On the fourteenth day of the third month, the heavens were most gracious — it was a beautiful spring day with bright sunshine. Imperial Noble Consort Li held a banquet in the imperial gardens.

Xie Yuzhang’s jade-canopied treasure carriage went to the Lin residence to collect Lin Fei and Lin Fei’s aunt. Lin Zi, along with Ninth Brother and Tenth Brother, were at the gate to see them off.

In the spring light, this family cut a fine figure — particularly the three young gentlemen, each as beautiful as jade trees adorned with琼flowers. One could not help but admire the sight.

Xie Yuzhang smiled warmly. “Third Brother, rest easy. Auntie will be there too.”

Lin Zi said, “Couldn’t be more at ease.”

He then turned to Lin Fei. “Go. Let everyone have a good look at you.”

Lin Fei’s expression was serene, and she gave a faint smile.

Life had always been difficult for women in this world — there were always those who could not bear to see others thrive.

Xie Yuzhang had returned from Mobei after eight years, and though she had been granted the title of Princess, Yunjing still harbored whispers about her in hushed corners. In the second month, people had been restrained — watching and waiting for about a month. When it became clear that the Emperor had no intention of taking her into the rear palace, they grew bolder.

The gang of dissolute young men led by Deng Jiu had dared to use Xie Yuzhang as the subject of such a shameless wager — a vivid example of this.

In the shadow of Xie Yuzhang’s brilliance, people had at first paid little attention to Lin Fei. But when the Emperor bestowed an imperial commendation and personally inscribed the two characters “Righteous Valor,” Lin Fei was brought into the public eye.

To receive the Emperor’s own brushwork — the first person in the Da Mu dynasty to be so honored — and yet she was a young woman.

For this spring banquet, Li Zhenzhen had personally named Lin Fei on the invitation list. Many were eager to lay eyes on her.

This was the second spring banquet held within the palace since the new Emperor had ascended the throne three years prior. Compared to last year’s gathering, this year’s drew far more attendees.

In truth, many positions in the new dynasty were still unfilled, and the number of officials remained quite lean. In order to liven up this year’s spring banquet, the threshold for attendance had been lowered, and many who had not been eligible last year were now permitted to enter the palace.

The gowns of the ladies were also considerably more splendid. Unlike last year, when every family had still been treading carefully, afraid to stand out, the stability of the new dynasty had gradually settled people’s hearts, and the young women finally dared to vie with one another in elegance and beauty.

At a glance, it was a vision of jade-green waters and spring ripples, flowers blooming in magnificent abundance. Since it was a spring banquet, flower-viewing was naturally the central theme. Yet flowers framed the beauties, and beauties wandered among the flowers — the gazes of many were captivated entirely by the women, with no leisure left to admire the blossoms at all.

“Look at her skirt — it’s not in the current fashion.”

“But it’s truly beautiful. When I get home, I want one made just like it.”

“I wouldn’t dare. I couldn’t carry off a skirt like that.”

“She’s wearing emerald kingfisher-feather inlay on her forehead and her cheeks too. Where would one even find a craftsman who knows how to do that sort of thing nowadays?”

“Even if you found the craftsman, your skin would need to be that pale to pull it off.”

The young unmarried women murmured among themselves, and at last, all their various sighs condensed into a single exclamation: “Ah, how can she be so beautiful!”

The “she” they spoke of was, of course, Yongning Princess Xie Yuzhang.

At her brow gleamed an emerald-green floral inlay, and at both cheeks were iridescent kingfisher-feather ornaments. Kingfisher inlays of this kind had been fashionable in the court of the former Zhao dynasty, but years of war had since left no craftsman alive who still possessed this art.

In her previous life, Xie Yuzhang had concealed herself — when entering the palace, her dress had always been plain, and she had tried her utmost not to draw attention. But even so, what had that achieved? After all, one cannot hide what cannot be hidden. In this lifetime, with Li Gu’s protection, she no longer hesitated to display her beauty.

At this moment, she sat in the pavilion, conversing with the mother-in-law of a cousin from the Yang Family.

Since she held the rank of a first-rank princess, everyone rose to bow when she approached. She quickly went over and pressed the older woman gently back down, saying with a light reproach: “Now look at you — am I an outsider? Ladies, please don’t stand on ceremony either. Come, sit, sit.”

Everyone laughed. When they settled, they all looked at the young woman beside Yongning Princess.

