In the dim morning light, the palace stood majestically. Outside the Donghua Gate, a purple-curtained carriage slowly came to a stop. Several guards were about to step forward for inspection when someone from inside the carriage handed something out. One of the guards glanced at it and immediately respectfully lowered the curtain, allowing the carriage to proceed toward the Yuqing Gate. As daylight gradually brightened, the glazed tiles on the palace roofs gleamed with silver light. The red wooden wheels rolled slowly along the palace walls, pressing two clear tracks into the thick accumulated snow.

Yuanxi wore formal court attire and clutched a handkerchief in her hand, sitting rigidly inside the carriage. The corner bells hanging from the carriage roof jingled all the way, making her heart rise and fall with anxiety. She lifted her head slightly and stole a glance at the princess sitting across from her. The princess was also rarely dressed in full regalia today. Compared to her usual cold appearance, she now possessed an even more intimidating dignity. Throughout the journey, she had only closed her eyes to rest, letting Nanny Yu beside her attend to her devotedly, but seemed too lazy to utter even half a word. Yuanxi withdrew her gaze and sighed silently in her heart. The swirling fragrance of cosmetics and incense in the carriage made her mind somewhat disordered.

Last night, the Empress Dowager had suddenly issued an imperial edict, saying that with New Year’s Eve approaching, she wished to reminisce with relatives she hadn’t seen for a long time, and specifically summoned Princess Rui’an and Yuanxi to an audience at Changle Palace. This edict not only greatly surprised Yuanxi, but even the princess found it somewhat astonishing. Over these years, except for when the late emperor died, the princess had never set foot in the imperial palace again. Although the Empress Dowager had the nominal relationship of sister-in-law with her, they had never been particularly close. Moreover, they hadn’t had any contact for many years, so why would she summon her to the palace for reminiscing specifically before this year’s New Year’s Eve?

But whether puzzled or astonished, an edict personally issued by the Empress Dowager could not be disobeyed. Thus, before dawn today, both had prepared their formal attire and full makeup in their chambers, and boarded the carriage early to proceed to Changle Palace where the Empress Dowager resided for the audience.

Yuanxi had never entered the palace before. According to family hierarchy, the Empress Dowager could at least be considered her aunt, but her status was far too noble and distinguished, and they had never met. Yuanxi had barely slept all night, and since boarding the carriage, her heart had been constantly drumming with anxiety, afraid that she might accidentally make a mistake and offend the Empress Dowager. She had hoped the princess might give her some guidance about the Empress Dowager’s taboos and preferences, but the princess kept her lips tightly sealed throughout, only sitting coldly across from her like a lifeless statue.

At this moment, the carriage slowly came to a stop. Outside the Yuqing Gate, several palace maids stood in a row to greet them at the carriage. Yuanxi and the princess alighted from the carriage and, following the palace maids’ guidance, passed through dragon-carved and phoenix-decorated green tiles and vermillion pillars, finally arriving at the hall where the Empress Dowager resided.

Inside Changle Palace, red curtains featured flying phoenixes and gold and silver gleamed brilliantly. Lily incense from the censers filled the entire room. Yuanxi kept her head lowered as she followed behind the princess, catching a glimpse of bright yellow wide-sleeved robes at the head of the hall, so nervous she dared not even breathe. After completing the grand ceremony, she heard a lazy yet dignified voice coming from above, and couldn’t help but develop some curiosity about this aunt she had never met.

According to popular rumors, the late emperor had only been the seventh son of Taizu Emperor and was not favored. He relied entirely on the strong support of the Xiao family army led by the old marquis and the powerful Xia clan, the Empress Dowager’s maternal family, to force the then crown prince to be deposed. Subsequently, the crown prince hanged himself in Jingyuan Palace, and the late emperor ascended to the throne ahead of schedule. The various secrets hidden within had long been buried in the passage of time, and no one knew them anymore.

The late emperor and Empress Dowager had been deeply in love throughout their many years of marriage, appearing inseparable whether in public or private. After the late emperor ascended the throne, although several consorts entered the harem, he still spent every night in Jiaofang Palace where the Empress Dowager resided, his exclusive favor unmatched by anyone. Therefore, during the late emperor’s lifetime, the only heir was the one born to the Empress Dowager—namely the current emperor. No other imperial consorts bore children. Unfortunately, the late emperor died early. It was said that when he was gravely ill, the Empress Dowager served by his side day and night, personally attending to everything from care to administering medicine, becoming a celebrated tale throughout the palace and beyond.

