The eighth year of Jiande, eighth day of the eighth month, Gengchen day – auspicious for sacrifices, marriages, and prayers for blessings; inauspicious for breaking ground, with evil influences in the north.

Today, Huadu City was unusually lively. From the yin hour last night, servants in red clothing had been coming and going on Vermillion Bird Avenue, hanging red silk and red lanterns. All the buildings and pavilions facing the street were draped in red decorations, with red silk flower knots every five steps and pairs of festive red lanterns every ten steps, adorning the entire Huadu City more splendidly bright than during New Year celebrations.

Just past the Mao hour, children who loved watching excitement came to the streets to see the spectacle, and the city’s residents all rose early to come out and witness the grand event.

In the Imperial Palace, in Zhaode Palace, Emperor Zhao Zhang of Xiaode sat with a pale complexion and vacant eyes while eunuchs changed his clothes. On the phoenix-embroidered couch behind him slept his most beloved Consort Chen. To avoid disturbing her sweet dreams, Zhao Zhang gestured for everyone to stand outside the door, and he merely had a single eunuch serve him in putting on court robes in the outer warm pavilion.

“Your Majesty, today, Prince Yan and Prince of Huainan are returning to the capital. Where would you like to receive them – Chengqian Palace or Jixian Hall?” The chief eunuch asked respectfully while hanging a sachet on Zhao Zhang’s dragon-patterned jade belt.

“Jixian Hall, then. We shall dine with them in the palace this evening.” The emperor spoke with a somewhat dazed expression.

“Yes.” Liu Dehai bowed in acknowledgment and withdrew to leave. The emperor stood alone in the room, raising his wrist to look at his hand, and discovered his five fingers had become almost transparent, frightening him into quickly retracting his hand into his sleeve.

At dawn, the palace gates slowly opened. The prime minister led the court officials down from the morning court to ride in palanquins toward the city gates. City defense officers in black armor led two thousand elite cavalry into the city in a single file. From the city gates to the palace gates, they stationed one person every five steps and one post every ten steps. Then, a thousand imperial guards from the palace came running to clear the roads in sequence. When the sun rose to the height of one pole, both Xuanwu Avenue and Vermillion Bird Avenue in Huadu City were heavily guarded by troops, with civilians cleared to both sides of the streets, leaving a five-zhang-wide space in the middle.

Half an hour later, a procession approached from outside the city. Red banners and purple flags led the way, followed by two hundred bodyguards in silver armor with white plumes. Close behind came household guards in azure fitted clothing escorting a carriage pulled by four horses of pure black coat, drawn by a golden nanmu wood palanquin. The palanquin was twice the size of an ordinary sedan chair, fashioned like a palace with eight-colored flying eaves as a canopy, with silver bells hanging from the corners and bright jade and red knotted flower ribbons bound below, making melodious chiming sounds and graceful movements as it traveled.

“Prince Yan arrives, Prince of Huainan arrives.” A guard shouted, his voice resonant and clear. All the officials waiting in the street dismounted from their palanquins, and the crowded onlooking civilians on the street knelt down in succession.

“We have received His Majesty’s decree to welcome the two princes’ return to the capital here.” The officials, led by the prime minister, bowed toward the carriage.

“His Imperial Uncle is truly thoughtful. All you gentlemen may dispense with ceremony.” An arrogant voice came from behind the procession, followed by a pure white horse galloping swiftly from behind the guards, charging straight toward the pile of officials who had dismounted to bow, frightening those gentlemen in official robes to retreat in all directions. Just as it seemed about to collide with the prime minister leading the officials, the rider on horseback yanked the reins, and the horse whinnied loudly, rearing up on its front hooves and stopping in place.

The old prime minister, his soul still unsettled, wiped his sweat and looked up to see a handsome man sitting on horseback. He wore silver brocade robes embroidered with three dragons playing with pearls, a purple jade tasseled crown on his head, a jeweled golden sword at his waist, and held a purple snakeskin whip in his hand. That kind of overwhelming, noble bearing and contempt for the crowd was something anyone who saw it once would never forget.

