◎I and Shanjun, mutually completing each other, born from the same lotus, never abandoning each other for all eternity.◎

After the funeral, Lan Shanjun asked Huihui if she still wanted to go to Nanzhou.

Huihui nodded without hesitation. But Zhu Shi was not very willing.

She said: “Now that peace has been restored and there’s no danger, wouldn’t it be better to marry in Luoyang?”

Duke Zhenguo’s household had risen in status due to Lan Shanjun’s relationship with the new Emperor and Empress. Many people were willing to form marriage alliances with the Lan family.

But Huihui shook her head: “Mother, I still want to go see.”

Zhu Shi wanted to say more, but Lan Shanjun had been maintaining a solemn expression without speaking, so she dared not continue. She said softly: “If you really want to go, then go.”

The old Duchess of Zhenguo also initially didn’t want to let Huihui leave, but she likewise feared Lan Shanjun.

She said to Zhu Shi: “Shanjun already hates us. In the future, she probably won’t help support the family’s brothers. If Huihui stayed in Luoyang she could perhaps persuade her, but this child Huihui has also grown distant from us. It would be good enough if she doesn’t speak ill of her brothers.”

So where she married became inconsequential.

To quarrel with Lan Shanjun over something inconsequential would be unwise. The old Duchess of Zhenguo calculated well in her heart: “I’ve argued with her several times before—she must resent me. But you’re her mother, ultimately bound by flesh and blood. If you bow your head a little, she’ll forgive you.”

Zhu Shi felt awkward hearing these words and uncomfortable in her heart, but thinking of her two sons’ futures, she couldn’t refute them. Finally she sighed: “Two daughters, and both have reached this state with me.”

She truly didn’t understand.

But not understanding was too late now. The first time she came to bow her head, Lan Shanjun smiled and said: “Mother should know my temperament. If you don’t disturb me, I won’t do anything to you. But if you make me disgusted, it won’t be as calm as now.”

Just then Yu Qingwu returned with flower seeds and Nanny Qian returned with vegetable seeds. Hearing these words, they stood not far away quietly watching. Zhu Shi glanced at them, suddenly felt ashamed, covered her face and left.

Yu Qingwu paused, gave all his flower seeds to Nanny Qian, and chased after her himself, calling: “Mother-in-law.”

Zhu Shi turned around, her heart holding some expectation after all.

Yu Qingwu: “I encountered Third Brother when I went out today.”

Zhu Shi hesitated: “He—he didn’t cause you trouble, did he?”

Yu Qingwu: “He came to curry favor with me.”

Zhu Shi’s face gradually reddened. She was not a shameless person—on the contrary, she cared very much about face. She said through gritted teeth: “I’ll instruct him not to bother you.”

Yu Qingwu: “It’s fine. I beat him once. If he comes again next time, I’ll beat him again.”

The expression on Zhu Shi’s face changed unpredictably. In the end she still covered her face and left.

Inside, Nanny Qian was also just saying to Lan Shanjun: “You should advise him. Oh my, now he’s an important person—how can he roll up his sleeves in public like that? He’ll be impeached. Tell him next time he wants to hit someone to tell me—I have people.”

Lan Shanjun recalled the burly man Nanny Qian had hired last time to discipline the Imperial Academy students. That man now occasionally did things for Nanny Qian too.

She said with a laugh: “All right, I’ll tell you next time.”

Nanny Qian blinked: “I’ll give you a share of the silver I take from it.”

Lan Shanjun couldn’t help laughing and helped her sort vegetables. When Yu Qingwu came in and found them laughing happily, he quickly asked: “Is there some secret I don’t know about?”

Lan Shanjun shook her head and told him about Nanny Qian’s plan: “You should pay attention to your status now.”

Yu Qingwu picked up a bean pod and broke it in half, shaking his head: “No good, no good. I can’t afford the silver to hire people.”

He was so poor.

So poor, so poor—yet when the Imperial Grand Prince entrusted him with important responsibilities and made him the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, the first thing he said was to raise his salary.

He said: “Your subject comes from humble origins and has little property to begin with. Now when I go out to eat and drink, Shanjun gives me silver. When I want to help colleagues, I must also ask Shanjun. Your Majesty, please raise the salary a bit!”

Hearing this, the Emperor laughed heartily, kept him for the midday meal, then asked curiously: “Like this, aren’t you afraid Shanjun won’t like you? Men should still have some wealth.”

