Zhou Weizhao waited for Song Chuyi in the suburbs. Early winter in the north was already very cold. The lake surface had frozen over with a thin layer of ice, and all around were bare tree trunks. Occasionally, a wild hare would dart through the white birch forest like the wind. Ye Jingchuan drew his bow and was about to shoot when Zhou Weizhao stopped him.

“It’s not running fast—it’s a pregnant doe.” Zhou Weizhao blocked his bow and shook his head. “Master said that draining a pond to catch fish and burning forests to hunt are both inadvisable.”

His master again. Ye Jingchuan glared at him and resentfully put the arrow back in the quiver. Normally he wasn’t this obedient, nor did he revere Zhang Tianshi as much as others did. The only reason he was giving face this time was purely because one sentence from Zhang Tianshi had changed Song Chuyi’s fate.

He was giving face to Song Chuyi, not truly obeying Zhang Tianshi’s every command. Thinking of it this way, he felt much better.

In the distance, wheels rumbled. Soon that plain and unremarkable-looking carriage stopped not far from them. Qing Ying helped Song Chuyi, dressed in a bright red front-fastening feather satin cloak, down from the carriage.

In such a landscape of withered and desolate surroundings, her bright red clothing walking slowly toward them was like a flower in motion, instantly illuminating this otherwise drab and barren wilderness.

Ye Jingchuan’s mouth nearly split from ear to ear. He hurried several steps toward Song Chuyi to greet her, not forgetting to ask: “Are Ma Wangkun and the others following? When you go back later, I’ll escort you and stop by to ask A-Yan for a few stacks of calligraphy copies.”

Qing Ying looked at him, then at Zhou Weizhao, and suddenly felt a bit of a headache. Both of these young men were excellent, but her young miss had absolutely no such intentions and was completely unaware.

Song Chuyi indeed frowned and shook her head: “A-Yan isn’t home. He went out to meet with classmates. I need to go to my aunt’s house first later, switch to the residence’s carriage, and then go back. You and I aren’t going the same way.”

Ye Jingchuan stopped in his tracks, somewhat troubled and frustrated, watching Song Chuyi brush past him and walk toward Zhou Weizhao. For the first time in his life, he felt that the two words “to love” weighed a thousand pounds, pressing so heavily that even with his self-respect wounded, he still couldn’t give up.

Song Chuyi stood before Zhou Weizhao, softly said thank you, then sighed and asked him: “Does Your Highness know about my seeking out Commander Lai, Lord Lai Chenglong?”

When she spoke these words, her usually clear eyes were hidden beneath her long, curled lashes, making it impossible to see her current emotions. But Zhou Weizhao knew she was uneasy—uneasy because she had used him to learn that Emperor Jianzhang would go to Qingxu Temple to see Zhang Tianshi, using this point to scheme against Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin, clearing obstacles for Lai Chenglong.

Zhou Weizhao straightforwardly nodded in acknowledgment: “I heard it from Jiang Hong. Once Lai Chenglong completely seizes power, he’ll be the next candidate for Commander. Inevitably, being somewhat proud and ambitious, he exposed his tracks. After thinking about it briefly, the only one who could give Lai Chenglong this strategy and also obtain the defense maps would be you.”

His voice was as calm and gentle as always. Song Chuyi looked up and met his pitch-black eyes. She pressed her lips together and turned her head to ask him: “Doesn’t Your Highness feel angry? You’ve already helped me so much, yet I stubbornly failed to appreciate your kindness and even used this bond of friendship—”

Zhou Weizhao was somewhat puzzled. He, the one who had been used, wasn’t even angry or annoyed, yet Song Chuyi seemed even more upset and uneasy than he was. He shook his head following his heart: “Why should I be angry? Since I told you my master’s whereabouts, naturally I should bear all the consequences of leaking the information. If you truly used this point to scheme against me in return, that would also be my fault for misjudging people. If I were to resent anyone, I should resent myself—why would I blame you?”

Ye Jingchuan’s expression was complex. Standing to the side, he opened his mouth several times but didn’t know where to begin asking—they seemed to be speaking a completely different language from him, just like when he first arrived in Fujian years ago and the people there spoke Minnan dialect, which he didn’t understand a single word of. That sense of powerlessness surged up again in his heart after all these years.

Song Chuyi had never received such wholehearted trust before. She was somewhat at a loss. Many thoughts suddenly flooded her mind, but before these thoughts could emerge clearly enough for Song Chuyi to see them, she extinguished them herself.

She stood by the lakeside, her hands frozen red, looking up at Zhou Weizhao as if making a promise: “Your Highness has helped me so much, I have no way to repay you. But if there’s anything I can do to help Your Highness, I will do everything in my power.”

A true gentleman dies for his confidant. She thought, as long as Zhou Weizhao didn’t actually ask her to die, she must help Zhou Weizhao in a big way—at least she must ensure he lived well in this life, lived long and prosperously.

Zhou Weiqi didn’t know that the future capable assistant he was so eager to recruit actually harbored such thoughts. At this moment, he was having difficulty helping up his young aunt who was kneeling on the ground.

Even though he had been close to his mother since childhood, seeing Little Lady Fan in such a pitiful manner, disregarding her dignity, he couldn’t help but soften his heart. After all, they were family. Young Aunt had always been very good to him since childhood—wholeheartedly good. His cousins had also always been close and affectionate.

At this moment, Young Aunt was putting aside her dignity to plead with him for her daughter’s future. He truly couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

But when he returned to the palace and mentioned this matter to Big Lady Fan, Big Lady Fan became like an enraged lioness, completely different from her usual languid and leisurely manner. She laughed coldly several times, her eyes drifting lightly over him before lightly spitting out a few words: “Don’t interfere in this matter.”

Zhou Weiqi didn’t know where her resentment came from. In his view, Young Aunt couldn’t be better, and his cousins were all trustworthy. Yet Mother, for some unknown reason, insisted on pushing close relatives away.

He hesitated for a while, still attempting to persuade Mother: “Actually, it’s not a big matter. I just need to ask Imperial Grandmother—”

Big Lady Fan flew into a rage: “Ask your Imperial Grandmother?! What ranking does she hold that would be worth you troubling your Imperial Grandmother? To ask your Imperial Grandmother for such a matter—have you lost your mind?”

Her entire body radiated malicious energy, the precursor to explosive rage. Nanny Fang shivered and gently waved her hand at Zhou Weiqi.

Zhou Weiqi had absolutely no idea where his mother’s anger was coming from. Young Aunt’s family had given their all to the Eastern Palace and to them, yet Mother somehow always seemed to harbor deep hatred toward them. On the surface, she was amiable, but inwardly her words were often full of slander and contempt.

Now she wouldn’t even do such a simple favor, preferring to watch helplessly as Han Yueheng went as a secondary bride. He stared blankly at Big Lady Fan, suddenly unable to say a single word.