Xiao Yongjia could see clearly that her daughter’s beautiful face, originally fresh and tender as a flower, suddenly drained of all color, her lips turning pale, and a faint mist of tears clearly gathering in the depths of her eyes. Yet she was still forcing herself to hold back, refusing to let those tears fall from her eyes.

Xiao Yongjia’s heart twisted tightly into a knot.

Her daughter—this piece of flesh fallen from her own body, raised until now—in these sixteen years, when had she ever suffered such a thunderbolt shock? When had she ever endured such humiliation and grievance?

After coming down from Fuzhou Mountain, all the anger that had accumulated in her heart during the journey reached its peak at this moment.

Even if hope was slim, how could she, as a mother, just accept this absurd marriage and let a military man who had previously been rolling in some unknown muddy ditch ruin her precious daughter?

Xiao Yongjia suppressed all emotions in her heart, took a long breath, turned to A’Ju and said: “Take A’Mi back to her room! I’m going somewhere!”

She released her daughter’s hand and turned to leave.

“A’Niang, where are you going?”

Luoshen caught up to ask.

“A’Niang will be back soon! Don’t overthink, go back to your room first!”

Xiao Yongjia didn’t turn back and left hurriedly.

“A’Niang! I know you’re going to find A’Jiu. But with things as they are today, can A’Jiu still help us?”

Luoshen’s voice was full of uncertainty.

She knew A’Jiu was very good to her. She’d heard that in the second year after her birth, when A’Jiu had just become emperor, he wanted to confer upon her the title of Princess. It was only because A’Ye had firmly declined at the time that the matter was dropped.

Over these years, A’Jiu often invited her into the palace. Whatever new and clever trinkets appeared in the palace, she was always the first to receive them. During festivals and holidays, he never forgot to bestow upon her various rare treasures and precious gifts.

But this time, A’Ye had publicly examined that Li Mu and Elder Brother Lu.

Luoshen knew A’Ye well—if things hadn’t reached a point where they couldn’t be resolved privately, involving her marriage, A’Ye would never act so rashly.

It was clear that A’Ye had been forced into a corner with no other options.

Although Luoshen hadn’t witnessed the scene this morning with her own eyes, she could imagine how many people on Fuzhou Mountain—from royalty and aristocrats down to common people—had personally witnessed this examination.

Now the result was out. Under the gaze of all those eyes, Li Mu had won.

Even if A’Jiu was the emperor, even if he was very good to her, could he really help her go back on her word in front of all the people under Heaven?

Xiao Yongjia stopped, turned around, and seeing the glimmering tears in her daughter’s eyes, felt her heart pierced like by knives.

“A’Ju, you stay with A’Mi!”

She called out loudly, then turned and left.

…

The news that Li Mu had defeated Young Master Lu of the Lu family in today’s examination at Fuzhou Mountain, and that according to prior agreement, Lord Gao would marry his daughter to him, spread like a whirlwind. The examination at Fuzhou Mountain had barely ended when the news swept into the city.

It was spreading everywhere. By wells, at street corners, among porters and vendors, almost everyone was discussing it.

On Xiao Yongjia’s way to Tai City, sitting in her ox cart, she continuously heard such discussions from the roadside, nearly grinding her silver teeth to powder. After reaching Tai City, she passed through the Grand Marshal Gate, entered the imperial palace directly, and headed for Chang’an Palace where Emperor Xingping usually resided.

Sun Chong, the Chamberlain who commanded the palace guards and court gentlemen, had just escorted the emperor back to the palace. Seeing Eldest Princess approaching from afar with an unfriendly expression, he hurried forward personally to greet her and led her into the outer hall.

Xiao Yongjia said she wanted to see the emperor.

Sun Chong smiled apologetically: “Please wait here a moment, Eldest Princess. His Majesty has just returned to the palace and is still changing clothes. Allow this minister to go report first.”

Emperor Xingping’s health hadn’t been good these past two years. After returning from Fuzhou Mountain, when his spirits relaxed, he felt weary. He had dismissed his attendants and was lost in thought when he suddenly heard that Eldest Princess had come. He immediately guessed her purpose and felt somewhat guilty. After hesitating, he instructed: “Tell her that I caught a chill and have a headache. I’ve taken medicine and just fell asleep. Ask Elder Sister to return home first. When I wake up, I’ll summon her.”

Sun Chong knew the emperor didn’t dare see Eldest Princess, so he came out and repeated these words.

Xiao Yongjia suppressed her anger: “I have nothing urgent at home, so I won’t return. I’ll wait here for His Majesty to wake up!”

Since Eldest Princess wouldn’t leave herself, even with ten times the courage, Sun Chong wouldn’t dare forcibly drive her away. He could only smile apologetically, guard nearby himself, and secretly signal to palace servants to go in and relay the message again.

