Halfway through the hour of You, Head Physician Hu from the Imperial Medical Bureau, newly appointed to fill a vacancy as Director Hu, was finally summoned by the Emperor into the Tianlu Pavilion.

On the Emperor’s first day back at court after returning to the capital, only now did he have leisure to see him.

Director Hu performed a long bow and said, “Greetings to Your Majesty.”

The Emperor rolled up his sleeves, “Come up.”

Director Hu slowly walked to the Emperor’s side, checked his pulse, and carefully observed his complexion for half a moment before bowing his head to ask, “Has Your Majesty’s headache recurred recently?”

“No.”

Director Hu bowed again and retreated to the bottom of the jade steps, “Although Your Majesty’s knife wound has largely healed, the southern tour has been taxing on both mind and body. Even though Your Majesty is in his prime, you should not push yourself too hard and must take good care of your health. The previous medication seems to alleviate the headaches. After I supplement the pulse diagnosis records, I will present them to Your Majesty for review.”

Xiaoyan nodded indifferently, but asked, “Have you modified the prescription as I commanded?”

Director Hu’s back stiffened slightly as he bowed again, “In response to Your Majesty, the prescription… this humble servant has already modified it. It’s for nourishment and recuperation, and has less astringency.”

“Very good. You may withdraw.”

Director Hu acknowledged the command and slowly retreated from the Tianlu Pavilion. After descending two stone steps, his foot suddenly slipped, and he nearly fell.

Eunuch Gao, standing nearby, smiled and reached out to support him, “Is the Director all right?”

Director Hu steadied himself and gave a dry laugh, “It’s nothing, nothing.”

He shook his robes, calming his nerves, and then remembered something, “This servant forgot to report that Consort Zhao’s shoulder wound in Jianjia Palace has been troubling her recently. Perhaps due to the jolting journey back, the wound hasn’t healed, and it even bled a few days ago.” After speaking, Director Hu hesitated and said, “Eunuch Gao, this…”

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Gao’s face showed alarm, “I hope the Director will take special care with Jianjia Palace. This old servant will report to His Majesty shortly.”

Director Hu sighed inwardly, relieved that he wouldn’t have to face the Emperor again today, “Thank you, Eunuch Gao.”

No sooner had he left than people from the Imperial Workshop arrived at the Tianlu Pavilion.

Eunuch Gao entered the pavilion to announce them, and the Emperor summoned them in.

The palace servant from the Imperial Workshop knelt on the steps with a portfolio held in both hands. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed from the corner of his eye that the Emperor had already risen and descended the steps to take the portfolio from his hands.

The portfolio depicted several kite designs, all sketched according to the Emperor’s prior instructions.

Xiaoyan flipped through the portfolio for a while before returning to the table to pick up a vermilion brush. He circled only two of the designs.

One was an ordinary yuanbao (gold ingot) style. The other resembled a chestnut, triangular. He meticulously added a few fine lines.

“Make two kites according to this design and deliver them to Heluo Palace tomorrow.”

The palace servant received the portfolio and answered loudly, “By your command.”

After the palace servant left, Eunuch Gao tentatively asked, “Concubine Rou has newly moved to Heluo Palace. Will Your Majesty go to see her?”

Xiaoyan lifted his robe to sit back at the table, lowered his eyes to glance at the memorial sent by the Ministry of Personnel, “No, I won’t go tonight.”

Eunuch Gao sighed inwardly but didn’t press further. Seeing the Emperor pick up his brush to review documents again, he remembered Director Hu’s request and said, “Director Hu mentioned before leaving that Consort Zhao’s shoulder wound hasn’t been healing well these past few days. It bled again the day before yesterday. Your Majesty, would you like to visit her?”

Xiaoyan frowned slightly, “It’s been over a month, and it still hasn’t healed?”

Eunuch Gao carefully replied, “I heard it might be due to the fatigue of travel.”

Xiaoyan pondered for a moment, put down his brush, and rose, saying, “Go to Jianjia Palace.”

At the hour of Xu, the glazed palace lanterns outside Jianjia Palace illuminated the entire palace in brilliant light.

Xiaoyan paused at the palace gate, looking up at the several beast sculptures standing on the flying eaves.

