It began to snow again. November in the Changbai Mountains was a season of heavy snow, and the weather was bitterly cold. When ten-year-old Hahazhu got up at night to relieve himself, he barely had time to pull down his pants before his little brother froze into an icicle. He quickly found a corner of the wall that blocked the wind. There was a broken wheel lying at the base of the wall. He urinated on the wooden rim, not caring that it splashed and soaked his shoes.

After finishing, he pulled up his waistband and ran. After a few steps, he remembered something and looked back. The lights in the main house were still on, and two shadows—one tall and one short—were cast on the window paper. He couldn’t tell what they were busy with. Guards stood watch under the eaves, so he couldn’t approach to investigate, but faint, intermittent sobbing carried on the wind. The little boy sniffled twice; judging by the sound, it was Guard Mu from the Seventh Prince’s entourage.

Guard Mu cried uncontrollably, tears flowing like a flood. The Twelfth Master stood beside her, arms folded, and said, “Stop crying. I know you feel wronged. It’s my fault—I came too late. From now on, you’ll stay by my side. I won’t let you go back to him, and such mistakes will never happen again.” He stooped to wipe her tears. Her eyes were swollen like walnuts; she was truly heartbroken.

Hong Ce blamed himself. He never imagined Hong Tao could be so crude. Had he known earlier, he would never have allowed her to go back, no matter what. He knew his character well—he never burned bridges, which was sometimes an advantage, but sometimes became a hidden danger. Just like this time—his indecisiveness had nearly caused a disaster. Even thinking about it now made him fearful.

Wrapped in a blanket, she sat in an armchair, her head lowered as she wept pitifully. His heart ached, not knowing how to comfort her. He crouched down to look at her face, stroked her exposed fingertips, and said softly, “If you truly hate me, you can hit me a couple of times to release your anger. The Seventh Prince made arrangements beforehand and didn’t let any information leak out. I only sensed something was wrong when I couldn’t find you in your quarters. I became anxious and forced my way in, which was just a lucky coincidence. It’s my fault for realizing too late—if I had discovered earlier, you wouldn’t have suffered such abuse.”

She raised her reddened eyes to look at him. She couldn’t blame him; his ears were impaired, but he still thought to come find her. If not for his concern, who knows how the Seventh Prince might have devoured her alive! She calmed herself. After repeated blows, her ability to adapt was much stronger than others. The incident had just happened, so she couldn’t see past it now, but once it was over, it wouldn’t matter anymore. She tugged at his arm, asking him to stand up—how could he crouch like that?

“I know the Seventh Prince is unpredictable. When he’s in the mood, he likes to tease people. His tastes are different from others. This isn’t your fault.” But remembering the Seventh Prince’s final words, she felt desperate again. “I’m afraid the Seventh Prince has seen through me. During our struggle earlier, I gave myself away. What should we do now?”

The Twelfth Master said, “This might be for the best. Before, I was trying to be considerate in every way, which almost led to disaster. Now that it’s begun, let’s continue the play. Our hearts are the same—if anything happened to you, I’d blame myself for a lifetime. It’s better than Old Seven knows. With the facts before his eyes, let him decide how to handle it himself.” After speaking, he looked her over and hesitantly said, “Wrapping yourself in a blanket isn’t a solution. I’ll get you clothes to change into. Don’t go back tonight.”

Her gaze shimmered, and her face flushed crimson. Though she knew that wasn’t his meaning, she couldn’t help feeling embarrassed and shy.

He realized his mistake and was incredibly awkward, stammering, “I didn’t… didn’t… I’m worried that the Seventh Prince might harass you again. With you by my side… I’ll feel reassured.”

Her mind was spinning; she wanted nothing more than to shrink into an olive or a walnut. So many things had happened in the first half of the night, and life seemed to have completely changed in a single evening. Her difficulties and secrets were now exposed to everyone, and she had no idea how to proceed. A woman is, after all, a woman. Once her former disguise had collapsed, she felt like she was back at square one. All the messy things had been sorted out, but with nowhere to hide her weakness, she could no longer muster any strength.

“I know, and I wasn’t thinking otherwise. Don’t worry,” she said, fidgeting a bit before lowering her head in embarrassment and saying nothing more.

With her hair loose, she had the clean face of a girl. How had she managed to be so androgynous when mixing with men? It was truly a miracle! When you like someone too much, you can’t look at them directly; staring too long makes your mind wander. He hurriedly averted his gaze and entered the bedchamber, standing dumbfounded by the kang bed for quite a while before remembering what he was supposed to do. He stepped forward and opened the wardrobe door, searching through the pile of clothes for undergarments. This one was too loose; that one’s fabric wasn’t good. After a long search, he found one made of brocade with cloud patterns woven into it. He examined it back and forth before bringing it to her, stammering, “This was newly made before leaving the capital. I’ve only worn it once. You can change into it! That binding… don’t tie it so tightly. You’ll hurt yourself.”