Capable of helping the Son of Heaven ascend to the throne externally and winning exclusive imperial favor internally—what kind of person was this Empress Dowager before her? As Yuanxi pondered this, she couldn’t help but secretly lift her head to look: She saw the person seated at the head had skin whiter than snow, a beautiful face with moth-like eyebrows, and although she smiled gently, she constantly emanated an oppressive dignity. Though she was over forty years old, her devastating beauty was hard to conceal. Only when she smiled did a few fine lines appear, revealing some traces of the years.

Yuanxi stared somewhat dazedly, but the Empress Dowager smiled softly. While gently fingering the rubies embedded in her nail guards, she smiled tenderly at Yuanxi, “You must be Mingyuan’s seventh daughter. Don’t be so formal. Speaking of which, I should call you niece, shouldn’t I?”

Yuanxi’s heartbeat quickened, and she quickly lowered her head, “The Empress Dowager may simply call me Yuanxi.”

The Empress Dowager raised her hand and, supported by a nanny, slowly walked down the steps to stand before Yuanxi, examining her carefully from top to bottom. “Mingyuan said you’ve always preferred quiet, usually just liking to shut yourself in your room reading books. Now seeing you, you indeed have a tranquil temperament and are quite likeable.”

Yuanxi found this strange and couldn’t help but blurt out, “Father has mentioned me to you?” Then feeling she had overstepped, she quickly held her breath and lowered her head again.

The Empress Dowager covered her mouth and laughed softly, “Why are you so afraid of me?” She then sighed leisurely, “I’ve had the closest relationship with your father since childhood. It’s just that once one enters the palace gates, one is destined to sever family ties and cannot freely visit even one’s own brother’s mansion. Although I haven’t met all of you younger generation personally, I’ve heard Mingyuan mention everyone’s temperaments and personalities, and I’ve kept them all in my heart. Otherwise, how could I have had Yan’er arrange the marriage between you and Marquis Xuanyuan?”

Yuanxi was even more astonished in her heart. So the arranged marriage had been the Empress Dowager’s idea, but she dared not ask why it was her specifically. She only lowered her eyebrows and thanked the Empress Dowager for her attention and grace.

The Empress Dowager asked again, “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen your father for a long time. How is his health now?”

Yuanxi’s face reddened somewhat. Since she had insisted on returning to the marquis’s mansion, she had cut off all contact with the chancellor’s mansion and hadn’t seen her father again. Did the Empress Dowager not know any of this?

Seeing her hesitant appearance, the Empress Dowager roughly guessed the hidden circumstances and sighed, “There are no overnight grudges between father and daughter. Whatever the matter is, when his anger subsides, go apologize to him. I understand Mingyuan’s temperament best—no matter what he says, in his heart he always loves you children.”

Yuanxi nodded with a wandering gaze, feeling many melancholy emotions arise in her heart. At this moment, the Empress Dowager turned around and looked toward where the princess was, “Huitong, since you last returned to the palace, it’s been over ten years since we’ve met, hasn’t it?”

Yuanxi also looked in that direction and only then noticed the princess sitting on a rosewood chair, her hands gripping the armrests tightly, her face almost drained of color. Hearing the Empress Dowager’s question, she quickly raised her head and forced a stiff smile, “Yes, at that time Du’er was only fifteen and hadn’t yet gone to the military for training. Now he’s already married. Looking back, it’s truly sigh-worthy.”

The Empress Dowager smiled, “Yes, they’ve all grown up, and we’ve grown old too. That’s why I suddenly had the thought to see you again, to see this niece of mine. You don’t blame me, do you?”

The princess’s expression changed, and she quickly stood up, “How dare Huitong blame you? If it weren’t for my poor health, I would want to visit the palace more often.”

As Yuanxi listened to their conversation, she felt the princess’s tone was somewhat strange. At this moment, the Empress Dowager suddenly said to her, “You go out for a while. Your mother-in-law and I have some private words to say. I’ll call you back in later.”

Yuanxi breathed a sigh of relief and raised her head to bow farewell to the Empress Dowager. But in the instant she saw the Empress Dowager’s back, she suddenly had a strange thought—she seemed to have seen this back before…

This idea startled her. She could be certain she had never seen the Empress Dowager before. When she was at the chancellor’s mansion, she was just an overlooked concubine’s daughter. Even if the Empress Dowager had visited the chancellor’s mansion, she would never have had the opportunity to see her. But why did she feel this back was so familiar? Where exactly had she seen it?

A young palace maid stepped forward, interrupting Yuanxi’s thoughts. She quickly followed the palace maid out of the hall doors. Just as she was wondering what to do next, suddenly a eunuch hurried over and whispered a few words to the palace maid. The palace maid nodded quickly and stood at the hall entrance.

