As night gradually descended, lanterns lit up one by one throughout the Haisha Palace. The bloody fighting slowly came to an end. After four hours of desperate resistance, the disciples of the Tianshan Sect finally surrendered.

After countless casualties on both sides, the months-long conflict between the martial arts world of the Central Plains and the Tianshan Sect had finally concluded.

In the days that followed, they cleared the battlefield and judged merits and faults. The Tianshan Sect’s Master Yun Zixin had vanished without a trace. All surrendered disciples had their martial arts stripped away, and the Tianshan Sect was forever struck from the records of the martial arts world.

As the New Year approached, the various sect masters and disciples grew weary of the harsh mountain cold. After about ten days, they began departing one after another. The martial arts world, which had been in chaos for half a year, was about to return to its former peace. If there was any difference, it was that I had become the Master of Phoenix Pavilion.

On the day the fighting ended, no one asked why I returned alone, nor did anyone ask where Xiao Huan had gone. It was as if everything had happened naturally.

I accepted the position of Pavilion Master at Haisha Palace and found among Xiao Huan’s belongings the documents and suggestions he had written. Following his guidance, I began the expected discussions with the various sect masters, making final decisions on various proposals, reviewing all account books and documents, and slowly growing accustomed to disciples saluting me as “Pavilion Master.”

After more than twenty days, all the other sects that had stayed at Haisha Palace had departed. The once-bustling palace became an empty city with only a small number of Phoenix Pavilion disciples remaining. There was no longer any reason or necessity for Phoenix Pavilion to stay.

After the routine meeting with several hall masters that day, I tapped my hand on the pearwood table: “Pass down the order to pack up. Tomorrow we depart for Jinling.”

After speaking, I stood up, preparing to return to my chambers. Silence surrounded me, with no one leaving their seats, so I had to stop.

“Are we leaving?” Su Qian was the first to break the silence.

I smiled slightly: “The disciples are all waiting to return home for the New Year. If we leave tomorrow, we should make it back before then.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard,” Muyan, who could now stand, said with a smile. “The disciples can return home for the New Year, but if you want to wait, I’ll stay here with you.”

I smiled and sat back down: “I forgot one more thing.” I paused, “Send funeral notices to the sect masters of the martial arts world, saying that Phoenix Pavilion’s former White Master has passed away from illness. All funeral arrangements will be kept simple, so they need not be too formal.”

In the dead silence, I stood up once again and walked out of the room alone.

Outside, brilliant sunlight shone on the snowy mountains, illuminating the snow-covered steps below and the magnificent buildings of Haisha Palace. For some reason, it reminded me of the Forbidden City, that city I had forgotten for too long.

I had always thought it only represented decay and confinement, but now I suddenly understood that such a vast and deep palace compound was, at its core, lonely.

Gently raising my head, the sun shone brightly in a crystal-clear blue sky. It truly was beautiful weather.

After a hurried journey, Su Qian and the half-recovered Muyan rushed back to Phoenix Pavilion’s main hall in Jinling. The other hall masters returned to their respective branch halls, and the disciples dispersed. I arrived in the capital before sunset that day.

Horses were not allowed on Xuanwu Street behind the Forbidden City. I led my mount with its worn saddle through the crowd, brushing shoulders with the capital’s citizens who were happily carrying various New Year goods. Another year had passed.

I suddenly thought of the small tavern where I had drunk during last year’s New Year’s Eve, wondering if they still served that sweet sorghum wine this year.

Walking while lost in thought, I reached the long moat outside the Forbidden City. Turning at the bridgehead, the gate guards straightened but didn’t stop me.

Looking up, Xiao Qianqing stood quietly on the bridge, wearing plain clothes and light fur, his face bearing that familiar smile: “I had people watching at the city gate. When they saw you return, they came to report.”

I nodded and smiled: “You missed me that much?”

He smiled and nodded solemnly: “Very much.”

I laughed with a “tch” sound: “Alright, I missed you too. Happy now?”

