Yu Qixia’s response came half a month later.

At that time, Wanwan was crouched in front of the cage feeding her squirrel when Tonghuan entered to announce that Master Yu had arrived. She stood up, wiped her hands, and passed through the floor screen to reach the front hall.

Yu Qixia stepped forward with a respectful bow. “Your Highness commanded me that day to investigate the military forces in Xuzhou and other regions. The spies I sent out returned last night, and I’ve come early this morning to report to Your Highness. In each prefecture and county, beyond the personnel assigned to government offices, the garrison forces defending each location exceed the court’s prescribed limits. According to the spies’ count, approximately one thousand men per location. Calculating based on Prince Nanyuan’s twenty-six counties of fiefdom, at most twenty-six thousand men.”

She paced around the room in contemplation. “Twenty-six thousand men… Adding what you investigated last time regarding Jinling’s garrison troops, frontier soldiers, and naval forces, all together it amounts to roughly fifty thousand, correct?”

Yu Qixia confirmed, “Fifty thousand troops, if not more.”

“What can fifty thousand men accomplish?” She frowned and clenched her fist. “Nanyuan’s territory is vast. If concentrated in one place, it would appear quite formidable, but if scattered, it seems insufficient to fear. What I’m grateful for now is that these forces are merely infantry and cavalry. I don’t fear land generals, but I fear those fifty thousand men operating naval forces. So many warships are moored at Xinjiang port – if naval control is lost and they sail straight down to Tianjin, the capital would be in danger.”

Yu Qixia raised his eyes slightly, listening to her analyze military deployment and battle lines with such thoroughness that she hardly seemed like a princess from the inner chambers.

But ultimately, she had personal concerns. One moment she was planning for contingencies, the next she relaxed and leaned dejectedly against the mother-of-pearl cabinet. “He told me last time, and I know he’s also protecting himself. Nanyuan still has me, secretly investigating the forces under his command. But what about the other seven princes? Who can guarantee they don’t have a single soldier?”

Yu Qixia agreed, “Your Highness need not worry for now. Our Great Ye has two million mighty troops. Even if the vassal princes hold fifty thousand, it’s merely a drop in the ocean, no cause for concern. Only I fear…”

Seeing his hesitation, she told him to speak freely. Tucking his sleeves, he continued, “The Qi people’s soldiers have a custom – in peacetime they farm, appearing no different from ordinary people, but once war breaks out, they can gather from all directions and don armor for battle. So exactly how many troops the Prince truly commands is impossible to determine.”

She froze, saying anxiously, “You mean our investigation of him is all futile effort?”

Yu Qixia showed a helpless expression. “Indeed so. But Your Highness needn’t think the worst. Perhaps the Prince truly has only this many men under his command – it’s not impossible. I must still advise Your Highness: there is His Majesty in the court. Whether war or peace, these are men’s affairs. Your Highness need only take care of yourself. Between these two sides, one is your imperial brother, the other your prince consort. Whatever happens in the future, Your Highness will always remain safe and sound.”

She smiled upon hearing this, though the curve of her lips was twisted – it probably shouldn’t be called a smile.

“Safe and sound… Inner Attendant, do you truly think so? When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact? Regardless of which side suffers damage, for me it would be utter catastrophe. What I most hope for is maintaining the status quo. How wonderful things are now – I want to live well with the Prince and have a child. I used to always feel lonely, and just when things around me became lively, I don’t want it all to end so quickly.”

Tonghuan laughed and smoothed things over. “Your Highness is truly frightening yourself with such talk. Just the other day you told me you could tolerate him commanding fifty thousand troops, and now the numbers match your expectations – why worry again?” She turned to scold Yu Qixia reproachfully, “Master Yu too, don’t lead Your Highness down that path. Baseless matters – with your few words, you’ll frighten her into illness. It’s leisurely today. Master Yu should play a few games with Her Highness. I’ll have someone bring the chess table and set it by the threshold window where there’s a breeze.”

Yu Qixia quickly agreed, “I was rash to speak of such matters before Your Highness.”

