After Yan He left, the sky gradually darkened. Lin Shuanghe also had to leave. Before departing, he instructed Xiao Jue: “Remember to give the medicine to Sister He. After drinking it, she should wake up before long. I will come again tomorrow. Huai Jin, don’t worry too much.”

Having seen Lin Shuanghe off, although He Sui and He Yunsheng were very concerned about He Yan, with Xiao Jue keeping watch by her bed, they felt it improper to enter. He Sui forcibly pulled He Yunsheng away.

The medicine in the bowl gradually cooled. Xiao Jue propped up He Yan, picked up the bowl, and carefully ladled a spoonful into her mouth. The liquid flowed out from the corner of her lips. He hurriedly set the bowl down and took a handkerchief to wipe away the traces of medicine from her mouth, frowning slightly.

He Yan’s complexion was still pale. She had always been carefree, smiling and laughing, the kind of bright personality who could still joke around telling others not to worry even if she herself was severely injured. This was the first time he saw her look pained even in her dreams.

He reached out and gently stroked the top of He Yan’s head. Turning to look at the bowl of nearly cold medicine on the table, he hesitated for a moment before finally making up his mind. Picking up the bowl again, he lowered his head and took a mouthful.

The girl on the bed had her eyes tightly closed, her lashes softly lowered, revealing a fragility she never showed before. The young man’s gaze fixed on her, his body somewhat stiff. After an internal struggle, he slowly leaned over and pressed his lips to hers.

The medicine was no longer hot, just warm, the perfect temperature. By the time he finished feeding her the whole bowl, his ears had turned completely red. Letting out a soft sigh of relief, he sat up straight and tucked the blanket securely around He Yan.

Being a gentleman was never a consideration for Xiao Jue. In the past, he acted entirely according to his feelings. Only with the girl before him did he feel burdened with worries, always afraid of making her develop an aversion.

Xiao Jue took the empty bowl out. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a boy squatting under the eaves across the courtyard, randomly drawing on the snow-covered ground with a tree branch.

It was He Yunsheng.

Seeing Xiao Jue come out, He Yunsheng’s eyes lit up. Xiao Jue took the empty bowl to the kitchen. By the time he returned, He Yunsheng had already come to He Yan’s door, looking at Xiao Jue as if he had something to say.

Xiao Jue closed He Yan’s door to prevent the wind from blowing in before turning to He Yunsheng. “You have something to say to me?”

He Yunsheng swallowed.

In the past, he greatly admired and respected Xiao Jue. Probably all the young men in Shuo Capital felt the same. When did that change? Perhaps it was from the day He Yan took the blame for killing Fan Cheng at Chunlai River, drawing away the pursuers by herself. He Yunsheng suddenly realized that simply admiring others was useless. Only by becoming strong himself could he protect He Yan, He Sui, and those he wanted to protect. Rather than placing his gaze on someone far away, it was better to put more effort into improving himself.

Later, He Yan returned and became the Marquis of Wu’an, even bringing back a fiancé.

That fiancé turned out to be none other than Xiao Jue.

He Yunsheng didn’t harbor any hostility towards Xiao Jue. The resistance he showed stemmed from his anxiety over He Yan. She had nearly lost her life for Fan Cheng’s sake. Who could say for certain that Xiao Jue wasn’t another Fan Cheng?

But today he also witnessed how when He Yan fainted, Xiao Jue kept vigil by her bed, wiping her hands and preparing her medicine, not leaving her side for a moment. He thought that Xiao Jue must truly care for his sister, and that affection ran deeper than he and He Sui had imagined.

“General Xiao,” the boy began, feeling apprehensive yet resolute, “will you always treat He Yan this well?”

Xiao Jue looked at him with some surprise. After a pause, he replied, “I will.”

“My sister… is very different from other women,” He Yunsheng said after some thought. “No one can stop her from doing what she wants to do. And no one can force her to do what she doesn’t want to, no matter what.”

