Qu Chen Shi was beside herself with joy, and it was only in the evening that she finally left. During that time, she personally made several rounds both inside and outside the room to make sure there was nothing inauspicious, and only then was she reassured. Thinking of how Qin Yao’s appetite had not been good these past few days, she had every intention of preparing some appetite-stimulating dishes for her — but when she glanced over and saw Lin Xiao, she knew full well that Prince Lan’s manor was not lacking in skilled cooks, and it was truly not her place to interfere. She forced herself to hold back.

Even so, she still issued a thousand reminders and ten thousand instructions about various things to avoid before leaving — still reluctant to go — full of things she had not yet said.

Ever since Lin Xiao had received the news that Qin Yao was with child, his heart had been filled to the brim with a surging, stirring happiness. The thought that at some unknown moment, a new life had come to be nurtured within Qin Yao’s body filled him with such delight that he could barely sit still.

He was going to be a father. Every time this thought came to him, the smile in the depths of his eyes could not be suppressed no matter what. Without thinking, he raised his head and looked at the maids and servants busy all around the room, and suddenly grew a little curious — he wondered what might be different about a wife who was with child compared with before.

Thinking this, he looked across the crowd of people toward his wife — and unexpectedly met her bright, glimmering eyes looking back at him.

Lin Xiao had not anticipated that his wife was also watching him with the same quiet joy. Looking carefully, he could detect a trace of shy curiosity and inquiry in her gaze. He could not help but smile — she wanted to see how he would react to the news of having a child. The thought struck him as both funny and tender, deepening his urgency all the more. He longed to take Qin Yao in his arms at once and kiss her soundly.

But with his mother-in-law busy back and forth inside the room, he had been unable to be as freely affectionate with his wife as he wished. Sitting at the window-side couch, when he received the tea from the servant, he was so distracted that he nearly — uncharacteristically — knocked the teacup over.

Nanny Wen saw this and sighed and laughed all at once. Since he had been old enough to know himself, the Young Lord had never once lost his composure in front of others like this — it showed just how happy he was inside. Truth be told, ever since the Lady of the manor had passed, Prince Lan’s manor had been quiet and somber for many years. Now that the Young Lord’s wife was with child, things were finally going to liven up again.

And how could Qu Chen Shi fail to see the joy on Lin Xiao’s face? Thinking that her son-in-law, both before and after the marriage, had consistently cherished Qin Yao just the same — the young couple growing ever sweeter together — she felt nothing but deep contentment. She refrained from inserting herself conspicuously between the young couple and preventing them from exchanging a single word of private conversation, and took her leave in a flurry of purpose. For one, she had to go back and share this wonderful news with the Qu family father and son. And for another, she privately resolved that no matter what it took, she was going to prepare some appetite-stimulating snacks to give Qin Yao a treat.

Lin Xiao wasted not a moment. With swift and nimble movements, he bathed and changed his clothes in the washroom, then got into bed and drew Qin Yao into his arms. By the light of the ram’s-horn lantern outside the bed-curtains, he studied his wife’s soft and flawless face with minute care. With the solemnity one would accord a rare and priceless treasure, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, let out a low sigh, and said: “My dear Yao’er, thank you.”

Qin Yao’s head was nestled against his neck. The boundless tenderness in Lin Xiao’s words roused a warmth in the tips of her ears. She lifted her head shyly to look at him and smiled: “What is there to thank me for? From the moment Physician Yu examined my pulse, my heart has been just as happy as yours.”

Lin Xiao pressed his forehead against hers, smiled, and sighed: “I don’t quite know myself — I just wanted to say thank you. It’s a pity we found out a little late. We haven’t taken the slightest care of your body — these past few days you’ve been rushing around with us everywhere without a moment of peace and quiet. I don’t know whether the child has been harmed because of it.”

As he spoke, beneath the covers, his hand slid gently down along the line of her waist and settled with tender care on her lower abdomen.

