhou lowered his head, suppressing the urge to get up and run away.

At that time, even he couldn’t clearly explain the obscure and uncontrollable thoughts sprouting in his heart. He only vaguely sensed he was different from others, but immediately fell into terrifying uncertainty about his future, to the extent that he would avert his eyes when looking in mirrors.

Yi Nan finished applying makeup with a grin and suddenly broke through the fog of confusion: “From now on, you’re not Brother Bei, but Sister Bei!”

Ah, it was over.

Children couldn’t keep secrets. This matter would reach the master’s ears by tonight, and tomorrow would be his death day.

Bei Zhou waited anxiously for one day, two days, three days…

Until several months later, when he was once again pulled in front of the mirror to serve as a professional doll, he finally couldn’t bear it anymore and asked: “Has Young Miss told anyone else about this?”

Yi Nan replied with bewilderment: “Of course not! When my mother noticed her rouge was missing, she just thought I was being vain!”

This secret was kept tightly for a very long time. The young mistress grew up year by year, gradually abandoning her childhood makeup games.

Bei Zhou, now understanding the ways of the world, fell into a new long wait. Waiting for her to realize her bodyguard was a strange person, and then drive him far away.

He waited one year, two years, three years…

He stopped waiting.

On an ordinary afternoon, the young mistress sat by the window reading a leisurely book, with Bei Zhou silently standing guard behind her. Perhaps after reading some romantic passage about talented scholars and beautiful ladies, she suddenly sighed: “I wonder who my future husband will be.”

Bei Zhou thought for a moment and said: “Young Miss will surely find a good husband, grow old together, and have a pair of clever and lovely children.”

Yi Nan turned back to smile at him, with faint melancholy in her eyes.

“Enough about me. What about you, Bei?”

“Me?” Bei Zhou immediately shook his head, “My fate is shallow, I don’t think I’ll meet anyone destined for me. In the future, Nan’er’s children will be my children. I’ll just be a guard, protecting you all for a lifetime.”

Yi Nan smiled and said: “But I hope that one day, you will find your children.”

Xiao Tian Cai

As a once-in-a-century medical prodigy, Xiao Tian Cai entered the Imperial Physicians Academy and in just three years had quietly surpassed all his superiors. The majority of his remaining energy was spent pretending to be foolish and avoiding work—as everyone knew, being an Imperial Physician was a high-risk profession, and rising too high could cost one’s head.

If his master assigned a three-day task, he would complete it in half a day, using the remaining two and a half days as vacation.

Xiao Tian Cai had a preferred hiding spot near the Imperial Physicians Academy, thickly vegetated, where he could lie under the green shade and avoid all watchful eyes.

But one day, before he even reached that place, he heard music from afar.

Xiao Tian Cai had cultivated many refined hobbies in his spare time; he could play the zither and the pipa. But the music that reached his ears was unfamiliar, neither pleasing nor unpleasant, just very strange.

Xiao Tian Cai couldn’t help but quietly approach, hiding behind a tree to investigate. This investigation led him to see Xie Yong’er.

Xie Yong’er was embracing a homemade guitar, practicing “Romance d’Amour,” possibly because she hadn’t memorized the full score, she played haltingly, slipping at the same spot eight times.

Xiao Tian Cai listened with a grimace until she finally left and he could breathe a sigh of relief, hoping in his heart that she had some self-awareness, or at least some survival instinct, and would never perform in front of the Emperor.

But the next day, she came again.

Xie Yong’er occupied that spot practicing for a whole month, and Xiao Tian Cai, with nowhere else to go, had to eavesdrop for a month.

After a month, Xie Yong’er finally played a complete piece, jumped up immediately to punch the tree trunk, and roared: “Am I badass or what?!”

Xiao Tian Cai on the other side of the tree trunk: “…”

Later, many things happened.

They gradually became acquainted, but Xiao Tian Cai watched helplessly as the two flames that never extinguished in Consort Xie’s eyes dimmed day by day.

At first, he didn’t know what had happened, nor why he felt inexplicably anxious. After all, even with ten times more courage, he wouldn’t dare covet the tyrant’s harem.

Until one day, Xie Yong’er secretly sought him out, asking him to prepare an abortion medicine for her.

