The carriage rumbled northward.

This was already a month later.

After that blood-stained wedding banquet came a series of funeral rites and aftermath affairs—the cancellation or inheritance of Prince Yannan’s estate, the disposition and arrangements of officials, the acceptance and reorganization of military forces with new garrison rotations, and the funeral rites for those deceased nobles… all extremely complicated matters. A month was certainly insufficient, but Tie Ci didn’t want to stay any longer.

You Weixing, in his capacity as heir to Prince Yannan’s estate, submitted a memorial to the court requesting the return of the Prince Yannan title. The court approved.

Subsequently, the court issued an edict canceling the Yannan principality, converting Yannan into a Provincial Administration Commission. The original Provincial Administrator was demoted to Surveillance Commissioner and retained, the original Surveillance Commissioner was dismissed, the new Provincial Administrator had not yet been determined, and the Surveillance Commissioner temporarily held the great seal.

You Weixing was re-enfeoffed as Duke Dingnan, permanently residing in Yannan, with he and all his descendants forbidden from leaving Yannan without imperial edict.

In principle, with You Jun’s rebellion, all You family descendants should be considered part of his nine kinship groups. The court graciously exempted them from implication to stabilize popular and military morale, ensuring Yannan’s smooth transition.

Xiao Xueya was enfeoffed as Marquis Changting for his merit. The naval forces of South Yue and Yannan were merged under Xiao Xueya’s personal command, permanently stationed along the Changting Lake line.

Xiao Xueya would be assisted by A’Dan and the魃 tribe to subdue the hidden forces of the old Yannan prince concealed within the Three Great Pacification Commissions. Whether the Three Great Pacification Commissions would cooperate remained to be seen—if they didn’t cooperate, they would simply be subdued outright.

Tie Ci had originally wanted to take You Weixing away. To appease Yannan’s people, the court could simply enfeoff any branch descendant of the You family, and she could care for You Weixing for life.

But You Weixing refused.

He said: “The graves are here.”

It was unclear whether he meant his parents’ graves or his sister’s.

Prince Yannan wasn’t buried back at Wanqing Mountain. You Weixing chose a place where his father had loved to fish during his lifetime and buried him there, along with relocating the princess consort’s coffin from that cold underground tomb to be buried together with him.

You Weixuan’s tomb was on the opposite side. On that day, her corpse had been carried away by Xiao Ying, but Xiao Ying encountered personal interception and discipline from Duanmu. Whatever occurred between the two was unknown, but in the end Xiao Ying abandoned You Weixuan’s corpse and fled. You Weixing buried his sister behind their parents. Unlike the royal tomb planted with pines and cypresses, You Weixuan’s grave was filled with fresh flowers—bright and beautiful, a vision of abundant spring. This reminded Tie Ci of their first meeting, of the women’s quarters where she had once lived, also filled with blooming flowers.

Sleeping and being reborn in such floral fragrance, in the next life she would surely be joyful and fulfilled.

Though the previous royal tomb had indeed exceeded regulations and couldn’t be used, the current royal tomb seemed rather too simple. The new young duke paid no mind to the criticism from former palace officials. He loved to sit before the tomb, arms wrapped around his head, fishing rod stuck in his neck as he fished, sitting there all day until evening when he’d pat his bottom and go home.

If he was lucky enough to catch fish, he’d offer them reeking before his parents’ tomb, feeding the ants, then take them home in the evening for Nanny He to make soup.

Ceremony Master Shi and Nanny He now managed the exterior and interior affairs respectively in what was now renamed Duke Dingnan’s mansion, formerly Prince Yannan’s estate, caring for You Weixing’s daily needs.

For You Weixing, with the graves here, his relatives were here. He didn’t find death frightening—wasn’t it just unconsciousness? Even when alive, one couldn’t always be conscious and aware of everything.

He had even chosen his own burial site, back-to-back with his sister.

He didn’t hate his sister, nor did he care whether she hated him. Back-to-back—he just felt this was probably what his sister would have preferred.

Pang Duan was transferred to Yannan as Councilor, another promotion, though this councilor position held no real power, and the Surveillance Commissioner was also wary of him, so it would likely be difficult initially.

This was also Tie Ci’s punishment for him. Regarding Liu Chan’er’s matter, whether he acted intentionally or unintentionally was unclear. If unintentional, it was a competency issue. If intentional, Tie Ci would need to reassess him.

So Tie Ci didn’t immediately promote him to the capital, leaving him in Yannan to observe his performance first.

On that day, You Weinan collected Liu Chan’er’s corpse. What surprised Tie Ci was that the courtesans who had fought with Liu Chan’er all their lives all stepped forward to help. Yun Qiao cried until her eyes were red, and Zuixue Pavilion closed for a day in Liu Chan’er’s honor.

This moved Tie Ci to reflection.

The righteous are often among the humble folk, and women of the pleasure quarters are no different.

There was another line before that saying.

Tie Ci sat in the carriage, watching You Weixing’s figure shrink to a tiny dot, still stubbornly standing on the road eating dust.

She couldn’t help but leisurely recite: “The most heartless are the scholarly men.”

Murong Yi sat across from her. This time they each occupied diagonal positions like they were at opposite ends of the world, one looking out the window, one reading.

The cold war had lasted for some time.

