The weather was bitterly cold, with moonlight casting a ground full of frost crystals on the slate stone paths. Carriage wheels rolled over them, producing cold, harsh creaking sounds.

Arriving at the Qiao residence entrance hung with red lanterns, a young servant lifted the carriage curtain, and a tall, elegant young man stepped out, treading over the silvery frost as he walked inside.

Just as he entered the main gate, he heard the faint sound of a qin drifting through the air.

Qiao Mo stopped to listen.

The qin music was peaceful and serene, like summer birdsong and insect chirping in this cold night, low and gentle, making listeners feel relaxed in body and mind.

Gazing at the dim yellow lamplight in the distance, Qiao Mo couldn’t help but quicken his pace.

“Master has returned,” a maid curtsied to Qiao Mo.

Qiao Mo waved his hand to signal the maid not to disturb his wife, who was playing the qin, and walked in with light steps.

Xu Jinghong sat upright before the qin table, her fair hands adjusting the strings. She glanced toward the doorway, then stood up.

As soon as the Qin music stopped, the young child sleeping on the small bed pouted and began to fuss.

Xu Jinghong smiled helplessly at Qiao Mo and sat back down to continue playing.

As the peaceful Qin music resumed, the child turned over and continued sleeping.

Qiao Mo went into the side room to change clothes and wash his hands. Upon returning, he studied the sleeping child and gently touched her cheek.

The Qin music gradually ceased.

Xu Jinghong walked over, raised her hand to straighten Qiao Mo’s collar, and asked: “Are you hungry?”

“I am hungry.”

Xu Jinghong instructed the maids to set up a late-night meal in the east side room and also reminded the wet nurse to take good care of the young mistress. The couple then went together to dine.

The east side room had heated floors, making it as warm as a spring day inside.

Qiao Mo and Xu Jinghong sat facing each other. After receiving hot tea from a maid and drinking a few sips, he said apologetically: “There have been many matters at the government office these days, so I’ve had even less time to spend with you and the child.”

Xu Jinghong smiled faintly: “What’s the matter with that? We can’t let it interfere with important business. Ling’er has me take care of her.”

After Qiao Mo and Xu Jinghong married, they found their temperaments compatible. As time passed, their feelings as husband and wife deepened. They had a daughter named Qiao Ling, who was now almost four years old.

When their daughter was mentioned, Xu Jinghong’s usually cool expression grew tender: “This little girl is becoming increasingly difficult to handle. She always insists I play the qin before she’ll sleep at night.”

Qiao Mo laughed: “Ling’er takes after you. She’ll surely become a master of qin artistry in the future.”

Xu Jinghong glanced out the window.

These past two years, glass windows had become fashionable in the capital, and wealthy families had mostly replaced their windows with this type—bright and warm.

At the moment, the glass window was covered with beautiful frost flowers, blocking the view outside.

Xu Jinghong withdrew her gaze: “Speaking of qin artistry, I feel that Third Sister Li surpasses me.”

Since Qiao Mo and Qiao Zhao were sworn siblings, Xu Jinghong naturally addressed her as sister-in-law.

“She’s involved in many areas, but in Qin artistry, she’s not as specialized as you.”

Qiao Mo spoke casually, but Xu Jinghong looked at him with surprise.

“What is it?”

Xu Jinghong frowned and said frankly, “I always feel like you’re being polite about Third Sister Li in front of me.”

As if they were blood siblings, closer in relationship than she and Qiao Mo.

What Qiao Mo appreciated was precisely this frankness of Xu Jinghong’s.

He already had to expend too much mental energy at court—he didn’t need a wife with deep scheming thoughts whose every move required guessing.

Qiao Mo smiled: “It’s not politeness—I truly think so.”

“Oh yes, Third Sister Li sent a letter.” Xu Jinghong had an indifferent nature; having wondered about it, she let it go. She got up and went to the study, returning shortly with a letter and asking Qiao Mo, “Would you like to see it?”

Though Qiao Mo very much wanted to see it, since in the world’s eyes he and Qiao Zhao were only sworn siblings, there was no reason for him to brazenly take and read a letter his sworn sister had written to his wife. So he asked: “What did my sworn sister say in her letter?”