Xiao Tian Cai was startled and after hesitating for a moment, asked softly: “Is it because of the Empress Dowager?”

Xie Yong’er lowered her head in silence.

Xiao Tian Cai said: “…I can help the Consort protect the pregnancy, and will never tell anyone about this. When the pregnancy is further along, the Consort can seek the Emperor’s protection. After all, it is his flesh and blood…”

Xie Yong’er shook her head almost imperceptibly and continued to tearfully plead.

Xiao Tian Cai, not understanding the full situation, was still patiently explaining the dangers of this matter.

Finally, Xie Yong’er gritted her teeth. “This child is not of dragon seed.”

Her tears fell, whether grieving over her circumstances or fearing the loss of this lifeline. To gain his trust, she revealed everything, from her first meeting with Prince Duan to their mutual affection and secret pregnancy.

Xiao Tian Cai listened silently, suddenly experiencing a moment of clarity.

If she had never loved someone else, perhaps he would never have realized his wild thoughts. But she dared to love someone recklessly and desperately—just not him.

So this feeling was jealousy.

Later, many more things happened.

When Xiao Tian Cai saw Xie Yong’er again, it was after everything had been exposed.

She had lost her child, was placed under house arrest by the Emperor, abandoned by Prince Duan, and all her pride had been crushed into the mud.

But her expression was more relaxed than ever before, as if a heavy shackle had been removed, like someone recovering from a serious illness, with a weak calmness.

She begged him to treat the Emperor, and then told him frankly that there wasn’t much true emotion in the world; her goal now was merely to survive, find a way to escape, and flee far away.

For a moment, Xiao Tian Cai wanted to ask her: “What about me?”

I’ve been right in front of you, have you ever noticed?

He always felt she was clear about his feelings, but she seemed to have been hurt too deeply by Prince Duan to mention a word of romance again. This seemed somewhat unfair.

But in the end, he didn’t speak. Because he remembered that Xie Yong’er, in this deep palace, had not played her instrument for a very, very long time.

Before Xie Yong’er left the palace, they met for the last time.

The sun was beautiful that day, and Xie Yong’er’s mood was also good. She seemed to have come to terms with everything and shared her grand plans with him like an old friend: establishing a business empire, even getting the Empress to invest. In the future, all the interconnected streets throughout the country will be filled with her enterprises.

Xiao Tian Cai listened with partial understanding but noticed that the fire had reignited in her eyes.

Just like her practicing under the tree long ago, always rising after setbacks, always full of fighting spirit.

Xiao Tian Cai slowly smiled. “When that time comes, don’t forget to take a break occasionally and play that strange instrument of yours.”

Xie Yong’er said: “Haha, all right.”

Xie Yong’er: “…”

Xie Yong’er asked: “Where did you hear it before?”

Xiao Tian Cai had originally thought there was no place for him in her grand dreams, until much later when he received a letter passed on by Yu Wan Yin.

“When all is settled, if I hear of your arrival, I will retune the old strings and continue our beautiful melody.”

Xiao Tian Cai’s face flushed red. Afraid that Yu Wan Yin would notice his feelings, he hurriedly put away the letter and excused himself.

His heart was filled with joy, and his steps became lighter.

He needed to carefully compose a reply.

The Mute Woman

The mute woman naturally wasn’t called “the mute woman.” But those who remembered her real name were all dead.

When the minor official from Qiang state knocked on the door of the shabby room, he saw the sallow and thin mute woman and frowned. “Is there anyone else in your family?”

The mute woman said: “They all left, didn’t say when they’d return.”

The minor official had no choice but to throw her a cloth bag. “Keep this.”

The mute woman opened it to see just a few strings of copper coins.

She asked: “Why give me money?”

“This is what your parents left for you.”

The mute woman thought for a moment and asked: “Are they dead?”

“They became warriors; this is the reward.”

The mute woman naturally knew what “warrior” meant. She clutched the bag of coins tightly. “They died just to exchange for this?”

The minor official impatiently said: “Becoming a warrior is an honor many seek but cannot obtain. Don’t be ungrateful.”

After he left, the mute woman turned the bag upside down and shook it, and a tattered contract fell out with her parents’ names written on it.

“Voluntarily becoming the Queen’s sword for the glory of ancestors. Going to Xia State, life or death notwithstanding, reward money to be left to family.”