“But she’s a good person. Don’t hurt her.” He Yunsheng’s voice turned solemn. “If you do hurt her, even at the cost of everything, I will make you answer for it.”

Xiao Jue looked at him for a long while before smiling. “Very well.” After a pause, he added, “But you won’t get that chance.”

He Yunsheng also smiled. “This is a conversation between two men. Don’t tell He Yan about it after she wakes up.”

Xiao Jue lowered his gaze to the accumulated snow on the ground. The courtyard hadn’t been fully swept, leaving a thin layer. He asked He Yunsheng, “You care a great deal about He Yan?”

The boy instinctively wanted to deny it, but the words died on his tongue. Sighing, he said, “She’s my sister.”

She was his sister. Although she always bullied him, scolded him, and stole his favorite pastries since they were young, she would also stand in front of him, silently protecting him.

In this world, apart from He Sui, they were the closest to each other. How could he not care?

“That’s good,” the young man said softly. “In the future, keep caring about her like this.”

“Of course, I will always care about her.” He Yunsheng couldn’t help glancing at the young man beside him again. For some reason, his earlier concerns had greatly dissipated.

Xiao Jue… was a different sort of person than Fan Cheng.

…

He Yan had a very long dream.

In the dream, she was still a child, wearing a mask. Back then, she hadn’t gone to study at Xianchang Academy yet and was a pitiful creature who could only stay in the manor besides sneaking out through the dog hole every day. One early morning, she came in from fetching water for the monks of East Emperor Mountain. While crawling back through the dog hole, she accidentally ran into a servant who was up early to dispose of the night incense. Startled, she turned and ran, colliding with someone.

That person’s skirt was very fragrant, like spring flowers, so sweet it made one linger. Her voice was soft too, carrying a hint of laughter.

A pair of hands helped her up from the ground.

The lady’s eyes resembled hers somewhat. The gaze that looked upon her was gentle. She drew He Yan to her side, shielding her from view. After the servants left, she gently patted He Yan’s hand and said softly, “It’s alright now. Be careful.”

He Yan was wearing a mask, so the other person couldn’t see her face. But she thought that at that moment, beneath the mask, she must have looked dazed and full of yearning to get close.

The lady turned and left. He Yan followed behind, wanting to call out to her mother. But for some reason, despite the short distance, she couldn’t catch up no matter what. She watched helplessly as the lady walked farther and farther away until vanishing from sight. She fell to the ground, feeling both sad and aggrieved, and couldn’t help bursting into loud sobs.

“He Yan?” Someone seemed to be calling her name.

He Yan opened her eyes and met Xiao Jue’s concerned gaze. Her face felt cool. Reaching up, she discovered it was wet with tears.

In an instant, she understood everything.

The events at Tianxing Terrace replayed in her mind. She closed her eyes, the pain hitting her like a tidal wave.

“My mother, she…” The moment she uttered a word, the tears came streaming down.

He Yan had thought that although she and Madam He were mother and daughter in name, they lacked the feelings to match. During the years she longed for a mother’s love, Madam He was perpetually absent. It wasn’t quite resentment, but there was inevitably some blame. Even after her rebirth, she never knew what attitude to take when facing Madam He again. Now, there would never be a chance.

“His Majesty has permitted me to arrange Madam He’s burial,” Xiao Jue said softly. “He Yan…” He couldn’t think of any words to console the girl before him. “You don’t have to hold back. Cry if you want to.”

Cui Luo had come by to lay everything out in the open. Madam He had long been preparing for this day. The poison wasn’t administered by He Rufei, but hidden by Madam He herself. She had already resolved to die, and with her health, she wouldn’t have lived much longer anyway. She got the token to access Tianxing Terrace from Cui Luo, then took advantage of the He family’s inattention to crawl out through the dog hole He Yan had dug, rushing there just to use her life to pile on a final piece of evidence for He Yan.

The so-called deal with Xiao Jue was Madam He’s last hidden lifeline for He Xinying, as well as the escape route she arranged for He Yan.

