After Eunuch Lu Chao left, Gu Yi ground her ink and picked up her brush to compose the letter.

She spent about half an hour contemplating, yet still hadn’t put brush to paper. Tao Jia had changed her tea twice, seeing her still in a state of indecision.

“Talented Lady, haven’t you decided what to write yet? Why don’t I go find out what the other palaces have written?”

Gu Yi shook her head. “No need.”

She could imagine.

Most would probably include a few romantic poems, perhaps some verses about autumn, using scenery to express emotions.

She knew the template, but didn’t want to write it.

After all, Emperor Xiaoyan was now like some cool guy wearing sunglasses who loved no one.

She suddenly remembered how Gu, when she was still a Beauty, had once written a love letter to Zhou Tinghe before he had a rank. She wondered what she had written.

Seeing her troubled expression, Tao Jia’s eyes lit up with an idea. “His Majesty has been at Wu Mountain Villa for many days and has already missed the Talented Lady’s birthday. Why not mention how on your birthday, you were alone in the Western Garden releasing sky lanterns, spending a cold and lonely day? Perhaps His Majesty might make it up to the Talented Lady later…”

“I think… not…”

Her birthday wasn’t at a convenient time, so better not to bring bad luck.

Gu Yi’s gaze inadvertently swept across the bookshelf, and she had a flash of inspiration. She quickly picked up her brush and wrote three large characters on the paper: “Ode to Autumn Chestnuts.”

She wrote quickly, and in the time it took to burn a stick of incense, she had filled two entire pages.

Tao Jia stood beside her, craning her neck to read word by word, line by line. She asked in confusion, “Talented Lady, what you’ve written—the first half seems like a recipe? And the second half praises autumn chestnuts?”

“That’s right.” Gu Yi nodded.

The first half described how to cook autumn chestnuts, while the second half contained eighteen different ways to praise the beauty of autumn chestnuts.

Tao Jia was silent for a moment. “I think I should go out and gather some information after all. The Talented Lady needn’t rush.”

Gu Yi: …

The next day, before noon, when Eunuch Lu Chao arrived, Tao Jia had just gone to the kitchen to collect meals. Gu Yi placed her completed “Ode to Autumn Chestnuts” in an envelope and walked out to the courtyard.

She saw Eunuch Lu seemingly engrossed in admiring the water vat in the courtyard.

Why were so many people fascinated by this ordinary water vat?

Was the landscaping in her Ping Cui Palace courtyard so poor that besides one tree, there was only this scene-stealing vat?

“I apologize for keeping Eunuch Lu waiting,” she said.

Eunuch Lu turned his gaze toward her and bowed. “The Talented Lady is too polite. This is my duty.”

Gu Yi handed the envelope to Lu Chao.

Lu Chao took it, weighing it in his hand, feeling it was quite light compared to letters from other palaces.

He couldn’t help but examine Talented Lady Gu more carefully.

Just as his master had said—a lazy Talented Lady.

Not a loud drum, requiring a heavy mallet.

“Today’s express rider has left, but there will be another in three days. I will come again in a few days.”

Gu Yi was bewildered. She had to write again?

Seeing her surprised expression, Lu Chao decided to give her a hint. “The Talented Lady doesn’t need to write letters every time. For example, Beauty Wan from Xiu Yi Palace is skilled at needlework and made a jade tassel pendant for His Majesty. Many other Noble Consorts, Beauties, and Concubines embroider handkerchiefs. The Talented Lady could also make small items—whatever comes from the Talented Lady’s heart…”

Gu Yi once again felt the pressure from her peers.

Seeing her silence, Lu Chao slightly turned his gaze and changed the subject. “When it gets cold next month, the palace servants should place some fine charcoal under this water vat in the Talented Lady’s courtyard. Otherwise, the water will freeze, and all the little fish will die.”

Hearing this, Gu Yi also looked at the vat and nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Lu. In winter, I will move the little fish indoors and keep them in a small vat.”