“Didn’t Physician Yu just take my pulse and say my pulse was steady and the child was fine?” She pursed her lips in a smile and lightly placed her own hand on top of Lin Xiao’s, feeling a strange and wondrous sensation, as if she and Lin Xiao were using this means to greet the little being inside her.

Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment and ultimately could not restrain his curiosity. He lifted the covers, gently straightened Qin Yao’s bent legs, and asked her: “Are you cold?”

The room was heated by a blazing underground furnace, and Qin Yao was naturally robust in health — she felt warm and comfortable all over. Not understanding what Lin Xiao was doing, she only shook her head and said: “Not cold.” She let him arrange her with curious compliance.

Lin Xiao bent down and pressed his ear lightly to Qin Yao’s still-flat lower abdomen, listening carefully for a while. He heard no unusual sounds. He then carefully lifted Qin Yao’s garment and looked in. The place was as white and flawless as always — something that had once sent his thoughts into a frenzy — and yet it now held a new life within it. He found it extraordinary, and knowing it was somewhat foolish, he still could not resist pressing a reverent kiss to Qin Yao’s lower abdomen.

Qin Yao felt the sensation go through her — half tingling, half itching — and she had not anticipated that all of Lin Xiao’s fussing had been for the sole purpose of kissing her belly.

She felt a mild urge to laugh. Since she had come to know Lin Xiao, when had she ever seen this childlike side of him come to the surface? She was on the verge of teasing him a little — but Lin Xiao, fearing Qin Yao might catch a chill, had already gently set her garment back down and wrapped her snugly in the covers.

Within the bed-curtains, a sweet fragrance drifted softly. The hearts of the two people flowed with a quiet and tranquil joy, and with a faint, contented sigh, they fell into a wordless stillness, leaning against each other without a care.

Qin Yao’s slender fingers wandered idly across his inner robe without thought, when she suddenly remembered something. She propped herself up, brushed aside his inner robe and looked — and saw that his chest was firm and smooth. To all outward appearances, there was no difference from before whatsoever. It was evident that the token of Nusù had left no mark on his body.

“What is it?” Lin Xiao asked.

Qin Yao looked down at Lin Xiao. In the half-light and half-shadow, his face was as flawlessly sculpted as if by the hand of heaven, and for a moment she was transfixed. The first time she had seen him, she had only thought him clean and noble in appearance, his every movement and gesture refined and courteous. She had not dared to stare at him directly then. It was only after several more encounters that she came to realize just how striking his looks truly were.

Her face flushed faintly as she shook her head and lay back down, nestling into the crook of his arm. In a musing tone, she said: “Do you think — could it be because of the little one in my belly that Nusù’s token couldn’t attach itself to me, and went looking for you instead?”

“Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t.” He paused briefly, then smiled. “But if it truly is, then this child is rather considerate — not yet born, and already thinking to protect the mother.”

“But it put the burden on the father instead.” Qin Yao said, a mix of joy and worry in her voice. From now on, once every three years, Lin Xiao would have to help A’Han stabilize his clarity of mind. And since both of them were needed and neither could be absent during the formation, it meant that Shixiong could never, for the rest of his life, leave Lin Xiao’s protection.

Lin Xiao smiled gently. “And isn’t that a good thing? Knowing it isn’t easy for the mother, the child has made arrangements of its own accord, asking its father to help shield the mother from wind and rain. It shows this child is quite sensible.”

“Does anyone praise their own child like this?” Qin Yao was amused by his deadpan tone, and laughed. She had a vague feeling that Lin Xiao, having only just learned of the child’s existence, was already showing his fondness in full abundance. She wondered whether, when the child was actually born in the future, he would be able to manage being a “strict father.”

Lin Xiao dipped down and pecked her lips, saying with playful authority: “Our child is naturally the best. It would just be better if the child could be a little more obedient and not trouble its mother so much — stop making the mother unable to eat or drink properly.”

