At the Cheng residence in the western third lane of Wind City, Qingfei was sewing a baby’s garment. Cheng Siyue pushed open the door and entered. Qingfei looked up and gazed at him tenderly, then lowered her head again to thread her needle. “My husband, you’re home early today. Just a few more stitches, wait for me!”

Cheng Siyue walked over and sat before her, gazing at her without blinking. Qingfei was about to become a mother, yet still as delicately beautiful as ever. He gently reached out and placed his hand on her slightly swollen belly—in another five months, he would become a father. “How are you feeling today?”

A flush of red crossed Qingfei’s face, her dark eyes shifting, as she laughed sweetly and shyly. “Mm, quite well.” She finished speaking, lowered her head, and bit off the thread. She unfolded the small garment. “Does it look nice?”

“Yes, made by Fei’er—our son will look so handsome wearing it!”

Qingfei pouted. “It’s just that you’re always so busy, often not coming home for several days at a time. If it continues like this, our baby won’t even recognize his father.”

Cheng Siyue said gently, “Once the enthronement ceremony is over, I promise I’ll spend good time with you and our child.”

Qingfei leaned contentedly into his embrace. She’d already heard about matters at home. Elder sister Qinglei had always been closer to her since childhood; she understood her sister’s hardships. As for younger sister Qingluo, though not close, she held no ill will toward her either. During the Crown Prince’s night banquet, because of her elder sister, and because of Cheng Siyue, she had given false testimony. Her heart had remained uneasy about it, but fortunately, nothing had come of it, and it had passed. Her elder sister, seemingly favored in the palace, was actually helpless in countless ways; her younger sister Qingluo was fought over by two princes. Only she, since marrying into the Cheng household, rarely leaving the house, composing poetry and matching couplets with Cheng Siyue, lived a life of genuine happiness.

“Fei’er, you know, I was an orphan from a young age. To have what I have today, to have a family—my heart is moved in ways ordinary people can’t understand. You’re a young lady of the Chancellor’s household, yet you’ve suffered following me.” Cheng Siyue sighed.

“My husband, what nonsense are you speaking. Whatever you do, Fei’er will always support you. Following you, and now with our baby coming, I’m actually happier than I ever was at the Chancellor’s estate. Fei’er is content.”

Cheng Siyue smiled. “I know—whatever I did, as long as it was for my good, even if I asked you to pick up a blade and kill someone, you would.”

Qingfei was startled and reached out to cover his mouth. “What are you saying, you’ll frighten the baby.”

Cheng Siyue helped her up. “Let me walk you a bit. Walking more does you good.”

In the small courtyard, several branches of forsythia bloomed brilliantly. Cheng Siyue gently plucked a small blossom and carefully tucked it beside her temple. “Fei’er is truly beautiful. Soon to become a mother, and every time I see you, I feel you grow more beautiful by the day.”

“Among us three sisters, Elder Sister is the most beautiful.” Qingfei laughed.

“I think, in terms of looks, it should be Qingluo who’s the most beautiful.” Cheng Siyue said noncommittally.

“Oh? I haven’t seen A’Luo in over three years now. She’s prettier than Elder Sister?” Qingfei asked in surprise.

Cheng Siyue smiled. “Indeed she is. But, I love only my Fei’er.” He paused, gazing deeply into Qingfei’s eyes, then suddenly laughed. “Because my Fei’er, for my sake, would even set aside reason and conscience.”

Qingfei knew he was referring to the matter of the Crown Prince’s night banquet, and felt both annoyed and regretful. “You’re still teasing me about that?”

Cheng Siyue gently pulled her into his embrace. “At the time, I already knew something was amiss. But Fei’er, that you could set aside your conscience to tell a lie for my sake—in my eyes, that made you a rare, devoted woman. From that moment, I resolved that I truly wanted to marry you.”

Qingfei couldn’t help blushing and spat, “There’s no such reasoning for falling in love with someone!”

Cheng Siyue gently embraced her. “I’m different from others. Fei’er, you are my wife. As long as you remain devoted to me alone, that is enough.” He said earnestly, then hesitated before continuing: “Fei’er, the situation is tense these days. I need you to promise me—don’t step outside this residence, not one step, no matter who comes, even if your own mother comes personally to fetch you, you must not leave!”

His expression was grave as he looked at Qingfei, utterly serious. Qingfei smiled. “I understand. My husband, do whatever you need to do. I know that as the enthronement ceremony approaches, the situation grows more tense.”

Cheng Siyue’s eyes flashed with sharp intensity. “Whatever you do, do not enter the palace. No matter how much your elder sister pleads, do not go. The palace is extremely dangerous. Don’t wade into this muddy water, and don’t do anything for my sake. As long as you and our child are safe, I’ll have no worries left.”

Qingfei nodded, then suddenly said, “My husband, is it really this urgent? No matter how busy you usually are, not coming home for days at a time, I’ve never seen you this serious before.”

“Everyone has their weakness. Right now, my weakness is you two, mother and child.” Cheng Siyue said quietly. “I’ve already arranged people to protect you secretly. If anything happens, they’ll come to take you away. Remember, unless the person who comes shows a jade pendant matching the one on your body, don’t trust them. Even if it’s your own father coming to fetch you, pay him no mind.”

Qingfei couldn’t help growing anxious too. “Will you be in danger? My husband? I’m so afraid!”

