Qin Chang Ge looked up, gazing absently at the direction where the sky lantern disappeared, a faint worry floating between her brows. She turned to glance at Chu Feihuan, but he avoided her eyes.

Qin Chang Ge was about to say something when suddenly she heard flute music from the opposite Zhaixing Tower.

The flute’s sound was clear and melodious, like a flowing spring cascading from the heavens, slowly dispersing from the city’s highest point toward the floating clouds and vast sky. The music was transcendent and magnificent – hearing it was like seeing the misty waters of Penglai, like viewing the vast seas and five lakes, like treading upon endless high mountains and snow-white plains, yet also like facing… infinite desolation and sorrow.

Vast, yet melancholy.

The three people listening from the high tower were all moved.

Qin Chang Ge’s heart tightened. She suddenly turned and rushed to another angle of Fufeng Tower, striking open the window with one palm. At a glance she saw atop Zhaixing Tower, on the narrow flying eaves, a white-robed man concentrating on playing the flute in the clear wind and bright moon.

Behind him stretched the vast blue sky, before him floated sky lanterns like drifting stars. His snow-colored robe corners scattered in the wind, flowing like passing water.

Looking from afar, that person seemed also like a moon – cold and distant, floating in the high sky.

Qin Chang Ge stared at him blankly, her eyes suddenly moistening without sound or movement.

The last time she saw him, he was holding that woman’s corpse, disappearing into Nanmin’s deep emerald mountain forests. Half a lifetime of proud wandering through the martial world had transformed into that moment’s indescribable loneliness.

Nearly a year had passed since their parting. Several times Qin Chang Ge went to the Blazing Flame Gang, only to be told the leader hadn’t returned. In her disappointment, she couldn’t help wondering – would Su Xuan spend the rest of his life wandering the martial world, never to return? Was she destined never to see him again in this lifetime? She hadn’t expected that on this Human Celebration Festival, amid the myriad colored lanterns, suddenly turning back, she would glimpse this person.

“Master!” Baozi’s sharp, crisp cheers interrupted her thoughts. Standing on a stool, he waved desperately. “Master! Master!” If not for the distance between high towers, he probably would have flown over.

The flute music stopped abruptly. Under the moonlight, Su Xuan turned back with a faint smile.

Qin Chang Ge’s heart chilled again, knowing that the man who laughed heartily amid the flying snow and layered clouds had truly died.

Across from them, Su Xuan suddenly stood up, lifting his leg to step forward into the empty air.

The people below who had faintly heard the flute music and looked up cried out in alarm.

Before their cries ended, Su Xuan had already landed steadily on Fufeng Tower. Even Qin Chang Ge couldn’t see clearly what movement technique he’d used – only feeling that after not seeing him for a year, Su Xuan’s martial arts seemed to have reached even higher levels.

Had he spent this year single-mindedly guarding graves and practicing martial arts?

The first glance Su Xuan cast upon landing was at her – that look was meaningful, yet fleeting.

He merely nodded faintly to Qin Chang Ge, then exchanged greetings with Xiao Jue and Chu Feihuan. He smoothly caught Baozi who came running over, frowning: “Your martial arts practice truly shows no improvement, you lazy little fellow.”

Baozi grinned foolishly: “I was waiting for you to come back and teach me!”

Looking deeply at Baozi, Su Xuan said: “Very well, I’ll teach you. Having been your master for so long without properly teaching you martial arts – that was my fault.”

Baozi was stunned, then hung his head dejectedly. He’d only spoken casually – Master the gang leader was always so busy, never staying to teach him personally. He hadn’t expected him to be so agreeable today. Alas, it was just polite conversation – why take it so seriously?

Then he heard Su Xuan say even more devastatingly: “There’s no time like the present – let’s begin today.”

…

Baozi banged his head against the wall… Damn it, why was my mouth so quick? I’m still on winter break…

But Qin Chang Ge looked at Su Xuan strangely. After being away for a year, instead of returning to handle Blazing Flame Gang affairs, he first wanted to teach Rong’er martial arts. Why was he in such a hurry?

Yet these questions couldn’t be asked. Since Linghui’s death, the two seemed to have regressed to the awkwardness of their first meeting. Su Xuan deliberately placed insurmountable barriers between them, and naturally Qin Chang Ge dared not easily cross them.

