Caitan turned back in horror.

“Granted!” Xiao Jue strode quickly from behind the screen, his anger dissipated, his sharp eyes looking directly at Qin Chang Ge, though his words were for Caitan. “I need no guidance from you, much less your pleas. With your treacherous actions, quartering your entire family would be lenient! Pitying you for still having some filial virtue, I can deal leniently with your family. Confess yourself!”

Wailing with tears streaming down her face, Caitan crawled on her knees to Xiao Jue’s feet, kowtowing frantically like pounding garlic. Her flesh and skin crashed against the gold brick floor, producing hollow and muffled echoes. “This servant will tell… this servant will tell everything… this servant never wanted to do that…”

She covered her bleeding finger, sobbing intermittently, unable to speak clearly: “It was… it was the Empress Dowager…”

Princess Wen Chang and Qin Chang Ge exchanged glances, both finding unsurprised expressions in each other’s eyes. Empress Dowager Jiang’s name had already circled countless times in both their minds—now it was merely confirmed.

Xiao Jue’s body trembled slightly, his eyes darkened, then immediately returned to normal as he said coldly, “Oh? Evidence? You should know what crime it is to falsely accuse the Empress Dowager.”

“This servant knows!” Caitan kowtowed again. Seeing that Xiao Jue hadn’t erupted in fury, her heart settled somewhat as she said mournfully, “What standing does this servant have to dare falsely accuse the Empress Dowager? This servant has evidence—Nanny He beside the Empress Dowager came to find this servant two months ago, taking this servant’s mother’s bracelet and little brother’s name token… forcing this servant to approach Sister Qi Mo, make a mold of that box’s key, then open the box, steal that golden crossbow and lock it back up… when returning it, this servant also put it back. Nanny He warned not to touch it carelessly, so this servant knew someone had tampered with it… this servant feared that when the matter was exposed, she would die for nothing while others went free, so deliberately acted greedy and demanded the pearl hairpin from Nanny He’s head. Nanny He relied on this servant to handle things, so she gave it… later she probably felt something was wrong and brought several gold ingots to exchange it back… but this servant had already secretly marked it. That hairpin’s middle section—this servant carved three horizontal lines, one long and two short… Your Majesty can investigate and will know that hairpin could only be worn by ranked old nannies in Longevity Palace…”

Indeed a clever maid… Qin Chang Ge glanced at her with some regret.

After listening, Xiao Jue said nothing and summoned the guards waiting outside the palace. After giving some instructions, one group took away Caitan while another headed to Longevity Palace.

The guards’ boot sounds retreated orderly and rapidly. After the commotion, the vast palace became even more silent. Because of the waiting, the quiet atmosphere stretched infinitely. Xiao Jue sat sideways on the couch, flipping through a book with rustling sounds, constantly glancing at Qin Chang Ge, who stood respectfully to one side having resumed her humble palace maid demeanor. Princess Wen Chang, who was working on embroidery patterns, glanced between Qin Chang Ge and Xiao Jue, then suddenly smiled and stood up, saying, “These patterns are really too complex. I remember there are some simpler ones stored in the inner hall. Let me go look.” She then left.

Not only did she leave, she even dismissed the palace maids listening under the outer corridor. Suddenly the hall inside and out was empty, with only the breathing of two people audible—one somewhat heavy and rapid, the other light and long.

“Tap, tap”—rhythmic tapping suddenly broke the somewhat stuffy air. Both were slightly startled. Qin Chang Ge glanced at Xiao Jue, who only then realized he had been unconsciously deep in thought, his cat’s eye ring repeatedly striking the sandalwood couch chair with crisp sounds.

As for the subject of his contemplation… Xiao Jue smiled bitterly. Just now he had actually been thinking—take her as a consort? Don’t take her? Take her? Don’t take her?

She was so… similar to Chang Ge.

But she wasn’t Chang Ge. He finally disappointedly confirmed this fact.

That day when he encountered Xiao Rong, while suspecting that clever child was his son, his heart had not been at peace for a single day. He constantly wondered whether, if that little beggar was his son, then was Ming Shuang Chang Ge in disguise?

When he couldn’t find Ming Shuang at the forest temple, he immediately returned to the palace and privately questioned the nanny who had originally served with Ming Shuang. The experienced old nanny firmly insisted that Ming Shuang was a sixteen-year-old virgin and she absolutely couldn’t be wrong, or she would accept the crime of deceiving the sovereign.

With such certainty, his constantly pounding heart finally sank into dark silence.

She wasn’t Chang Ge. Yes, it was impossible. If Chang Ge had truly decided to leave, with her character, how could she return?