Or perhaps it wasn’t called a cold war. Tie Ci wasn’t a petty person—when she had dissatisfaction in her heart, she would speak candidly with Murong Yi. Early on, when the dust had settled and they were resting that evening, she pointed at You Weixing’s figure crouched in the corner and asked Murong Yi: “Why is your heart so hard!”

No one else was present then. Chi Xue had long noticed Tie Ci’s expression was off and had dispersed everyone.

Murong Yi wasn’t surprised by her questioning.

You Weixing didn’t necessarily have to kill You Weixuan.

It was Murong Yi who disguised himself as Tie Ci, feigned injury, then skillfully used verbal provocation at the end, forcing him into a corner until You Weixing struck out in stress response.

Tie Ci had been burning with anger then.

It didn’t have to be this way.

He could have killed You Weixuan himself, or let her do it. Why did he have to force a younger brother to commit sororicide?

You Weixuan deserved no sympathy.

But how cruel was this to You Weixing?

And You Weixing had liked him so much, following him around like a little tail!

That wasn’t the time for an outburst, so Tie Ci had forcibly suppressed it.

Who knew Murong Yi wasn’t finished—when chasing Chi Qingbo, he had thrown You Weixing out again.

His complete disregard for others made Tie Ci’s heart turn cold.

A faint dread also arose within her.

With such a cold and cruel nature, what was there in this world he wouldn’t dare do, couldn’t do?

She never doubted Murong Yi’s loyalty and devotion to her, but she feared that for her sake, Murong Yi would act with complete disregard, even ignoring her own wishes and going his own way.

Just like how he made You Weixing kill You Weixuan with his own hands, because he felt that if she killed You Weixuan, it would leave You Weixing with lingering resentment and future troubles.

He didn’t kill her himself for the same reason—after all, now he and she were essentially one body, his debts were her debts.

And You Weixing’s intelligence was gradually awakening, he commanded the loyalty of Yannan’s forces, possessed tremendous physical strength, and had been awakened to peculiar gifted abilities. He was a powerful figure with limitless future potential, yet his thoughts were particularly persistent and singular. If such a person bore a grudge, the consequences would be immeasurable.

He didn’t want Tie Ci to bear any possible risk, not even a trace.

He wanted You Weixing to clearly see Tie Ci’s kindness and You Weixuan’s heartlessness, to have You Weixing make the final decision himself.

He felt this was the best way to make You Weixing truly open his eyes to see the world.

Whether this method was bloody, whether it caused harm—he didn’t care.

But Tie Ci couldn’t not care.

She had thought that being with her had gradually made Murong Yi more tolerant and bright, but only now did she discover that once stimulated, especially regarding her, the darkness and cruelty that Murong Yi had hidden well would resurface like settled dregs.

Both mad and venomous.

Chang Yuan had foolishly trampled on her, provoking Murong Yi, so he killed the groom in the wedding hall.

You Weixuan wanted to bow before “Tie Ci” and “Murong Yi’s” memorial tablet, touching his forbidden zone, so he had You Weixuan killed by the younger brother she cared about most.

This made Tie Ci vaguely uneasy. She didn’t like using love’s name to control and demand things from her lover, but if love couldn’t restrain and suppress the darkness in his heart, and instead made evil grow like wild weeds, was such love truly appropriate?

They weren’t ordinary people—they were heirs each bearing half the responsibility for the realm. What consequences would such love bring for the future of Great Qian and Liaodong?

She felt somewhat confused about this, and appeared rather listless.

This time Murong Yi was also different, not coaxing her or yielding. In this matter, he displayed his ambitious nature—in most things in this world I can give way to you and indulge you, but regarding your safety and future, even if you held a sword before me, I would still step forward.

Tie Ci was somewhat troubled by this. She found the cold war boring, but compromise was also wrong—this was a matter of principle.

Moreover, the demon consort, emboldened by favor, was also angry this time—no more kissing her, no more walking with her, no more sending her food.

Yet at midnight she always felt a presence approaching, lingering around her lips and teeth.

When walking alone, she would see shadows flashing in the distance.

The meals delivered were inconsistent in quality, with always one or two dishes particularly exquisite.

Tie Ci was both angry and amused. After long thought, she wondered if perhaps he hadn’t encountered enough brightness and warmth. If she gave more, let him see more, perhaps he could gradually warm up.

Tie Ci lifted the carriage curtain and saw a distant figure standing on a high slope.

There were many people behind him, yet somehow that not particularly tall figure always conveyed a sense of desolate loneliness.

Perhaps it was because his connections to this world were already few, and now only the thinnest thread remained. Even his shadow seemed pale in the sunlight, with heaven and earth not reflected in his eyes.

Tie Ci’s fingers trembled slightly, a faint guilt toward You Weixing rising in her heart.

This trip to Yannan was originally meant to be his salvation, but in the end she had shattered his world.

How many good intentions at the start ultimately twisted into going separate ways.

A slender figure approached, holding a piece of pastry toward You Weixing’s mouth. The youth turned his head to take it.

Tie Ci felt somewhat relieved. With Nanny He there, she should be able to care for him well.

She lowered the curtain.

You Weixing waited until he could no longer see the carriage’s shadow before slowly walking back. Passing a low hill, he glanced sideways.

He was a bit puzzled.

Since some people came to see him off, why wouldn’t they let her see them?