Cheng Siyue said in a deep voice, “My Fei’er is a spirited, forthright woman. Even if something happens to me, you must stay strong for our child’s sake, do you understand?”

Qingfei’s eyes reddened. Cheng Siyue sighed softly. “It won’t happen. Not many people in this world could take your husband’s life.” Spirited and radiant, he looked so confident that Qingfei stared, a profound sense of security washing over her.

Following Grand Marshal Wang’s arrangements, Cheng Siyue began quietly placing his own people inside the palace. Meanwhile, a group of ministers loyal to the Fourth Prince were also placing their own eyes and ears within the Imperial Guard.

On the night of the tenth of the third month, Chancellor Gu, using the pretext of visiting his daughter, boldly entered Prince Li’s residence. Zili was extremely busy, gathering intelligence reports from Wind City and tracking troop movements at the border. When Chancellor Gu arrived, he was studying the terrain map of Yellow Water Gorge.

“Father-in-law!” Zili bowed deeply. He calmly helped Chancellor Gu to sit. “The incident at Prince Anqing’s residence must have upset you greatly, Father-in-law.”

“Sigh, it’s normal enough for a man to have multiple wives and concubines, especially considering you…” Chancellor Gu sighed, unwilling to bring up that matter again, realizing he’d let his anger get the better of him and had forgotten Zili’s true status.

Zili said earnestly, “Father-in-law misunderstands. That was a scheme arranged with Uncle—whether the Crown Prince believes it or not, it’s simply a tactic to mislead him. Regardless of what happens going forward, Tianlin will always remain my true wife. I will treat her well.”

“That sly old fox, keeping even me in the dark!” Though he cursed with his mouth, Chancellor Gu’s face had already broken into a delighted smile. He let out a long breath. “With Prince Anqing’s help, this matter becomes much easier to manage. Here’s a roster of our people within the palace. Keep it safe.”

Zili accepted it solemnly. “Uncle and I have been racking our brains over how to handle the battle at Yellow Water Gorge. Does Father-in-law have any insight?”

“What, is this meant as a show for the Eastern Palace to see?”

Zili thought deeply for a long while. “Uncle has fought countless battles—his view is that this is a scheme within a scheme. We’re setting the trap, but we must also guard against the Eastern Palace countering with their own scheme. It’s just that there have long been rumors that Wang Yanhui possesses exceptional strategic talent, skilled in troop deployment and battle formation. Grand Marshal Wang once said that having a daughter like her is worth ten thousand elite soldiers. I don’t know what tactics she favors.”

“Tianxiang, having spent a long time in the Southern Army, once mentioned that when chatting about military strategy with the Southern Army’s ground forces commander, it came up that Yanhui, no matter how she arranges her formations, always likes to keep a surprise force in reserve, ready to strike unexpectedly. She likes to hold back a trump card in everything—and often it’s this final reserve that proves to be her most elite force.” Chancellor Gu thought it over and replied.

“What Father-in-law says matches exactly what Uncle and Prince Pingnan speculated. This is Yellow Water Gorge—to the north lie the remaining ranges of Jade Elephant Mountain. Hiding troops on the grasslands isn’t easy, and setting an ambush above the gorge is equally difficult. There will certainly be our men stationed there. So the only way is to strike down into the gorge from this mountain side—but that’s a clumsy strategy, because with our men holding the high ground, anyone approaching from below would surely be defeated. Holding the gorge entrance is also easy; the difficulty lies in how to lure the enemy into the gorge.”

A soft laugh sounded outside the window: “Anye requests audience.”

Zili felt somewhat irritated—every time, this Anye came and went without a trace. He said in a deep voice, “Enter.”

Anye leapt in through the window, cupped his hands in greeting to Chancellor Gu without speaking, then directly withdrew something from his robes and placed it on the writing desk, saying quietly, “Master’s instructed battle formation diagram.” He then cupped his hands to Zili in salute and leapt back out the window.

Chancellor Gu exclaimed in surprise, “Prince Anqing’s Black-Clad Cavalry? How did I never know such a figure existed?”

Zili smiled. “Uncle trusts him greatly. I too hold him in high regard, kindred spirits of sorts.”

Chancellor Gu leaned over to look, stroking his greying beard and chuckling. “If this plan succeeds, after this battle, the Eastern Palace will no longer have the strength to contend with you. That old fox truly is a sly old fox.”

Zili burned the battle formation diagram, then turned and bowed again. “With this, the palace on the fifteenth of the third month depends entirely on Father-in-law and the other ministers. No need to worry about Tianlin—my five hundred iron-clad guards remain entirely at the residence, and Uncle will personally hold Wind City, controlling the situation within the city.”

After Chancellor Gu left, Zili pushed open the window; the night wind carried the faint sound of a zither, mournful yet gentle. Since returning to Wind City, he had only seen Tianlin twice, always sleeping alone in his study. She—Zili sighed softly and quietly closed the window. The zither’s sound was shut out beyond it, gradually fading, inaudible.

He took out the wine he’d brought from the border and slowly drank it down. He cast aside all distracting thoughts, telling himself that at this moment, matters of love held no importance. And yet that exquisitely beautiful face rose uncontrollably before his eyes, her eyes shimmering with light, vivid and alive. He suddenly tilted his head back and drained the entire bottle. His mind finally grew hazy. A faint smile spread across his face. Now, he could sleep.