Since she had left, she naturally took her beloved son. How could she fail to protect her own child and let him wander the streets?

Just a few coincidences. Among all living beings, there were always similar people.

Madness—he was mad, mad to the point of indulging in fantasy and becoming wildly joyful over it.

How ridiculous.

He sighed low, his eyes flowing like a deep abyss.

In the years since Chang Ge left, he had been angry, lost, pained, and confused. Yet deep in his heart, he had never stopped waiting—waiting for some already distant hope that someday would hear his silent call and return like a floating immortal, becoming real.

However, time could wear away people’s hopes and expectations. Each night falling asleep under moonlight with that vague hope, then day after day opening his eyes to empty beds and lonely pillows, listening to the desolate wind sounds constantly circling through the vast palace complex, that hope he couldn’t speak of to anyone was continuously thinned by unchanging morning light.

Later, he stopped thinking about anything, had no expectations, and thus no disappointments. But he also didn’t want to pursue another warmth. Those graceful eyes were very beautiful; that meticulous service was very considerate; those consorts who racked their brains hoping for his attention were many; all of that was very good, but none of it was what he wanted.

He thought that living this way for a lifetime would be fine too. Someone like her—who could presume to possess her for life? Having had such a period was enough to slowly savor those richly colored years for this entire life.

He didn’t want to accept any woman who wasn’t her.

She left, but he wouldn’t.

Until he saw her—this woman called Ming Shuang. She didn’t match her absolute beauty and grace, but was no less than her in cleverness and composure.

He couldn’t help being attracted to her, yet within that attraction constantly generated resistance.

He was unwilling to betray his inner heart, even more unwilling to once again deceive and anesthetize himself. He didn’t know whether what attracted him was that woman herself, or the faint shadow of an old friend behind her.

What kind of profound enchantment was love, making people fall to the point of involuntarily pursuing even illusory phantoms?

Xiao Jue, oh Xiao Jue, how incompetent you are.

Smiling bitterly and withdrawing his hand, Xiao Jue simply looked directly at Qin Chang Ge. “You… resemble someone very much.”

“Like the former Empress?” Qin Chang Ge blinked, throwing back this explosive answer straight to the point.

The founding Empress was skilled at perceiving others’ hearts. From Xiao Jue’s expression just now, Qin Chang Ge naturally knew he was making a choice.

Xiao Jue stared at Qin Chang Ge in shock, watching her slowly smile with somewhat sorrowful meaning.

“Many people have said so… Your Majesty, may I ask how I resemble her?”

Xiao Jue didn’t notice that her self-address had changed from “this servant” to “I.” He only remained silent with a distant expression, then after a long while said, “No, not alike. Don’t be alike.”

Stunned, Qin Chang Ge understood his meaning. Pressing her lips together, she was rarely moved. After thinking, she tentatively said, “I heard the former Empress was murdered…”

Xiao Jue suddenly turned his head, his gaze fierce.

Qin Chang Ge immediately closed her mouth.

The blade-like gaze swept around Qin Chang Ge’s face, gradually reining in its sharpness. Xiao Jue’s expression showed a trace of weariness. After a long while, he leaned back on the couch and said in a low voice, “She wasn’t exactly a good person… I even once blamed her heart… but toward the country, toward me, she owed nothing…”

Perhaps today’s events had exhausted his inner heart. He rarely made an exception to speak of Ruiyi. In those indifferent and vague words lay a heaviness that made one dare not touch.

Closing his eyes, his thoughts suddenly drifted far away, returning to the Chihe grasslands of years past. That was during the first Chihe battle when he had been schemed against and forced to make a military pledge, constantly facing the danger of annihilation. She had cleverly besieged Wei to save Zhao, maneuvering between three powers across several great states, removing his worries from behind. That battle was finally won with great victory. He waited for her return on the grasslands. That was the first time they had been separated for so long. The wind was light and clouds pale, green grass filled the horizon. White frost hung on the tips of long grass blades in the early morning. In his anxious gaze, that young woman in light yellow clothes, pure as the fine down of young birds, came riding a black horse like splashing wind. When nearly arrived, she still thought the horse too slow and suddenly leaped up, treading on grass, her yellow clothes and green grass with white frost glittering, crossing the wind like flying, swift as an immortal. When she finally threw herself into his embrace, the frost and dew on the grass remained undamaged.

