Fine rain fell over the imperial capital for several days. With the southern invasion by the Huan Kingdom in full swing, the capital was under curfew. At night, the once-bustling streets were empty save for occasional patrols by the Imperial Guard.
After handing control of the palace defenses back to Wei Zhao, Jiang Yuan, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He now had the energy to personally lead street patrols at night. Seeing a horse-drawn carriage approaching, Jiang Yuan halted. One of his men rushed forward, brandishing a sword: “How dare you! Who travels at this late hour?!”
The carriage slowly came to a stop. Someone inside chuckled softly. The laugh sounded familiar to Jiang Yuan. He stepped closer as an elegant face, caught between a smile and a frown, appeared from behind the curtain. “Lord Jiang!”
Jiang Yuan smiled. “So it’s Elder Sister Su.”
He waved his hand, and his subordinates retreated. The carriage driver also moved away. Jiang Yuan approached and said quietly, “Elder Sister Su, you shouldn’t travel at night. Some of my men don’t recognize you and might offend.”
Su Yan smiled coyly. “I’m not usually so reckless. But today I have urgent business and was hoping to get a pass from Lord Jiang to leave the city.”
Jiang Yuan felt conflicted. The person behind Su Yan was from his unit, and he didn’t want to offend him.
Seeing Jiang Yuan’s hesitation, Su Yan calmly reached into her robes and slowly presented something to him. Jiang Yuan’s expression changed dramatically as he looked at it, then sharply raised his head. Su Yan continued smiling charmingly but said nothing.
Jiang Yuan hurriedly took a token from his waist and handed it to Su Yan. “Shall I escort you out of the city?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Su Yan replied with a smile. “I’ll treat you to a drink another day, Lord Jiang.”
“Safe travels, Elder Sister.”
The carriage passed through the northern gate of the capital and stopped under some pine trees on Rocky Slope. The driver retreated into the darkness.
Su Yan opened a hidden compartment. Yan Shuang Qiao and a young man emerged. Su Yan held her hand and gently tidied her disheveled hair, choking back tears.
Yan Shuang Qiao also wept silently. After a long while, Su Yan said softly, “Shuang Qiao, go now. He’s the only one who can protect you fully and help you retrieve your martial sister.”
Yan Shuang Qiao looked worried. “Aunt, why don’t you come with us? I’m afraid Pei Yan might harm you.”
The young man beside her added, “Yes, Aunt. Pei Yan’s men will soon come to Lan Yue Tower. You’ll be in danger.”
Su Yan shook her head. “Pei Yan won’t do anything that doesn’t benefit him. Your martial sister is unimportant to him, and you’ve already escaped. Hurting me would serve no purpose. Don’t worry, I can protect myself. But the waters in the capital are too murky. I can’t keep you safe, and I dare not let others know you’re Yi Han’s daughter. You must go to him. Only with his power can you be truly safe. After all, he is your—”
Yan Shuang Qiao turned away. Tears rolled down Su Yan’s cheeks as she choked out, “I only hope that when you reach the Huan Kingdom, you’ll be safe and uninvolved in any turmoil.” She turned to the young man. “Ming Fei, I can’t thank you enough for your kindness. Please take care of Shuang Qiao on your journey to Yunzhou.”
Yan Shuang Qiao gripped her hand tightly, reluctant to let go. “Aunt, please help me find out where Pei Yan is hiding my martial sister. Ming Fei has investigated, and she doesn’t seem to be at Changfeng Manor or the Prime Minister’s residence. I’m so worried.”
Su Yan nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my best. I’ll notify you as soon as I have news. You should also ask your… your father to use his influence to help search for Xiao Ci. You must leave quickly. Be extremely careful not to reveal yourselves on the journey.” She took a large cloak and a black gauze hat from the carriage and helped Yan Shuang Qiao put them on.
Steeling herself, Su Yan went to the forest and brought out two fine horses. She lifted Yan Shuang Qiao onto one saddle, then bit her lip and struck the horse’s flank hard. The horse neighed loudly and galloped off. Ming Fei quickly mounted the other horse and followed. The two riders disappeared into the night.
Su Yan leaned against the carriage, weeping softly. “Take care, Shuang Qiao!”
The dining table was made of purple sandalwood inlaid with white jade. Ivory chopsticks carved with dragons lay beside blue and white porcelain bowls from the Ding kiln.
The meal consisted of shark fin soup, braised pork belly, three-treasure duck, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and carp roe soup.
Wei Zhao rested his head on his hand, gazing at the sumptuous dishes with a faint smile. The sleeves of his white robe had slid up to his elbows, revealing arms that seemed even more exquisite than the white jade tabletop.
The Emperor usually ate in silence. He merely glanced up at Wei Zhao once. Tao, the palace eunuch, gave Wei Zhao a meaningful look. Wei Zhao looked at the Emperor and, as he finished eating, called softly, “Your Majesty.”
The Emperor gave a light “Mm.” Wei Zhao took a warm towel from the eunuch and gently wiped the Emperor’s mouth, then offered him ginseng tea to rinse. The Emperor smiled. “You’ve been away for a while and seem to have lost your appetite even more. Or do you feel constrained dining with me?”