The street lamps gradually lit up behind us, the frozen moat reflecting the hurrying crowds. I smiled slightly: “Xiao Qianqing, I’ve finally figured it out. From today on, I’m going to try hard to fall in love with you properly. People can’t live in the past forever, right?”

Xiao Qianqing’s hand reached out, his fingers threading through my disheveled hair. He lowered his head, and I couldn’t see his expression as he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into his embrace.

My hand holding the horse’s reins stiffened for a moment, then I let go of the reins and hugged him back.

Gradually, warm tears began flowing from my eyes.

“Xiao Qianqing, you’re wonderful.”

“I know.”

“Xiao Qianqing, I like you.”

“I know.”

“Xiao Qianqing, why can a person truly fall in love with only one person in their lifetime?”

He paused: “I know.”

Countless pedestrians passed behind us, countless street lamps lit up, the bustle becoming background noise. I clearly remember that this day was the twenty-second of the twelfth lunar month in the ninth year of Deyou, exactly one year since last year’s palace coup.

Back in the palace, busy with New Year celebrations and various government affairs, I had always thought Xiao Qianqing was capable, but who knew he would dump the most troublesome matters on me? The conflicts between the Pure Stream Faction and the Pragmatic Faction, the debates between the Western Faction and the Isolationists—it took me half a day just to understand what these were about, let alone handle them.

When I asked Xiao Qianqing about it, he just innocently spread his hands and said he missed me so much he could barely eat or drink, that handling routine affairs was already taxing enough, and these troublesome matters were too annoying.

I wanted to knock him dead—he wouldn’t handle the troublesome matters, so what was I keeping him for?

After several days of endless busy work, I finally made it to near the New Year, which was also the appointed day from a year ago for Xiao Qianqing to ascend the throne as emperor. Just as I was thinking that after getting through this, I could go enjoy freedom in Jinling, I unexpectedly fainted the day before New Year’s.

It’s quite embarrassing to talk about—I just felt a bit dizzy when getting up for morning court, but after sitting in Qianqing Palace for a while, I fainted in front of all the civil and military officials when I tried to stand.

When I woke up, I was lying in Xiao Qianqing’s bedchamber. Li Mingxiang sat at the bedside, and seeing me awake, wore a meaningful smile: “Congratulations, Your Majesty, you’re with child.”

I sat up quickly: “Really?”

Li Mingxiang shook his head, his three wisps of long beard swaying: “This master diagnosed it, how could it be false? However, the timing of this pregnancy is not good. Even though it’s genuinely that little brat’s child, who would believe it if we said so…”

I jumped up and hugged him: “That’s wonderful, that’s wonderful…” Then, not knowing whether I was laughing or crying, I smeared tears and snot all over Li Mingxiang.

After learning I was pregnant, Xiao Qianqing finally found his excuse. He came up with a bunch of high-sounding reasons to postpone the next day’s coronation ceremony, then sat down with me privately and said: “Being emperor is too tiring. I’m still so young and vigorous, I don’t want to die an early death.” As he spoke, he stared at my belly, “This child is a boy, right? Perfect. When he’s born, we’ll insist he’s the late emperor’s posthumous son and have him ascend the throne. If the age doesn’t match up, we’ll make up some reasons. After all, once the child is two or three years old, you can’t tell a year or two difference in age. Anyway, right now we can do whatever we want—who would dare question us?” He spoke so righteously, without a hint of shame.

I was so angry I hit him with a pillow: “Why should my son have to be emperor and slave away? If it’s a girl, were you planning to have her dress as a boy to be emperor too?”

Xiao Qianqing narrowed his pale ink-colored eyes, smiling enchantingly: “You even guessed that.”

With a face like his, he’s truly sinful.

Jokes aside, the new year finally arrived—the tenth year of Deyou.