She could only say faintly: “It’s late. Since Master Su wishes to impart skills tonight, why not stay here as a guest?” She glanced at Baozi: “You sleep with your master tonight.”

Baozi looked tragic, biting his finger and nodding tearlessly.

Going downstairs, Qin Chang Ge ordered servants to arrange the guest’s lodgings. Baozi scurried ahead to the small building where Qin Chang Ge lived. Qin Chang Ge blocked the door angrily: “Didn’t you say you loved martial arts? Why do you lose enthusiasm the moment it gets serious?”

Baozi said tearfully: “Damn it, who said I don’t love it? But you can’t love it like that – learning martial arts in the middle of the night during a festival! Without question, I know you heartless parents definitely won’t protect me. I’m going to find my knee pads, wrist guards, helmet, and iron boots.”

Qin Chang Ge rolled her eyes at him: “Do you think your master came to wrestle with you?”

Baozi, bottom up, rummaged under the bed, struggling to drag out a large chest filled with miscellaneous items. While searching frantically, he answered: “I think he’s in a bad mood. When he’s in a bad mood, he’ll definitely throw me around. If he doesn’t throw me, I’ll take your surname.”

“I don’t want you taking my surname – I’m not planning to leave you my inheritance.” Seeing the pile of things her son had pulled out, Qin Chang Ge angrily said again: “You inconstant bad boy! The nice toys your master gave you – look what you’ve done to them!”

On the ground, golden and jade-colored, were the Rubik’s cube and nine-ring puzzle Su Xuan had originally given Baozi.

Baozi had twisted the Rubik’s cube until it cracked, and the nine-ring puzzle was tangled into a mess. Finding what he wanted, Baozi looked at those two items thoughtfully, probably wanting to please his master, and tucked them into his robes as well.

When he pocketed the nine-ring puzzle, light flashed at the tail end of a jade ring. Qin Chang Ge casually glanced over and suddenly said: “Wait.”

She walked over and took the nine-ring puzzle. Upon touching it, she was startled. Qin Chang Ge had never paid attention to these two items before – they were just children’s toys. Moreover, since Su Xuan had given them, he being a grandmaster, surely wouldn’t give counterfeit goods. But now, holding the nine-ring puzzle, Qin Chang Ge suddenly discovered the weight was wrong.

Not wrong, but unbalanced – heavy on both ends, light in the middle. Since it was supposedly made of jade, how could there be uneven weight distribution?

Qin Chang Ge’s gaze lingered at the tail end of a jade ring, where somehow a small section of black iron wire-like material protruded – about the thickness of a little finger, emerging from a jade ring hole. The edge of the jade hole also had some paste-like substance, its texture also like white jade. Probably Baozi, that violent maniac, had played too roughly, forcibly cracking open a well-sealed jade ring hole, revealing this thing.

Qin Chang Ge stared at that familiar section of black thick wire, pursing her lips as she slowly pulled the black wire from the hole. The thing was neither iron nor copper, with a texture both hard and flexible – looped around a finger, it also formed a circle.

Qin Chang Ge weighed each jade ring, confirming that among the nine rings, except for the middle one, all the others contained such things.

Closing her eyes, Qin Chang Ge touched her own hair. When her hand was about to reach her hair, she suddenly let go.

She stared blankly, gripping that ring tighter and tighter in her palm.

Baozi stared strangely at his mother. Why did she look so strange? What was that expression? What had happened?

After a long while, Qin Chang Ge slowly released her grip, opening her eyes with a smile. Calmly pushing the black wire back, she took a small bottle from a hidden cabinet in her room’s dark wall, poured out some white liquid, and sealed the jade ring again, making it exactly like before.

Her movements were quick – Baozi couldn’t see the characters on the bottle clearly, only vaguely making out the character “Bi.”

Having restored the nine-ring puzzle to its original state, Qin Chang Ge’s expression also returned to normal. Patting her son’s head, she said calmly: “Go. Study well. If Su Xuan is willing to teach you martial arts, you’ll have nothing to fear in this lifetime, no matter what you encounter.”

Baozi nodded and left. Qin Chang Ge slowly paced to the window and suddenly snapped her fingers.

Immediately, Huang Meng hidden guards appeared silently below the window, bowing to await her instructions.

But Qin Chang Ge was lost in thought. After a very long time, when the hidden guard looked up at her in puzzlement, she slowly pointed toward the guest quarters.