Wei Zhao just smiled in response. The Emperor laughed and scolded, “You’re becoming increasingly unruly. You don’t even answer when I ask you a question.”
Wei Zhao replied calmly, “If San Lang were to say he developed a loss of appetite while away due to missing Your Majesty, would Your Majesty accuse San Lang of flattery?”
The Emperor grew even more pleased, feeling the gloom and irritation of recent days from the Huan Kingdom’s invasion lifting somewhat. He stroked Wei Zhao’s left hand. Wei Zhao’s smile froze for an instant, his brow furrowing slightly. His right hand moved to cover his waist, then slowly pulled away.
The Emperor noticed clearly and felt somewhat distressed. “You’re too proud. If it hurts, just groan a bit. No one will laugh at you.”
He released Wei Zhao’s hand. Wei Zhao covered his waist with both hands, resting his head on the table. He let out a soft groan and said lazily, “Your servant obeys.”
The Emperor laughed heartily, and Tao, the eunuch, chuckled along politely. Seeing Wei Zhao’s brow still furrowed, the Emperor said, “It’s getting late. If you’re in pain, go back to your residence and rest. Don’t keep coming to the palace several times a day. Take care of yourself first.”
“Yes,” Wei Zhao stood up. At the door, he turned back. “Your Majesty should rest early too. Let your officials handle any matters. Your dragon body is of utmost importance.”
The Emperor had already picked up some documents. He merely waved his left hand. Wei Zhao silently exited the hall.
When the servants saw Wei Zhao enter his residence, they knew he would change clothes and hurriedly brought out fresh silk robes in plain colors. Wei Zhao’s expression remained neutral as he changed both his outer and inner garments. He then washed his hands in a bronze basin and slowly dried them with a silk towel.
Yi Wu approached and, after the servants had withdrawn, whispered in Wei Zhao’s ear, “Golden Ming has returned from Prince Jing’s residence.” Wei Zhao gave a soft “Mm,” and Yi Wu, sensing his subdued mood today, also retreated.
Old Chang, the steward, entered and said softly, “Master, the meal is ready. Won’t you eat something?”
Wei Zhao leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, resting. After a while, he said, “Clear it away.”
Old Chang knew he wouldn’t change his mind and hurried out to have the servants remove the meal. Wei Zhao listened as the voices outside gradually quieted and the distant sound of the night watch rang out. Only then did he slowly leave the main room.
He enjoyed tranquility. At night, the vast Wei residence became silent. The servants stayed in their quarters, not daring to speak loudly. Even the mynah birds in the corridor stopped their chatter.
Wei Zhao spent a moment teasing the mynahs in the corridor, but they refused to respond no matter how he coaxed them. He smiled and walked slowly along the long corridor, hands behind his back, unconsciously arriving at the entrance to the Peach Garden.
All lanterns around the Peach Garden had been extinguished. Wei Zhao stood in the darkness, his right hand unconsciously twisting his left behind his back. After a long while, he leaped over the wall.
The soft yellow candlelight still shone from the wooden cabin. That figure occasionally passed by the window, graceful and light. Wei Zhao gazed at the cabin for a long time before finally turning to leave. As he turned, his expression changed slightly.
The peach grove—fallen petals formed a carpet on the ground, the branches sparse, no longer in full bloom.
He walked slowly towards the peach grove. In the soft mud, peach blossoms lay scattered. Only then did he realize that after several days of spring rain, the peach blossoms had finally lost their splendor, swept away by the rain.
He suddenly chuckled softly and murmured, “It’s for the best.”
The sound of soft footsteps came from behind. Wei Zhao’s body stiffened. He wanted to turn and leave, but his feet seemed stuck in the mud, unable to move.
Jiang Ci slowly approached, holding up a lantern. She smiled, “It is Third Master. I thought a thief had entered. You haven’t been here for days.”
Wei Zhao tucked his left hand into his sleeve and slowly turned around, his face expressionless. “There’s no thief in the world who would dare enter my Wei residence. Weren’t you afraid it might be a ghost or demon?”
Jiang Ci laughed, “I don’t find ghosts or demons frightening. Besides, if there were a spirit in this peach grove, it would surely be a peach blossom fairy. I’d like to meet her and ask for some spiritual energy.”
Wei Zhao stepped out of the peach grove and headed towards the garden exit. Seeing him leave, Jiang Ci couldn’t help but call out, “Third Master, have you eaten?”
Seeing Wei Zhao pause, Jiang Ci smiled and said, “I’ve collected the fallen peach blossoms from the past few days and made some peach blossom cakes. Would you like to try them?”
Wei Zhao’s feet seemed to move of their own accord towards the wooden cabin.
The cakes were light pink, shaped like peach blossoms. Fresh from steaming, they emitted a delicate fragrance that penetrated the heart.
Jiang Ci picked up bamboo chopsticks, but Wei Zhao reached out and took a cake with his fingers, bringing it to his mouth.
Seeing a flash of approval in his eyes, Jiang Ci felt pleased. She rested her chin on her hands, watching as Wei Zhao ate all the cakes on the plate. She smiled and said, “Doesn’t Third Master have anyone in his household who can make peach blossom cakes? What a waste of peach blossoms every year!”
