Having received a string of prayer beads blessed by a master, Wang Shi indeed regained her smile, and smiled even more beautifully than before.

As the saying goes, “Having received favors makes one soft-handed”—even if Wang Shi had ten thousand complaints about Wei Rao and her mother, for the sake of those prayer beads, she couldn’t bring herself to find fault with Wei Rao shortly.

Today’s Leisure Manor was particularly lively. As noon approached and the banquet was about to begin, the sound of hoofbeats came from outside the estate—Emperor Yuanjia had sent someone to deliver birthday gifts to Shou’an Jun.

Such imperial favor, no matter how many times received, always felt as reverential as the first time. Shou’an Jun dared not show the slightest arrogance or assume she deserved such treatment from Emperor Yuanjia. She immediately led the entire household of old and young, masters and servants, to rush to the second courtyard of Leisure Manor at the fastest speed, kneeling in order of age and rank to kowtow in gratitude.

Emperor Yuanjia had sent Eunuch Zheng, the second most trusted person by his side. Eunuch Zheng’s appearance alone was enough to demonstrate Emperor Yuanjia’s regard for Shou’an Jun.

“It’s been many days since we last met. Old Madam looks vigorous and appears even younger,” Eunuch Zheng said with a beaming smile as he helped Shou’an Jun to her feet after announcing the imperial birthday edict.

Shou’an Jun smiled: “I’m already sixty—how can I still be young? Last night there was sudden heavy snow. Has His Majesty caught a cold?”

Eunuch Zheng replied: “When the snow fell last night, His Majesty was still reading memorials in the imperial study. He added clothing and blankets in time. Old Madam need not worry.”

Shou’an Jun nodded, glancing at the boxes of birthday gifts carried by the young eunuchs beside them, her eyes showing undisguisable longing.

From Emperor Yuanjia’s birth, she had been serving by his side constantly, holding him countless times, nursing him countless times, personally watching him grow from a babbling infant in swaddling clothes into a graceful young man, personally witnessing him stand out among all the princes to inherit the throne. In Shou’an Jun’s heart, she wasn’t worthy to be Emperor Yuanjia’s mother, but her feelings for Emperor Yuanjia surpassed those of blood relations.

Her actual blood child—she had seen him pitifully few times and spent even less time with him. Over ten years, how much debt of affection had accumulated, yet she could only watch the white-haired bury the black-haired.

“The household is about to begin the feast. Would Eunuch honor us by eating before leaving?”

After reminiscing, Shou’an Jun sincerely invited him.

Eunuch Zheng declined: “This servant must return to the palace to report. I’ll take my leave now. Old Madam, please take care of yourself.”

Palace people were all busy—Shou’an Jun understood. She escorted Eunuch Zheng’s party out of Leisure Manor, and only after the palace convoy had gone far did she lead the household back to the banquet.

“Mother, His Majesty specially sent a convoy over with such fanfare—the Capital City and nearby commoners must have all seen it. This honor is something even the titled ladies of prominent families don’t have,” Wang Shi said. With her mother-in-law gaining face before the emperor, Wang Shi also felt honored. Ultimately, Xiao Zhou Shi was the real culprit who had harmed her two daughters’ reputations.

Shou’an Jun smiled faintly: “I live happily and freely at this estate. I’m too lazy to manage city affairs and don’t want to mention them. You’d all best not speak such words in the future—hearing them annoys me.”

Wang Shi’s smile stiffened, and she instinctively looked toward the Da Zhou Shi and Huo Jingchang couple.

The couple ate their meal as if nothing had happened, not looking at her.

But Wang Shi still felt her dignity was wounded. She lowered her head and didn’t dare say another word until the banquet ended.

“Mother, sister-in-law has no ill intentions. She thought you’d be happy to hear such words,” Da Zhou Shi said after the meal, supporting Shou’an Jun to the inner room to rest. As Shou’an Jun lay on the bed, Da Zhou Shi knelt beside it, personally massaging her old mother’s legs. Having married far away to Taiyuan, what she missed most was her mother. Unfortunately, with the family business keeping people busy, it was rare to find time to return to the Capital City to fulfill filial duties. Even this time, she and her husband would have to leave again after staying just two nights.