As he said this, he kissed Qin Yao, intending to keep it light and brief. Yet because it had been so long since he had been close with Qin Yao, the moment his lips touched hers, desire spread like a wildfire, wholly beyond containing. He parted her lips, his tongue slipping in, and he began an unstoppable, eager conquest.

Qin Yao was caught off guard as Lin Xiao turned her and pressed her beneath him, and a delicate, close-woven rain of kisses fell upon her without warning. After a brief moment of surprise, her body gave an honest response — without the slightest restraint, she pulled him closer still. Their lips and tongues met, and she responded with more warmth than any time before.

Two young bodies drawn together, igniting at the faintest touch — the room quickly filled with intimate sounds. Lin Xiao gradually lost all self-control, kissing her with ragged breath, his hands exploring until they reached her waist, about to loosen her inner trousers — when Qin Yao suddenly recalled the private words her mother had spoken to her earlier that day. Mother had urged her again and again: since the month was still early, and Lin Xiao was young and impulsive, not knowing to be gentle, she absolutely must keep him in check and not indulge him too much no matter what. Her mother had whispered quite a number of intimate marital matters in her ear.

“You — wait.” She panted in broken, halting breaths, evading his kisses.

Lin Xiao was already like an arrow drawn to the string with no choice but to release, but sensing Qin Yao’s resistance, he forced himself to stop. He said in a hoarse voice: “What is it?”

He had been out handling affairs all day and had not even had a chance to see Yu Ruoshui when he returned. And he had always been somewhat uninformed about matters of this kind — how was he to know there were so many twists and complications involved?

Qin Yao held his neck in her arms, face flushed, and said to him: “Go ask Yu Ruoshui properly tomorrow when you go to the palace. My body isn’t fully recovered yet — could we use another method today?”

By the time she reached the end, her face had grown so thin-skinned that her voice had become nearly inaudible.

Lin Xiao stilled, and seeing the spring-water shimmer in her eyes, his heart stirred. Though puzzled, he still said: “Alright, I’ll ask Yu Ruoshui.”

He paused for a moment, then did not let her off so easily. He said in a low, teasing voice: “What other method?”

The following morning, when the two of them woke, the light outside was already fully bright. The courtyard sounded busier than usual, which puzzled them both. Lin Xiao said to Qin Yao: “Sleep a little longer — I’ll go see what’s happening.”

He draped his clothes on and stepped out of bed, calling to a servant: “Why is there such a clamor so early in the morning?”

Sao Xue replied from outside with a smile: “In reply to the Young Lord — it snowed last night, and the plum blossoms in the courtyard bloomed all in a single night. The servants have never seen plum blossoms bloom so magnificently, and found it so extraordinary that they lingered outside to look a while longer.”

Qin Yao heard that the plum blossoms had bloomed, and could not bear to stay in bed. She quickly said to Lin Xiao: “I want to go outside and view the plum blossoms too.”

Lin Xiao couldn’t deny her, and called people in to help her dress. Once she was ready, he personally took her arm and led her out to the covered walkway. The moment they stepped outside, a cool and refreshing fragrance drifted toward them. Looking up, they indeed saw a courtyard full of plum blossoms glowing like red clouds — the buds on every branch had opened almost overnight. The petals had bloomed to their fullest, crystalline and translucent, their color rich and luminous, shimmering radiantly against the expanse of white snow. It was a scene of rare and breathtaking splendor that drew nothing but praise from all who beheld it.

Qin Yao gasped in delight and said to Lin Xiao: “I had thought we’d planted white plums — I never imagined they would turn out to be red plums, and red ones of such elegant, enchanting beauty. With plum blossoms surrounding the house like this, one truly cannot look one’s fill. Let’s have the servants set up a red clay brazier right away, warm some wine, and enjoy the snow and plum blossoms together — what do you say?”

Hearing how happy Qin Yao was, Lin Xiao turned to straighten the “Searching for Plum in the Snow” hairpin on her head, and said: “The idea is a lovely one — but you are with child now. Perhaps the wine can wait a while, and we can substitute tea for wine instead?”

