Just at that moment, the door to the side chamber that had been tightly shut swung open, and the Hua Family’s sons — with Hua Bailin at their head — all dressed in sapphire-blue robes, filed out one by one.

They arranged themselves in a neat, silent line and fell into step behind Gu Yanxi, just as one would when escorting a bride — though it was only a handful of paces, though not a single word was spoken, their intentions were made plain in full.

Gu Yanxi carried her into the main hall. The Minister of Rites, Official Wei, had taken on the role of ceremonial herald as a guest today, and at this moment he called out in a clear, carrying voice: “The auspicious hour has arrived. Let the new couple observe the wedding rites. First bow — to Heaven and Earth.”

Gu Yanxi, still carrying her in his arms, turned toward the open doorway and bowed.

“Second bow — to the high seats.”

Gu Yanxi turned and bowed toward the left, where the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were seated, and toward the right, where Elder Lord Hua and Hua Pingyu and his wife were seated.

As for the bow between husband and wife — that was naturally not possible. Wei Rongwen reacted quickly and called out at once: “Husband and wife, embrace.”

Gu Yanxi had never been fond of the overly slippery Wei Rongwen, but in this moment he found his opinion of the man softened just slightly. Which official was not slippery by nature? Self-preservation in the face of difficulty was every one of their instincts — yet sometimes it was precisely this kind of slipperiness that was needed.

“The rites are complete!”

The assembled guests bowed in return, wishing to offer their congratulations — yet not a single person could bring themselves to say the words.

But Gu Yanxi smiled. With a heart full of joy and a face full of sincere, wholehearted happiness. Something he had yearned for over so long had at last come to fruition — how could he not be glad? A’Zhi had merely fallen asleep. When she woke and learned she was now a wife, he wondered what expression she would wear.

No matter. When she woke, he would go through all the proper betrothal proceedings — three matchmakers, six rites — and make up everything that had been missed this time. He would come for her with ten great palanquins and bring her home to his Shizi’s residence.

Still holding her, Gu Yanxi bowed formally to the guests in return. “My deepest thanks to all of you for coming. Another day, we shall…”

Boom!

Everyone turned to look — and froze.

That person, clad head to toe in soft armour, hair half-come-loose and travel-worn from head to foot — who else could it be but Shao Yao! Was this not… was this not an unauthorised return to the capital?

Shao Yao swept in like a gale and, without a word, made straight for Yanxi’s arms to seize the person he held. Gu Yanxi naturally refused to yield — the elder physician had said A’Zhi’s body was already extremely weak. How could she withstand such rough handling? Not to mention Shao Yao was covered in grime — what if it worsened A’Zhi’s condition?

By the time the others had gathered their wits, the two had already exchanged several moves back and forth. The Grand Empress Dowager found the scene both amusing and unbearably poignant. She made no move to intervene. The Emperor was a young man of his own convictions, guided outside by his court ministers and inside by the Grand Tutor — his handling of affairs had grown increasingly measured of late. He had no need of this grandmother of his to go and hold court before him. She, for her part, was already half-buried in the earth — what power or influence could she still hold onto, and for how many days? She might as well let it go sooner rather than later. That way the Emperor could rule with an easy mind, the court would settle into stability, and she could preserve what little remained of the affection between grandmother and grandson.

To be born into the imperial family was hard. To marry into the imperial family was hard. To be the matriarch of the imperial family was harder still. No one understood the taste of that life better than she did.

The Emperor did indeed step forward. He rose from his seat, walked over, and moved to stand between Shao Yao and Gu Yanxi. “We summoned you back to treat the Grand Tutor’s illness. How is it that you are already coming to blows?”

Shao Yao glanced at him and at last refrained from making any sharp retort. As a commanding general who had returned to the capital without imperial sanction, that was a grave offence — yet the Emperor’s words before the assembled crowd had effectively glossed over the matter. Such protection was a rare thing coming from the imperial family, and she would receive it with gratitude.

Gu Yanxi carefully shifted A’Zhi higher in his arms and, without turning his head, gave the order: “Go clean yourself up first. Change your clothes.”