After becoming pregnant, Li Mingxiang hovered around me constantly, strictly forbidding me from going more than ten li beyond the Forbidden City, saying I was only slightly more settled than a monkey in a tree, and for the sake of Great Wu’s future emperor, I had to be kept under close watch.

On the other hand, Xiao Qianqing very conscientiously took over all government affairs, saying it was worth it for decades of leisure to come.

With nothing to do, I was bored staying in the back palace all day. Besides playing with Xiaoshan and Jiaoyan, I had no other amusements. Now even Ying was in Jinling with Hong Qing—I couldn’t even watch her light incense anymore.

Without the Pavilion Master present at Phoenix Pavilion, Su Qian had sent several letters urging me to come to Jinling. She said I might as well rest there as anywhere else, and even if I didn’t do anything as Pavilion Master after not showing my face for a month or two, it would be good for the main hall’s disciples to at least see a living person.

After thinking it over, I stopped being polite and, using the excuse of limited mobility, moved Phoenix Pavilion’s main hall to the capital, opening the hall on Xuanwu Street less than five hundred steps from the Forbidden City. Wedged between various government offices and imperial factories, it became second to none in prestige. Even the old grannies in the capital’s alleys knew that now there was a Phoenix Pavilion, a place full of formidable people.

Days flew by swiftly, everything was peaceful. The martial arts world had no more disturbances, the court remained its usual clamorous self. Nothing had changed, yet it seemed as if something had quietly transformed.

In the blink of an eye, it was the bright March weather. The begonias in the imperial garden bloomed all over the trees. After one night of wind, crimson petals carpeted the ground. That day, with nothing to do after getting up, I moved a chair outside Jiangxue Pavilion to read in the sun.

In January, I had occasional fatigue and nausea, but later my spirit and appetite became incredibly good. I especially craved oily foods. While sitting and reading, I had Xiaoshan order a plate of ham from the imperial kitchen, eating while reading.

Pale pink begonia petals occasionally fell onto the book pages. I had only eaten half the plate of ham when Jiaoyan came over carrying a letter, looking puzzled: “Your Majesty, just now a young eunuch ran over and gave me this letter, saying to deliver it to you.”

I put down the book and licked my fingers: “Give it to me.”

Jiaoyan hesitated: “It seems suspicious. There’s nothing strange in the letter, is there?”

I smiled, snatched the envelope, and pulled out the letter: “Poisoning letter paper is too old a trick. I’m the Master of Phoenix Pavilion after all—you think I’d fear that?”

The pure white letter paper unfolded, containing only a few words: Shall we meet outside the palace? Signed: Lingbi Sect Leader, Zhong Lin.

I gently brushed my finger across that line of text. Lingbi Sect Leader, Zhong Lin.

Jiaoyan called out from the side: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, there really is something strange about this letter, isn’t there?”

I raised my hand and gave her a knock on the head: “If there was something strange, would I have time to let you shout?”

Jiaoyan held her head with an “ouch” while Xiaoshan giggled on the side.

I stood up. I was wearing light white gauze and an informal dress, which was perfect as it saved me from changing clothes. I walked directly toward Xuanwu Gate: “I’m going out of the palace. Don’t tell Master Li.”

Jiaoyan and Xiaoshan called out in confusion behind me, but I ignored them and left them behind as I reached the gate.

The imperial guard on duty was the familiar Sun Dingkuan. I smiled at him, he bowed and then ordered the guards to let me pass.

Passing through the long city gate and moat bridge, I saw Zhong Lin in the distance sitting on a stone lion across the street, wearing light green gauze clothes that were nearly white, her feet resting on the lion’s face, swaying slightly.

When I approached, she jumped down and smiled slightly: “Do you know if there are any good teahouses nearby? Let’s find a place to talk.”

All the teahouses I liked weren’t on this street, and though I could leave the palace, I worried about going too far and making Li Mingxiang and Xiao Qianqing anxious. So I pointed toward Phoenix Pavilion’s main hall: “How about sitting in the pavilion for some tea?”

She nodded and smiled, unable to hide her travel-worn appearance: “Alright.”