“Prime Minister, it’s been years since we last met. You’ve grown more white hair – how is your health?” Zhao Yirong asked with what seemed like teasing laughter.

“I’m grateful for Prince of Huainan’s concern – this old minister is quite well.” The prime minister returned an neither cold nor warm smile, then looked toward the octagonal golden nanmu wood carriage and walked over several steps before cupping his hands and bowing toward the palanquin.

“This old minister respectfully welcomes Prince Yan’s return to the capital by imperial decree.”

However, for a long time, there was no response from within the carriage. Just as the prime minister was about to step forward to investigate, the carriage door was pushed open, and Yan Qige emerged wearing white silk deep robes, standing with hands clasped behind his back before the carriage. Throughout his entire person, only a piece of jade served as an ornament, his long hair bound up with a matching jade hairpin. Though he bore no luxurious objects, that innate noble bearing made everyone present dare not look directly at him.

“Princess Consort, come meet the Prime Minister.” Yan Qige turned sideways and extended his hand toward the carriage. A beautiful woman then emerged, lightly grasping Yan Qige’s hand. She wore a white Shu-embroidered hibiscus skirt with a golden silk osmanthus branch gauze outer robe, her hair in a trailing horse knot decorated with jade hibiscus flowers and six golden carved fan-shaped walking ornaments that proclaimed her extraordinary status and position.

Everyone present was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered their senses, kneeling toward the palanquin in unison and saying, “We pay respects to Prince Yan, we pay respects to Princess Yan.”

“Everyone may dispense with ceremony.” Yan Qige spoke indifferently, turning to lead Yusang back into the carriage.

The carriage began moving forward. Yusang sat inside and lifted a corner of the window curtain, discovering that all along the way were common people who had come to watch the excitement and elite soldiers clearing the road, and couldn’t help but be somewhat amazed.

“I never imagined you were imperial family – no wonder you’re always so fond of ordering people around in daily life,” Yusang muttered while looking out.

“You’re not a person anyway.” Yan Qige glanced at her.

Yusang huffily turned back to glare at Yan Qige, then her eyes rolled as she smiled again. Putting on a smiling face, she scooted over and said, “Since you’re the imperial family, you’ll enter the imperial palace. Can you take me along? I don’t know which bastard taught the emperor to build halls according to the demon-suppressing Eight Trigrams formation in the palace some years ago – now demons can no longer cast magic to enter.”

Yan Qige looked sideways at Yusang. Not understanding what this meant, Yusang frowned slightly then thickened her face to act coquettishly, saying, “Just take me along – I promise to obey you from now on.”

“I can take you, but you need to tell me one thing.”

“What thing?”

“Bai Zhi.”

The smile on Yusang’s face froze. The hand pulling at Yan Qige’s sleeve loosened. After lowering her head for a moment, she turned to sit back without continuing to pester Yan Qige.

That evening, when Yan Qige entered the palace, Yusang still followed along with him. At the palace gates, Yan Qige placed a jade bracelet on Yusang’s wrist, saying, “This is cockscomb jade. I’ve cast a spell within it that can break the palace’s demon-suppressing Eight Trigrams formation to keep you safe, but you must not cast magic recklessly in the palace, or it will backfire and harm you.”

“So powerful? You can even break the palace’s demon-suppressing formation so easily…” Yusang said in amazement, stopping mid-sentence as if suddenly understanding something. Her eyes widened slightly as she said, “Don’t tell me this palace’s demon-suppressing Eight Trigrams formation was designed by you.”

Yan Qige didn’t speak, only smiled with slight pride. He casually took Yusang’s hand and led her down from the carriage. A group of eunuchs and palace maids was already waiting ahead with palace lanterns to receive them.

Led by eunuchs to Jixian Hall, the eunuchs announced and pushed open the doors. Yan Qige led Yusang into the hall and saw that the banquet tables had already been arranged inside. Zhao Yirong stood by a writing desk in the hall, brush in hand, painting. The purple jade tasseled crown on his head appeared exceptionally brilliant and dazzling under the lamplight.

“Yan Qige, come see how this beautiful painting of mine turned out.” Zhao Yirong spoke without lifting his head.