Yu Qingwu straightened his back proudly: “Your Majesty, you don’t understand—I have my own abilities.”

He had argued forcefully with Nanny Qian and seized half the courtyard to plant countless flowers.

“Shanjun likes flowers.”

The Emperor laughed heartily again, then asked: “You’ve been married so long—why didn’t you plant flowers before, but now plant so many?”

Yu Qingwu poured him a cup of wine, then poured himself one, saying with a smile: “Before… she had no mind to look at them.”

She had too many thoughts weighing on her heart. Even seeing flowers brought sadness.

“When she came to Luoyang, it was winter.”

But now those stones and hatred pressing on her had been emptied out, so he could plant flowers.

“I want to fill her thoughts with flowers.”

A person’s heart cannot be too heavy, nor too empty.

“You’ll see—your subject is very good at making her happy.”

The Emperor laughed uncontrollably. The meal was very satisfying.

He was increasingly fond of eating eggs.

After A’Li came over from the Empress, the Emperor had him perform the master-disciple ceremony with Yu Qingwu.

Yu Qingwu looked at this Crown Prince before him who, though young, was very intelligent. His eyes grew gentle as he said firmly: “Your subject will not fail Your Majesty’s trust or disappoint the Crown Prince’s hopes. I will exert all my strength, dedicating this life to nation and people until death.”

A’Li solemnly kowtowed to Yu Qingwu: “Please instruct me, Teacher.”

Yu Qingwu helped him up: “If it benefits the state and society, I dedicate my life and death to it. This saying, for subject and sovereign alike, must be kept faithfully.”

A’Li nodded: “Yes. I respectfully remember Teacher’s instruction. A’Li dare not forget.”

The Emperor watched from the side, suddenly recalling many years ago when he too had inherited these words from his father and uncle-grandfather.

Over all these years, going round and round, the children who inherited their teachings had gathered in this city of Luoyang and passed them to the next generation.

Tiger—the Hour of the Tiger when daylight breaks fully, day after day after day, never ceasing.

He brought Yu Qingwu and A’Li to the Eastern Palace.

He had lived in this palace for nearly thirty years. During these thirty years, there had been bitter and sweet times. Only he and Yuanniang themselves knew the full flavor.

Now, this place belonged to A’Li.

Now, Yu Qingwu would also come and go from the Eastern Palace daily to teach A’Li.

The Emperor said: “Back then, Uncle-Grandfather also entered and exited here daily to teach me and Yuanniang.”

He opened the window and saw the tree directly across from it.

His interest was piqued, and he insisted on pulling Yu Qingwu to climb the tree: “Now I can leap lightly and climb up.”

Yu Qingwu: “…”

He said with amusement: “Yes, you can climb trees now.”

He turned to look at the Crown Prince and asked: “Does Your Highness want to go up and look?”

A’Li nodded hesitantly.

But this tree was too tall—he couldn’t climb it.

Yu Qingwu said gently: “I’ll hold you up.”

He lifted A’Li and placed him in the tree.

Father and son caught a caterpillar in the tree.

Then the Empress arrived.

Beside her were Lan Shanjun and A’Man. Lan Shanjun had come to the Eastern Palace to teach A’Man blade practice. Seeing this scene, she said with a smile: “Today’s sun is rather fierce, otherwise I’d also be willing to go sit up there.”

The Empress shook her head: “Forget it. Climbing trees makes you itchy. Let’s go look at blades instead. We got quite a few good blades this time—you and A’Man should both go pick one.”

She passed by the three men with Lan Shanjun and A’Man.

Yu Qingwu followed along eagerly.

The Emperor jumped down from the tree and followed.

A’Li: “…”

He looked at the tree, at his tutor, at his father, and finally gritted his teeth and jumped down, frightening the attending eunuch into a cold sweat. But A’Li discovered he wasn’t hurt at all.

His eyes brightened as he followed behind his father and tutor: “When I’m a bit bigger, I’ll be able to climb up and play by myself.”

The Emperor looked at him enviously: “I’m truly jealous of you.”

At this age, he had been living in trepidation.

He and Yuanniang feared daily that they would be killed on a whim by that old wretch, or that Prince Qi and Prince Wei would strike them dead to silence them.

He said: “I and your mother didn’t have an easy life back then.”

A’Man said softly: “I know Aunt and Elder Brother didn’t have it easy at our age either.”

She raised her head and asked: “What about Uncle?”

But Yu Qingwu said: “Your subject had it pretty good.”