Qin Yao heard the placating tone in his words as though humoring a child, and shot him a displeased sidelong look. “Didn’t we say just this morning to have Physician Yu come and ask? Let’s ask everything at once.”

When Qin Yao said this, she was thinking about whether or not she could drink wine. But Lin Xiao’s mind immediately leaped to the romantic scenes of the previous night within the golden gauze bed-curtains. His face warmed and he coughed once, saying: “Mm.”

A few days later, the Emperor announced that Consort Yi had colluded with foreign enemies and plotted to usurp the throne, and issued a cup of poisoned wine to execute her. He uprooted Consort Yi’s entire clan, purged the faction of her partisans within the court, and virtually every official who had any connection to Consort Yi fell without exception.

The Crown Prince and Prince Wu had fortunately survived with their lives, but were stripped of their imperial status and banished to a distant place, never to return to Chang’an.

In addition to this, he issued an edict proclaiming that the son born of the late Consort Hui would be established as Crown Prince. The entire court was in an uproar, buzzing with debate.

Because the weather was bitterly cold and her morning sickness persisted, Qin Yao rarely went out, and for the most part stayed home. Yet she still learned from Lin Xiao’s account that Consort Yi had nominally been given poisoned wine by the Emperor and put to death, but was in reality still being kept under confinement at Dayin Temple, awaiting only the completion of her Master’s preparatory arrangements, after which the Emperor would carry out the formal execution of Consort Yi, exchange her life fate with Consort Hui’s, and help Consort Hui reincarnate.

What was strange was that the Emperor, knowing full well that the corpse poison had infiltrated his heart meridians and would inevitably shorten his life, showed not the slightest concern about it. He simply had A’Han brought into the palace and taught him personally day and night — as if wishing to impart the full art of rulership in the shortest possible time, holding nothing back.

In addition, he issued an edict decreeing the betrothal of A’Han and Liu Bingyu, and ordered the Imperial Bureau of Astronomy to determine an auspicious date for the Crown Prince’s wedding at the earliest opportunity. His urgency was such that it seemed he feared he might not live to see the day of A’Han’s wedding.

After the Emperor issued this succession of edicts, within the space of just a few days, the various factions within the court were reshuffled entirely. Under the weight of imperial power, the fates of many people underwent earth-shattering transformations.

At the Wei Duke’s Manor.

Princess Derong wept as if her heart were breaking, and said to the Wei Duke: “My Lord, think of some way — I cannot simply stand by and watch my daughter follow Prince Wu into exile to a desolate and godforsaken place like Wild Goose Pass. She is of delicate constitution; how could she endure such bitter cold and barren hardship? I’ve heard she has been locked up in the prison these past few days with Prince Wu, already sick to the point of death. If she is truly sent into exile, she will likely not survive it. My Lord, you have always favored the eldest and second children — but A’Yuan is the flesh of my heart. How am I to bear it?”

The Wei Duke said coolly: “You are not unaware — the Emperor, because of the matter of Consort Hui, has had old and new grievances stirred up all at once. He now regards Consort Yi and her children as thorns in his eye and flesh. He has also repeatedly denounced the Fifth Imperial Elder Brother in open court as a man without virtue, and if he cannot overcome a moment of resentment in his heart, he might well vent his anger on the Wei Duke’s Manor over the matter of the Fifth Imperial Elder Brother and make trouble for us again. At a critical juncture like this, how can we possibly go before the Emperor to plead for A’Yuan? We were banished once, and the Wei Duke’s Manor has yet to fully recover its vitality. If it happens again, the entire clan could be wiped out.”

Princess Derong knew full well that her husband had been left with a lingering dread from the events of years past, and that his greatest fear was seeing the Wei Duke Manor’s century-long legacy destroyed in his hands. Asking her husband to jeopardize the family’s interests for the sake of their daughter was essentially impossible.