The clear and beautiful scene instantly faded, replaced by the magnificent and luxurious Great Ceremony Palace. At the ceremony establishing the Empress, the founding Empress wore golden hairpins with phoenix wings and bright moon pendants, deep purple nishang with golden silk phoenixes circling and dancing. The feathered skirt edged with seven-treasure rainbow borders fell like a rainbow dropped to earth onto the jade stone hall. The six-dragon three-phoenix crown studded with gold, dotted with jade and pearls hung crystal strings like water drops, bright pearls glowing with halos. Her entire person seemed wrapped in a mass of deep gold and pale white radiance. Within that aureole, the woman’s beautiful coloring couldn’t be completely hidden even by the splendor of those jewels and precious jades. Her eyes full of smiling ripples made him, standing before the throne with a smile, feel his soul stirred and shaken with incomparable joy.

This world—his and hers. At this moment, nine layers high, above the great hall, ruling the world, the glory of being looked up to by countless people.

Then, inexplicably, it was burned away by a demonic fire that fell from the sky.

…

He showed a trace of smile, bleak.

Opening his eyes, he met Qin Chang Ge’s gaze, which was looking directly at him. The infinite inquiry and hidden confusion in those eyes shocked him.

Qin Chang Ge had already awkwardly turned away her gaze, lowering her eyes to look at the ground… His expression was truly innocent… so innocent that she couldn’t control herself…

After carefully looking at her again, Xiao Jue seemed to finally make a decision and began to speak: “Would you like to…”

“Report to Your Majesty!”

A loud voice from outside the hall interrupted his words about to be spoken.

Xiao Jue was stunned, frowning as he turned his head.

Qin Chang Ge silently exhaled.

It was Guard Commander Xiahou Jue returning to report. Following orders, he had captured Nanny He and was now kneeling on the steps with that old woman. Seeing Xiao Jue emerge, he immediately held up a hairpin high in offering.

Examining it in his palm, he indeed found markings at the location Caitan had indicated. Xiao Jue snorted coldly, crushed the hairpin with a crack, and without another word, kicked over the old woman who was trembling on the ground like mud, saying coldly, “Drag her down and beat her to death with sticks! Afterward, strip off her outer clothes and send them to Longevity Palace!”

He turned and entered the hall with a sweep of his sleeve.

At this time, Princess Wen Chang came out in surprise. Seeing her brother’s unpleasant expression, she sighed slightly, “Your Majesty, it’s inappropriate to make a big disturbance, especially on a day like today…”

Laughing coldly, Xiao Jue looked up at the ceiling’s caisson, the violent anger in his expression gradually dissipating, replaced by more helplessness.

Princess Wen Chang was about to continue persuading when Qin Chang Ge shook her head at her. Xiao Jue immediately turned to look at her, “Why are you shaking your head?”

Qin Chang Ge was helpless and could only say, “Your Majesty never planned to make a big disturbance. This servant advised the Princess not to worry.”

“How do you know I don’t have such plans? Someone wants to harm me and harm my imperial sister. Why can’t I move against her?” Xiao Jue’s gaze was pressing.

Sighing again, Qin Chang Ge had to continue speaking nonsense: “If Your Majesty truly planned to settle accounts with the Empress Dowager, just now that old woman should have been kept alive as a witness. Since you killed her, you naturally plan to cover it up. If this servant hasn’t guessed wrong, Your Majesty’s next step is to give this old woman some random crime, then use the opportunity to replace everyone in Longevity Palace, right?”

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Jue remained silent for a long while, then said something completely unrelated: “I’m tired. Imperial sister, rest early. I’m returning to Longzhang Palace.” After speaking, he glanced once more at Qin Chang Ge and actually got up to leave.

That night it snowed.

The first snow of the third year of Qianyuan’s winter.

The sky had been overcast for a long time and finally, at the moment twilight descended, snowflakes began to fall. At first scattered bits of broken snow, then gradually growing large as plum blossoms, swirling and falling with the whistling wind like dancing sleeves and flying butterflies. Flake by flake of pearl stamens and jade flowers adorned the palace towers. Heaven and earth became even more vast and desolate because of that pure white color.

Qin Chang Ge wore a cloak of felt trimmed with gray squirrel fur, a brass hand warmer tucked in her sleeves, as she quietly left Jin’Ou Palace gates.

She had heard that Longzhang Palace didn’t permit people to enter or leave after nightfall. Having this thought to go look, she also remembered Xiao Jue’s strange sleepwalking at the forest temple, wondering if he also had this problem in the palace.

