In her previous life, in order to break off Yao Xi’s engagement with Zhang Zhe, the Yao family not only spread rumors everywhere that Zhang Zhe was fated to bring misfortune to his wife, but also suppressed him at court. The Embroidered Uniform Guard deliberately fabricated charges to frame him as a stumbling block they wanted removed. Grand Tutor Yao knew full well that Zhang Zhe was wronged yet deliberately turned a blind eye, even adding insult to injury by fanning the flames in the middle, ultimately causing Zhang Zhe to be thrown into prison.

It wasn’t until later, when the former Henan Circuit Censor Gu Chunfang was promoted to Minister of Justice, investigated the circumstances, and mediated the matter, that Zhang Zhe was restored to his official position.

In this life, Jiang Xuening had warned Yao Xi, but she couldn’t predict how Yao Xi and Grand Tutor Yao would choose.

The moment their gazes met, the palace gate entrance grew somewhat quiet.

Jiang Xuening and Yao Xi had some friction between them, but they would still perfunctorily maintain surface cordiality. So acting as if she had forgotten the unpleasantness from several days ago, she proactively greeted her, saying: “Miss Yao.”

Yao Xi started, then curtsied in return.

Only, facing Jiang Xuening who had once said those words to her, her attitude could not warm up no matter what.

Jiang Xuening didn’t mind.

After the eunuchs at the gate inspected the items they were bringing into the palace this time, the two followed them inside.

The last time she entered the palace, Jiang Xuening still harbored hope, thinking she was merely going through the selection process and would ultimately emerge safe and sound to live her carefree days.

But heaven didn’t comply with her wishes.

Never mind that she hadn’t escaped the fate of entering the palace—in this life she had also been targeted by Xie Wei, and with the Marquis of Yongyi’s troubles imminent, she dared not imagine what her circumstances would be during this palace stay.

Layer upon layer of palace gates opened before her eyes in succession, connecting like interlocking rings through the long, quiet palace passages, adorned by high vermilion palace walls.

The oppressive weight of the Forbidden City pressed down upon her.

Everything in the imperial palace was built too high and too large, so much so that when people found themselves within, even raising their heads felt difficult.

Walking through it, Jiang Xuening felt as if she had returned to her previous life: on palace passages both narrow and broad, between floor tile and floor tile, soaked full of fresh blood flowing along the cracks. Even after seeping down through soil and the broken stems of withered grass, it still left behind coldly bloody traces. The originally vermilion palace walls showed deeper vivid crimson in some places as if ink had been splashed upon them, while other places retained the alarming marks of blades and swords. And on the palace gate ahead, what hung was not auspicious qilin beasts, but Zhou Yinzhi’s head with its fierce expression and wide-open eyes that couldn’t close, cruelly pierced through by three iron nails and nailed above everyone’s heads…

Perhaps because it was already late autumn entering winter, the wind passing through the palace passages carried several traces of mournful wailing and cold chill. She couldn’t help but shiver, hunching her shoulders slightly.

The figure of Xie Wei from those years, standing on the Nine-Fold Palace with bow in hand, also drifted up distantly like a nightmare.

Could she truly emerge unscathed from this half year?

At this moment in Yangzhi Studio, several study companions had already arrived and were smiling and chatting with each other.

“Oh my, Fang Miao, Fang Miao, you’ve brought so many miscellaneous things again.”

“These are for changing my fortune. You all know I have a wooden brain and am really not good at studying. If not for Second Miss Jiang guessing the questions beforehand, how could I have been selected as a study companion? This fortune-changing brush stand—I’ll place it on my desk later, only hoping the teachers won’t call on me to read or answer questions. Amitabha, bless me, bless me!”

“Speaking of which, does anyone know what we’ll actually be learning?”

“Besides Teacher Xie teaching the zither, everything else is still unclear.”

“Elder Sister Xiao brought so many books—these must all be rare editions rarely seen in the world, right?”

Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi had come together again this time, sitting by the window inside the room. Fang Miao, who had also arrived very early, couldn’t sit still and walked around the room adjusting the positions of various decorations, saying she wanted to change everyone’s feng shui. Zhou Baoying, the youngest with rosy cheeks, was yawning and lying on the table looking utterly sleepy.

Xiao Shu couldn’t help asking her: “Baoying, why are you so tired?”