We smiled at each other and slowly walked over together. Entering the door, all along the way were disciples smiling and saluting me with clasped hands in greeting. Perhaps because their feelings for the previous Pavilion Master ran too deep, I, this nominal master who hadn’t done anything, had quite good relations within the pavilion because I had been “imperially appointed” as successor.

Like the hall in Jinling, this hall had also been converted from a garden. I led Zhong Lin in, then sat at a stone table beside a lotus pond. Since Li Mingxiang had told me not to sit on stone benches, disciples had already quickly brought over two wooden chairs.

After sitting down, the serving girl brought over a porcelain pot containing fruit-brewed tea. I smiled apologetically at Zhong Lin: “Sorry to make you join me in being supervised.”

Zhong Lin smiled as well, lifting the teacup for a sip without speaking.

After a moment of silence, I spoke first: “You’re the Sect Leader now?”

Zhong Lin nodded: “The previous Sect Leader passed away, so I took the position.”

I nodded: “Oh, so he passed away.”

Zhong Lin gently traced the rim of her teacup, smiling slightly: “Cangcang, let me first tell you a story from long ago.”

“Whatever you like,” I smiled.

It was a very long story, some parts of which I already knew, while others were unclear to me, so when Zhong Lin began speaking slowly, I listened quietly.

It must have been over twenty years ago. There was a married couple who loved each other and were fortunate enough to live together as husband and wife. But though the husband loved his wife deeply, and the wife loved her husband just as much, neither had ever expressed their love to the other.

They lived together quietly this way, both reserved with each other. Sometimes they would misunderstand each other over trivial matters, but still wouldn’t speak of it, just continuing like that. Finally one day, a girl who deeply loved her husband. Because she loved him so much and knew the husband only loved his wife, she did something crazy—she kidnapped the wife and took her to Tianshan. On Tianshan, there was a pool that never froze. Anyone who soaked in it for three days and three nights would be poisoned by something called the Ice Snow Love Catastrophe. It was the coldest thing in the world, with no cure. Those who were poisoned could only slowly wait for death.

After bringing the wife to Tianshan, the girl put her in this pool to soak. But this wasn’t enough. The girl then found the husband, who was nearly driven mad with worry over his missing wife, and told him his wife was in her hands. If he wanted his wife to return safely, he would have to do everything she said. Though the husband was very capable and resourceful, he was helpless against someone who had kidnapped and hidden his wife, so he had to agree.

Then the girl took the husband to a room made of ice blocks and ordered him to make passionate love with her. They said nothing extra, just made love, for three days and three nights, continuing like this—resting when tired, eating when hungry, then continuing after rest. Just like this for three days and three nights. During these three days and nights, the wife soaking in the ice pool watched her husband and that girl’s entanglement through a mechanism in the wall.

After three days, the girl opened the room’s secret door, letting husband and wife see each other. The wife left without a word, dragging her poisoned body away. The husband, after going berserk and crippling the girl’s martial arts, collapsed from exhaustion beside the pool.

Fortunately, the husband was saved by an arriving friend with superior medical skills and didn’t die. And the wife who left him alone gave birth to a baby boy several months later. This child absorbed most of the Ice Snow Love Catastrophe poison from his mother’s body while in her womb, so the wife didn’t die either but survived.

However, from then on, the wife never returned to her husband’s side. That incident became a deadlock between them that neither wanted to mention yet couldn’t forget. In the many years that followed, they hated, slandered, and fought each other endlessly due to various misunderstandings, but most importantly, because of that deadlock that could never be resolved.

Zhong Lin’s story ended there. I took a deep breath, flashing before my eyes was Gui Wuchang’s profound gaze when he spoke of the past. At that time when I looked at him, I always felt that gaze seemed familiar.

Now I remembered where I had seen such a gaze before.