Ding Yi’s face burned hot with embarrassment. Not only had the Seventh Prince seen, but the Twelfth Master who came to rescue her must have caught a glimpse as well. How could she respond to such an intimate topic? Her head hung lower and lower, not daring to look at him. Hong Ce’s concern about the binding wasn’t what she thought—he feared it would harm her body, making it difficult for her to breathe. However, the more uneasy he felt, the more awkward he became. Reflecting on what he’d said, he realized how it sounded!

Unable to explain, he could only stand there speechless. Fortunately, she didn’t mind and carried the bedding as she rose and went to the inner chamber. He stood rubbing his hands together as Sha Tong peeked in through the door, calling out, “Master, this servant has ordered hot water to be brought. Young Tree… Miss Wen has been frightened. She should wash up before resting.”

He nodded slightly, giving Sha Tong a look. “Let her stay here tonight. Clean up the southern kang bed; I’ll make do there.”

Sha Tong was stunned, thinking his master was a fool. Knowing the Seventh Prince was watching like a tiger eyeing its prey, missing such an opportunity could be disastrous. If the Seventh Prince acted up again, Young Tree might not be so lucky. It would be better to settle the matter now. Once settled, everyone could speak reasonably. “A brother’s wife is not to be coveted”—the Seventh Prince, well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, should understand propriety and shame. But the Twelfth Master was a virtuous person; asking him to take advantage of the situation would make him uncomfortable, so as a servant, Sha Tong didn’t suggest it. The Twelfth Master differed from the Seventh Prince; clear-minded people don’t accept instigation, and his understanding was more profound than Sha Tong’s. So Sha Tong simply acknowledged the order, turned around and called people to bring in buckets of hot water. Steam rose from the bucket’s mouth as he used a gourd ladle to pour water into a basin. After mixing it, he knocked on the decorated frame of the floor screen and placed it on the ground outside the curtain.

The Twelfth Master leaned against a pillow, toying with the jade pendant at his waist, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. This incident had created quite a stir and couldn’t be concealed. Fortunately, Old Seven wasn’t complicated—he only knew Ding Yi was female but couldn’t discover her true identity. Without clarifying the matter, he would first keep her by his side. Upon returning to Beijing, he’d find her a marriage match and settle her there, then enter the palace to request imperial permission for marriage, allowing her to properly become his wife. But Old Seven wouldn’t be so easily placated. He had even admitted to being homosexual, but now knowing his beloved was a girl, he might cause trouble. The Yu Wen family must have had poor feng shui at their ancestral graves—father and son competing for women, and now brothers undermining each other. If this wasn’t retribution from a past life, what was it? What could he do? Neither would let go, so it would come down to their abilities. He knew Ding Yi’s heart belonged to him, but he feared Old Seven’s persistent pursuit. They had traveled for months without reaching Ningguta, and it would be half a year before returning to the capital. During this time, they would constantly see each other, which dampened his spirits.

Sha Tong, after preparing the kang bed, instructed the servants, “Keep the fire steady, press it down so the flames don’t rise, and be careful not to cause blisters on the master’s mouth tomorrow.” He then turned to the Twelfth Master with his hands tucked away, “This servant had someone investigate the Seventh Prince’s situation. His Lordship is acting as if nothing happened—he’s already washed up and gone to bed. Master, after today’s incident, how will you handle things when you meet again?”

“What is there to handle?” He slowly stroked his lips with his bent index finger, unconcerned. “For years, I’ve carried out duties for the court based on my abilities. Others come to me asking for favors; I’ve never had to bow and scrape before anyone. I’m accustomed to being alone—having one more brother or one less makes no difference. We share the same surname, and I don’t mind conceding in other matters, but when it comes to her, I’ve decided to be at odds with Old Seven. What kind of person is he? Knowing about my relationship with her, he shamelessly comes to steal her openly. Does he consider me his brother at all? The way he mistreats people, I’ve spared him once out of brotherly affection. If it were anyone else, they’d be crossing the Bridge of No Return by now.”

Sha Tong, seeing his master’s sinister appearance, felt a bit intimidated and muttered, “There’s no way around it. You’re both imperial envoys, tied together this time, staring at each other every day. It’s hard to endure. Perhaps we should do this: have someone escort the lady back to Prince Chun’s mansion. Without her presence, the conflict between you and the Seventh Prince might lessen. After completing the mission in Ningguta and returning to Beijing, we can make long-term plans. What do you think?”