Yuanxi found this strange, but the eunuch was already approaching her with a forced smile, “Madam, please wait a moment. His Majesty requests to see you at Yangxin Palace.”

Yuanxi’s eyes widened, not understanding why the current emperor would summon her specifically. But she understood she couldn’t ask questions, so she nodded and was about to follow this eunuch when she thought perhaps she should have the palace maid inform her mother-in-law first. While hesitating, she suddenly heard a clear slapping sound from inside the doors. At this time, the Empress Dowager had dismissed all the servants from the hall, leaving only the princess and the Empress Dowager inside. Yuanxi’s heart began racing wildly, not understanding what had happened, yet not daring to burst in rashly.

She turned to look around and saw that the eunuchs and palace maids guarding the hall entrance acted as if they had heard nothing, standing straight to the side. Without their master’s orders, they would never take a single step on their own initiative.

Yuanxi was extremely anxious, but the hall had already fallen silent. At this time, the messenger eunuch had already turned back around and smiled, “His Majesty is waiting. Please hurry, Madam.”

Yuanxi bit her lip and could only temporarily follow this eunuch through layer upon layer of palace halls, turning past several corridors before stopping at a palace building.

The eunuch first entered the hall to report. Yuanxi stood before the jade stone steps that could reflect human figures, taking a deep breath to try to calm herself.

When the eunuch emerged, he respectfully invited Yuanxi inside. Palace lanterns shone brightly and dragon ambergris incense burned. Emperor Wen wore bright yellow everyday robes and was writing at his desk. Seeing Yuanxi enter, he looked up to examine her, “You are Yuanxi?” He set down the wolf-hair brush in his hand, wiped the ink from his hands with a cloth, and smiled, “Perhaps I may call you cousin.”

This smile was gentle and refined, making Yuanxi’s tense nerves relax somewhat. She recalled many rumors about this young monarch. It was said that whether in governance or treating his ministers, he was always tolerant and benevolent. Although he won the people’s hearts, in political affairs he had to be constrained by his maternal relatives, appearing somewhat weaker in methods compared to the previous two monarchs.

Yuanxi returned to her thoughts and quickly knelt to pay respects. Zhao Yan smiled and indicated for her to rise, “Back when your husband met me, he never bothered with any ruler-subject etiquette, always doing whatever he wanted. Since you are both my cousin and Chongjiang’s wife, you needn’t observe these empty ceremonies with me either.”

Yuanxi knew that Xiao Du had been a companion reader in the palace since childhood and had very deep feelings with the current emperor, who had once been crown prince. But she had never heard Xiao Du mention his interactions with the current emperor. Only now, hearing these words, did she understand the two indeed had an extraordinary friendship. However, the person before her ultimately stood at the pinnacle of the imperial city. No matter how modest his attitude, there was certainly an invisible boundary that no one could cross.

She therefore still respectfully lowered her head, “Although Your Majesty treats Chongjiang with deep affection, you are ultimately the sovereign. If Your Majesty has questions, this subject will certainly answer frankly, but the proper rules absolutely cannot be lacking.”

Seeing her attitude neither servile nor arrogant, Zhao Yan couldn’t help but laugh heartily, “Back when I and Chongjiang were young, we both wondered what our future wives would be like. I said his temperament was wild and unruly, so he would definitely need to find someone extraordinary to control him. That day when I went to the marquis’s mansion, I originally wanted to meet you, but he said you were afraid of meeting strangers and insisted on hiding you away. He certainly couldn’t have imagined that when I want to see someone, I always have ways to make it happen. When you return, don’t tell him you’ve met me. Let’s keep it as our secret, shall we?”

Hearing the mischievous tone in his words, Yuanxi couldn’t help but secretly lift her head to look. She saw the current emperor wink at her, his face showing a boyish playful expression, and couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing. Her heart finally completely relaxed.

Zhao Yan had now walked before her, “Since you are the national uncle’s daughter, you can also be considered my cousin. If Chongjiang ever dares to bully you in the future, just come complain to me.”

Yuanxi lowered her head and smiled softly, “Your Majesty can rest assured. Chongjiang treats this subject… extremely well.”

Hearing the unintentional tender affection flowing in her tone, Zhao Yan knew these two must have deep feelings in their daily life. He nodded with great satisfaction and was about to say something more when a eunuch suddenly ran in from outside, his expression urgent, “Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Empress Dowager has fainted!”

Zhao Yan was greatly shocked and turned to look deeply at Yuanxi, who stood frozen in place.