That time at Shanhai Pass, after I entered the pass and returned to the Jurchen camp, forcing Xiao Huan and Kumor to duel—at that moment, the way Xiao Huan looked at me was exactly this kind of gaze—the one he loved would never know that he could die for her, but sadly she would never believe it.

My chest seemed to throb with pain. I lowered my head and lifted the teacup from the table. The steam from the tea rose, misting the corners of my eyes.

Zhong Lin paused for a moment, then smiled and continued: “The old story ends here. What comes next isn’t a story, but one person’s plan. You know this person too—some called him Bai Chifan, though some knew he had another name and identity.

“This person wanted to stop certain things his mother was doing. But he could neither harm his mother nor allow her to continue doing wrong things that would cause too much suffering for others—he couldn’t just stand by and watch. So in the end, he chose what seemed like a foolish method.

“He knew that because he had opposed his mother in every way, she had already resolved to kill him and had put a hefty bounty on his head in the martial arts world. But he couldn’t just let himself be killed—if he was to die, he had to force his mother to do it herself. He knew all the ugliness of human nature, yet still believed his mother wasn’t someone whose conscience had died. He knew hatred and misunderstanding were more tenacious than any emotion, yet still believed his blood could buy his mother’s forgiveness and wash away all old grudges.” Zhong Lin smiled, her eyebrows lifting slightly, “A very proud and dignified way to die, right? Among all the people I’ve ever met, only his chosen way of death was the most dignified.”

I put my teacup down on the stone table, my body trembling uncontrollably as I struggled to steady my voice: “That’s wonderful… so did this person succeed?”

“He did.” Zhong Lin’s voice was light and cheerful. “This person, while ill, traveled thousands of li to find his mother’s trail in Tianshan, and also found the person who might be the only one who could unlock his mother’s mental knot—the former Tianshan Sect Leader, Yun Zixin. After having her martial arts crippled, she had become a pitiful woman who was deranged, with both mind and body stuck in childhood.

“With Yun Zixin, this person followed his mother’s trail, avoiding waves of assassins, crossing Tianshan, traversing deserts and plateaus—an arduous journey. While others sought to live, he sought death. Finally, at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, where the Lingbi Sect’s main hall was located, he forced his mother into a situation where she had no choice but to kill him with her own hands. He succeeded.”

Zhong Lin let out a long breath: “You didn’t see the battle of wits and courage along this journey. Now I’m truly convinced—forget about him building Phoenix Pavilion in half a year, I’d believe he could build another Phoenix Pavilion in half a year. This person truly deserved to be called a rare genius.”

I gripped the wooden chair’s armrests tightly, my ears ringing one sound after another, forcefully pulling up the corners of my mouth, my vision seeming blocked by something, all blurry: “Is that so… that’s wonderful…”

Zhong Lin sighed: “Yes, it’s wonderful. I just took the position of Sect Leader and haven’t gotten the hang of anything yet. I wanted to keep him for a while to help me, but who knew that as soon as his health improved slightly, he insisted on rushing back to see you. These days there are more and more people who value love over friendship.”

I was suddenly stunned, forcing my eyes wide open to look at Zhong Lin: “What did you say?”

Zhong Lin narrowed her eyes and smiled: “I said he insisted on traveling day and night to rush back to see you—the person you’re thinking of, Xiao Huan.”

I raised my hand to wipe away the tears on my face, trying to look calmly at Zhong Lin: “But you just said…”

Zhong Lin blinked: “I said he forced his mother into a situation where she had no choice but to kill him with her own hands, but I didn’t say his mother killed him.” She paused and smiled, “Uncle Gui went in the end—he and the Sect Leader fell off the cliff together.”

I was silent for a moment. Gui Wuchang and the Sect Leader—could they be considered star-crossed lovers? Loving each other so sincerely, yet resenting each other for life, ending in mutual destruction.

“Before falling off the cliff, the Sect Leader asked me to give you a message,” Zhong Lin suddenly said with a smile. “She told me to tell you…”

A message from the Sect Leader for me? I was a bit dazed, looking at Zhong Lin.

