Within the imperial palace, Shao Yao darted out of the hall, sneezed, rubbed her nose, and went back inside — burying herself once more over her prescriptions.

The Fourth Prince glanced at her, took a cup of tea from Lai Fu’s hands, and carried it over to the Emperor. “Is Shao Yao quite well?”

Shao Yao ignored him entirely. She was inwardly hoping she’d fall ill, actually — anything to get out of the palace sooner. Hmph!

The Emperor was half-reclining on the imperial bed, eyes resting on Shao Yao — who sat with the sprawling ease of someone entirely unaware she was a woman — and there was a thread of indulgence in his gaze. “I hope she hasn’t caught my illness.”

“My health is perfectly fine!” Shao Yao slapped the finished prescription into Lai Fu’s hands. “Go and collect the herbs — I’ll brew it myself.”

Lai Fu looked to the Emperor, but the Emperor was skeptical as well. “Would anyone in the Imperial Medical Court dare tamper with medicine meant for me?”

“I’m afraid they don’t understand and will ruin the medicinal properties.” Shao Yao saw nothing at all wrong with saying this in front of the assembled physicians of the Imperial Medical Court. As far as she was concerned, it was her prescription, and naturally she understood best how it was to be handled. Besides, the Emperor’s constitution was far too delicate — she had to maintain a careful balance, and dared not entrust it to anyone else.

The Emperor laughed despite himself, and signaled Lai Fu to fetch the herbs. He did, in truth, trust Shao Yao more than he trusted the imperial physicians.

The Fourth Prince cast a darkly assessing glance at Shao Yao, then turned to keep the Emperor company in conversation — only for a voice to ring out from outside, announcing: “Your Majesty, Noble Lady Yue has arrived.”

“Oh? Send her in.”

Hao Yue entered wearing robes of white palace silk, her expression tranquil. The Fourth Prince rose to pay his respects; she acknowledged him with only the faintest dip of her head. It was only when she faced the Emperor that any trace of concern appeared on her face. “Are you feeling better?”

“Nothing serious.” The Emperor took her hand in his — one aged and weathered, one smooth and young — a vivid contrast. Hao Yue glanced at it and looked away.

“I’ve come to keep you company and lift your spirits.”

“I sleep more than I’m awake — no need to subject yourself to that. You’ve come; that is enough. Go and rest.”

Hao Yue did not leave immediately despite his words, and stayed to speak with him for a while before departing. By this time the Emperor’s energy was flagging, and the Fourth Prince took the opportunity to take his leave as well, walking quickly to catch up with Hao Yue.

“I heard the Noble Lady had a headache a few days ago — I hope you’ve recovered?”

A slight curve touched Hao Yue’s lips. “Does the Fourth Prince not know who I was before I entered the palace? Would a woman who was once leader of the Seven Stars Sect truly be unable to remedy such a trifling ailment?”

The Fourth Prince had not expected her to state her identity so directly — he found it rather distinctive of her, and smiled in kind. “I only know that the Noble Lady was held in private custody by the leader of the Seven Mansions Bureau for a time. The Bureau has always enjoyed certain privileges — I merely thought it unexpected that the matter was simply… put to rest.”

“What is the Fourth Prince trying to say?” Hao Yue stopped and turned to look at him. She had no wish to spend more time than necessary with the Fourth Prince — it would do neither of them any good. Yet she was restless and on edge just now. Within the confines of the inner palace, meeting any man from outside was an ordeal, and she had waited long without managing to secure a single audience with that person. She could not help but want to know more — to know what his reaction had been to her entering the palace.

The Fourth Prince glanced around, his smile still in place, though his voice dropped lower. “This is hardly the place for such a conversation.”

Hao Yue looked at him for a moment, then turned and walked away. “I have been in the palace for some time and have yet to formally pay my respects to the Noble Consort. That was an oversight on my part — I ought to go and call on her.”