Lu Chao nodded, smiling. “The Talented Lady has a kind heart.” After a moment, he added, “This water vat is deep, and in winter, the floor is covered with frost. The Talented Lady should be careful when walking here. There have been people who slipped and fell into the water before.”

*I understand, like Sima Guang breaking the vat.*

Seeing Talented Lady Gu’s look of understanding, Lu Chao smiled lightly. “Sister Tao Jia has served the Talented Lady for some time, so I imagine she has told you. The reason Sister Tao Jia is afraid of water is that she fell into a water vat when she was little.”

Gu Yi’s heart skipped a beat. She knew Tao Jia was afraid of water, but she had never heard the reason. However, she managed to suppress her surprise and asked slowly, “Did Eunuch Lu witness this incident personally?”

Lu Chao nodded, recalling, “Yes, Talented Lady. Back then, I was sweeping in the Imperial Garden with Sister Tao Jia. She was only eight years old. The old servants in the Imperial Garden were harsh and tormented newcomers, constantly ordering Sister Tao Jia to fetch water from the vat. But she wasn’t as tall as the vat then, so she had to stand on a small stool to scoop water. Unfortunately, that stool had been outside for a long time and was covered with frost. Sister Tao Jia’s foot slipped, and with a splash, she fell into the water vat. Her head was immediately submerged in the freezing water.”

Gu Yi saw him pause dramatically and quickly asked, “And then?”

Lu Chao sighed and continued, “Fortunately, a noble person was passing through the Imperial Garden who quickly pulled Sister Tao Jia out of the water vat. When she came out, she was barely breathing, her body frozen blue-white. It was extremely dangerous that day. If it had been even half an hour later, Sister Tao Jia would have been gone…”

Gu Yi listened with both bitterness and shock in her heart.

But who was this noble person…

She wanted to ask but couldn’t bring herself to do so until Lu Chao left.

Since Lu Chao was unwilling to say explicitly, this must be a noble person who couldn’t be named openly.

Gu Yi instinctively thought of Prince Xiao Heng.

*

Afternoon, two riders departed from outside the Vermilion Bird Gate, heading toward Wu Mountain.

Once outside the capital city gates, official roads branched in all directions—east, west, south, and north.

Wu Mountain Villa lay to the north of this junction, while Consort Dowager Liu’s escape route was to the south.

On that day, Consort Dowager Liu was taken by a gray-robed man. Though he couldn’t speak, she guessed he was someone sent by Xiao Lü to rescue her.

The gray-robed man set fire to Tan Yuan Hall but kept her hidden in the palace for several days, enduring until the 24th when the “cleaners” left the palace. The two hid in a manure cart and escaped through the west side gate.

Consort Dowager Liu had never suffered such hardship before.

Once on the official road, they traveled quickly for half a month, day and night without rest, barely evading the checkpoints along the way, finally reaching Qingzhou Prefecture.

She had become so thin she was barely recognizable.

Zheng Sui came with his men to meet her outside Yangcheng.

The gray-robed man, upon seeing Zheng Sui, immediately and obediently positioned himself behind Zheng Sui’s horse.

Consort Dowager Liu saw Zheng Sui wearing golden armor, riding a tall horse, with a long sword at his waist, looking extremely imposing.

Her heart skipped a beat, though she didn’t show it on her face. “General Zheng, it’s been a long time. I trust you’ve been well.”

Zheng Sui didn’t dismount, merely clasping his hands in salute. “This humble general pays respects to Consort Dowager.”

Consort Dowager Liu smiled weakly. “Please, General Zheng, take me quickly to see Lü’er.”

Xiao Lü was waiting for Consort Dowager Liu in the Yangcheng temporary palace.

Mother and son met for the first time in a long while.

He barely recognized her, his lips quivering before he could call out, “Mother…”

Consort Dowager Liu suddenly burst into tears, rushing forward to embrace him tightly. “My Lü’er…”

Yet she heard him whispering, “Mother, how you’ve aged…”

Consort Dowager Liu’s breath caught sharply, and she immediately released her hold, raising her hand to press against Xiao Lü’s forehead. “You unfilial son! After I fled for my life to Qingzhou!”