Zhong Lin touched her chin and smiled: “The Sect Leader said, to take good care of Huan’er, his health isn’t good.”

I was stunned for a moment, then immediately said solemnly: “I understand, I’ll do so.”

Zhong Lin smiled too, waving her hand: “Alright, enough idle talk. I rushed over this time wanting to see you first, and to tell you the story and pass on the message. Your person is currently in the auxiliary capital Daiyu City. He rushed too hurriedly along the way—I’m really afraid he’ll faint right after seeing you if he doesn’t rest.” She winked, “If you don’t want him to worry, wait here for him to return—it’ll only be a day or two. If you can’t wait, then go find him. The begonias in Daiyu City are at their best now…” Zhong Lin teased, “You should be able to guess the place.”

I made an “oh” sound and stood up, ready to leave.

Zhong Lin smiled behind me, her voice somewhat lonely: “Cangcang, I’m sorry. That day on Tianshan, I shouldn’t have said such vicious things. I didn’t mean to, I just… It’s really good now that you can still find him, unlike me…”

I stopped and turned to look at her: “Zhong Lin, you’ve been very busy at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain lately, haven’t you…”

Zhong Lin was stunned for a moment: “Yes, why?”

“You don’t think Muyan is dead, do you?” I looked at her.

She opened her beautiful eyes wide, her voice trembling: “Isn’t he…”

I burst out laughing, almost unable to stand straight: “How silly, you’re so silly! That day I was just saying things in anger… And you’re something else, not even checking afterward.”

I cleared my throat, holding back my laughter as I pointed to a room across the lotus pond: “Muyan is right there. He seems to have too many official documents these days, complaining endlessly while reviewing them. It would be perfect if you went to help him solve some.”

Zhong Lin’s eyes grew even wider, and then she suddenly pounced on me and bit my hand hard: “That’s not how you joke! Did you know I almost killed myself?”

I cried out loudly from her bite: “I’m pregnant! Don’t be rough… Ouch…”

A few tears fell on the back of my hand. Zhong Lin jumped up and rushed toward the lotus pond. Watching her running away like a rabbit, completely lacking the demeanor of the world’s greatest sect leader, I snorted, rubbing the red teeth marks on the back of my hand: “You woman, deliberately playing with me just now… Think about it, I’ve been playing with you for over three months already, so we’re even…”

After rubbing my hand and seeing no one watching, I ran to the stable, saddled a horse, mounted it, and galloped toward Daiyu City.

The thirty-some li journey took only half an hour. Zhong Lin was right—the begonias in Daiyu City were at their best. Tourists coming to view the flowers were everywhere, moving back and forth like a woven tapestry under the canopy of Western Mansion begonia trees.

A gentle breeze blew, scattering begonia petals from the branches like rain. Lovers walking side by side under the trees stopped to smile at each other—a sweet and beautiful scene.

The begonias in Daiyu City were at their best… and the most beautiful begonias bloomed at the foot of Mount Daiyu.

Standing under the begonia trees that stretched across the entire city, I let go of the horse’s reins and walked forward leisurely. All the streets were bustling. I kept walking forward, gradually approaching Mount Daiyu at the center of the city.

Begonia petals occasionally brushed past my eyes and beside me, falling on the bluestone brick street, the pink seeming endless, filling my vision. The surroundings began to grow quiet. Step by step, it felt like walking in a dream.

Sparse zither notes drifted from the dense forest. The thick flower trees gradually opened up, and in a clearing in the middle of the begonia, grove sat a white-canopied carriage. The horse had already been led away to graze by the driver. The carriage shaft was empty, resting on a large rock in the forest. Through the lifted curtain leaned a figure in cyan. His head rested against the carriage wall, loose strands of hair falling on his shoulders, reflecting a pale golden luster in the sunlight. He casually plucked at an ancient zither propped on the carriage shaft, his long pale fingers dancing lazily in the sunlight.