Proceeding along the way, Jin’Ou Palace wasn’t far from Longzhang Palace. In between, she needed to pass through Jingfu Palace where Consort De had once lived, and Fengyi Palace. Both palaces were now empty. All along the way were dark, gloomy palace buildings with no human voices, not a trace of imperial wealth and grandeur to be found. Dark red moss grew under the dim yellow palace walls. The person walking through the swirling heavy snow cut a lonely and solitary figure.

Passing Fengyi Palace, Qin Chang Ge thought of the prosperity that had once been here and the ruins after that prosperity, feeling somewhat emotional. She couldn’t help taking an extra look, but this glance made her realize that Fengyi Palace’s gate was actually ajar.

Making a soft sound of surprise, Qin Chang Ge knew that since the day Fengyi Palace was completed, Xiao Jue had ordered it locked. Now in this weather, at this hour, who had opened this long-sealed palace gate?

Curiosity rising, Qin Chang Ge flashed inside. The courtyard was dark without lamps or fire. After waiting a while, she could see clearly this Empress’s quarters that reportedly almost no one in the palace had seen with their own eyes.

With one sweep of her gaze, Qin Chang Ge stood frozen at the palace gate.

No exotic flowers or rare grasses, no jade steps or golden halls, no rich and dazzling decorations of any kind.

Only arched bridges and flowing water, spacious pavilions and terraces, all in black and white. White stone for bodies, black tiles for roofs. The railings of corridors and terraces were carved with blue reliefs, all of strange large birds with broad wings in flight, their lines simple and domineering, their postures proud.

The ground was paved with white, gray, and black pebbles in nine-palace patterns, complex and mysterious. Only white plum trees were planted in the courtyard, their brown branches extending vigorously, dotted with plum blossoms exuding quiet fragrance. All the buildings had continuous long windows—no carved flowers, no inlaid gold, simple black color faintly gleaming. Eight-trigram eternal lamps hung under the corridors, their flames actually blue.

This place was simple, plain, solemn, carrying faint transcendence and an air of looking down from above. It didn’t seem like the bedchamber of the Empress of the world’s strongest nation, but rather like the secluded retreat of some mysterious powerful worldly expert.

In fact, it was.

Many, many years ago, under the vast sky, above the mists and clouds, on Biluo Divine Mountain, that place the world looked up to and revered but could never enter—the Gate of Heavenly Secrets, that mysterious sect that took responding to heaven’s mandate and saving all living beings as its mission—the former Thousand Absolutes Gate.

This was exactly how it was arranged.

She had also once, amid the galloping horses and rushing about, under the dim yellow setting sun, casually mentioned to the man beside her with faint spring longing the layout and decorations within the sect.

It was just casual talk.

She never imagined that someone with a caring heart would remember her random words. She never imagined that after another lifetime, after the seas had changed to mulberry fields, the sect’s scenery could be recreated in this absolutely impossible place.

At this moment, Qin Chang Ge’s heart surged with waves as she stood silently.

Those past events already forgotten came flooding back, making her stand long in deep snow, unaware of the cold forest air.

For a long time, until the snow stopped and accumulated, almost covering her feet, she slowly lifted her foot and stepped over the black threshold that was two feet high.

Proceeding forward, pursuing traces of years past, her footsteps silent.

The deep corridor of raw wood with tung oil and clear lacquer produced hollow yet distant echoes under her feet. The eight-trigram lamp flames flickered brightly—everything was like those youthful years.

Qin Chang Ge suddenly stopped.

In the second courtyard, something that didn’t belong to her memory of the sect’s inner courtyard leaped into her sight.

A pool of water deep green as jade, sleeping quietly and peacefully under the interplay of moonlight and snow light. A blue-black broken bridge extended obliquely over the water but suddenly broke off just before reaching the other shore.

That continuously extending straight line stopped abruptly at a place within reach, using a silent and permanent posture to tell of life’s many irretrievable helplessnesses and desolations.

Beside the broken bridge, under a plum tree, was a tall figure. His black-background golden dragon brocade robe was quite conspicuous in the snow light. He was slightly bent over, taking a wooden spade and digging through the accumulated snow to bury a small round jar.

“…See, this congealed pearl fragrance isn’t better the older it gets. It’s best buried in deep snow—buried when the first snow of the year falls, taken out when the first snow of the next year falls. By then, having long absorbed the snow’s essence, when the jar is opened it’s fragrant and cool with endless aftertaste.”

“That’s easy to arrange. It just happens to be snowing today. Let’s bury many under that plum tree. Next year when Rong’er turns one, we’ll take them out and drink to our hearts’ content.”

“…Have palace servants bury them. Be careful not to freeze.”

“No, I’ll bury them myself and take them out myself. This way you must drink more next year and give me some face.”