The hidden guard departed with orders. Qin Chang Ge stood alone in the darkness, no candles lit, silent and solemn as a statue.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Qin Chang Ge didn’t turn around, only saying quietly: “I suddenly feel tired.”

“If you’re tired, then rest,” Xiao Jue embraced her shoulders from behind, his posture so gentle as if handling fragile treasure. “Don’t worry about anything – I’m here.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled soundlessly, not answering.

“Chang Ge, I’ll pass the throne to Rong’er earlier in the future, then accompany you to roam the world freely, alright?” Xiao Jue gently supported her shoulders, his gaze full of longing. “I think, once we’ve avenged you and unified the world, we won’t have anything else to do. Now I see these two things are really just one thing. I hear Northern Wei and Eastern Yan have formed an alliance and are restless, greatly intending to knock at our Xiliang borders. Once we resolve these two countries, everyone’s peaceful days will come.”

He gazed longingly into the distance, softly saying: “We’ll travel everywhere, rest when tired, build a thatched cottage to live in. I’ll chop wood and you’ll weave – no, no, no weaving for you, that would tire you too much. Hmm… better to bring plenty of money, or have that boy deposit silver in banks nationwide, so we can withdraw and use it wherever we go. We’ll spend freely and distress him to death. If you find country life amusing, we’ll find a place with mountains and water, clear some land to grow vegetables, raise chickens and ducks. Fresh vegetables stir-fried hot from the pot will taste much better than the palace’s slow-cooked meals, haha…”

Listening, Qin Chang Ge showed a faint smile.

Green mountains, clear waters, a small thatched cottage – you fish while I grow vegetables. How wonderful.

The ordinary, beautiful days he described sounded so real, as if they could be touched by reaching out. If that day truly came, what kind of worldly happiness would it be?

…So wonderful.

==================================

That night Qin Chang Ge couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning until midnight with bright, wakeful eyes, she simply got up to sit in meditation and practice. Suddenly hearing knocking sounds at the window lattice, she went to open it. The hidden guard she’d sent earlier lowered his eyes respectfully: “Master, something’s not right.”

Qin Chang Ge’s gaze sharpened: “What?”

“There’s strange light in the room. This subordinate didn’t dare approach. Please go see for yourself, Master.”

“Is Master Chu there?”

“Yes, and there are no strange sounds. This subordinate doesn’t think there’s any problem, but thought it best to report to Master.”

Qin Chang Ge frowned. Originally, as long as Feihuan was there, surely nothing would happen. After thinking, she still threw on clothes and headed for “Yunhua Pavilion” where Su Xuan was staying. Her lightness skills were excellent, and her own mansion was unobstructed – she reached Yunhua Pavilion in an instant. Looking over the courtyard wall, the lights were normal. Where was any strange light?

The guard beside her said in bewilderment: “We clearly saw it just now.”

Qin Chang Ge asked: “What kind of light?”

The guard thought: “Not very obvious. Light blue with some golden edges. From afar it was just a small circular point, like a small luminous pearl.”

Qin Chang Ge considered, then waved for the guard to withdraw. She went openly to knock on the door. Su Xuan opened it, smiling at her without surprise, stepping aside calmly.

Qin Chang Ge also smiled very openly and brightly. As they passed each other, she suddenly whispered: “What place do you like most? What place do you hate most?”

Su Xuan remained silent, but Qin Chang Ge stood at the courtyard gate, one foot inside, one foot outside, refusing to move. With no choice, Su Xuan finally said: “I like a certain deep valley most, hate a certain snowy ground most.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled very slowly: “Really? I’m the opposite of you.”

Finishing, she stepped inside without waiting for an answer, sensing that Su Xuan behind her didn’t catch up. He only sank into the darkness, his gaze heavily falling on her back.

Qin Chang Ge looked up toward the north, revealing a slightly cool smile.

==========================================

Opening the door, everything in the room appeared normal. Baozi sat cross-legged practicing internal energy from the Langhuai Secret Manual, while Chu Feihuan leaned slightly forward watching him.

