Prince Yu naturally wouldn’t recognize this representative undergarment that held high the banner of sensuality in modern times and remained enduringly popular. He tilted his head and stared at that thing, picking up the cups with his fingertips, his face full of questions. “What is this?”

Baozi answered solemnly: “Eye mask.”

“Too big, isn’t it?” Yu Zixi held it up to his eyes to compare. “It covers half my head.”

“That’s a 36D size eye mask,” Baozi’s expression remained very serious. “Your Highness, your eyes are too small. What a pity.”

“Are they?” Yu Zixi looked at his reflection in the wine cup, very satisfied as he said: “Are there more beautiful eyes than mine in this world? How big is 36D size?”

Baozi made a gesture of embracing mountains and rivers, gazing with infinite longing: “This big.”

Yu Zixi was stunned, murmuring: “That’s still human…”

Shaking his head, he picked up that little triangle again, frowning: “One-eyed mask?”

“Oh no,” Baozi leaned over, eagerly putting the triangle panties toward Yu Zixi’s mouth, “face mask.”

Reaching out to block Baozi’s sneaky paws, Yu Zixi stared at the Crown Prince’s ill-intentioned eyes, smiling yet not smiling: “Your Highness the Crown Prince, don’t trouble yourself. This humble minister will carefully figure out how to use this thing properly.”

“That’s good, that’s good,” Baozi straightened up, hands tucked in his sleeves as he stepped back, smiling cheerfully: “These two cups cost me a lot of thought, specially finding the best embroidery women to embroider them. Look at this handiwork, this embroidery, this lace – tsk, in Xiliang, oh no, in all the world, absolutely unique! Definitely worthy of your title as the world’s most beautiful person. A beauty should match beautiful cups – if it’s not 36D, I don’t want it!”

Glancing sideways at the Crown Prince, Yu Zixi said slowly: “You’ve troubled yourself. Since you think so highly of this humble minister, what size red envelope should this humble minister give you?”

Baozi didn’t feel at all shameless about asking Yu Zixi for red envelopes again, smiling cheerfully as he rummaged in his sack: “As you see fit! You’re the head of Xiliang’s military officials, your status is there… mm, let me see, a First Rank Mighty Virtue General’s red envelope – three thousand taels!”

On the imperial throne, Xiao Jue held his forehead with his palm… Having a son like Xiao Rong made being a father difficult to feel proud of.

Across from them, Qin Chang Ge smiled broadly on the surface, but in her heart was calculating to confiscate all the red envelopes when she returned later.

Yu Zixi smiled sweetly: “Good. Since Your Highness the Crown Prince thinks so highly of me, this humble minister’s gift should indeed be heavier than other ministers’.”

He bowed slightly to Xiao Jue: “Your Majesty, this humble minister’s New Year gift for the Crown Prince is too heavy. Please allow subordinates to carry it into the hall.”

When Baozi heard “too heavy,” his eyebrows rose with joy. Xiao Jue helplessly nodded, but Qin Chang Ge began to smile knowingly.

Indeed, two Red Armor guards carried up a large brocade box. Hearing those footsteps, the gift was truly heavy. Baozi smiled cheerfully while admiring the gift, but his heart began calculating – this fox prince couldn’t possibly send anything good. This heavy, could it be copper coins? Copper coins would be fine too. So many copper coins would be worth much more than mother’s one tael silver notes.

The officials gazed enviously at Yu Zixi – princes are wealthy after all, sending such impressive gifts, tsk tsk.

Under everyone’s gaze, anticipating the gift’s reveal, Yu Zixi was unhurried, slowly opening the brocade box. Baozi squinted his eyes smiling, appearing extremely delighted, yet carefully stepped back.

The brocade box opened.

With a thud.

Baozi’s eyes widened in shock.

One pile of dirt, two piles of dirt, three piles of dirt… six piles of dirt in total.

The officials looked at each other in confusion. Baozi rolled his eyes, about to have a fit… Damn it, sending dirt!

Xiao Jue suppressed his laughter, raising his eyebrows to ask Yu Zixi: “What meaning does Prince Yu have in sending this strange gift?”