This young woman was in the bloom of her youth. Her clothing was not particularly splendid, nor did she affect the deliberate ethereal understatement that some women pursued. There were quite a few ladies present that day in eye-catching dress. Yet this young woman was the first thing the eye landed on — slender and graceful, enduring in her elegance, as though she had stepped out of a painting of a court beauty.

In short, the clothes existed for the person — not the person for the clothes.

The Yang cousin’s mother-in-law asked, “Are you the young lady of the Lin Family?”

Lin Fei inclined her head with a smile. “Indeed I am. And you are Lady Xue, born of the Jiang Clan of Qingzhou?”

Lady Xue said, “You remember me?”

Lin Fei replied, “I met you long ago. Afterward, Mother took special care to tell me about the Jiang Clan of Qingzhou. It took two full days to get through everything.”

This was, of course, on account of the clan’s long history and its abundance of talented individuals, with all manner of accomplishments, anecdotes, and notable tales to recount. It both flattered Lady Xue’s lineage and demonstrated the cultivation that Lin Fei’s mother had possessed as a woman of a distinguished family.

When aristocratic women feel each other out, a single exchange of words reveals everything.

Lady Xue dabbed at her eyes. “What a pity about your mother…”

But the Lin Family had been destroyed at the hands of Marquis Xiaoyao — who was none other than Yongning Princess Xie Yuzhang’s father. And there she sat, smiling warmly, right beside them. Lady Xue shed a tear or two, sighed once, then collected herself with practiced grace and steered the conversation elsewhere, making idle chat: “Who did you come with?”

“With my aunt. Auntie is speaking with some ladies she knows, so I have been wandering with Her Highness Yongning…”

The atmosphere in the pavilion was for a time quite warm and easy.

The matrons watched with quiet, smiling attention.

Yongning Princess Xie Yuzhang was more elaborately adorned today than usual — strikingly beautiful, rich yet gracious and elegant, with contentment in her brows and ease in her bearing. One look and it was plain that she had been living very well since her return to the Central Plains.

Though she was a princess not of the imperial bloodline, her bearing was that of someone truly born to the imperial family.

The young woman of the Lin Family, on the other hand, was an entirely different kind of presence. The matrons who had themselves come from distinguished families recognized her at first glance as one of their own — and moreover, one of the finest among them.

Each silently measured herself against Lin Fei, thinking that at this same age, they probably had not yet possessed such composure.

Her story, too, was remarkable. As a girl, her family had been destroyed and she had been reduced to debased status — yet she had found refuge in the palace and emerged undiminished in her refinement. When she then went to Mobei, everyone had assumed she would spend her days buried on the steppe alongside the princess. No one had imagined she would follow the princess all the way back to Yunjing.

She had crossed the grasslands and the Gobi Desert, and returned still standing tall as green bamboo — with nothing but stillness between her brows, not a trace of dust or mud upon her.

Several matrons committed her to memory.

After exchanging pleasantries with the ladies, Xie Yuzhang and Lin Fei did not linger long, and went to seek out other acquaintances. Yunjing was the city where Xie Yuzhang had grown up — there were always many old friends to be found.

The sisters of the Yang Family went without saying. They had married into various households, each with mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law of their own — and through them, connections branched out to many more.

There were also people whose faces Xie Yuzhang recognized, whose names came back to her once conversation began — old friends from years past.

“We all went to see you the day you entered the city,” one old friend said. “We never imagined you would actually return. And never imagined you would return like this.”

As she spoke, her eyes reddened. “What a pity that A’Mei and A’Ling could not live to see this…”

Those she named were former childhood companions, now nothing but a handful of earth. The gathered women shared a moment of quiet sorrow.

Just then, a group of young ladies came to find Xie Yuzhang. At their head was none other than Princess Hexi.

“Yongning Princess.” Princess Hexi bowed properly, without any trace of pride from her mother’s elevated standing.

Xie Yuzhang, in her current state of mind, most enjoyed seeing young women and young men. At the sight of this cluster of girls, each as tender and fresh as flowers, her mood lifted: “Princess.”

Princess Hexi introduced the young women beside her. “Han Niang of the Yongsi Marquis household, Yun Niang of the Shaoming Marquis household, Wen Niang of the Anyi Marquis household.”