Though life was austere then, following Wu Qingchuan with Elder Brother and Yingying by his side, he had never suffered.

But that evening when he returned home, he suddenly said to Lan Shanjun with emotion: “Now it’s just the two of us left.”

Lan Shanjun paused, then pressed her lips together: “Then the two of us will live well together.”

Life always gets better and better.

Zhu Yun had also become pregnant. The Zhu family father and son had now been promoted, and she lived very comfortably at her in-laws’ home. She said to Lan Shanjun: “I’m returning to Shuzhou.”

Lan Shanjun was startled: “Why?”

Zhu Yun’s face bore a smile: “You know my husband also loves reading about water management. We share the same aspirations. I told him about managing the waters in Shuzhou, and he wants to become an official there.”

Lan Shanjun was very happy for her.

Yu Qingwu was also very happy.

He happily complained to Nanny Qian: “Before she didn’t like going out. After getting married, she often came to our house to find Shanjun. Great—now that she’s pregnant she’s even more persistent. She comes over in the evening and sometimes doesn’t go back, wanting to talk with Shanjun by candlelight through the night.”

Nanny Qian said cheerfully: “Shanjun has few close confidantes. Don’t fuss over such things.”

Yu Qingwu bit through a radish: “Where am I fussing? Tonight I even have to sleep in the study.”

Indeed he did sleep in the study. Thinking about it, he simply went to find Gong Lin for a candlelit conversation.

Gong Lin was very moved at first. He was now the Director of the Imperial Stud. Once he had followed behind Yu Qingwu calling him Director Yu, and now people chased after him calling him Director Gong.

He never imagined he’d have such a day!

He said: “I’m going to raise horses! I’ll raise horses for the court my entire life!”

Yu Qingwu took his hand: “Little Lin.”

“Others think the Imperial Stud is an undignified place, but you and I both know this is the most important place for whether the court can defend its territory.”

“This place—aside from you, His Majesty and I wouldn’t trust it to anyone else.”

Gong Lin was imperial clan, utterly loyal, had power, had silver, had sincerity, and most importantly, he truly loved horses.

Yu Qingwu believed he could preserve the final integrity of the Imperial Stud.

Gong Lin was so moved! He pulled Yu Qingwu for a candlelit conversation.

But…

His face darkened: “Grand Tutor Yu, what did you eat tonight?”

Yu Qingwu said embarrassedly: “Since I didn’t have to sleep with my wife, I ate several extra radishes.”

Gong Lin: “…”

Thanks. Although I’m a wastrel who can accompany friends, I’m a wastrel with a wife.

He hadn’t eaten radishes. He could go find his wife to sleep.

The next morning Gong Lin coldly saw off Yu Qingwu and told the gatekeeper: “In the future if Grand Tutor Yu comes again, just close the gate and don’t let him in.”

The gatekeeper didn’t dare. But Yu Qingwu didn’t go to the Gong residence again.

Because Zhu Yun soon went to Shuzhou.

He said hypocritically: “Ah, truly can’t bear to part.”

Lan Shanjun looked at him with amusement, then took his hand and kissed it: “Thank you.”

Thank you for such honest and fervent love. Like a ball of fire, completely undisguised—just approaching it makes one’s heart burn.

That evening in her journal she wrote: “Those who know me number two or three. The one who knows my heart is only Yu Qingwu.”

Now she no longer needed to hide and use wutong trees to represent Yu Qingwu. She wrote the three characters of Yu Qingwu directly in her journal: “People say Luoyang’s flowers are like brocade, but when I arrived, spring was absent.”

But…

“Yu Qingwu planted a whole courtyard of flowers for me.”

That evening, she personally made a table full of good dishes and invited Yu Qingwu over, taking out her journal: “I want to give this to you.”

This was her lifelong record of him.

Yu Qingwu received it, opened the pages, reading page by page from the initial wutong tree to the final Yu Qingwu—he raised his head and said to Lan Shanjun with a smile: “Wait for me a moment. I also have a gift for you.”

He also had a journal, from Shan Zun written to Shanjun.

He had just written in his journal: “This life of mine, I had pledged to the state and society, unable to pledge to a beloved.”

But…

“Shanjun came from the mountains, bearing frost and snow, carrying a lamp to guide my way.”

“The lotus cannot grow without pond water; the moon cannot shine without hanging in the sky. I and Shanjun, mutually completing each other, born from the same lotus, never abandoning each other for all eternity.”