He had considered this idea before but always found it unsuitable. He couldn’t be at ease letting her return alone. The Wen brothers were dead, and someone might be plotting in the shadows. If her identity were revealed, followed by an attempt to eliminate her, he would regret it too late. Even if she entered the prince’s mansion safely, if Noble Consort Tai in Langrun Garden found out and questioned her ambiguous status without any formal arrangement, she would be looked down upon and never able to recover her standing. He sought a lifelong commitment, not just keeping a mistress for amusement.

He slowly shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, “Banner servants who join midway differ from hereditary bondservants. Enrollment requires personal signing and fingerprinting, and that register serves as proof. Without the register, what can be said about banner status? The Seventh Prince’s household management is lax, with captains and lieutenants all idling away their days. Send a message to Guan Zhaojing, asking him to find a way into the Feather Banner and retrieve that register. Once in hand, burn it or bury it—either way works.”

Things had reached this point. The Twelfth Master had always been upright, never engaging in crooked dealings since birth. Now, having fallen for a woman, he was using every trick in the book. Things he previously disdained, he now ordered without blinking an eye. It’s said that when a woman marries, it’s like being reborn, but the same applies to men. With a good wife whose father-in-law holds high office, regardless of whether the son-in-law wears a yellow or red ribbon, he benefits anyway. If the father-in-law’s family is ruined, with the household collapsed, unable to produce anything worthwhile, what can one rely on? Not being a burden for generations would be fortunate enough—what help could they provide? The Twelfth Master had worked hard for half his life, only to falter at this point. Thinking about it seemed truly worthless.

Worthless as it might be, as a servant, Sha Tong wouldn’t interfere with his master’s affairs. Once the master spoke, there was no disobedience. Sha Tong acknowledged the order with a bow and left to carry out the instructions.

He sat there, pinching the bridge of his nose. Without thinking, he glanced back to see her standing by the floor screen. Her hair was loosely tied, and being small in stature, she wore his clothes with the sleeves and trouser legs rolled up several times, giving her the appearance of being swallowed by the garments.

He stared at her, even the best self-discipline couldn’t prevent him from being dazed. He took a few steps forward, stopping a distance away from her, not daring to be presumptuous, and forced a smile, saying, “It’s getting late. Go inside and rest.”

“What about you?” she asked pitifully. “Don’t go far. I’m a bit scared alone.”

In truth, neither wanted to separate—the sentiments of young love, as experienced people know. They wished a day could have twenty hours, without sleep or food, just to be together every moment.

His heart silently rejoiced. He went to her side where she stood frail like a child, wearing soft shoes, barely reaching his shoulder. She was dressed lightly now. He raised his hand, wanting to touch her, but ultimately withdrew it.

“I won’t leave. I’ll stay in the outer chamber,” he said, lifting the curtain and gesturing inside. “Go in. I’ll be your guard. Don’t be afraid.”

She turned around reluctantly, shuffling her steps while looking back at him. “I’m used to my small room. In spacious places, I feel like I’m floating without boundaries, making me uneasy.”

Her tone and expression were moving. He said, “It’s late at night. It’s not appropriate for a man and woman to be alone in one room. Go inside. I’ll watch from a distance until you’re settled, so you won’t be afraid.”

She hesitantly asked, “Won’t you come in?”

He smiled slightly, “I can’t approach the edge of the kang. If I did, I might not be able to leave.”

Her face flushed crimson as she muttered a complaint, “How can you learn to speak so smoothly!”

Hong Ce couldn’t help but laugh. Even grown men aren’t made of clay or wood. Some things he couldn’t tell her—even if he did, she might not understand. He simply agreed, “I’ll keep watch outside. This isn’t like official business between us; being a bit casual is only natural.”

She understood—he wasn’t treating her as an outsider. She smiled and lowered her head. Wearing his clothes and occupying his bedchamber was probably her greatest achievement in this life.

Her steps were particularly lingering, and the palace lamps in the main hall cast long shadows. As she moved forward, she expected the distance between them to increase, but stealing a glance, she saw his shadow still beside her. Wasn’t he supposed to be watching from afar? She blinked at him, and he had already stepped over the threshold. He seemed to suddenly realize this, but it was too late to retreat. He covered up by coughing once, looking around, “The weather is cold. I don’t know if the windows are tightly closed… Get on the kang, don’t catch a cold. I’ll… tuck in your blanket for you.”