But Wanwan shook her head. “People say confusion is a blessing – that the confused have confused fortune – but I don’t see it that way. I’d rather be clear-minded at all times, so when crisis comes I won’t panic.” She smiled. “Imperial families are like this – the donkey may fall but the frame remains upright. There’s a phrase about ‘meeting death with composure’ – even in death, one must die with grace and backbone. This is the instruction left by our ancestors.”

Everyone in the room felt an indescribable sensation hearing this. She regarded rivers and mountains, the state and society with great importance, yet His Majesty’s governance carried an air of cynical detachment. Sometimes Tonghuan would advise her, but her response left Tonghuan speechless: “In the Murong family of this generation, only our branch remains. If brother cannot hold onto the kingdom, how will it be passed to the children below? I’m not doing this for him – I’m doing it for the Murongs. My son will one day serve alongside those princes, and I will naturally serve alongside my brother.”

Everyone has a faith in their heart. When faith persists too long it becomes obsession. Her worry for country and people had intensified since visiting Huaining. Great Ye had become like this, so far from the prosperity of its founding. If descendants cannot preserve their ancestors’ legacy, how will they face recognition when they descend to the afterlife?

She didn’t want to play chess, and there was no need to set up the board. She said today she had no interest: “I see many lotus flowers have bloomed in the pond. Let’s go there to admire them.”

Yu Qixia bowed and took his leave. She went to the mirror, undid her hair, used a golden sparrow hairpin to twist up her locks, and went alone toward the lakeside.

Nearly June now, the weather grew hotter day by day. When the sun was directly overhead, it was impossible to go outdoors. This was her first summer since coming to Jiangnan, and the southern climate was indeed more distinct than the north. Fortunately there was a long corridor over the lake, its roof thatched with straw. She picked up a fishing rod intending to find a place to bait it, feeling wind rush up under her skirt. The cool breeze over the lake made it an excellent place to escape the heat.

She was different from those girls who were “afraid of light cold, don’t lean on railings.” When others played on swings or competed with grasses, she preferred fishing for fish and crabs. She had a robust constitution and had tested twice that she wasn’t afraid of cold, so when lake delicacies were cooked, she dared eat them dipped in sauce. Last time she ate crab, Lan Zhou saw her and exclaimed in alarm, “That thing is so dirty!” She glared at him resentfully, thinking this child didn’t know how to speak – she had already eaten several, and him calling it dirty was clearly not giving her face.

She pushed the remaining two toward him. “I caught these myself – there’s no third one under heaven. Your arrival couldn’t be more timely. Consider this a reward – you eat them.”

Lan Zhou was an odd child. He didn’t like eating such things, but hearing there was no third one in the world, he quietly glanced at her. “Didn’t Mother leave any for Father?”

She shook her head. “Your father won’t even let me fish, saying if I want to eat something, I should instruct the cook. How can market purchases compare to what I catch myself!” She cracked one open and pointed to the roe inside. “Look how plump!”

Lan Zhou knew a crab’s essence lay in its roe. He carefully picked it out into her dish. “Son will eat the body – Mother should eat this. But be careful, this type of thing is cold in nature, better to eat little.”

The child spoke like an old scholar, and she sighed that this child was pitiable, having almost no childhood. From the time he became sensible, everyone treated him like an adult. Life in the Prince’s mansion was as difficult as in the palace.

He ate the crab gracefully, initially somewhat afraid, but later seemed to taste its flavor and smiled, saying, “Next time when Mother goes, call your son along. Son will catch crabs while Mother handles the nets.”

Her unique hobby of crab catching became known to Liangshi. Yanwan Lake originally had few crabs and they were difficult to catch. To avoid disappointing her, he bought ten basketfuls from outside and poured them into the lake, so that when night fell and the moon rose, the lakeside was full of rustling crab sounds.

Sigh, setting aside those unpleasant matters, her life was actually quite good. One should know contentment. She often wondered if she was too serious, making herself so tired.

She sat down in a shaded spot, her skirt light and delicate, blown by wind into the water without her noticing. She had a special technique for crab fishing – hanging pork liver on a rope. Because it was so durable, she usually didn’t need to change bait. She whiled away time on the lake, gazing at the flowers and leaves covering its surface, her heart very peaceful, temporarily able to forget those unpleasant matters.