The palace servant announced, “His Majesty arrives.”

Zhao Wan had been lying on her side on the couch. Hearing this, she hurriedly rose to meet him at the hall entrance. She saw the Emperor approaching in his bright yellow dragon robe with a black hat, seemingly coming from the front hall.

“This concubine greets Your Majesty,” she curtseyed. “This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”

“Rise.”

Seeing the Emperor’s gaze fall on her right shoulder, she wore a plain robe with layers of white gauze faintly visible underneath. Zhao Wan smiled, pursing her lips, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. It is this concubine who is useless. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

“What fault is there to forgive?” the Emperor’s voice held displeasure. “Sit down and speak.”

After both were seated, the Emperor inquired in detail about her shoulder wound. Zhao Wan answered according to the physician’s words, and finally said, “This concubine has applied medicine according to the physician’s prescription. It hasn’t been very painful these past two days.”

The Emperor glanced at her, then turned his gaze toward Eunuch Gao by the door, saying slowly, “Consort Zhao should take good care of herself. If the Imperial Medical Bureau is negligent, you may send someone to inform Eunuch Gao.”

Disappointment flashed across Zhao Wan’s face. She forced a smile and asked, “Has Your Majesty’s journey back from Qingzhou been smooth?”

The Emperor nodded slightly and merely said, “It’s getting late. Consort Zhao has an injury and should rest early.”

Seeing him rise to leave, Zhao Wan felt a dull pain in her right shoulder.

This pain made her unwilling to give up. She rose as well and blurted out, “Why does Your Majesty never spare a glance for this concubine? What is wrong with me? Let’s not mention past matters, but even after the danger we faced at Luochuan, is Your Majesty still unwilling to look at this concubine one more time?”

Hearing this, Xiaoyan halted his steps and finally turned to look at her carefully.

“My beloved consort’s words are quite strange. Have you always been seeking just one more glance from me?” A hint of a smile seemed to ripple in his peach blossom eyes. “What you’ve always sought, haven’t I already granted it to you?”

Zhao Wan’s heart suddenly sank, but she knew she couldn’t retreat now. If she did, there would never be such an opportunity again.

She raised her eyes to look at him steadily, “If what this concubine seeks from now on is just one more glance from Your Majesty, if this concubine is willing to sacrifice her life for Your Majesty, can’t even that exchange one glance from Your Majesty?”

Xiaoyan’s eyelashes flickered lightly, but he laughed aloud, “Then what are you doing now? Seeking pity?” His gaze was as cold as distant stars, yet his tone grew increasingly gentle, “Or… exploiting your merits for rewards?”

Zhao Wan’s face froze as she realized the oppressive imperial aura before her. The previously barely perceptible anger suddenly became clear.

“Zhao Wan, what I am willing to grant you, I will grant. What I am unwilling to grant, you cannot obtain even by asking.”

Zhao Wan’s face immediately turned ashen white. She collapsed back into her chair, her fingers involuntarily gripping the carved edge of the chair tightly.

The Emperor looked at her no more and turned to leave.

*

The night passed.

Being late spring, daylight came earlier.

Gu Yi had slept well the previous night. After all, it was the familiar bedchamber of Heluo Palace, so there was no discomfort of sleeping in a strange bed.

The sunlight outside penetrated through the thin, moon-white gauze window, suggesting it was a fine day.

Gu Yi called Duo Luo into the hall. After washing up, it was just past the hour of Chen.

She sent someone to Jianjia Palace to ask if Consort Zhao was available to receive her today, but the palace servant returned saying that Consort Zhao was feeling unwell and would not be receiving visitors today.

Gu Yi immediately felt a weight lift from her body. She relaxed and happily enjoyed her breakfast.

After her promotion to the rank of concubine, her treatment had visibly improved, with several more dishes appearing on her table.

Duo Luo wrapped a pancake roll for her, filled with meat slices, eggs, and vegetables. “This pancake roll, this servant also ate when I was young. In Danta, everyone loves to eat pancake rolls for breakfast, but usually stuffed with cream. Sometimes when a family slaughtered a lamb, they would also add lamb meat.”