Zhou Baoying pouted, looking extremely aggrieved: “After I left the palace and returned home last time, Father actually said I didn’t understand proper etiquette in the palace and had no scholarly learning. He was originally going to buy me pastries from Xingfang Studio, but now it’s all gone…”

“…”

So it was about food.

Xiao Shu was momentarily speechless at this answer and couldn’t respond.

But unexpectedly, the next moment, Zhou Baoying’s little nose suddenly sniffed around, and like a cat catching the scent of fish, her head immediately lifted from the table, her drowsy eyes instantly widening: “There’s food, there’s food!”

And this fragrance was definitely something very delicious!

With her many years of experience, Zhou Baoying could easily detect the scent of delicacies. She immediately jumped up from her seat and looked toward the doorway, calling out in delighted surprise: “Wow, Little Sister Yao brought food!”

Because among the young ladies selected as study companions this time there were two surnamed Yao—one was Yao Rongrong from翰林院 Hanlin Academy Lecturer Yao Duping’s family, and the other was Yao Xi from Grand Tutor and Minister of Personnel Yao Qingyu’s family.

If they both were called “Miss Yao,” it would be difficult to distinguish between them.

So everyone, according to their ages, called Yao Xi “Elder Miss Yao” and Yao Rongrong “Younger Miss Yao.”

At this moment, the one walking in from outside carrying a food box was Yao Rongrong. She came from a modest family background to begin with and had a rather cautious and timid air in the palace. She hadn’t expected someone to suddenly rush out from the room and was nearly startled.

Seeing it was Zhou Baoying, she held the food box forward.

She said: “This is peach slice cake I made myself at home. Thinking that all the elder sisters and little sister Baoying took care of Rongrong before in public, I brought some as a small token of appreciation, hoping everyone will have a taste.”

“It’s for us to eat!”

Zhou Baoying, upon catching that faint sweet fragrance, couldn’t help drooling. Hearing Yao Rongrong say this, her face immediately broke into a brilliant smile, and she almost instantly reached out her hand.

“Then let me taste it first!”

Peach slice cake was made with glutinous rice, peach kernels, and sugar together, all cut into thin small slices. It looked snow-white, with a soft, glutinous, sweet texture, while the peach kernels embedded within added a fragrant sweetness.

Whether it was made well or not depended on how it felt when eaten.

There actually weren’t many shops in the capital that made good peach slice cake, and even if there were, Zhou Baoying had tried them all.

But she hadn’t expected that this peach slice cake made by Yao Rongrong would be refreshingly sweet without being cloying, almost melting upon entering the mouth, yet leaving a lingering aftertaste neither too light nor too heavy.

After just one bite, her eyes widened.

She exclaimed in wonder: “Heavens, this is so delicious!”

Zhou Baoying was someone who lived for eating, and because of her good background, she had basically tasted all the delicacies under heaven, naturally developing a discerning palate—not just anything could please her taste.

Therefore, if she praised something, it was definitely delicious.

Not to mention her current expression of such delighted surprise.

Everyone grew curious. Though they felt Yao Rongrong was sometimes too petty, like when she spoke with Jiang Xuening earlier and wasn’t very clever, this didn’t affect their surface-level socializing.

They all took some peach slice cake to eat.

Indeed, the taste was quite good.

Even Xiao Shu, after taking a bite, couldn’t suppress raising her eyebrows slightly in surprise: “It truly is delicious, comparable even to the famous Xingfang Studio and Qiyun Studio in the capital. I never imagined Miss Yao possessed such skill.”

Yao Rongrong’s face immediately filled with delighted surprise. Clearly she hadn’t expected to receive Xiao Shu’s praise. Her fingers holding the food box trembled slightly as she blushed and said: “Rongrong’s knowledge is shallow. At home I never stepped beyond the gates, so I could only study these things. If Elder Sister Xiao and everyone enjoys it, then I’m happy.”

Everyone said she was being too modest.

The atmosphere in the room became somewhat livelier because of this unexpectedly excellent box of peach slice cake.

Jiang Xuening and Yao Xi entered at this moment.

Fang Miao, holding a compass in her hand calculating something, looked up to see them and greeted them familiarly: “We were just wondering when you two would arrive—you’ve come at just the right time. Younger Miss Yao brought delicious treats. If you’d come any later, I’m afraid Baoying would have eaten everything.”