“Your Majesty,” Yu Zixi’s expression was even more solemn and sacred than when Baozi had presented the bikini earlier, “this is soil from six nations – from Xiliang’s Biluo Sacred Mountain, Northern Wei’s Queshang Mountain, Eastern Yan’s Qingma Sacred Mountain, Central Chuan’s Heng Mountain, Southern Min’s Youhuo Marsh, and Lihai’s coastline. This humble minister ordered people to travel across the world, carefully seeking and collecting these, specially presenting them to the Crown Prince on this auspicious New Year day. May our Xiliang’s divine might spread far, our horses gallop across the world, unifying the territories of these six nations under one rule, becoming the ultimate master of all seas!”

The ministers burst into cheers, immediately praising in unison how clever and thoughtful the prince was in gift-giving, what an auspicious present indeed.

“Excellent!” Xiao Jue was also “greatly pleased,” slapping the table in praise, turning to the Crown Prince with his dejected, long face: “Rong’er, Prince Jing’an has the world in his heart, presenting soil from six nations – this is truly an auspicious blessing. Take good care of this gift!”

Baozi looked blank, murmuring: “How to take care of it… can’t move it…”

“That’s not difficult,” Qin Chang Ge timely interjected, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, that sack of yours – empty out the red envelopes and it’s perfect for holding dirt. Oh, nowhere to put the red envelopes? No problem, no problem – this humble minister will help the Crown Prince keep them safe, guaranteeing to return them intact later, not one red envelope missing.”

Not one red envelope missing, but definitely not one gold leaf or silver note left inside. We don’t know about others, but don’t we know you? Even giving them to Youtiao’er would be more reliable than letting you safeguard them – Baozi looked at Qin Chang Ge with resentment, waving his hand: “Thank you for the Grand Tutor’s kind intention, but no need. Youtiao’er, take off your robe.”

Poor Youtiao’er, who was always the first to be used as a shield whenever something unlucky happened, looked even more resentful as he began removing his newly tailored long robe.

Qin Chang Ge smiled cheerfully, watching Baozi sweating profusely as he used Youtiao’er’s robe and fancy cloth to wrap the “soil of six nations.” The wine cup spun leisurely at her fingertips as she recalled the report from Huang Meng’s agents monitoring Yu Zixi’s residence two days ago – Prince Yu had ordered people to dig up dirt from his mansion, specifically not from the garden, but from beside the latrines, next to dog pens, alongside sewage ditches, and from vegetable plots planted by servants. At the time she couldn’t understand, but now it was clear. Good soil, such good soil! Being a dog in Prince Jing’an’s mansion was fortunate, and being soil in Prince Jing’an’s mansion was apparently equally fortunate – latrine soil transformed and became sacred soil from Qingma Sacred Mountain and Biluo Sacred Mountain, golden and gleaming!

Prince Yu’s skill at spouting complete nonsense was increasingly advanced, truly worthy of admiration.

Yu Zixi looked up and met her gaze. Their eyes crossed in midair – one smiling sweetly, one smiling graciously. Yu Zixi made a throat-slitting gesture. Qin Chang Ge raised an eyebrow, understanding his meaning: if you send people to monitor me again, I’ll kill them.

Looking at him very gently, Qin Chang Ge’s gaze moved up to that red lantern, pursing her lips in a blowing-out gesture – if you cause more trouble, I’ll stomp your lantern to pieces!

Clang clang clang clang – the two exchanged several sweet moves in midair before each looked away.

Qin Chang Ge suddenly found it amusing, remembering that many years ago, she and the jade fox had clashed like this. How many years in a cycle, past events returning – it made her feel somewhat dazed. She was no longer completely Ruiyi, and Yu Zixi – was he still completely the Yu Zixi of those days?

Qin Chang Ge smiled bitterly, toasting herself. No matter how turbulent or difficult, the last day of Qian Yuan’s fifth year was destined to pass irretrievably, and in the coming days, how much more smoke and bloodshed would be waiting for her?

The seventh day of the first month – “People’s Celebration Festival.”