Winter was approaching, and an old grandmother from next door, hearing that this child had become an orphan, brought over an old cotton jacket.

The mute woman was at a loss. In Qiang state, ravaged by war, people lived from day to day, and any extra kindness was a luxury.

The old grandmother patted her head. “What’s your name? Do you have any relatives to support you?”

The mute woman remained silent for a long time, then asked instead: “Did my father and mother volunteer to become warriors?”

The old grandmother looked at the small, thin child, her eyes showing hesitation and pity, but finally said firmly: “Yes. Becoming a warrior is a great thing; everyone will remember them forever.”

The mute woman clutched the contract tightly.

Half a month later, when the grandmother knocked on the door again, the shabby room was already empty.

Years later, Yu Wan Yin had a mute maidservant by her side.

Every time Yu Wan Yin saw her, she thought she looked so thin and small as if she hadn’t had a chance to develop properly. If she didn’t get more nutrition, she would miss the opportunity to grow taller. So every day she arranged for a cup of milk, and constantly gave her pastries and snacks.

The mute woman never refused, always accepting them with a smile.

Later, after the mute woman’s death, secret guards thoroughly searched all her belongings and found a hidden compartment under her bed.

Inside were a contract, a worn cotton jacket, and some moldy pastries wrapped in handkerchiefs.

Those were the most precious things in her entire life.

Cen Jin Tian

Cen Jin Tian was the first person in the entire court to realize Er Lan was a woman.

The reason was simple: Er Lan didn’t put much effort into concealing it from him.

At first, Cen Jin Tian didn’t know what this meant. When anyone had a secret bottled up and wanted to unburden themselves, they would find him first. After all, he would soon take it to his grave.

He knew that Yang Duo Jie, for a long time, had doubts about the Emperor, worrying he hadn’t found a worthy ruler.

He also knew how Li Yun Xi’s feelings for Er Lan changed several times, becoming increasingly complex.

So keeping one more secret of Er Lan’s was not a big deal.

But later, as his illness worsened, Er Lan was constantly busy taking care of him, never resting—this went beyond the realm of ordinary friendship.

Moreover, Er Lan’s whole heart was focused on him. If he showed a little improvement, her mood would be good all day. When his condition relapsed and he fell into a coma, she would sit by the bed, stealing long glances at him.

Over time, he understood.

Cen Jin Tian knew clearly that he couldn’t respond to these feelings.

He had been sentenced to death from a young age, knowing his life would be short, so he put all his energy into research. Beyond that, he didn’t even care who the Emperor was.

After leaving home as a youth, his contact with his parents and siblings was minimal, fearing he would only leave them with grief when he departed.

An ill-fated person was not worthy of forming bonds.

But that day, Er Lan had probably just finished her official duties before coming to see him, wearing a blue narrow-sleeved riding outfit that accentuated her slender waist and long legs, full of vigor like a willow just beginning to sprout.

Cen Jin Tian perfectly restrained himself, lowering his eyes without looking at her too much.

Only when she turned away did he allow his gaze to follow.

Cen Jin Tian always thought he hid it extremely well.

Their relationship was always a gentlemanly one, as bland as water, with no improper contact, not even a single ambiguous word ever spoken.

This bond was never truly formed, and when she grew old and looked back, there would be at most only a slight melancholy.

This was for the best.

However, on his deathbed, Er Lan came to send him off wearing a blue garment.

Cen Jin Tian was already in a daze, but still instinctively felt a moment of panic.

She did it deliberately, deliberately wearing the color that moved his heart the most. Was it clarification, revenge, or questioning?

Colleagues and friends surrounded the bed, but Cen Jin Tian’s eyes met only Er Lan’s. Their gazes were clear, but neither spoke a word.

What could be said? Ask her when she knew. Both were exceptionally intelligent people; if he had noticed early on, how could he expect Er Lan to remain ignorant?

At this point, should he apologize? Comfort her? Express his feelings? How could a few words bridge the vast gulf between life and death?

His breath grew weaker, his vision consumed by darkness, yet he still didn’t know what last words to leave.

In his blurry vision, Er Lan turned her back to everyone and mouthed to him: Next life?

There were no tears in her eyes, only expectation.

Cen Jin Tian smiled and nodded with difficulty.

His life was now without regret.