I walked over and stood before the carriage, sighing: “Your zither playing is like fluffing cotton.”

His pale pink thin lips curved up slightly as he opened his eyes, deep black pupils carrying a hint of mirth: “Is that so?”

I nodded, squeezing onto the carriage shaft to sit down, and asked: “You’ve never learned to play the zither, have you?”

He smiled and stopped plucking the strings: “No.”

I made an “ah” sound: “You don’t know how to play the zither?”

He laughed softly, straightening up a bit from where he leaned against the carriage wall to make room for me: “Is that strange?”

I nodded solemnly: “Very strange.” Looking at him, I continued, “Do you know Zhong Lin described you as some legendary figure? It made me almost too scared to come see you.”

He smiled: “Zhong Lin, that girl, she insisted on going to the capital first to notify you. I couldn’t stop her.”

I nodded: “Mm, she said your health couldn’t take any more strain.” Taking his somewhat cold hand and putting an arm around his waist, “Tell me, how is your health now?”

He smiled: “Not bad?”

I glared at him: “More details.”

He paused, thinking with a slight smile: “When I was in Tianshan, I prepared medicine to cure the cold poison…”

I made an “ah” sound: “Getting rid of the cold poison, without anything to suppress your inner power, isn’t that very dangerous?”

He smiled and continued: “Later when the inner power backlashed, Zixin didn’t understand and gave me medicine for internal injuries. By accident, it cured seven or eight-tenths of the problem.”

I quickly said: “Isn’t that wonderful then?”

He smiled: “But then later at the peak of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, I played chess with someone for two days and two nights in the wind and snow, which resulted in my current condition.”

I made another “ah” sound: “Showing off again!” I asked, “How are you now?”

He smiled: “About the same as before, I suppose.”

I sighed: “After exhausting yourself with all this, I wish it were as simple as you make it sound.”

He smiled without speaking.

But this was the first time he’d been willing to tell me about his health condition. Thinking this, I reached out my other arm to hug him completely: “I heard the message your mother sent. I’ll take good care of you from now on, and nurse you back to health properly. After all, you are my male consort, aren’t you?”

He smiled and made an “mm” sound, still not speaking.

I thought for a moment, grabbing his hand: “Such beautiful fingers, it’s such a waste not to learn the zither. I know how to play—come, I’ll teach you.” Taking his fingers to touch the strings: “The right-hand fingering techniques include mo, tiao, gou, ti, da, di, and also lun, suo, shuangdan, ruyi, diejuan…”

He started laughing: “Why are you so impatient? We just met up again.”

I bared my teeth at him: “I finally found something I know that you don’t, of course I have to show off quickly. Come on, let me teach you, you music illiterate…”

He chuckled softly: “Who told you I’m music illiterate? I just don’t know the zither… I can play the xiao…”

I fell silent suddenly. When Xiao Huan said he could do something, it usually meant—he was very proficient.

I could only roll my eyes: “Fine, since you can’t play the zither but can play the xiao, why are you sitting here plucking at a zither…”

“Because it looks good.” A crisp childish voice answered before Xiao Huan could. Yun Zixin crawled out from the carriage, still somewhat sleepy-eyed, “Even if he sits there plucking like he’s fluffing cotton, it still looks good.”

I stared at Yun Zixin with wide eyes: “Why are you here?”

Yun Zixin gave me a cool glance, neither pretending to be innocent nor affecting elegance. The childishness she displayed now seemed quite natural: “I’m following Huan’er, what’s it to you?”

Xiao Huan sighed beside me: “This one has higher standards for male consorts than you do. I have to put on cultured airs from time to time.”

I suddenly felt a surge of jealousy, hugging Xiao Huan and giving his thin lips a hard kiss, then looking up at Yun Zixin: “Brother Xiao is my male consort! Don’t try to steal him from me!”

Yun Zixin looked at me coolly: “Alright, alright, how stingy. Who wants to steal from you? This old woman just came out for a walk because I got sick of listening to you two flirting in there… do whatever you want.”

