Inside and outside Kunning Palace, palace attendants were bustling in and out everywhere.

Zheng Bao directed them in rearranging the palace chambers.

Moving out what wasn’t needed, moving in what was useful.

Jiang Xuening didn’t need to do anything herself. After giving some instructions, she sat with Fang Miao, who had come to the palace to visit, in the side hall. While peeling oranges and warming themselves by the fire, they chatted about recent interesting events in the capital.

Inside the hall, it was toasty warm.

For the hundredth time, Fang Miao couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration: “When I first met you, I knew you were a person of great fortune with ‘momentum’ about you. Wasn’t I proven right? Look at this palace—in the past, this was a place the Son of Heaven’s women couldn’t wait to come to. Now Grand Princess doesn’t even blink before giving it to you. Never mind being Empress or not, you’re still the mistress of Kunning Palace.”

Although Shen Lang had passed away, the imperial clan hadn’t disintegrated, nor did the court officials intend to disintegrate the imperial clan. So Shen Jie was still Prince Linzi, and Fang Miao was still Princess Linzi.

It was just that no one mentioned “revenge.”

As for the tragic case of the “Three Hundred Righteous Youths” over twenty years ago, the rights and wrongs resided in each person’s heart. Moreover, one had to weigh whether they had the ability to seek revenge from Xie Wei. Even Shen Zhiyi, who controlled heavy troops, didn’t bring up this matter. Others with some perception should be able to see the situation clearly.

Naturally, Fang Miao didn’t get blindly involved either.

Although she had married, the expression in her eyes and brows wasn’t much different from when she was a companion reader at Yangzhi Studio. Even at the inconspicuous corners of her dignified dress, she had secretly hung a small string of copper coins, touching them furtively from time to time.

When her eyes looked at people, there was still that somewhat mystical scrutiny.

But as she looked, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply again: “Alas, what a pity…”

Hearing this, Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but roll her eyes toward heaven: Here we go again, here it comes again—these past days her ears were about to grow calluses from hearing it!

Sure enough, immediately after, Fang Miao used a tone of disappointment and frustration to say: “It’s really such a pity! Actually, what is this Kunning Palace? You’re the woman who nearly had the entire imperial palace in her grasp! Such a great opportunity placed right before your eyes, the realm within your reach. If only you had nodded your head at that time, who knows—the realm might have changed to a female ruler!”

Jiang Xuening didn’t respond.

A trace of regret appeared in Fang Miao’s eyes: “At that time, maybe I could have been like that monk Yuanji, freeloading food and drink, leeching off you to become a National Preceptor—wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Jiang Xuening broke off a piece of orange and popped it into her mouth, laughing: “The sky is just about to darken—quite suitable for you to daydream right now.”

She wore a light blue dress.

When she raised her hand, the finest silk slid down her smooth skin in layers, revealing her slender, fair wrist. On it hung loosely a string of transparent, clear amber-yellow prayer beads that gently swayed, refracting soft radiance.

Called “amber-yellow,” it wasn’t actually amber but a jade variety from Hotan more precious than mutton-fat jade. It looked similar to amber-yellow jade, but the price difference was astronomical. Apart from a small amount owned by wealthy civilians, the rest had been presented to the imperial family.

Fang Miao still remembered that Shen Jie had brought back a piece once.

At the time, she had been delighted looking at it, pondering whether to make it into a small jade pendant to wear or fashion it into a forehead ornament. In the end, unable to decide and reluctant to carelessly work it, she had simply locked it in a box.

But now looking at Jiang Xuening, such a beautiful, smooth string hung on her wrist. Twelve beads polished smooth and delicate, graceful and lovely. At first glance, one would probably mistake it for amber.

After all, no family with money squandered it this way.

Taking a whole piece of yellow jade to make into a seal or jade pendant was one thing, but to cut it up and polish it into beads—who knew how much fine jade material would be wasted. It was simply reckless waste of Heaven’s gifts. Not to mention, the jade color was so uniform and the quality so superior throughout—Heaven knew how much effort it took to gather enough!

Fang Miao had seen her wearing this bracelet a few days ago. At first glance, she hadn’t paid attention, but later, catching a glimpse of it against the light, she discovered this thing was actually Hotan yellow jade and was nearly scared out of her wits.

So with some envy, she had said this string was truly beautiful.

At the time, Jiang Xuening was doing something else and only replied absentmindedly and indifferently: “Xie Ju’an casually gave it last month. It’s not very pretty, so it sat on my vanity gathering dust for over half a month. The other day I knocked my original purple jade bracelet, so I reluctantly picked this up to wear.”

Casually gave it.

Gathered dust for over half a month.

Reluctantly picked up to wear.

Well, comparing people was probably just like this…

At the time, Fang Miao hadn’t wanted to say anything.

Now inadvertently glimpsing this string of beads again, she remembered the heartache from that day. This time she said sincerely: “Only Second Miss Jiang has such good fortune. However much suffering you endured in the past, you can enjoy that much blessing today and live comfortably. If it were someone else, they couldn’t bear such a good fate.”

Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but look at her: “This sigh comes without reason. What matter in the manor is making you unhappy?”

Fang Miao and Shen Jie were a pair of happy adversaries who became acquainted through conflict.

Now they quarreled at the head of the bed and reconciled at its foot.

Young couples’ matters didn’t really need others to interfere much.

However, Shen Jie was kind and soft-hearted. In the back residence, there was still Jiang Xuehui. Although she didn’t fight or compete and could live her days, it was far from any “immortal couple.” At most, it was making do and slightly better than others.