Just as the Inner Chuan Continent was a parallel space with cultural customs quite similar to the ancient times of Qin Chang Ge’s previous life, here too there were legends of a goddess creating humanity. Legend said the goddess created the world, making humans on the seventh day – this was Human Day. By custom, on this day women wore ren sheng (people-victory ornaments). Ren sheng were a type of hair ornament, also called cai sheng or hua sheng – cut colored paper into flowers, or cut colored paper into human figures. Higher quality ones used engraved gold foil, pasted on vessels and screens, or worn in the hair. Additionally, there were customs of climbing heights to compose poetry, men and women declaring their feelings, and releasing sky lanterns.

Qin Chang Ge had always been lazy, never paying attention to rules and etiquette. Since the seal meant no court attendance, she slept until the sun warmed her bottom every day, having previously instructed that whoever disturbed her lazy sleep would definitely receive deworming medicine.

The seventh day of the first month brought good sunshine, spreading brilliant light across heaven and earth. Even the tightly covered green-patterned gauze windows couldn’t block the golden radiance. In the bright room, a mother and son slept soundly, their sleep quality outrageously good.

Baozi slept one day in the palace, one day at the Grand Tutor’s mansion. Today happened to be the Grand Tutor’s mansion’s turn. When sunlight shone on the mother and child, Baozi was still sprawled on his mother, drooling.

Unfortunately, there was destined to be a type of person in this world who most loved disturbing others’ sweet dreams and breaking into their residences.

Especially after the sky lanterns were removed and the poison needles were gone.

Early in the morning, the mansion gates were pounded with thumping sounds, then rapid footsteps swept like a small whirlwind from the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard. In just the blink of an eye, someone had charged straight into the vast Grand Tutor’s mansion, heading directly for that corner’s exquisite small building, knocking very enthusiastically: “Chang Ge, Chang Ge.”

Qin Chang Ge jerked up and pulled the quilt over her head.

Baozi couldn’t hear anything at all.

“Chang Ge! Chang Ge!!”

Unfortunately, someone’s stubbornness and persistence always followed the principle of “I won’t give up until you collapse.”

Qin Chang Ge groaned, struggling to extend her hand from the warm quilt. First, she lifted up Baozi, who still refused to open his eyes and clung desperately to her body, face to face, lazily saying: “I really regret forgiving your father too early.”

Baozi’s drool hung crystal clear like an ice thread from his chin, swaying in midair. With his classic half-opened beautiful eyes, he answered even more lazily: “Knew your heart was too soft – serves you right.”

Baozi made fake laughing sounds, struggling to climb up, cursing: “You’re having menopause mood swings and taking it out on me.”

“I’m having menopause? Oh, I’m having menopause.” Qin Chang Ge vigorously rubbed her son’s just-awakened face that appeared even more tender because of sleep, smiling cheerfully: “Son, menopausal women have poor health and terrible tempers. You need to take care of your menopausal mother. Now, you go open the door, and from today on, you’re responsible for drawing water and serving your poor mother who’s having early menopause.”

“Ah… Mother, how could you possibly be menopausal? You’re clearly still a young girl, young and beautiful. Those men buzz around you like bees. If you’re menopausal, all the women in Xiliang are eighty years old.” Baozi flatteringly touched his mother with his little hands, constantly praising: “Look at this waist, look at this chest, look at this figure…”

“Look at you, little scoundrel.” Qin Chang Ge pushed her son away with a pat, getting up to open the door. “I’m so noble and upright, why are you so shameless?”

Baozi curled his lips, muttering: “If you’re noble and upright, all the women in Xiliang are saints – everything I just said was fake, only this sentence is true.”

Qin Chang Ge didn’t hear her son’s inner criticism, opening the door with a snap. The anxious person outside was about to push the door when she suddenly opened it. His forward-leaning body rushed forward, but Qin Chang Ge had already dodged behind the door, in a very bad mood and not giving him the chance for a soft, fragrant embrace. She lifted her foot and kicked someone’s noble dragon bottom, sending him onto the bed.

Baozi immediately flew over with the quilt, pouncing viciously on his father’s dragon head, laughing heartily: “Damn, Emperor Father, finally got to ride you once – so satisfying!”

Xiao Jue reached out and flipped his son over, pretending anger: “You’re getting more and more lawless!”