Qin Chang Ge’s gaze quickly swept over both of them, detecting no abnormalities. Chu Feihuan turned at the sound of the door. His expression was calm, but Qin Chang Ge suddenly felt that moment his eyes looked particularly black and deep, his gaze seeming somewhat scattered when looking at her. But soon the divine light in his eyes gathered, and he smiled faintly: “Rong’er has good bone structure, but needs to lose weight, otherwise lightness skills will be difficult to master.”

Qin Chang Ge couldn’t help smiling: “He’ll definitely tell you: ‘Rather death than no meat.'”

She sat beside Chu Feihuan, casually draping her arm over the chair back, coincidentally near Chu Feihuan’s wrist. But before she could make any move, Chu Feihuan suddenly stood and walked past her fingers to pour tea.

Qin Chang Ge’s fingers rested powerlessly on the chair. She suddenly felt everything today was like a dream – an extraordinarily strange dream full of mystery that was difficult to fathom. She was trapped in the dream while others moved forward clearly awake outside it, not allowing her to catch up.

With no choice, she got up to check Rong’er’s pulse. Aside from his breathing seeming to flow particularly smoothly, there was nothing else unusual. Su Xuan had been here earlier and must have helped clear his meridians – smooth breathing was normal.

Qin Chang Ge slowly released her son’s hand, suddenly not wanting to probe further. She turned abruptly, meeting Chu Feihuan offering tea. Qin Chang Ge didn’t take the tea, looking up directly into his eyes: “Feihuan, what are you hiding from me?”

In the curling steam, Chu Feihuan’s beautiful features rippled slightly like water, but that ripple immediately spread into peaceful smile. Chu Feihuan looked at her frankly, softly saying: “Chang Ge, in this life I never wish to hide anything from you.”

“Not wishing to doesn’t mean you haven’t.” Qin Chang Ge didn’t relax at all, suddenly reaching to grab Chu Feihuan’s sleeve. “Feihuan, don’t hide things, don’t. All these years we’ve weathered storms together until now, through life and death, good and bad, we’ve faced everything together. You have absolutely no reason to suddenly shut me out and not let me participate.”

She raised her face, her gaze falling directly into the depths of Chu Feihuan’s pupils.

Chu Feihuan looked at her quietly. Before his eyes, the woman he loved had always been resilient and strong, wise beyond measure. Now for the first time her eyes showed a pleading expression, and this pleading was because she worried about him.

Even if she perhaps couldn’t give him lifelong love, perhaps couldn’t share worldly life with him, perhaps couldn’t give her complete heart and body.

But what did that matter?

The person he loved also cared for and responded to him – that was enough.

Having reached this point in life, he could say it was without regret.

Chu Feihuan smiled, leaning down, his lips like butterfly wings, falling upon Qin Chang Ge’s trembling lashes.

His clear, bergamot-like breath, like drifting light smoke, gently enveloped the woman’s bright features. The night wind stirred his hair, silky strands brushing across Qin Chang Ge’s skin, then lifting her temple hair, tenderly tangling together and floating freely.

Under the bright moon, in the room’s full radiance, the beautiful man carefully kissed the radiant woman’s eyes one by one.

Qin Chang Ge closed her eyes. After a long time, moisture slightly seeped from the corners of her eyes.

She heard him say faintly: “In this reborn life, you’ve shed tears twice for me. I treasure them yet am selfishly satisfied. Chang Ge, in this life and this world, I only hope you never shed tears for anyone again.”

Qin Chang Ge didn’t open her eyes, her fingers slowly stroking his robe’s hem. After a while she said: “Then you must give me a promise.”

After a long silence, she faintly heard Chu Feihuan seem to laugh: “My promise is: for you, I will never give up.”

The door softly closed as he went out. Qin Chang Ge still didn’t open her eyes.

Let them stay closed for now.

Experience this moment, as darkness descends.

======================================

Su Xuan stayed in the mansion for several days, living quietly and simply, single-mindedly teaching Baozi martial arts. Baozi was tormented until his spirit was scattered and his five organs burned, constantly wailing and daily clawing at walls. The wall in the back courtyard of the Grand Tutor’s mansion had a layer of wall skin clawed off by his bitter resentment. As his meridians opened and his martial strength rapidly advanced, the wall skin suffered increasingly cruel abuse, forcing Qin Chang Ge to order the wall thickened – thicker than city walls by a brick. Go ahead and claw! Claw with all your might!