It felt strange hearing someone who looked like a young girl refers to herself as an old woman.

After speaking, Yun Zixin nimbly jumped down from the carriage and was about to walk away when she suddenly turned back to tell me: “I heard from Huan’er that my Xiao Qian is in that Phoenix Pavilion you’re heading now. Take good care of her.”

I was a bit stunned, unable to remember such a person for a moment: “What Xiao Qian? Who is Xiao Qian?”

Yun Zixin impatiently pursed her lips, muttering: “So stupid.” Then raised her voice, “The one who goes by the name Su Qian. Her real name is Yun Xiao Qian, she’s my daughter.”

I was even more stunned: “Weren’t you turned into a child-like state when your martial arts were stripped? How could you have a daughter…”

Yun Zixin cursed again: “So stupid.” Raising her voice, “What about before I was turned small?”

After that she said no more, turning away with her hands behind her back and bouncing away. Looking at her back, she was no different from any ordinary twelve or thirteen-year-old girl.

I shook my head and sighed: “Being like Mistress Yun, forever twelve years old, that’s not bad either.”

Xiao Huan held my waist, smiling: “Growing old year by year isn’t a bad thing either, is it?”

I turned back to hug his neck, suddenly remembering: “In our two years of marriage, we haven’t spent either of your birthdays together. Next year we must celebrate together!”

He smiled and nodded: “Alright, we’ll spend it together next year.”

Thinking about it, I suddenly felt indignant: “Why is it always you quietly leaving me behind, and then me chasing after you? Are you really that great?”

He laughed softly, nodding: “Yes, yes, I’m not that great.”

I glared: “If you’re not that great, then am I just stupid? Always chasing after you?”

He smiled, suddenly reaching out both arms to hug my waist, his voice still soft: “Cangcang, I’m sorry.”

My face betrayed me by blushing. I mumbled a response, then hugged his head and kissed his forehead before changing the subject: “Oh right, I have so many things to tell you, listen, and don’t get impatient.”

He nodded and smiled: “Alright.”

“During the time you were gone, those people at court have been causing trouble. My father can’t keep things under control anymore, and Xiao Qianqing is too lazy to manage it… I think as soon as you return to the capital, Xiao Qianqing will try to put you on the throne again.”

“Mm, we’ll talk about that when we get back to the capital.”

“Also, I’ve taken over Phoenix Pavilion, and with Su Qian and the others’ help, everything’s going quite smoothly. I’ve moved the main hall to the capital, which makes work more convenient.”

“Very good.”

“And, and also, I’m pregnant. The morning sickness isn’t too bad, I can still run and jump around. Master Li practically wants to worship me like a Buddha, it’s driving me crazy.”

“Mm, you do need to be careful.”

“Ah… I’m pregnant and you’re not even happy!”

“Hm? I am very happy.”

“You haven’t shown that you’re very happy!”

I don’t know how many useful things I said, or how many pointless things, until I talked myself hoarse and didn’t want to speak anymore. I rested my head on Xiao Huan’s shoulder, looking up at the begonia trees overhead with their flowers piled like pink clouds, and smiled lazily: “Brother Xiao, do you know about that legend in Daiyu City?”

He held my waist, leaning his shoulder against the carriage wall, and said: “Mm?”

“You know, the one that says if people who meet under blooming begonia trees fall in love, they’ll be happy for life.”

He smiled without speaking.

I smiled slightly: “We didn’t meet under begonia trees.”

I turned to face him directly, looking seriously into his deep black eyes: “My name is Ling Cangcang. Ling as in the trumpet vine flower, Cangcang as in the vast heavens. Nice to meet you, sir.”

He was stunned for a moment, then slowly smiled, his deep pupils reflecting the pink and white sky: “I’m Xiao Huan. Nice to meet you.”

I smiled softly, thinking I should tell him next that no matter how many times, let’s start over again; no matter how many times, I still love him.