The Fourth Prince smiled with satisfaction. His people had uncovered that there had been considerable contact between Hao Yue and the leader of the Seven Mansions Bureau even before she was being held in Yuzhou — and then there were the frequent meetings after she came to the capital. He did not believe there was nothing of significance there. Today’s probing had confirmed it.

If this Hao Yue shared some particular connection with that person… The Fourth Prince’s young face curved into a smile of quiet, layered meaning.

By mid-tenth month, people had added layer upon layer to their clothing, and the year seemed colder than most.

Hua Zhi received the first batch of winter tea prepared according to her method, brewed a pot from the leaves, took a sip — and frowned.

Gu Yanxi noticed her expression and asked quickly, “The flavor is wrong?”

“Too thin.” She drank another sip, then set the small cup down. “But still far better than compressed brick tea. Next year, I’ll see which of the girls among Ying Chun and the others can spare the time — have them go around to each tea garden to demonstrate in person. I won’t have them wasting my good tea leaves.”

“I think the flavor is quite good.”

“How much tea have you actually drunk in your life.” Hua Zhi teased him. “Do you think people will be able to accept this flavor?”

“Everyone who has tried it accepts it — and finds brick tea undrinkable afterward.” Gu Yanxi smiled. “You have absolutely no need to worry about whether there’ll be buyers.”

“I’m not terribly worried either. Good things never lack for takers. Just have the people below keep the accounts clear. And the tea merchants — they should be growing restless by now.”

“I’ve already passed word down: if anyone comes to negotiate, give them the terms we agreed on.”

Hua Zhi nodded, lifted the small teapot to warm her hands. “How are the mushrooms selling in Yuzhou?”

“No worse than in the capital. Once the cold sets in and the selection of vegetables shrinks, business will only improve.” Gu Yanxi looked at her all bundled up in thick layers yet still shivering against the cold, and called out, “Liu Xiang, go and set up a brazier.”

“It’s only the tenth month.” Hua Zhi couldn’t decide whether to laugh or protest — setting up a brazier this early was too much.

“You’re cold.”

She had no argument to offer. She was genuinely cold — a chill that seeped in from the very marrow, leaving her hands and feet without a trace of warmth.

“Still set on the eleventh month for the Northern Territories?”

“I may leave a little earlier. All the various affairs are arranged — with your people following up afterward, I can rest easy.”

Gu Yanxi frowned. He could not help but worry. If she was already this sensitive to cold at home, what suffering would she endure once she was out on the road? But he also knew he could not talk Hua Zhi out of it. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Then let’s go early and be done with it. Are the preparations mostly complete?”

“More or less. We won’t be bringing the frostbite medicine this year, and many other things can be obtained there, so there’s less to pack.”

Gu Yanxi settled it. “Then we leave in four days.”

Hua Zhi turned it over in her mind and decided there was no problem — only: “Are you coming with me again this year?”

“Of course — I couldn’t let you go alone.”

“But the Emperor…”

“Yinshan Pass has seen major changes this year — five thousand new soldiers were added. I have good reason to go and inspect the situation.”

Hua Zhi suppressed a laugh. “You don’t need to convince me — only the Emperor.”

Gu Yanxi smiled as well. “He’s uneasy too. He’ll allow me to go.”

Hua Zhi smiled with her eyes — but the moment she thought about the long journey ahead, her legs felt weak at the knees. She found herself unwillingly pining for certain modes of transport she had once known. Lin Ying was a fine horse, but a fine horse still chafed her inner thighs raw, still jostled her until her bones felt scattered, still offered no shelter from wind or snow.

But she had to go.

When the household learned she was heading north again, there was happiness, yet an undeniable tenderness as well. The women of the inner courtyard knew little of the world outside, but they could see the eldest young lady’s exhaustion, and they could feel the air growing colder day by day. They ached to think of her, a young woman, traveling through wind and snow like this — the mere thought of it made them shiver.

But no one could talk Hua Zhi out of it.