Fang Miao pouted: “You have no idea. Two years ago, wasn’t there talk of establishing him as Crown Prince? Recently, everyone in the capital is guessing who will be Emperor in the future, and some tactless people are guessing it’s him. Now the prince’s manor is quite lively—beyond gold, silver, and treasures, all sorts of enchanting beauties are being sent to the back courtyard. Today it’s a chance encounter admiring snow, tomorrow it’s a meeting under the moon. Even when there’s nothing, they can create something—a complete chaotic mess. Tonight I don’t want to go back and suffer that torment. If you won’t keep me, I’ll go leech off Her Highness for a place to sleep.”

The words were said lightly, yet inevitably carried some sourness.

Whenever true feelings were involved, how could one face it so calmly and peacefully?

Jiang Xuening smiled: “You’re bothered by this, you’re jealous. But since he has no interest in these people, they’re just lighting lamps for a blind man—wasting wax. You don’t need to take it to heart. It’ll just be annoying for a while.”

Fang Miao said: “I know he’s done nothing wrong, but I’m still unhappy looking at it.”

This kind of thing always had no reason to it.

Being able to control oneself from venting anger on others was very difficult.

To say she wasn’t annoyed was false. She wished she could drive out that bunch of ill-intentioned women and keep them from parading in front of her.

However, lifting her eyes to look at Jiang Xuening, she suddenly froze.

Jiang Xuening asked: “What’s wrong?”

Fang Miao blinked: “Are you never like this?”

Jiang Xuening didn’t catch on: “Like what?”

Fang Miao sat up straight, gazing at her, her eyes showing more probing seriousness: “Like me. In common terms, it’s called ‘being jealous.’ For instance, when other women get close to him, even though it’s not his fault, you’re just unhappy, can’t help it, and even make him suffer for it. Have you never felt this way?”

Being jealous?

Jiang Xuening thought carefully and really hadn’t.

So she shook her head.

A trace of astonishment immediately crossed Fang Miao’s face: “How can that be possible?”

She couldn’t help wanting to press further.

However, at this moment, someone suddenly came from outside to announce that Xie Shaoshi was coming this way.

Fang Miao immediately closed her mouth. At the same time, she felt somewhat inexplicably guilty and timid. Quickly standing up, she said: “It’s getting late too. I suddenly remembered that I’ve been talking with you for so long here and haven’t yet paid my respects to Her Highness. I’ll take my leave first!”

With that, she greased her heels and fled.

That manner was exactly like a poorly performing student afraid of encountering their teacher, avoiding as far as possible. After all, back at Yangzhi Studio, Fang Miao had been quite the expert at slacking off and didn’t dare be seen.

Thus, when Xie Wei came walking through the falling snow holding an umbrella, he saw Jiang Xuening in the side hall holding half a peeled orange, looking at him with a rather helpless expression.

A newly arrived palace maid immediately stepped forward to take his umbrella.

But unexpectedly, Xie Wei’s brow furrowed slightly. As if he hadn’t seen her, he gently leaned the already closed umbrella against a corridor pillar himself, then walked inside from outside.

Xie Ju’an never liked relying on others for anything. This was something Jiang Xuening was accustomed to and usually didn’t notice. But today, perhaps because it was a newly arrived palace maid whose face looked unfamiliar, she actually noticed.

The puzzling question Fang Miao had asked earlier suddenly flashed through her mind.

Jiang Xuening blinked, watching him approach.

Coming from the Cabinet duty rooms in this bitter cold weather, his eyes and brows were originally refined and handsome. Now they carried even more of a chill, and when his eyes looked at someone, they had a particularly focused and profound flavor.

His Daoist robe was snow-white, unstained by dust.

From her previous life to this life, she had almost grown accustomed to Xie Wei’s ethereal immortal appearance, as if untouched by mortal affairs. Aside from her own bold and presumptuous self from her previous life, she had never heard of any woman throwing herself at him. It was as if this person was naturally uninterested in women, and others naturally didn’t provoke him either.

But thinking about it, how could that be possible?

Xie Ju’an held high position and power, and was born with such fine features. Even without his full store of intelligence and talent, he was the dream match of countless boudoir maidens. The number of young ladies under heaven who wanted something with him—needless to say, couldn’t possibly be few.

Yet she had heard nothing of it.

Had never even seen it.

Naturally, she wouldn’t be troubled like Fang Miao.

Because Xie Wei was not Shen Jie.

Jiang Xuening was not someone incapable of jealousy. On the contrary, when she made a fuss, she had no shortage of methods. But from the moment she was with Xie Ju’an—even before they were together—she had never had such thoughts. Those petty tempers and moods had never appeared again.

It wasn’t that she had restrained herself or stopped using them.

Rather, Xie Ju’an, without a sound, did everything so well, bringing her not the slightest trouble. So much so that whether it was petty tempers or jealousy, there simply wasn’t even an opportunity to use them.

Her eyes moistened slightly. She stepped forward and actively wrapped her arms around his waist, asking: “Why did you come over?”

He had just come from outside, and his body still carried a chill.

But she had been warmed thoroughly in this hall. Snuggling into his embrace, she dispersed some of that coldness. Xie Wei held her and laughed: “If I didn’t come, with the way you’re working for Shen Zhiyi, who knows how many days you’d sleep in the palace.”

Jiang Xuening bit her lip, smiling: “Who told you not to come pick me up?”

She was always unreasonably argumentative, so righteous and confident. Xie Wei was used to it and didn’t refute. He picked up the snow fox fur-trimmed cloak beside them and draped it over her entire person, leaving only her palm-sized small face exposed. Then he said: “Let’s go home.”