Zhou Baoying pouted in dissatisfaction.

Yao Rongrong, who had been speaking to others with her head lowered, froze. She was fine when she saw Yao Xi, but felt somewhat uncomfortable when she saw Jiang Xuening, even her smile becoming much more forced. Still, she stood up holding the food box and presented it to them, saying: “Sister Fang is right. This is peach slice cake I made myself. Would both elder sisters like to try some?”

Yao Xi’s mood today clearly wasn’t any better than when she last entered the palace—if anything, it was worse, hiding traces of agitation.

Seeing Yao Rongrong offering peach slice cake, she even seemed somewhat impatient, only saying coldly: “Thank you, but I don’t have much appetite today.”

She then went directly to sit beside Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi.

Yao Rongrong immediately felt extremely awkward.

Everyone’s gazes suddenly fell on Yao Xi, secretly speculating whether there had been some change in that marriage matter of hers to make her act this way.

Jiang Xuening originally didn’t want to take this pastry to eat.

Firstly, her impression of Yao Rongrong wasn’t particularly good—always acting pitifully as if someone was bullying her. Secondly…

In her previous life, she had nearly eaten this thing until she felt nauseated.

So much so that even hearing these three words made her want to vomit.

But Yao Xi had already refused. If she refused as well, the atmosphere would be far too awkward. So giving face, she took a thin slice from the food box, refined and proper as she took a small bite, then smiled and said: “Thank you.”

Just this reaction?

Too bland.

One must know that the peach slice cake Yao Rongrong made was so good even Zhou Baoying couldn’t help praising it. Yet after eating it, Jiang Xuening had no reaction?

For a moment, Zhou Baoying even doubted her own sense of taste, looking at her quite puzzled: “Doesn’t Elder Sister Jiang think it’s very delicious?”

Delicious?

Jiang Xuening lowered her eyes to look at this thin peach slice from which she had bitten a small crescent, and what came to mind was still Xie Wei.

That Grand Tutor Xie who later became famous far and wide.

In her previous life, during the first two years after she became empress, she had sought many good chefs both inside and outside the palace, attempting to make many varieties of peach slice cake, but ultimately never recreated the taste from those years.

Was it that Xie Wei had made it too well, or that she no longer possessed the state of mind from when she first tasted it?

Jiang Xuening truly wasn’t certain.

Even now thinking about it, she felt she must have been dreaming—

That was Xie Ju’an from a prestigious family, whose talent crowned all under heaven! In the eyes of the world, the gentleman among gentlemen, an existence like half a sage—how could he approach the kitchen and be touched by mundane smoke and fire?

The peach slice cake Yao Rongrong made certainly couldn’t be called undelicious, but who, having seen the bright moon in the sky, would lavishly praise the luster of a pearl?

Jiang Xuening glanced at Yao Rongrong beside her, who had already silently lowered her head and was biting her lip.

Finally, she curved her lips slightly and found an excuse, saying: “It should be very delicious, only I myself don’t favor sweet, cloying flavors. I hope you won’t take offense.”

Some people didn’t like even the finest delicacies.

What Jiang Xuening said was naturally correct.

Only, her relationship with Yao Rongrong was also somewhat delicate, so such words inevitably made people think something else.

Zhou Baoying’s thoughts were simple and she didn’t overthink it, only muttering: “I knew it—my tongue is still very reliable. Ah, it’s fine that Second Elder Sister Jiang isn’t eating! Then what’s left is all mine!”

Thinking of this, she immediately cheered up.

Not caring about Yao Rongrong’s expression, she directly pulled the food box in front of herself and happily ate.

Of the eight study companions entering the palace this time, all had arrived except You Yue.

Jiang Xuening also casually sat down beside Fang Miao.

Everyone chatted about things they had encountered in the two days since leaving the palace. Soon, the focus of attention fell on Yao Xi, who had looked unwell from the moment she entered. After all, everyone present knew about her marriage arrangement with Zhang Zhe, and seeing her like this, they inevitably felt some concern.

Xiao Shu asked her quietly: “Has there been some change with the marriage discussion?”

Yao Xi’s willow-leaf brows lowered, nearly bringing her to tears again: “After I returned home, I begged Father many times, but he wouldn’t agree. He insists that Zhang Zhe is a good match. Even Mother can’t persuade him. Now I don’t know what to do…”

Xiao Shu frowned, instinctively glancing at Jiang Xuening.