Shou’an Jun looked at her eldest daughter and smiled bitterly: “I know. She’s just foolish and doesn’t understand what others want to hear.”

This daughter-in-law Wang Shi was petty-minded but not bad—otherwise, even if Wang Shi didn’t want to leave, Shou’an Jun wouldn’t want to keep a black-hearted daughter-in-law to harm the family.

After discussing Wang Shi, Da Zhou Shi lowered her voice and asked: “Mother, what do you think His Majesty means? He continues to bestow favors on you, but never mentions bringing younger sister and her son back to the capital. I heard that in these two years, His Majesty hasn’t visited Western Mountain Palace even once? Originally, he was the one who insisted on bringing younger sister into the palace, and she even bore him a son. Is he just washing his hands of it all?”

Da Zhou Shi felt indignant for her younger sister. Everyone accused her sister of being a seductive enchantress, but only family members knew the inside story—it was Emperor Yuanjia who coveted her sister’s beauty.

Mentioning this, Shou’an Jun couldn’t even manage a bitter smile.

When Emperor Yuanjia was small, she could still discern his thoughts, but as the child grew older, his mind became increasingly difficult to guess. She couldn’t figure him out even when in the palace, and now, having been out of the palace for over twenty years, even their occasional meetings only involved exchanging pleasantries. Shou’an Jun truly had no confidence about Emperor Yuanjia’s feelings toward her younger daughter.

“Thunder and rain are both imperial grace—let’s leave it to fate.” Since she couldn’t fathom it and had no way to interfere, Shou’an Jun simply stopped thinking about such things. “Your sister’s temperament—living in that palm-sized palace would certainly be constraining, especially with the Empress Dowager suppressing her. For the mother and son to move to the palace retreat may not be a bad thing.”

Shou’an Jun couldn’t see through Emperor Yuanjia, but she understood the Empress Dowager too well. Having her daughter far from the Empress Dowager, Shou’an Jun genuinely felt it was a good thing.

Da Zhou Shi thought about it and nodded in agreement.

“Brother Jue is not young anymore. When do you and your husband plan to arrange a marriage for him?”

Shou’an Jun had her eldest daughter sit beside her to speak intimately—her legs had no problems and didn’t need constant massaging.

Da Zhou Shi’s smile returned as she said softly, “Huizhu is quite likable. What does mother think?”

Shou’an Jun knew her eldest daughter was planning marriages within the extended family, but she immediately rejected the idea: “The Huo family has business to manage from north to south—it will all fall to Brother Jue in the future. Huizhu is innocent and naive without schemes, unsuitable to be the Huo family’s mistress. Huizhen has high aspirations and is set on marrying into royal or noble families, also inappropriate. As for Rao Rao, needless to say, Old Madam Wei would never let her marry into a merchant family. So you’d better go look at suitable young ladies from other families early.”

Da Zhou Shi listened in stunned amazement—so neither of her two nieces nor her great-niece could become her daughter-in-law?

“Listen to me and you won’t go wrong,” Shou’an Jun said finally, then closed her eyes to nap.

Da Zhou Shi was unconvinced. Marriage matters ultimately depend on whether the children are compatible. In the next six months, her son would manage the Capital City branch store and would inevitably come to Leisure Manor frequently to show filial respect to his grandmother. If the male and female cousins saw each other often, perhaps they could form a good match. She was fond of both niece Huizhu and great-niece Rao Rao.

Wei Rao had been cooped up in the Capital City all winter. With such beautiful snow scenery today, she didn’t want to miss it.

After her aunt helped grandmother away, Wei Rao called together cousin brother Huo Jue, cousin sister Zhou Huizhu, and Huo Lin to discuss going out to admire the snow in the corridor corner. Cousin sister Zhou Huizhen always held herself to the standards of a proper lady and never participated in such activities, so Wei Rao didn’t bother inviting her.

Zhou Huizhu shared Wei Rao’s interests and loved to play, immediately agreeing.

Huo Lin looked toward her brother.

Huo Jue looked at Wei Rao and said, “Grandmother probably won’t allow it.”

Wei Rao smiled: “Cousin brother worries too much. Our grandmother is least concerned with such conventional proprieties—she only wants us to have fun. If you don’t believe me, ask Huizhu. Knowing we love to play, grandmother makes us several sets of men’s clothing every year in preparation.”