Xiao Yongjia pretended not to see, climbed onto the sitting couch, straightened her back, faced the door leading to the inner hall, and sat waiting for the emperor to come out.

In less than the time to drink a cup of tea, footsteps were heard. But it wasn’t the emperor coming out from inside—it was the current Empress Xu, accompanied by palace servants, entering from outside the hall.

The relationship between Xiao Yongjia and Empress Xu had been cold for many years. When the empress arrived, Sun Chong and the palace servants nearby all went to pay their respects, but Xiao Yongjia merely nodded.

A flash of resentment passed through Empress Xu’s eyes, but she smiled on her face and proactively approached, sitting across from her: “Eldest Princess, we’ve rarely seen you in the palace these past two years. I heard you’ve been living alone on Bailu Zhou all along. How have you been? Coming to the city this time must be about A’Mi’s marriage, right? I just heard that Young Master Lu unfortunately lost to Li Mu. I imagine Lord Gao will keep his promise and marry A’Mi to him?”

She sighed, showing sympathy on her face.

“That Li Mu, of humble birth, indeed isn’t worthy of A’Mi. This marriage is unfair to A’Mi. But things being as they are, you can only look at it more openly. After all, Li Mu did risk his life to save Sixth Young Master. I also heard it was Lord Gao who personally made that promise that day. Today’s events can be considered Heaven’s will! Moreover, this Li Mu, I hear his talent and martial skills are quite outstanding. Once he becomes Eldest Princess’s son-in-law, His Majesty will naturally favor him and provide more opportunities for advancement. With Lord Gao and His Majesty protecting him, who would dare speak ill…”

“Bah! What nonsense about Heaven’s will!”

The silent Xiao Yongjia’s eyebrows shot up in anger as she suddenly slammed the table and stood up, actually beginning to curse in vulgar language.

“Xu Shi, do you think I don’t know? If it weren’t for your Xu family fanning the flames from behind, would things have reached this point today? You keep saying ‘I heard this, I heard that’—where exactly did you hear all this? I haven’t come looking for trouble with you yet, which was already giving you face, and you dare come before me acting coy?”

She glanced at Empress Xu’s face and sneered: “A face as broad as a basin. No wonder! What a huge face indeed!”

Though their relationship had been cold over the years, this was the first time Xiao Yongjia had lost her temper like this, publicly berating and mocking Xu Shi.

Empress Xu’s round face quickly flushed red. She also stood up, pointing at Xiao Yongjia: “Eldest Princess, what do you mean by this? I was afraid you’d be upset, so I came specially with good intentions to console you with a few words. Instead, you’re taking your anger out on me? What does this matter have to do with my Xu family?”

She also sneered: “His Majesty probably doesn’t want to see you. You should go back!”

Xiao Yongjia snorted through her nose: “Even if His Majesty doesn’t want to see me, I’m still his elder sister! There’s nowhere in this imperial palace that I, Xiao Yongjia, cannot enter!”

She pushed aside the palace servants in front of her and strode into the inner hall with loud footsteps. Not seeing the emperor, she angrily asked a nearby eunuch: “Where is His Majesty?”

The eunuch trembled: “His Majesty… just went out…”

Xiao Yongjia looked around, came to a curtain hanging beside a pillar, and suddenly pulled it open.

Emperor Xingping was hiding behind it, covering his face with his sleeve. Seeing he’d been discovered, he had no choice but to lower his sleeve, slowly turn around, and show an embarrassed smile: “Elder Sister, when did you arrive? It’s all those people’s fault! They didn’t inform me in time, making Elder Sister wait so long…”

Xiao Yongjia had been full of anger, but staring at the emperor for a moment, her eyes gradually reddened and she suddenly began to cry.

“A’Hu!” She called the emperor by his childhood name, her voice trembling.

“I know you don’t want to see me, but A’Mi is your own niece. Can you really bear to marry her into a common family and let her be mocked by others, never able to hold her head up again for the rest of her life?”

Seeing Xiao Yongjia actually shed tears, Emperor Xingping panicked immediately. He quickly supported her with both hands, helped her to the couch, and repeatedly apologized: “Elder Sister, don’t take it to heart. How could it be that I want to marry her off? It’s just that this matter came before me that day, and I was helpless. Moreover, today you were also there and saw the result yourself. Even if I had the will, I’m powerless—”

He sighed repeatedly.

Xiao Yongjia wiped away her tears, stared at the emperor, and for a long while didn’t say another word.

The emperor gradually felt uncomfortable under her gaze and coughed slightly: “Elder Sister, why are you looking at me like this?”