And yet she remained unwilling to accept it, and wept: “Those mother and sons were so recklessly bold as to dare commit treason and rebellion. Our A’Yuan did nothing more than marry Prince Wu as his wife — she was uninvolved from beginning to end. She is so completely blameless — why should she suffer for the crimes those mother and sons committed? Our elder brother is not the unreasonable sort. If I go and plead for clemency, he might well be willing to spare A’Yuan.”

The Wei Duke’s expression turned iron-gray as he looked at his wife and said sharply: “A’Yuan is blameless? You truly need me to speak plainly before you’ll understand? Let’s not speak of anything else — on the day our family of four was captured by Consort Yi and used as leverage to coerce Second Brother into submission, where was A’Yuan?”

Derong froze, forgetting to wipe her tears. “My Lord, what do you mean by that?”

The Wei Duke said coldly: “I only found out afterward — A’Yuan had been hidden in a carriage protected by one of Consort Yi’s personal guard contingents. She knew full well that Consort Yi intended to use us to coerce your second brother, yet she neither gave us warning beforehand nor came forward to plead for us afterward. When Consort Yi threatened your second brother by saying she would have me cut to pieces, A’Yuan hid in the carriage and did not even show her face. From this alone, one can see just how cold-hearted and ruthless that child truly is — and you are still defending her?”

Derong said in a trembling voice: “No — that cannot be. A’Yuan would never do such a thing. There must be some misunderstanding.”

The Wei Duke let out a cold snort. “When the Zhechong Prefecture troops surrendered, the carriage A’Yuan was in happened to be among them and was one of the first to be seized by the Imperial Guard. She stepped down from the carriage perfectly unharmed — can that be falsified? Hmph — I know exactly what that child was calculating. She knew that having already married Prince Wu, she had no choice but to follow one road to its end. Consort Yi was going to rebel, so she agreed without a second thought to join her mother-in-law in rebellion. That child has always been selfish. Compared to her own security and comfort, what did the lives of our family — or even the life or death of her second brother — amount to? It is fortunate that Second Brother chose death rather than submit to Consort Yi. Otherwise the Wei Duke’s Manor would long since have been convicted of treason and the entire family put to the sword.”

Derong’s expression was terrible to behold, but she stubbornly insisted: “It’s possible she was also coerced by Consort Yi. One can’t blame her for it.”

“Coerced by Consort Yi?” the Wei Duke said. “At the time, Chang’an was in total chaos, and Prince Wu was not in the manor. Did she come to the Wei Duke’s Manor to find us? No — she went to find her mother-in-law first. Then she personally witnessed how we were being humiliated by Consort Yi. She was not far from us, and yet she stayed in the carriage of her own accord, watching it all unfold. Just think about what kind of cold, hard heart that must require. The most chilling part — did you not notice what Consort Yi said when she was enticing Second Brother? Every single word seemed to be aimed precisely at his vulnerabilities. If A’Yuan had not forewarned Consort Yi about Second Brother’s weak points, telling her exactly how to tempt him into submission, how could each sentence have struck so unerringly at his deepest concerns? I was listening and felt a cold dread come over me, afraid that Second Brother might act foolishly. Fortunately, that child still knew enough to recognize reason and did not abandon the Wei Duke Manor’s century-long legacy for the sake of his own selfish interests.”

Derong listened, her hands and feet growing cold, her lips parting and closing, unable to utter another word.

The Wei Duke said in an icy voice: “I advise you to stop running about for that child’s sake, and stop thinking of ways to go visit her at the Court of Judicial Review. That child is just like her mother-in-law — in her heart, there is only herself and no one else. She is simply not worth it for us to stake the lives and fortunes of the entire family on her behalf. Eldest Brother has yet to take a wife; Second Brother has only just returned from Jade Gate Pass with his life intact. You had better think it through carefully — you have more than just this one daughter. Don’t be foolish again.”