Gu Yi accepted the pancake roll and asked curiously, “How far is Danta from the capital?”

Duo Luo thought for a moment, “From the capital to the border city of Diecheng’s tea-horse market, about three or four months.”

That’s indeed not far…

Gu Yi took a bite of the pancake roll.

Duo Luo laughed to herself, “But when this servant was young, I heard the story of Emperor Zhongzong of the Great Mu Dynasty. They said he rode swiftly and returned to the capital from Diecheng in just two and a half months.” After speaking, she realized this might be inappropriate to mention. She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at Gu Yi.

Emperor Zhongzong of the Great Mu Dynasty was Xiao Que, the father of Xiao Heng, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Lü.

During Xiao Que’s reign, he launched several northern expeditions against Danta, eventually emerging victorious. Thereafter, Danta paid annual tribute. However, among these northern expeditions, there was one disastrous defeat. Xiao Que was held captive in Danta for an entire year, becoming a laughingstock of Danta for a time.

Gu Yi found it somewhat amusing but firmly suppressed the smile at the corners of her lips.

Just then, a palace servant at the hall entrance reported, “Your Highness, people from the Imperial Workshop have arrived and are waiting outside.”

What business does the Imperial Workshop have here?

Gu Yi picked up a silk handkerchief to wipe her hands before saying, “Summon them in.”

Moments later, she saw a palace servant in blue robes enter the hall, carrying two kites.

The palace servant, with a face full of smiles, bowed and said, “Greetings to Concubine Rou. As spring days are perfect, the Imperial Workshop has specially made two kites for Your Highness to dispel boredom.”

Gu Yi immediately stood up from her chair, walked over, and examined the kites in his hands.

Duo Luo exclaimed with delight, “Your Highness, the one on the left looks like a gold ingot.”

Gu Yi looked and indeed saw a gold-ingot-shaped kite sprinkled with gold dust.

She picked it up and handed it to Duo Luo behind her.

Duo Luo then looked at the kite on the palace servant’s right side and said with puzzlement, “But the one on the right, this servant cannot recognize.”

Gu Yi laughed softly, took it, and held it in her hands.

“Thank you for your trouble, sir.”

The palace servant bowed, “Your Highness is too kind. Having delivered them, this servant will take his leave.”

Gu Yi nodded and carefully examined the kite in her hand again.

About an arm’s length, it was a light brown triangular design, not particularly beautiful, but the top was shaped in a semicircle, allowing one to see it was a chestnut. Four plain white streamers were attached to the left, right, and bottom, made of an unknown material, fluttering lightly with the wind.

She raised her hand, holding the wooden frame of the chestnut kite, and shook it gently in the air. The streamers rose, indeed resembling running limbs.

A chestnut running in the night.

Seeing Gu Yi’s brightened eyes and relaxed expression, Duo Luo said, “Your Highness, the weather is fine today! Why doesn’t Your Highness try these kites in the courtyard?”

Gu Yi firmly held the scroll rod in her hand, nodded with a smile, and said, “That sounds good!”

At the hour of Si.

The sun was bright, the sky clear and washed in blue, reflecting the morning sun, gradually presenting a few touches of gentle pink-blue.

The spring breeze, neither hurried nor slow, leisurely carried the kite up into the blue sky.

Gu Yi stood in the courtyard, slowly winding the rod in her hand. This time, without Xiao Lü urging her on, she could finally fly a kite freely.

The light brown chestnut kite had already ascended, its four limbs fluttering and swaying in the wind.

Duo Luo looked up for a long time, still puzzled, “Your Highness, what kind of kite is this? This servant doesn’t understand…”

Gu Yi laughed, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand.”

Eunuch Gao stood outside the Tianlu Pavilion, gazing into the wind, seeing the kite flying in the sky.

At this moment, the Emperor had just finished court. As he entered the hall, Eunuch Gao smiled and bowed to the Emperor, “This old servant just saw a kite floating above Heluo Palace. It must be that Concubine Rou likes the kite.”

“Is that so?”

Xiaoyan walked quickly to the outside of the pavilion with his hands behind his back, standing under the eaves, gazing into the distance.

He couldn’t help but laugh softly. So it seems she doesn’t only like gold ingots after all.