How utterly infuriating!

Xiao Lü caught her right hand, pretending to examine her for a moment. “Mother hasn’t aged; it was my poor eyesight just now…”

Consort Dowager Liu looked around, and seeing no one else in the hall, still spoke in a low voice, “Lü’er, you’re not merely a ‘son’ now. Why don’t you call yourself ‘We’?”

Xiao Lü laughed softly, his beautiful eyes rippling with emotion. “Mother, after seeing General Zheng earlier, don’t you understand yet? Your son… your son is merely a puppet…”

With those words, Consort Dowager Liu’s long-held secret hopes dissipated like bubbles. Her chest felt as if someone had gripped it tightly, painfully.

“How dare he? Is Zheng Sui so bold? Doesn’t Bo Gu have a say? Doesn’t Weizhou have a say? They were all the Crown Prince’s former subordinates. How could they rebel against the Xiao family’s rule?”

Xiao Lü lowered his voice, almost whispering in her ear, “Mother is right. They are my elder brother, the Crown Prince’s subordinates, not mine. With their old master dead, if they want to establish a new one, why not try themselves? I was tricked into coming here—I was foolish—but this is no place to stay long. Mother, you should leave quickly…”

Consort Dowager Liu’s heart sank as if falling into an abyss. “Where can I go? Where could I possibly go? Return to Xiao Yan? I would rather die!”

Xiao Lü sighed. “If Mother stays here, death is certain…”

Consort Dowager Liu’s voice trembled. “No matter what… how could they dare…”

Xiao Lü fiddled with a strand of hair near his ear, his eyes flashing with what seemed to be tears. “Mother, think about my wife, Lady Wang. Though she was somewhat timid, she was with me for several years and was by no means a weak person. And yet… they said she died of illness, so she died of illness… Now Zheng Sui has privately opened gold and silver mines in Qingzhou and established foundries. He trades with merchants, exchanging gold for goods, buying iron implements…”

Xiao Lü laughed briefly. “They’re just waiting for an excuse… Mother’s journey south played right into their hands. Only… perhaps he still retained a bit of kindness, which is why he allowed us, mother and son, to meet today…”

Consort Dowager Liu suddenly felt a chill throughout her body. “Lü’er…”

Xiao Lü reached out to touch Consort Dowager Liu’s cheek, carefully tracing the prominent wrinkles and dry skin. “Don’t be afraid, Mother. I haven’t been Prince Shen of Qingzhou for just a day or two. Now… I’ll find a way for Mother to escape…”

Just as Consort Dowager Liu was about to reply, they heard a soft creak of the hall door behind her.

She turned away first to wipe her tears before looking back toward the door.

The newcomer was six feet tall, lean and withered, with a bushy beard covering his face, dressed in iron armor.

It was Bo Gu.

Bo Gu clasped his hands in salute. “Greetings to Your Majesty, greetings to Consort Dowager.”

Xiao Lü lightly stroked his long hair and smiled. “General Bo, entering the hall late at night—what brings you here?”

Bo Gu replied, “Scouts report that Yu Dai is leading troops down from South Mo, heading toward Luochuan. This humble general comes to bid farewell tonight, as I intend to go north to investigate the situation.”

Xiao Lü smiled again. “We approve.”

Bo Gu expressed his thanks and did not linger.

Xiao Lü examined Consort Dowager Liu once more. “It must be tonight, Mother. Bo Gu is going north, and Zheng Sui, being suspicious by nature, will certainly go to send him off, neglecting the palace. Later, you should first enter the bedchamber. Shortly after, several elderly attendants with builds similar to yours will enter. You should change into their clothes and leave with one of them…”

Consort Dowager Liu’s journey had been arduous, but she never expected that the reunion with her son would be so brief.

She grabbed Xiao Lü’s sleeve tightly, then heard him continue, “Once outside the palace, go to the edge of Luochuan and find a merchant ship heading north, first to Qucheng.”

Consort Dowager Liu was stunned for a moment, then looked up to see an expression on his face that she had never seen before.

Xiao Lü seemed to have grown up overnight.