Zhou Huizhu nodded repeatedly, pulling Huo Lin’s hand: “Sister Lin is about the same height as me—my clothes should fit you. Come with me to change into men’s clothing.”

Without giving Huo Lin a chance to refuse, she laughingly pulled Huo Lin away.

Wei Rao said to Huo Jue, “If cousin brother won’t go, I’ll have Eunuch Li select two guards to accompany us.”

Eunuch Li and Nanny Liu were the young eunuch and palace maid who had served beside the grandmother when she worked in the palace. When grandmother left the palace, Emperor Yuanjia also granted these two to her. Now, Eunuch Li managed the outer estate affairs of Leisure Manor, while Nanny Liu was responsible for the inner quarters. Working together, they assisted the grandmother in managing Leisure Manor in perfect order.

Huo Jue looked at Wei Rao’s face, tender and beautiful as flower petals, and said helplessly, “I’d better accompany you all.”

Wei Rao knew this cousin brother couldn’t possibly let the three sisters go out alone. She told Huo Jue to wait in the front courtyard while she also went to change clothes.

Huo Jue turned and walked toward the front, jiggling the purse at his waist. It contained both banknotes and loose silver—should be enough without needing to send a servant to fetch more.

“Is Young Master going out?” Seeing Huo Jue in blue robes, Eunuch Li specially came to inquire.

Huo Jue smiled, his expression normal: “March snow scenery is rare—I’m accompanying the young ladies out for a stroll.”

Eunuch Li understood. Whenever the Fourth Young Lady came to Leisure Manor, whether to ride horses, go on spring outings, or hunt, she certainly wouldn’t stay quietly at the estate.

“The Second Young Lady and Fourth Young Lady will want to ride horses. How shall Young Master and the other young lady be arranged?” Eunuch Li asked politely.

Huo Jue looked surprised—both female cousins could ride horses?

However, he got his answer from Eunuch Li’s expression.

“Prepare horses for all,” Huo Jue said. His sister, Huo Lin, could also ride horses.

Eunuch Li went to make arrangements. After Huo Jue waited briefly, he saw Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin approaching together. The two young ladies had indeed changed into men’s clothing, but young ladies were still young ladies—the gentle brightness in their eyes and their slender, delicate figures couldn’t fool anyone. The costume change was more for the convenience of movement.

“What, planning to hunt too?” Huo Jue asked, seeing the quivers on the two girls’ shoulders.

Zhou Huizhu laughed: “Of course! The snow is full of rabbit tracks. We just need to follow the footprints and we’ll catch rabbits.”

As they were speaking, Wei Rao also arrived.

Huo Jue looked up, and with this glance, his gaze could hardly move away from Wei Rao.

Wei Rao was wearing a bright red riding outfit, a precious sword at her waist, black boots on her feet, and a black belt inlaid with gems outlining a slender waist that could be grasped with both hands. On her head she wore a black gauze hat with gold trim, the crown embedded with a pearl the size of a lychee, sparkling with lustrous light under the sunshine.

Such an outfit was already quite eye-catching, but compared to Wei Rao’s face of celestial beauty and jade complexion, it immediately became green leaves setting off red flowers.

Slate eyebrows and bright eyes, snow-white skin and vermilion lips—dressed as a man, even her walking showed none of a woman’s restraint and timidity. Heroic and spirited with graceful bearing, as a man who had heard much praise, facing such a Wei Rao—walking closer with an increasingly dazzling smile—Huo Jue’s heart unexpectedly felt a trace of unreasonable shame.

“Sister Rao, you look so beautiful like this!”

As Huo Jue stood stunned, Huo Lin, seeing Wei Rao dressed this way for the first time, ran over in amazement, circling Wei Rao without stopping.

Wei Rao teased her: “Who told you to follow the wrong person? If you had come with me to my room, I would have dressed you the same way.”

Huo Lin knew her limitations—even wearing the same clothes, she couldn’t display Sister Rao’s graceful bearing.

“Alright, let’s set out. I know a mountain path where there are few people and the snow probably hasn’t been trampled yet.”

Gazing toward Cloudy Mist Mountain, Wei Rao said with stirring emotions.