These three were all from the Hexi faction. Then she introduced several others: “Rui Niang, Jing Niang, Rong Niang, Qian Niang.” These girls had been befriended through the Mao Clan Academy, and came from various families.

Xie Yuzhang’s eyes curved with a smile. “Princess has made many friends.”

Princess Hexi flushed slightly, but did her best to appear composed. “I really must thank Your Highness — it was Your Highness who recommended I go to the Mao Clan Academy, which is how I was able to meet everyone.”

The young girl did indeed look considerably more cheerful than before. Xie Yuzhang was genuinely glad for her.

After a few pleasantries, Xie Yuzhang turned to Wen Niang of the Anyi Marquis household and said, “I have dealt with Marquis Anyi in Mobei — his reputation for valor is known to all. The foreign peoples beyond the frontier spoke of him with fear and trepidation. He truly upheld the might and dignity of our great Da Mu.”

Of all the girls in this group, Jiang Wen Niang was the oldest — almost of age for the hairpin ceremony, the age at which a young woman should properly stay at home and have a match arranged for her. Instead, Li Zhenzhen had dispatched her to the Mao Clan Academy with a single word. Still, additional skills never go to waste, and the Academy had certainly broadened her horizons.

Being the daughter of a military family, she had a forthright manner. Hearing this, she laughed and said: “I have heard of Your Highness’s reputation too — Your Highness established herself through merit, which is truly admirable.”

Xie Yuzhang said, “All credit goes to the prosperity of Da Mu and to the breadth of vision of the Son of Heaven.”

Jiang Wen Niang was already half an adult. The younger girls had no interest in listening to them discuss such matters. Seeing that Xie Yuzhang’s smile was radiant and her manner warm and approachable — with none of the stiff formality of a “senior” — they broke into a flurry of chatter.

“Your Highness, is that what kingfisher-feather inlay looks like?”

“I’ve only seen it in paintings. Mother says it was all the rage in Yunjing years ago, but no one has it anymore.”

“Your Highness, which shop did you find the craftsman at? Can you tell us?”

Xie Yuzhang smiled and said, “She is part of my dowry retinue.”

No wonder, thought the girls, suddenly understanding — and no small measure of disappointment followed.

Princess Hexi said, “Your Highness, I recently acquired a new qin. I’ve heard you are extraordinarily gifted in music and the arts — after the banquet, I would like to invite you to come appreciate it with us. Do you have time?”

Xie Yuzhang smiled. “Of course. I have nothing pressing — today is all for the pleasure of the banquet.”

Princess Hexi said, “Then I’ll send someone to fetch you when the time comes.”

Xie Yuzhang agreed.

When the young girls departed, Xie Yuzhang turned and saw that Lin Fei had already woven herself into another circle of people.

She was conversing and listening among women of her own generation, her manner utterly composed. Whatever anyone asked or said, she could always respond and carry the conversation forward without any difficulty.

The only noticeable difference was that all the women of similar age wore their hair in married women’s styles, while she alone among them remained unwed. That set her slightly apart.

More people came over to speak with her.

In the two months since Xie Yuzhang had returned to the capital, today could be considered her formal re-entry into the social circles of Yunjing.

Her merits and her title spoke for themselves. With the new court’s recognition of her, she had secured her place among Yunjing’s aristocratic circles. Even Zhang Fen, Marchioness of Beirong, whom she had just observed being surrounded by flatterers — even Zhang Fen could not pretend not to see her, and was forced to bow her head with a sour expression in greeting.

While she was laughing and talking with others, a stir arose in the crowd: “His Majesty and the consorts have arrived.”

Xie Yuzhang and the others stopped their conversation and turned to look.

The crowd gradually parted, all bowing toward the center of the path.

Li Gu walked along the winding stone path, drawing steadily closer.

Beside him walked the Imperial Noble Consort. Behind him followed Noble Consort Xian and Noble Consort Shu, and further behind, the three lesser consorts. And in his hand, he held the hand of his eldest son.

The small boy was dressed in a brocade robe and jeweled boots, his eyes a deep, brilliant black — bright and lively, with the sturdy, round-faced look of a young tiger cub. His brows and eyes so closely resembled Li Gu’s that a single glance told you exactly whose son he was.

This whole family — resplendent as flowers in full bloom, radiating brilliance — drew steadily closer.

Xie Yuzhang watched with a smile.

【I wished for him — power, greatness, wives and concubines filling the halls of his palace.】