“Father Emperor, Dad,” Baozi clung stickily to the Emperor’s neck, “other people’s children ride on their father’s necks, only I never have. Why did you have to become emperor? There are many things I want to do but can’t.”

Xiao Jue was stunned, remembering that day at the market when he saw a man cheerfully heading home with his son on his shoulders, the child holding his father’s head and laughing happily. Then he thought of Rong’er, who left his parents at age one and became Crown Prince after returning – he himself couldn’t enjoy worldly happiness due to his status, and wasn’t his son the same? Reportedly, before age four, his favorite thing was recognizing mothers on the street…

Xiao Jue’s heart ached.

Once his heart ached, it softened.

“Come, son. Today father will let you ride once. After all, no one will see us at the Grand Tutor’s mansion anyway.”

Baozi immediately climbed up happily, waving his chubby paws: “Giddy up! Giddy up!”

Qin Chang Ge smiled and shook her head: “You’re spoiling him. When you spoil him, you’ll have trouble someday.”

“Isn’t this your fault?” Xiao Jue glanced over with a smile, his eyes actually showing a trace of grievance. “I, the legitimate father, was the last to be accepted by him. In his heart, I don’t know where I rank. This little guy’s heart still favors others. If I don’t treat him better, who knows if he’ll wash himself clean and send himself away someday.”

“Nonsense.” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Why did you come so early today?”

“Today is Human Day. You women need to wear ren sheng.” Xiao Jue put down his son and felt around in his robes.

Qin Chang Ge looked at him with amusement and exasperation. Ever since she said she liked the hairpin he bought at the market last time, Xiao Jue believed it was the merit of gift-giving. He constantly hunted for trinkets at the market to bring over eagerly. Reportedly, he became increasingly skilled and proud of his shopping, often squeezing among aunties and housewives to pick things, his eye like a shuttle, his hands like raindrops, even becoming a master bargainer – where others could only buy one mirror for eight coins, he could buy one mirror and get two boxes of rouge thrown in.

When Qin Chang Ge first heard this, she nearly burst out laughing. After laughing, she carefully thought about it and couldn’t help smiling, thinking that such experiences were rare treasures in the Emperor’s life. The joy of selecting gifts was probably irreplaceable by any achievement or glory, so she let him be.

So recently, the Grand Tutor received gifts of very low quality but very high treatment – a pile of miscellaneous rouge, powder, flowered silk, and small mirrors all came in exquisite sandalwood boxes inlaid with gems, each gem worth more than all the contents combined.

What trick was this guy playing today? A comb worth one copper coin, or hair oil worth three copper coins?

Qin Chang Ge smiled faintly, watching Xiao Jue pull out a ren sheng.

Her eyes widened as Qin Chang Ge stared at that crooked, twisted ren sheng cut from colored paper and pasted with gold foil… What was this shape? Two pigs? No wait, there was something round – pigs playing with a ball? But these pigs seemed too thin, ears too small. Then two rabbits? Rabbits playing ball? As rabbits, their legs seemed too long. Two deer? Deer playing ball?

While desperately guessing, she heard him say happily: “This is me and you… with Rong’er…”

Qin Chang Ge swayed precariously. Baozi fainted directly.

That evening they dined at the Grand Tutor’s mansion’s highest small building, “Fufeng Tower.” Qin Chang Ge was someone who enjoyed expansive scenery. The building was constructed almost worthy of being rated Yingdu’s tallest building, but due to busy affairs, she rarely went to the high building on normal days. Of course, there were also safety considerations, because nearby stood the former tallest building in Yingdu – Zhaixing Tower. If someone stood on the rooftop with a strong bow and powerful arrows, relying on unmatched strength to shoot, they might very well pierce through the beloved Grand Tutor.

And Grand Tutor Zhao loved the people so much, she naturally wouldn’t demolish Zhaixing Tower for her own safety. So normally she rarely went to Fufeng Tower. Today, with the custom of climbing heights, and Qin Chang Ge too lazy to go out, she conveniently opened a table at Fufeng Tower. Just four people: her, Xiao Jue, Chu Feihuan, and Baozi.