Shao Yao pressed her lips together, turned, and walked out the door. The quick-handed maids had already carried in water and were sending it into the side chamber.

Not wishing for A’Zhi’s current state to be seen by more people, Gu Yanxi gave another bow to those seated in the places of honour, then carried her back into the room. Even if his face remained calm on the surface, within he was filled with apprehension. He had been the one to call Shao Yao back. In terms of experience and seasoned knowledge, Shao Yao was no match for the elder physician — yet Shao Yao’s boldness and her natural gifts in this field were rarely matched. Even the elder physician had once said that his own innate talent fell short of Shao Yao’s. Right now, she was his only hope.

Hearing the sound of familiar footsteps, Gu Yanxi did not even lift his head as he laid out A’Zhi’s recent condition in full detail — reciting without a single omission even the prescriptions the elder physician had used.

Shao Yao, who had already braced herself mentally, still felt her heart trembling. “The gold needles — even the gold needles have already been used?”

“Yes.” Gu Yanxi rose and stepped aside, making room. “It’s up to you now.”

Shao Yao let out a long, slow breath. Without a moment’s delay, she sat down, closed her eyes, and took hold of Hua Zhi’s pulse.

She had raced back day and night, and along the way had turned over in her mind every possible condition Hua Zhi might be in, matching each one to the remedy she would use — yet this particular situation was one she had never once considered. For a moment she even felt there was… no remedy to reach for.

The pulse was nearly imperceptible. The signs of a lamp that had run out of oil.

“Why.” Shao Yao raised her head, her expression devastated. “When I needed her, Hua Zhi was my pillar. When you needed her, she let you be without a care in the world. When the Hua Family needed her, she could become the sky above them. When Xiao Liu’er needed her, she was his shield — and yet when she needed us, not one of us could do a thing to help her! The world is not fair. They say the greater one’s ability, the greater one’s burden — but what did it harm anyone that she had ability? Why did she have to pay for it with her own life?! Would it have been better if Daqing had fallen and everyone was living a life worse than death — would she then have been free to simply live alongside everyone and endure it?”

Gu Yanxi made no move to stop her from saying words that could have been counted as treasonous — because he, too, had once asked the same questions within the silence of his own heart. Only there had never been anyone to give him an answer, just as there was no one now who could give Shao Yao an answer.

Shao Yao covered her face for a moment, then rose and walked out. “I’m going to find my master.”

The elder physician was already waiting for her. “You’ve had a look?”

Shao Yao collapsed face-first onto the table, motionless. Said nothing.

The elder physician let out a long sigh. This disciple of his had always been one who loved and hated fiercely — her closeness to the eldest young miss needed no explanation. One only had to watch how she behaved like a child in that young woman’s presence to understand.

“Is there truly no other way?”

“The greatest problem right now is that she has no response to the outside world. Her consciousness seems to have gone to sleep. If only she could show even some small reaction, her body would begin to restore itself on instinct.”

Shao Yao’s head snapped up. Her eyes blazed like twin beacons. “No response?”

The elder physician had no idea what this extraordinarily audacious disciple of his was plotting, and said with caution: “She has been unconscious for several days. During that time I let blood from her on multiple occasions, and not once did she respond in the slightest…”

Shao Yao bolted out before he could finish. She had been going about it the wrong way!

What was the use of letting blood from Hua Zhi? When had that woman ever spared herself any mercy? You could cut out a piece of her flesh and she might not even cry out in pain!

But if you let blood from someone Hua Zhi cared about — if you cut into someone she loved — let’s see if she could go on sleeping then!

The guests who had not yet departed saw Shao Yao come sweeping in again like a whirlwind, then retreat at an even greater speed. She stood beneath the covered walkway and beckoned Bao Xia over with a wave.

“Go and tell Hua Zhi — tell her that I was killed in action at the front… no, wait, that’s not right.” Shao Yao paced back and forth several times, the reckless, half-wild energy radiating off her completely undisguised. “Go and tell Hua Zhi that I returned to the capital without imperial sanction and the Emperor is going to have my head cut off. Yes — exactly like that. Hua Zhi will surely be furious with the Emperor, and she’ll wake up.”

“……” The Emperor felt somewhat wronged.