Xiao Jue had always scorned the schemes women employed in the rear court to manipulate others, and Madam He’s methods weren’t impressive to begin with. She tried to create the illusion of favoring He Xinying, yet couldn’t help caring about He Yan. In the end, she sacrificed her own life to clear He Yan’s name from the injustice of her previous life. If a mother didn’t love her daughter, she would never go this far.

However, if this was her final wish, he was willing to cooperate and let her have the small satisfaction of her scheme succeeding.

Throughout her life, Madam He rarely had moments when she could decide her fate. She couldn’t choose her birth, but she could choose her death, using it to pave a path forward for her two daughters, even if she would never see it herself.

He Yan choked out, “Xiao Jue, I don’t have a mother anymore… In the future, I won’t have a mother.”

No matter how infrequently the word “mother” had existed in her life, as long as it was there, perhaps a sliver of hope remained. But with Madam He’s passing, she would never have a chance again. The fantasy of having a mother-daughter bond would forever remain a fantasy, with no possibility of coming true.

The heavens were cruel to deny her even this chance, making her deeply regret not saying more to Madam He, when they last, met at Yuhua Temple.

Xiao Jue gazed at her, his heart aching. He of course understood the pain He Yan felt at this moment because he too had experienced it in the past.

If it were physical suffering, he could endure it in He Yan’s place. But this grief of losing a loved one was something no one could bear for her.

“What did she say to you at the end?” He Yan asked.

At that time, only Xiao Jue had been by Madam He’s side. No one heard their final words. She didn’t know what Madam He said in her last moments, whether there was anything meant for her.

“She said,” Xiao Jue paused before slowly continuing, “‘ The lotus swaying in the gentle ripples, how vast and endless like the mighty ocean…'”

“She loved you and wanted you to live well.”

The room instantly filled with the sound of He Yan’s stifled sobs.

After an unknown amount of time, the room quieted down. He Yan wiped away the tears from her face, her voice gradually regaining composure. “Xiao Jue, what about my younger sister He Xinying now that His Majesty has confiscated the He and Xu households?”

“She is not involved in this matter. If…”

“I will explain it to His Majesty. Don’t worry.” Xiao Jue fell silent for a moment before reaching out to embrace her. He said softly, “He Yan, I will always be with you.”

…

In the palace.

In Concubine Lan’s hall, the Fourth Prince was gazing at the burning candle, lost in thought.

“Did you come here just to space out?” Concubine Lan’s words pulled Guangshuo back from his reverie.

Regaining his senses, Guangshuo said, “Mother Concubine, I was just thinking about what happened at Tianxing Terrace today.”

Today’s events sent shockwaves through the court and the entire Great Wei.

“Who would have thought Feinong General was a woman?” Guangshuo still found it hard to believe. “So women can also fight wars and become great generals.”

“Ah, don’t underestimate women.” Concubine Lan smiled and picked up the teacup in front of her. Her voice was light. “You men fight on the battlefield while women fight in the rear court. Neither is easier than the other. Among all the women in the world, what men can do, women can also do. It’s just that too few are willing to stand out. Guangshuo, remember, if you look down on women, you will suffer major losses in the future.”

Guangshuo respectfully said, “Your son will remember that.” After a pause, he sighed, “But that Feinong General, the Second Miss He, was still plotted against and killed by her own family in the end. The He family is truly ruthless, willing to harm even their daughter.”

Concubine Lan gave a noncommittal smile. “It’s not that the time hasn’t come, but that the moment hasn’t arrived. The causes sown by the He family, isn’t it time for them to reap the consequences?”

“That’s true.” Guangshuo nodded at her words. “Now that Father Emperor is investigating and confiscating the He and Xu households with conclusive evidence, the He family definitely can’t turn this around. I suppose this can provide some consolation to the real Marquis He in the netherworld.”

Concubine Lan looked at him, smiling without speaking.

“Mother Concubine, why are you looking at your son like that?”

“What do you think about Minister Xu’s matter?” Concubine Lan asked.

Guangshuo was taken aback.