In his heart, Xiao Jue very much hoped for a “family of three” dinner, but he knew that in Qin Chang Ge’s heart, Chu Feihuan’s position might not be lower than his own. If he asked her to leave Chu Feihuan out, he might be the first to get thrown out. Sometimes Xiao Jue would also feel jealous, wondering what exactly Chang Ge felt for Feihuan. Could a woman possibly love two men simultaneously? If he put himself in her shoes as a woman, facing a man like Chu Feihuan who silently supported and waited behind her forever, he probably couldn’t bear to resist or refuse either. Thinking this way made Xiao Jue increasingly feel a sense of crisis. The more crisis he felt, the more he unconsciously paid attention to Chu Feihuan… Hmm, what kind of look was he giving Chang Ge? What kind of look was Chang Ge giving him?

Eh, Chu Feihuan wasn’t looking at her…

Eh, Chang Ge wasn’t looking at him either…

But why was it that when Chang Ge moved a finger, Chu Feihuan knew she wanted water and naturally handed it over, while Chang Ge didn’t need to look to know whether Chu Feihuan’s appetite and mood were good?

The more Xiao Jue watched, the more depressed he became. Suddenly he felt two gazes sticking to his back. Turning around, he saw his precious son’s rolling big eyes smiling cheerfully while staring at him. Seeing him turn, Baozi immediately extended his thumb, first pointing up, then slowly pointing down.

Xiao Jue stared at his thumb in bewilderment: “What does that mean?”

“This means contempt,” Baozi whispered in his ear: “Dad, you’re pathetic.”

Xiao Jue slapped his son back into his seat with a pat: “Eat your food and shut up!”

Baozi curled his lips – tsk, Dad takes his romantic failures out on me. I despise you.

Xiao Jue turned back with a dark face, suddenly seeing the “ren sheng” on Qin Chang Ge’s temple glittering in the sunlight. His mood immediately improved somewhat. No matter what, Chang Ge still treasured his thoughtfulness! The ren sheng he personally cut, the gold foil he personally pasted – he spent all night making it. Although it didn’t look particularly good, she still wore it, didn’t she?

Xiao Jue touched his palm… Last night the scissors poked a hole in his palm – better not let Chang Ge see.

The reason he, a man, took up scissors was because he heard from Old Yu Hai that personally cutting a ren sheng to give someone carried deep blessing, ensuring the woman wearing it would have a lifetime of happiness and enduring fortune. Xiao Jue thought that as the Son of Heaven with ten thousand chariots, the most blessed emperor, wouldn’t things he personally cut have more fortune than ordinary people’s, better able to bless Chang Ge’s lifelong peace? He immediately had Old Yu Hai teach him. But Old Yu Hai was troubled – though eunuchs lacked certain parts, they still counted as half-men, and what man would know such things? With no alternative, Old Yu Hai secretly found the most skillful palace maid, learned it himself first, then secretly returned to teach the noble Emperor. One half-man worked busily all night to produce this “two deer playing ball” version ren sheng. Poor Old Yu Hai – learning once and teaching once resulted in the Emperor getting poked once, and himself getting poked once.

Thinking of last night, facing the bright candle that burned all night, when two “virtuous” big men were cutting paper, Old Yu Hai said with great experience that women just needed coaxing – even the strongest women liked men to coax them, and after enough coaxing they’d melt into water… Mm, Chang Ge, when will you melt into water in my arms?

…

While the Emperor indulged in flights of fancy, Qin Chang Ge kept urging food on Chu Feihuan: “Feihuan, you’re eating too little. Your complexion hasn’t been good lately – are you too tired?”

Qin Chang Ge’s gaze swept over Chu Feihuan’s face with some concern, her brow slightly furrowed… Feihuan’s complexion wasn’t just not good – it was nearly pale, faintly resembling his appearance when seriously ill before. If she hadn’t unconsciously checked his pulse, finding his internal energy normal, she would truly think his old illness had relapsed.

Chu Feihuan gently raised his cup. Behind the wine cup, his gaze slowly swept over the ren sheng at Qin Chang Ge’s temple, then turned away as he lowered his lashes. He drained the wine in one gulp, drinking somewhat hastily, fine perspiration actually appearing at his temples.