“If I want to eat them, I can buy them outside. Why go to the trouble?” Wei Zhao said flatly, accepting the clear tea Jiang Ci offered.
“Store-bought ones can’t compare to homemade ones. Peach blossom cakes should be eaten while they’re hot to fully appreciate their softness and fragrance. If you buy them outside, they’ll be cold by the time you get home,” Jiang Ci said enthusiastically. “If Third Master likes them, I can teach your cook how to make them before I leave.”
The tea’s aroma made Wei Zhao’s eyes mist for a moment. After a while, he said, “Leave?!”
Jiang Ci realized what she had said and smiled faintly. “Isn’t Third Master going to send me back to Pei Yan eventually? I can’t stay in this Peach Garden forever.”
“You’re not running away anymore?” Wei Zhao looked up at her, his gaze sharpening. “Willing to return to Pei Yan’s side?”
Jiang Ci sat down at the table, calmly looking at Wei Zhao. “I’ve thought it through. Why should I run? Neither you nor he can keep me locked up forever. If anyone says he’s cooperating with you because of me, no one would believe it. I’m just an excuse. You have no reason to take my life. Your fighting and scheming are your business. I’ll just focus on eating and sleeping well. One day, I’ll be able to go home.”
Wei Zhao listened silently, feeling relieved yet somehow empty.
Seeing him remain quiet for a long time, Jiang Ci felt the atmosphere grow heavy. She moved the candle closer and took up her needle and thread, carefully mending the scarlet dress that had been snagged by firewood earlier in the day.
In the flickering candlelight, her beautiful rounded profile appeared serene and peaceful. Wei Zhao watched the rise and fall of the needle in her hand, suddenly feeling as if he were in a dream. His thoughts began to wander.
Wei Zhao seemed to be walking down a long corridor, led by either his master or his sister—he couldn’t tell clearly. But he heard his master’s voice: “Wu Xia, remember this sacred hall, remember this secret passage. When you return, you will be the ruler of our Yue Luo.”
Emerging from the corridor, he suddenly found himself at “Jade Armor Mountain Villa.” The snow was heavy those two years, leaving in his memory a courtyard blanketed in white and two silly snowmen.
He reached out, wanting to touch the snowmen he and his sister had built, but someone stabbed his arm several times with long needles. The steward of Prince Qing De’s mansion had a face like a thousand-year-old ice mountain. He locked Wei Zhao in a dark room, dressed only in thin clothes, shivering from the cold.
When his master let go of his hand at “Jade Dragon Spring” and asked if he knew what he would face in the future, the young Xiao Wu Xia had answered so resolutely. But a ten-year-old boy truly understood nothing.
He didn’t understand the hardships and bitterness he would face, nor the humiliation and shame.
A cold light flashed before his eyes. A sharp sword slowly pierced his sister’s body, yet her gaze remained incredibly peaceful. She knew that this sword would finally sever her brother’s attachments, hardening his heart like iron so he could survive amidst the tigers and wolves, didn’t she?
He gradually found it difficult to breathe, his right hand clutching his chest as his breathing became rapid.
Jiang Ci had struggled to match the original embroidery color, straining her eyes until they blurred before finally mending the hem. When she looked up, she saw that Wei Zhao had collapsed on the table, his eyes tightly shut, seemingly asleep.
She put down her needlework and gazed at his beautiful sleeping face. Slowly, she rested her cheek on her right hand, her thoughts swaying with the flickering candlelight.
Moonlight filtered through the window. The spring night was as still as water, with only occasional insect chirps from outside. Everything was so peaceful—a peace, unlike anything she had experienced in the past half year. Jiang Ci suddenly felt a sense of unreality.
Wei Zhao suddenly twitched. Jiang Ci quickly sat up straight but saw that he was still sleeping on the table. However, his beautiful brows were furrowed as if troubled by something, or perhaps struggling to remember. His left hand slowly clutched at his chest, his breathing becoming heavier. His brows knitted tighter, and his snow-white face gradually flushed.
Jiang Ci was alarmed. Remembering the night he had nearly lost control at the grave, she dared not wake him rashly. But seeing his condition, she felt a slight impulse. She leaned over and gently stroked his chest.
Wei Zhao’s eyes remained tightly shut as he called out softly, “Sister.”
He called out softly, once and then again. Jiang Ci felt a pang in her nose, and could no longer hold back as she whispered, “Third Master!”
Wei Zhao suddenly opened his eyes. The flickering candlelight before him pierced his heart like a sword from over a decade ago. A surge of intense hatred welled up within him; his sister had died under this cold light—what else could not be destroyed?
A glint of cold light flashed in his eyes as his right hand shot out, gripping Jiang Ci’s throat. Jiang Ci instinctively dodged, causing his hand to pause momentarily before tightening around her left shoulder.
Jiang Ci felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and looked at Wei Zhao in terror. His expression was chaotic, and the pressure of his grip increased. She faintly heard the sound of her shoulder blade cracking before her vision darkened, and she lost consciousness.