Crabs are quite foolish, lacking brains – when they find food, they disregard danger and chomp away greedily. When lifted from water and placed at the bucket’s edge, they won’t shake off even when jostled – you have to pull hard. Wanwan had just pulled one off when Xiao You came running over, holding up a letter respectfully: “The old master probably misses you again.”

It was still addressed “To Imperial Sister,” Wanwan opened and read it. First came a poem, flowing with literary grace and free of artifice – His Majesty’s recent insights from elixir refinement. Next he spoke of how much he missed his sister, how she was thousands of li from the capital, and he wondered about her health now. In a few days would be their mother’s death anniversary. In previous years the siblings worshipped together; this year only brother would be alone, feeling doubly lonely. If sister were willing, she could return to the capital for a short stay to renew sibling bonds. Brother had recently found second love, suddenly tasting love’s flavor, so much so that he very much wanted to make that person empress, yet feared sister’s displeasure and wished to hear sister’s opinion. Reading further, he finally wrote clearly, though hesitantly, that the person who made him feel like spring breeze was none other than Tongyun, originally a maid of Yin Luo who later, by the Empress Dowager’s arranged marriage, wed Xiao Duo.

Wanwan broke into a cold sweat, stunned for a long moment, then angrily threw the letter into the water.

Increasingly absurd! She knew he had a weakness for young wives. Previously falling for Yin Luo was still acceptable – she merely occupied a position for burial purposes. Now he fancied Tongyun, who was nominally a eunuch’s family member. While Xiao Duo fought for him in Ryukyu, he dug into others’ foundations at home. If this reputation spread, how could it be endured?

She took deep breaths, her complexion changing completely. Xiao You looked at the letter in the water, ink spreading like dark clouds floating over peach blossom paper.

“What’s wrong, Master? Has His Majesty done something outrageous again?”

Tears spun in her eye sockets. “This time, he’s fallen for Tongyun.”

Xiao You stuck out her tongue. “Tongyun who’s paired with Chief Xiao? Why does he always love stealing Chief Xiao’s women? Once wasn’t enough, now twice?” Suddenly struck by inspiration: “Actually, His Majesty likes Chief Xiao, right? Otherwise why always oppose him? He just wants Chief Xiao to notice him.”

This sentence forced Wanwan’s tears back, and she laughed while spitting: “Talking complete nonsense! If they heard you, see if they don’t pull out your tongue!” Then she sighed. “What can be done? My brother truly infuriates me. If he were content being an idle prince, he could live comfortably his whole life… Here I am anxious and angry for his sake, while he spends all day pondering such matters, even asking my opinion. What am I supposed to say?”

She stopped catching crabs and sadly returned to her study, ground ink and replied to him, saying she also greatly missed her imperial brother and respectfully wished him ten thousand blessings and golden peace. Regarding making Tongyun empress, this matter absolutely could not be discussed. One of humble birth, how could she bear the ceremony of occupying the primary position? Moreover, she belonged to another family, not an unattached woman from outside. When court officials began their protests to the death, they would go cry to the ancestors’ spirits in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Let Imperial Brother wait a moment – he could select anew, choosing a good young lady from a poetry and propriety family to enthrone as empress. With spiritual compatibility, he could exchange poems with Imperial Brother in future – wouldn’t that be delightful?

The letter was sent, but whether it could persuade him remained unknown. She understood his temperament – once he set his heart on something, if it couldn’t be accomplished today, it must be tomorrow. Sometimes she inevitably felt discouraged – what use was all her worry? The one in power paid no attention to affairs. Even if she ground herself to powder, she couldn’t save this vast realm.

Fortunately, Liangshi was different from him. Setting aside those troops, as a husband he was at least wholehearted.

Whether someone truly has feelings for you can be sensed. With so many temptations outside, she also used her wits. His official social obligations were constant – what kind of place was the Qinhuai River? A land of singing and dancing, of wine and gold extravagance. In that winding waterway, who knew how much rouge and powder had settled? When lanterns first lit at evening, painted boats hung lanterns and decorations on all sides. Wine and beauty confused the eye, and those beauties eager to leave their profession cared about none of that – becoming someone’s concubine was better than welcoming and sending off guests, selling their looks. She sent people to secretly watch him. Whether one’s character was good could be seen truly in pleasure quarters. The spies’ reports didn’t disappoint her – while drinking there were indeed people accompanying him, but that was mere decoration, harmless. When officials drank several rounds and became dissolute and unsightly, the Prince paid for their overnight stays then returned to his mansion alone. She knew what happened after – he returned to her room, sleeping peacefully beside her. When she was thirsty at night, he poured water for her. When she kicked off covers, he would replace them. Such attentive bed service was far superior to palace maids keeping night watch.