“Your Majesty, I know that these past years, you’ve been quite wary of A’Mi’s father. Afraid of making things difficult for you, I haven’t come to the palace much either. Today, for my daughter’s sake, I’ve come to the palace shamelessly. Since I’m here, I’ll speak some words directly to you. I don’t know if someone has been whispering in your ear or what you’ve been thinking yourself. But I know exactly what kind of person A’Mi’s father is! In his youth, he devoted himself to the Northern Expedition, wanting to restore the two capitals for our Great Yu. Unfortunately, Heaven didn’t comply with human wishes, and he failed at the crucial moment. These years, I know he’s always carried regret in his heart, yet he still does his utmost to assist Your Majesty. Not long ago, he led our Great Yu soldiers to defeat Beixia, preserving the buffer zone north of the river. I won’t say he has no personal ambitions, but toward Your Majesty and Great Yu, he can truly be said to have exhausted his loyalty and fulfilled his duties as a minister! All these years, when has he not walked on thin ice, as if approaching a deep abyss? Always fearing that one misstep would invite Your Majesty’s suspicion. His public virtue is thus, and his private virtue is beyond reproach. He’s still wearing the same inner garments from four or five years ago! Who in today’s court can match his level? Yet precisely because the tree attracts the wind, the Gao family has always been the foremost among aristocratic clans, and now with new achievements added, it not only draws secret envy from other families—it’s natural for Your Majesty to have some concerns too. If Your Majesty doesn’t grant generous rewards, so be it, but why watch interested parties fan the flames from the side and bear to trap my daughter to this extent? If she’s unhappy for life, how is this different from killing me?”

As Xiao Yongjia spoke, tears flowed again, and she actually knelt on both knees, bowing her head toward the emperor opposite her.

Emperor Xingping’s face and ears turned red. He tried to help her up, but Xiao Yongjia wouldn’t rise. Unable to do anything else, ignoring the eunuchs and Empress Xu at his side, he actually knelt down as well, tears falling as he said: “Elder Sister, blame me for being inadequate! I failed to stop it then, but now the deed is done and all under Heaven know about it. Even as emperor, I’m afraid I’m powerless!”

“Your Majesty, Elder Sister knows you’re in a difficult position and doesn’t ask you to forcibly break the agreement. Over all these years, Elder Sister has never asked anything of you. This time, for my daughter’s sake, I beg Your Majesty—don’t listen to people’s instigation anymore or urge A’Mi to marry. She was already heartbroken when she suddenly learned of this. If she’s forced to marry as well, I fear… fear she might do something desperate…”

Xiao Yongjia’s tears fell like rain.

The emperor broke out in a full sweat: “Good, good, I promise you! I won’t urge the marriage! Elder Sister, please get up first!”

“Your Majesty, Lord Gao requests an audience—”

A palace servant outside suddenly announced loudly.

“Quickly summon him!”

The emperor, as if hearing salvation, hurriedly ordered him to be brought in.

…

Gao Qiao finally escaped from people and returned home with a heavy heart. Learning that Xiao Yongjia had already entered the palace and afraid she might cause a scene, he couldn’t spare time to comfort his daughter and hurriedly rushed over first.

Entering the hall, he saw his wife standing there with red, somewhat swollen eyelids, as if she’d just been crying, but her expression was unusually cold. Since he’d entered, she hadn’t glanced at him even once.

The emperor, on the other hand, was covered in sweat and seemed relieved to see him arrive. Not knowing what had happened earlier, after paying respects to the emperor and Empress Xu who wore a forced smile, he hesitated and looked toward Xiao Yongjia at the side: “This minister heard from family members that Eldest Princess had entered the palace, so I came specially to escort her…”

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s promise just now. Qinghe thanks A’Jiu on A’Mi’s behalf! I’ll take my leave now.”

Eldest Princess suddenly interrupted Gao Qiao, performed a farewell bow to the emperor, turned, and walked out.

Emperor Xingping, leaving aside Empress Xu whose face had turned livid, personally escorted her out.

Gao Qiao was somewhat confused and could only follow.

Outside Chang’an Palace, Emperor Xingping ordered Sun Chong to escort the two out of Tai City on his behalf.

Xiao Yongjia turned and left immediately.

Gao Qiao silently followed alongside.

Xiao Yongjia walked very quickly, eyes straight ahead. By the time she reached outside the main gate of Tai City, she was slightly out of breath.

Gao Qi, who had been waiting there, saw his master come out and hurried to bring the carriage forward.

Gao Qiao extended his hand, wanting to help Xiao Yongjia up.

Xiao Yongjia coldly avoided his hand, not using her attendants’ help either, and climbed into the ox cart herself. Bending down to enter, the door closed with a “thump.”

Gao Qi stole a glance at his master and ordered the drivers to go ahead first.

Gao Qiao stood there, watching Xiao Yongjia’s carriage gradually disappear into the distance. His brows furrowed tightly as he suppressed the turmoil in his heart and followed after.