“Xiao Huaijin and Minister Xu have now completely torn off their facades. Since Xiao Huaijin sent Minister Xu back to prison, he won’t let this opportunity slip by. I think he should have other evidence in his hands.”

“Your son also believes so,” Guangshuo replied. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“I’m afraid Father Emperor won’t deal harshly with Minister Xu.”

“Your father is a man who clings to the past.” Concubine Lan gazed into the distance. “Back when the Emperor first ascended the throne, it was Minister Xu who assisted him in securing that position. Naturally, he holds a special gratitude for Minister Xu that others don’t have. However, your father has grown old.”

Guangshuo looked at the woman before him.

“An aged emperor will make plans for the future. No matter how disappointing your father may be, he certainly doesn’t wish for Great Wei’s rivers and mountains to be destroyed in his hands. Whether for the sake of the Crown Prince or the future heir, the Emperor will punish Minister Xu. Guangshuo, if you want to compete, you should compete for Xiao Huaijin’s favor.”

“In warfare, there is a saying that attacking the heart is the highest strategy. Xiao Huaijin is doing this to redress the grievances against his father. If you add a flourish at this time, it will be like sending charcoal in snowy weather.”

Guangshuo fell silent for a while before saying, “Mother Concubine, your son understands.”

“You are kind like your father.” Concubine Lan looked at him gently. “I know you dislike power struggles and manipulation, but Guangshuo, if you want to be an emperor, you must learn to govern your subjects. This is not a bad thing. Since you were born in the palace and want to choose your destiny, you must do this. In this world, there are no perfect solutions. Look at your father – he has been carefree his whole life, but in the end, isn’t he also restrained?”

Guangshuo didn’t respond.

The candle wax dripped all over the desk like red tears. The great hall was deathly still, with only the fragrance of the woman’s sleeves permeating a layer of vast, cold atmosphere.

…

Xiao Jue entered the palace in the middle of the night.

When the eunuch announced his arrival in the imperial study, Emperor Wenxuan had not yet retired. The table was covered with memorials and case documents, scattered haphazardly. The emperor had no intention of reading them.

He was not a diligent ruler. Perhaps in the first couple of years after ascending the throne, he had tried to be, but later on, he gave up. In this world, there were hardworking emperors as well as mediocre ones. For most of his life, Emperor Wenxuan felt there was nothing wrong with being an average emperor. All he wanted was to live an ordinary life like this. When the time came, he would pass the throne to his son, and that would be enough.

He had indeed lived most of his life this way. Sometimes Emperor Wenxuan himself thought it was quite good. Unlike his father who worried and toiled day in and day out, and unlike the previous emperors who personally led troops to battle, he had it easier than all of them and lived longer too.

Wasn’t Great Wei doing just fine? As long as one was good at employing people, with generals guarding the lands and civil officials governing the court, it could still be a peaceful and prosperous era. Until today, when everything he believed to be true was overturned, Emperor Wenxuan sat there and suddenly realized that all these years, he had not truly been a good emperor.

He was not cut out to be an emperor to begin with. If he had not been born into the imperial family, he would have preferred to be an idle prince, an ordinary son of an official, or even the son of a wealthy merchant. Without grand ambitions or talents, he would have been content to write poetry, paint, and enjoy life’s pleasures, instead of sitting in this position where his every move affected the lives and deaths of millions. If he did poorly, people would curse him behind his back. If he did well, others would think it was only to be expected.

An emperor who yearned for freedom was a great taboo for the royal family. He had hidden his true thoughts deep inside, but as it turned out, everyone could see through it.

Xiao Jue entered.

Emperor Wenxuan looked at the young man before him.

He still remembered the first time Xiao Zhongwu brought Xiao Jue before him. Xiao Jue had only been a youth then, truly handsome, outshining even the imperial princes with his good looks. His bearing was proud, yet also carried a hint of nonchalance, completely different from his gentle and courteous elder brother. At that time, Emperor Wenxuan had thought to himself, Xiao Zhongwu, that military man, actually had two outstanding sons, which was quite enviable.

Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, Xiao Jue had grown so much? The juvenile greenness had completely faded away. The gaze that looked at him was calm, and respectful, yet also held a trace of detachment.

He suddenly thought of Xiao Zhongwu.

“Now that I see it, you do resemble your father somewhat,” Emperor Wenxuan said.

He had always felt Xiao Jue took after Madam Xiao in appearance, with bright and beautiful features, but in fact, his sharpness and composure all came from his father.

“Your Majesty still remembers my father?” Xiao Jue calmly asked.

Emperor Wenxuan was taken aback.

He had thought that after a long time, his memory would fade, but when he recalled it now, Xiao Zhongwu’s image was surprisingly clear. That tall man who always wore golden armor and carried a sword, unlike the scholarly civil officials in court, was like the wind of the northwest – fierce, unrestrained, and filled with a forthright boldness that made all those who yearned for freedom envious.

Emperor Wenxuan was also envious.

But in the end, Xiao Zhongwu died, and the Xiao family had nearly collapsed. If not for the young man before him leading three thousand troops to Guo City, perhaps there would no longer be a Xiao family in Great Wei.

He looked at Xiao Jue. “Back then, did you hate Us?”

“This humble official wouldn’t dare.”

Emperor Wenxuan laughed softly. He wouldn’t dare – that meant he had. Under the heavens, only the man before him had the guts to say this to his face, yet he did not feel angry. Perhaps it was because, for many years, no one had dared to speak the truth before him.

“Your Majesty,” Xiao Jue said, “this humble official implores Your Majesty to spare the life of Hanlin Academician Xu Zhiheng’s wife, He Xinying.”

“He Xinying?”

“The true Feinong General, the Second Miss He’s full-blooded younger sister,” Xiao Jue explained. “After the Second Miss He was killed in a plot and drowned in a pond, the He family married off her sister He Xinying to be Xu Zhiheng’s second wife.” He looked at Emperor Wenxuan. “Madam He is already dead. Sister-in-law Xu is Feinong General’s only living relative left in this world. Moreover, your subject has already been investigated – Sister-in-law Xu was completely unaware of Feinong General and He Rufei exchanging identities.”

“Your Majesty is benevolent. Please spare He Xinying’s life for the sake of the deceased Feinong General.”

“Ah, Feinong General…” Emperor Wenxuan murmured.

Everything that happened at Tianxing Terrace today started because of Feinong General. However, he truly had not expected that the Feinong he appointed back then was a woman.

When He Rufei removed his mask, revealing a handsome face, Emperor Wenxuan even doubted whether the claims of his having a birthmark and an ugly appearance were false. Now it seemed the He family had begun a grand deception since that time.

If the Second Miss He were still alive, Emperor Wenxuan might have still punished her for the crime of deceiving the emperor. But the Second Miss He was dead and died so tragically. With one’s death, like a lamp extinguished, no one remembers the bad things from when they were alive. When looking at a deceased person, people tend to be very forgiving, feeling they had no faults at all.

“Forget it, let her live.” Emperor Wenxuan sighed. “After all, Feinong General did truly charge into battle for Great Wei and quelled the Western Qiang rebellion.”

“Your subject thanks Your Majesty’s divine grace on behalf of Feinong General.”

Emperor Wenxuan looked at Xiao Jue and smiled. “I heard you and Feinong General were once classmates. Seeing you go to such lengths for her, it seems you are also a man who values old ties. If Feinong General is aware of this in the netherworld, she should feel gratified.”

Xiao Jue didn’t respond. Emperor Wenxuan waved his hand. “You may go.”

As the young man paid his respects and was about to leave, Emperor Wenxuan called out to him again.

The emperor’s voice carried a deep weariness. “For so many years, We have treated Minister Xu well. How could Minister Xu still harbor traitorous thoughts?”

The eunuch kept his head lowered, not daring to speak.

After a while, the young man replied indifferently, “Excessive favor leads to arrogance, and too much grace breeds resentment. Perhaps Your Majesty treated him too well.”