Xiao Jue was delighted to have that boy occupied, spending all day at the Grand Tutor’s mansion, arriving early morning and returning to the palace after the third watch, wishing he could build a flying bridge between the imperial palace and the Grand Tutor’s mansion to facilitate his “secret romance” with Chang Ge.

On the eleventh day of the first month, he came even earlier. As usual, he barged directly into Qin Chang Ge’s boudoir, with some intention of stealing a kiss. But before he could pretend to knock on the door, it suddenly opened with a whoosh. Qin Chang Ge appeared at the doorway, fully dressed and refreshed, smiling as she watched him: “Good morning, Your Majesty.”

“Good morning, Chang Ge,” Xiao Jue replied awkwardly. “Why are you up so early today?”

“Last night I received military reports from the border. I estimated you’d definitely come early today.” Qin Chang Ge walked to the downstairs study where a complete map of the Inner Chuan Continent hung. “Northern Wei and Eastern Yan have formed an alliance, consolidating their forces and claiming a million troops, advancing south to directly pressure Du City’s Baizhang Mountain, declaring they’ll reclaim all of Northern Wei’s lost territories and partition Xiliang. Tsk tsk, such magnificent slogans – I was too excited to sleep all night.”

“Come on, I think the one who couldn’t sleep was whoever’s making big boasts,” Xiao Jue casually marked black and red arrows on the map, sneering: “Million-strong army? Nonsense! Northern Wei’s remaining forces total at most three hundred thousand. Can Eastern Yan gather seven hundred thousand? Even if they could gather so many, with Bai Yuan’s character, would he risk his entire nation as someone else’s stepping stone? Who are they trying to fool?”

“Your Majesty becomes especially sharp when facing warfare,” Qin Chang Ge laughed. “This humble minister is truly overjoyed.”

“You’re mocking me again,” Xiao Jue pretended anger, throwing down his brush to tickle Qin Chang Ge. Qin Chang Ge had always been ticklish and couldn’t help laughing breathlessly. Her swaying body was light and charming. As Xiao Jue tickled, he suddenly felt his mind wander, his hands becoming somewhat improper. Qin Chang Ge immediately noticed, slapping away his wandering paws and dodging aside: “Stop fooling around. Be serious. You’re taking those two countries’ expedition forces too lightly – beware of arrogant armies meeting defeat.”

“I’ve already deployed forces at Du City,” Xiao Jue smiled proudly, pointing toward Baizhang Mountain at Du City. “Baizhang Mountain has long walls built, with treacherous mountain terrain. ‘Heartbreak Cliff’ especially forms a narrow passage with no exit once entered. I specifically ordered them to fill half the cliff crevice when building the walls, making it even more of a cramped sheep’s path cliff. That’s a place the enemy must pass through – there alone I can bury tens of thousands of their troops!”

“Strategic attention, tactical contempt – you’ve truly grasped Chairman Mao’s essence.” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Then let’s resolve the matter at hand first, such as… the wedding.”

“Ah!” Xiao Jue was overjoyed, rushing to Qin Chang Ge’s side. “You’re willing to be my empress again?”

“What are you talking about? Where did your mind go?” Qin Chang Ge smiled charmingly. “Didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to discuss Princess Wen Chang’s marriage? I meant Wen Chang’s wedding!”

“Oh…” Xiao Jue deflated like a punctured balloon, his shoulders sagging in infinite disappointment. After staring blankly for a long time, he said lazily: “Just those matters… Oh right, I almost forgot.”

“Mm?”

“Wen Chang is marrying down, recently moving back to the palace to rest and await her wedding. She told me that Ming Shuang’s father came looking for his daughter. Wen Chang didn’t know how to respond to the father, so she arranged for him first. He’s still staying in a grass hut outside Shanglin Convent.”

Qin Chang Ge was stunned. Ming Shuang was dead, and she was borrowing her body, but had let Ming Shuang’s identity also “die” early. Now that her relatives had come looking, should she cruelly tell him the truth of his daughter’s death, or use Ming Shuang’s face to comfort the old man?

“Don’t go using Ming Shuang’s identity,” Xiao Jue guessed her thoughts, saying reluctantly: “I heard from Wen Chang that Ming Shuang’s father mentioned she had a fiancé back home, still hoping Ming Shuang would be released from the palace to marry. What if you went and got kidnapped back for the wedding?”

“Who in this world could kidnap me?” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Come, let’s go see.”