With a headful of troubles, she decided to wait for him at the mansion gate. Seeing a sedan chair coming from the alley mouth in the distance, it stopped and attendants lifted the curtain. When he alighted, his complexion was poor, complaining that the chair was unsteady while angrily entering the gate.

When he was angry, she became somewhat afraid, feeling like Lan Zhou – still quite fearful of him. Hesitating by the gate whether to approach, he suddenly saw her. His expression immediately became gentle, and he hurried over with quick steps.

“Why are you here?” He grasped her hand, barely concealing his delight in his voice.

She said, “I was unhappy today and wanted to see you early. Are you also unhappy?”

He was frank: “I was before, but I’ve forgotten now.” He asked why she was unhappy. She hesitated, finally saying she wanted to eat dried tofu and duck tongue soup.

He was very agreeable, removing his hat and tossing it to Rong Bao, pointing north: “Huowa Alley has everything. Whatever you want to eat, I’ll take you there.”

Since the Huaining trip, she hadn’t left the mansion again. The Dowager Consort said outside was unsafe – to go out she must wait for Liangshi’s presence. But he’d been busy continuously, so she could only run to lakeside crab fishing to pass time. Today was fortunate – he would take her out, making her very happy. When joyful, she also smiled with pursed lips, but that warm tenderness flowed from the corners of her eyes, exceptionally sweet and beautiful.

Northern and southern cultures differed. Beijing people habitually called narrow, long streets “hutong,” while Nanjing people preferred “alley.” Huowa Alley didn’t sound as pleasant as Beijing’s Flower Deep Hutong, but its snacks were exceptional. Dried tofu should actually be called stinky tofu – strange how something smelling so awful tasted so fragrant. There was also duck tongue soup. Xiao You had bought it once; she tasted it and felt this flavor was exactly like taste from past-life memories – once eaten, never forgotten.

The two found a corner to sit, both eating with complete focus. Because of the heat and sweating, he fanned with one hand while silently fanning her back. After eating her fill, she burped and immediately flushed red. Soon he also burped and smiled at her, indicating everyone was the same.

They browsed the ghost market, but unfortunately too many people recognized him. At first glance of her, they immediately knelt and kowtowed. Wanwan lost interest in private visits incognito, tugged his sleeve saying to return home – better to disguise themselves another day before coming out.

The two walked slowly in the night. He still remembered her unhappiness and pressed to know the reason. Wanwan considered, figuring the Emperor’s undisguised intentions would be proclaimed to the world sooner or later, so she mentioned Tongyun to him.

He was also surprised. “Tongyun is Xiao Duo’s legitimate wife after all. Even if in name only, she’s properly married. This seems inappropriate.”

She sighed – how could she put it? Who told her brother to have that preference?

“What about you? Why were you unhappy earlier?”

He only said it was nothing – small problems always arose at various princes’ borders, as had been the case for years. She needn’t worry; he could handle it well.

“But yesterday when drinking with Prince Chengdu, someone was always watching me from shadows – I don’t know why.” Walking to Guangyi Street, he stopped and looked at her with a smile. “Guess who that person scouting my movements really was?”

Wanwan’s heart leaped suddenly. Naturally she had to play dumb: “It must have been someone well-meaning, afraid you’d drink too much and ready to escort you home afterward.”

“But I know he entered the Prince’s mansion and spoke with Inner Attendant Yu Qixia.”

Seeing her deeds exposed, she couldn’t prevaricate further and mumbled, “It was me… I was afraid you’d drink too much.”

“Afraid I’d lose control after drinking?” He smiled meaningfully. “If I were that kind of person, would I have needed to wait two months after our wedding? If I’d schemed then, by now…” He placed his hand on her lower abdomen. “My son would already be in there.”