He was naturally a sensitive person. Feeling Chang Ge’s gaze never relaxing, he simply set down his wine cup and stood with a light smile: “Chang Ge, Human Celebration Festival has the custom of releasing sky lanterns. Have you prepared any?”

Qin Chang Ge replied absentmindedly: “No, why don’t we go buy some at the market?”

“No need. I made one for you.” Chu Feihuan smiled as he took something from his wide sleeve pouch. Qin Chang Ge’s eyes lit up as she leaned over to look, seeing a small folded square that didn’t immediately look like a lantern. Chu Feihuan unhurriedly disassembled and assembled it piece by piece. Soon a delicate, foldable sky lantern miraculously appeared in his palm.

On the light purple, flexible bamboo-hemp thin paper, both sides had pictures. One side depicted an autumn lake with reeds drifting in the wind, a woman in plain clothes flying over like a white bird, her posture light and graceful. The other side showed a small bridge over flowing water with peach blossoms slanting elegantly, a smiling noble woman with a late peach blossom as vivid as reality between her slender fingers.

On the lantern, a line of small characters flowed elegantly: “If life could remain as it was at first sight.”

Qin Chang Ge’s heart shook. For a moment her heart warmed then chilled, deep joy suddenly producing faint sorrow, as if watching a gorgeous memory unfold like a dream before her eyes. Yet her heart knew so clearly it was indeed a dream – joyful yet melancholy, but not knowing why melancholy.

If life could remain as it was at first sight – going forward, no one could see what color of fate awaited. Those rose-colored crystal curtains written in memory, when crossed, often collided with life’s coldly cruel walls.

As at first sight, with hibiscus face – with whom could one become paired swallows?

Qin Chang Ge’s fingertips lightly caressed the exquisitely crafted lantern surface, as if trying to trace with her fingers each stroke of the two pictures Chu Feihuan had personally painted. After a long while, she softly said: “Very beautiful.”

Chu Feihuan smiled faintly, installing a crossbar at the lantern’s bottom and carefully binding oil-soaked cloth bundles with wire.

Xiao Jue stared blankly at that delicate, admirably beautiful lantern, then looked at the hideous ren sheng on Qin Chang Ge’s head. His face suddenly darkened, and he came over to gently take Qin Chang Ge’s hand: “Chang Ge…”

Qin Chang Ge only turned to smile at him. Xiao Jue’s eyes immediately brightened.

But Chu Feihuan seemed to see nothing, only concentrating on lighting the cloth bundle. His slender hands lovingly caressed the lantern surface. Suddenly he smiled faintly and released his grip.

A point of five-colored light blazed up. The lantern became five colors, brilliant as a rainbow, quickly floating up into the night sky where stars flickered brightly. As it drifted, sometimes showing the woman graceful as a white bird, sometimes the radiant peach-blossom face, the scenes flowed in the silk-like deep blue night sky, soaring upward and gradually disappearing.

From the high Fufeng Tower, the stars seemed within arm’s reach. Opening the window, one felt the clear wind and bright moon at one’s embrace. Yet that drifting colored light flew away beyond pursuit.

Faintly they heard cheerful voices and continuous laughter from below. Then they saw countless sky lanterns floating upward like myriad stars rising from earth, slowly merging into the sky, joining with the brilliant starlight until indistinguishable. The four looked down from the high tower, seeing throughout Yingdu’s streets and alleys, people had emerged, crowding together with laughter and noise, each releasing their own sky lanterns laden with blessings and prayers for peace.

The sky filled with colored lanterns like a thousand flowering trees, seven-colored glazed brilliance in five-hued splendor. The first lantern launched from the heights was first to disappear leisurely into the high firmament, above the cloud peaks.

Chu Feihuan looked up, his graceful silhouette cut by moonlight and starlight into an elegant arc. Clear wind billowed on the high tower, stirring his long hair and blue robes, his sleeves fluttering like an immortal. He gazed absorbed at the direction where the sky lantern drifted away, softly saying:

“Chang Ge, I only wish this lantern could carry away all the loneliness, hatred, helplessness, and suffering from your life, bringing you eternal luck, joy, fulfillment, and happiness.”