“Third Sister Li says she’s doing well in the Northern Territories, and expects her second child to be born next spring or summer.”

Qiao Mo’s eyes lit up with joy: “That’s wonderful news. I was originally worried she wouldn’t adapt to the Northern Territories’ climate and would suffer, but now it seems I was overthinking.”

“Third Sister Li and Prince Zhenbei have a loving marriage, and with family accompanying her, she would adapt anywhere.”

Qiao Mo nodded: “I just wonder whether their second child will be a boy or a girl. Speaking of which, they’ve been in the Northern Territories for over three years now, and we still haven’t met their eldest son, young master Chun.”

“Why don’t we take Ling’er to visit them next spring?”

The light in Qiao Mo’s eyes dimmed: “There are too many matters at the government office—I can’t get away.”

He was different from Shao Mingyuan.

Though Shao Mingyuan was enfeoffed as Prince Zhenbei and couldn’t enter the capital without imperial summons, he was the dynasty’s only prince of a different surname. From then on, he was the most noble person in his fief, and even if he commanded wind and rain, the capital couldn’t interfere.

But Qiao Mo had taken the most orthodox imperial examination path. With his abilities and his father-in-law’s support, these past years could be called smooth sailing, yet he didn’t dare slack off for a moment.

Not to mention being busy with government office matters—even if he had leisure time, if he wanted to go to the Northern Territories, his wife’s grandfather, Chief Minister Xu, would probably be the first to oppose it.

After the couple finished their late meal, they washed and retired for the night.

The next day, when Xu Jinghong opened her eyes, she discovered that Qiao Mo hadn’t gone to the government office before dawn as usual.

“Today isn’t a rest day,” Xu Jinghong thought for a moment and said with certainty.

Qiao Mo smiled: “That’s right. I requested leave—I’m staying home to accompany you today.”

“But it’s not my birthday either,” Xu Jinghong said, even more confused.

“Guess again.”

“Wanwan’s coming-of-age ceremony has already been held, too.”

Seeing that Qiao Mo still didn’t nod, Xu Jinghong simply gave up: “I can’t guess. Please tell me, husband.”

“Today marks five years since our marriage—we should celebrate a little.”

Xu Jinghong was stunned.

So wedding anniversaries needed to be celebrated, too? Could it be that her husband had been working hard at the government office day after day and wanted to take this opportunity to be lazy?

Xu Jinghong cast a suspicious glance at Qiao Mo.

“Look at the gift I’ve prepared for you.”

After Xu Jinghong had properly dressed, Qiao Mo took her hand and went to the inner study.

With one glance, Xu Jinghong noticed the change in the inner study.

Originally, to coax their daughter, she had moved the qin that was placed in the study to their daughter’s quarters, leaving the qin table empty long ago. But now there was a Qin on the rosewood Qin table.

Xu Jinghong quickly walked over. Just observing the qin’s appearance made her delighted, and when she plucked it to test the sound, her joy became impossible to conceal: “This is the famous qin ‘Solitary Elegance’?”

Qiao Mo gazed at Xu Jinghong, his eyes holding gentle light: “Years ago, when you gifted my sworn sister the famous Qin ‘Ice Pure,’ it was celebrated as a beautiful story. Now I gift you ‘Solitary Elegance,’ hoping my lady will accept it with a smile.”

Xu Jinghong’s beautiful eyes sparkled with delight: “Where did your husband obtain ‘Solitary Elegance’?”

A thousand gold pieces were easy to come by, but famous qins were hard to find. Now she believed her husband hadn’t requested leave just to be lazy.

“I’ve had people searching for it since we married—I didn’t expect it would take all these years to find.”

“Thank you very much—I love it,” Xu Jinghong made no effort to hide her joy at receiving such a cherished gift.

“Please, my lady, play a piece so I may feast my ears.”

Xu Jinghong knelt before the Qin table and began to play.

Amid the melodious, cheerful qin music, Qiao Mo smiled slightly.

They say, “May people live long and share the moon’s beauty across a thousand li.” He thought that the moon over the Northern Territories was just as bright as the moon over the capital.