Jiang Xuening was detached, eyes on nose and nose on heart, lifting her cup to drink tea as if this matter had absolutely nothing to do with her.

The others might not remember everything else, but they all still vividly recalled how ruthlessly Jiang Xuening had dragged You Yue over and pressed her into the water that day.

They all, like Xiao Shu, inexplicably looked toward her.

Jiang Xuening found it amusing: “I’m not the one getting married, and it has nothing to do with me. Why is everyone looking at me?”

Her air of unconcern was actually fine, but in Yao Xi’s eyes it inevitably carried a trace of gloating mockery. Her face alternated between pale and flushed, and for a moment she wanted to stand up and argue with Jiang Xuening.

But unexpectedly, before she could speak, someone came from outside.

It was a young palace maid serving at Yangzhi Studio. Her footsteps were hurried, and she held a letter in her hand. Upon entering, she bowed, raising the envelope above her head: “Greetings to the young ladies. This is a letter Grand Tutor Yao had someone deliver from outside, saying it must be given to Miss Yao to read.”

Yao Xi immediately froze: she had only just left home—why would Father write so soon?

The envelope was handed into her hands.

The outside bore Grand Tutor Yao’s vigorous, powerful handwriting.

In the past when reading family letters, she always felt reassured. Today, for some reason, she felt anxious and unsettled. She didn’t even wait to return to her room before opening the letter right there in the hall.

Inside the thin envelope were just two pages of letter paper.

But when Yao Xi saw the handwriting on the letter paper, she froze: it wasn’t Father’s writing.

Father habitually wrote in running script—vigorous and powerful, also flowing like clouds and water. But these lines were written in slender gold script with fine, strong brushstrokes and sparse, clear structure, even appearing somewhat methodical and proper, revealing a cold, calm solemnity.

“Respectfully presented for Grand Tutor Yao’s personal attention: This junior Zhang Zhe, receiving your great affection and appreciation at court, was granted engagement to your esteemed daughter. Remembering this kindness in my heart, I dare not forget. However, circumstances have changed. Zhe is reckless in character and upright as an official, having fallen from the monarch’s favor first and offended treacherous ministers after. My steps have become difficult…”

In these brief words, he had clearly stated his identity and the purpose of the letter.

Though it was clearly just a thin page of letter paper, through these simple lines one could almost glimpse the cool detachment of the man named “Zhang Zhe” calmly writing by lamplight.

Where was there even half a trace of flattery?

He was clearheaded, even candid, explaining his circumstances to Father Yao. He didn’t put the Yao manor in a difficult position, nor did he covet the Yao family’s status. He actually proactively proposed breaking the engagement.

At this moment, Yao Xi’s originally pale complexion suddenly became flushed, then turned pale again, seemingly ashamed yet seemingly guilty, tears finally brimming in her lashes.

Before, she hadn’t understood.

But now, having read this letter Zhang Zhe wrote to Father, she knew what kind of person as clear as moonlight and pure as wind he must be, and knew what kind of good man she had missed.

And before, she had actually wanted to scheme and trap him, forcing him to break the engagement…

Beyond guilt, a trace of indescribable regret surged up…

Yao Xi couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling.

Only tears kept falling. She set down the letter paper, buried her face in the crook of her arm, and collapsed on the desk crying loudly.

Everyone was startled by her.

Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi both walked to her side, hurriedly asking: “Wasn’t it a letter from Grand Tutor Yao? What did the letter say?”

Yao Xi only cried without answering.

But Jiang Xuening turned her gaze to that page of letter paper, mostly covered by Yao Xi’s arm. Upon seeing those lean, rigid strokes, she smiled silently.

So his calligraphy had been like this even so early…

She had thought it was only practiced later.

Zhang Zhe…

Not deceiving even in darkness, guarding his intentions like a fortified city.

In her previous life, what good fortune had she walked to encounter such a good person?

When Yan Lin was good to her, she was still too young, too stubborn, not understanding how to cherish it at all. By the time she understood later, no one was willing to truly treat her well anymore.

Except for one.

Jiang Xuening lowered her eyelids, looking at Yao Xi collapsed on the desk crying, suddenly thinking: Unwilling to implicate others, proactively breaking the engagement. Then, the Zhang Zhe of now—he shouldn’t have a marriage contract anymore, should he?