“You want to get me drunk again. What for?”

“What do you think…”

Fragrant warmth in the pepper room, flying snow and clear wine, facing each other in intimate laughter and talk, entwined under blue gauze windows—where are those people now?

Next year—at that time, no one knew there would never be a next year.

A cup of parting sorrow, life and death vast and boundless. Now one person alone buries wine, another silently watches from afar.

Year after year burying new wine in the snow, yet with whom can one seek drunkenness?

…

Qin Chang Ge sighed. Xiao Jue suddenly turned around.

Unlike his sharp dignity during the day, in the snow light his golden crown was slightly askew, his expression weary. Though his clothes were still relatively neat, they were thin—he hadn’t even worn a heavy coat. His deerskin nine-dragon oil boots had gotten slightly wet from standing long in the snow.

He looked at her, yet seemed not to be looking at her. His slightly drooping lashes held dim light.

Qin Chang Ge’s first reaction was: He’s sleepwalking again.

However, Xiao Jue’s words proved her judgment wrong: “You… what are you doing here?”

In the cold snowy night, his voice created white mist. Within the mist came a penetrating cool wine fragrance, a familiar scent.

Glancing at those jars on the ground, some already opened, Qin Chang Ge realized Xiao Jue was drunk.

No wonder he had this half-awake, half-confused appearance.

She slowly approached, while Xiao Jue only watched her. After a long while, he said again, “You… do you still remember to come back?”

…

Staring with wide eyes in shock, Qin Chang Ge’s heart contracted. Intuiting trouble, she was about to turn and leave when suddenly Xiao Jue’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist tightly.

His fingers were ice cold, carrying the chill of snow, but his palm was hot as charcoal, burning against Qin Chang Ge’s skin.

Qin Chang Ge maintained her half-turned posture, body rigid, listening to Xiao Jue’s low voice behind her:

“I’ve been waiting for you… from when the fire started until it died, from waiting in ruins until the palace was rebuilt, from burying that jar of wine to taking it out, burying again, taking out again…”

“Year after year I bury new wine, and the next year I drink alone. What about you? You promised to drink with me—why don’t you keep your word?”

“One year when snow melted and the first snow fell, it was already early spring. That wine was somewhat thin… but without the person I wanted to drink with, every jar was actually thin.”

“This broken bridge—you said atop the Biluo immortal peaks, there was such a place, extending flat between two mountain peaks, reaching toward but not quite reaching the other shore, blue-black and withered, spanning across that moon amid the mist. In your youth when practicing lightness skills, you competed with fellow disciples to see who could walk furthest on that broken bridge, who could leap earliest from that broken bridge to the other shore… You said you were always first, but listening always made me break into a sweat. Many times I had nightmares, dreaming you fell from that broken bridge section in the moon… Now this bridge is in Fengyi Palace. I used the strongest dragon-song wood, so solid even knives can’t cut it—no longer afraid of you falling…”

“You won’t die. How could you possibly die? You Thousand Absolutes Gate disciples were originally the most excellent people in the world, but I’m unwilling to admit you wanted to leave… Tell me, what’s wrong with me? Those imperial arts—controlling subordinates, checks and balances, schemes, temple calculations—I gradually understand them too. Those women, those troublesome women and the families behind them, now they can no longer cause trouble… Chang Ge, Chang Ge, why won’t you come back? Why!”

The fingers gripping her wrist gradually tightened. Qin Chang Ge frowned, looking up at the moon floating faintly in the sky, slowly exhaling and turning around, “Fine, I’ve come back. I’ll drink with you.”

Before she finished speaking, suddenly her shoulder felt heavy as Xiao Jue’s solid body pressed down, crushing the unprepared her into the snow!

Hot breath brushed her ear, cool fragrant wine scent mixed with a strange exotic fragrance. Xiao Jue’s voice, being too close, seemed somewhat distorted: “Drink wine… why drink wine? Every time you say you’ll drink wine with me… but after the wine wears off, I’m even more lonely… Give me real proof, proof that you came…”

His hand groped and pulled, untying the cloak’s silk knot. The heavy cloak fell to the ground, revealing a waist wrapped in light purple Wu brocade so slender it couldn’t be grasped. The body of an inexperienced young woman, youthful and beautiful curves, stroke by stroke painted by creation, appeared clearly weak and vulnerable under the bloody moonlight yet strangely emanated infinite temptation and allure.

With a low growl, Xiao Jue was unable to control his passion. One hand grasped Qin Chang Ge’s waist, the other went to tear at her clothes.