Shen Guiyan helplessly explained in a low voice: “The First Prince is very fond of Nuo’er. Today, I only managed to secretly carry Nuo’er out while he was asleep. When he wakes up, he’ll definitely throw a tantrum again. After all, she is Gui Lan’s daughter, so I cannot simply keep her in the palace without a word. That’s why I came today—to settle this matter properly in person and put your minds at ease.”

She didn’t directly propose betrothing Nuo’er to Sigu, only saying she would adopt her as a goddaughter. If their affection remained unchanged when they grew up, then taking Nuo’er as a wife would be fine with Shen Guiyan. If their feelings changed, she would still be able to arrange a good match for Nuo’er in the future, so it wouldn’t delay her prospects.

Jinxiu had helped her greatly, so naturally she wouldn’t mistreat those close to her.

Gao Jinxiu looked at Gui Lan: “What do you think?”

Gui Lan immediately knelt down: “For Nuo’er to receive the Empress’s affection is her blessing. This servant kowtows in thanks for Your Majesty’s grace.”

Nuo’er didn’t understand what they were discussing, but seeing her mother bow, she also hopped down and kowtowed to Shen Guiyan in a proper manner: “This servant kowtows in thanks for Your Majesty’s grace.”

Her milky voice was endearing.

This implicit child betrothal was thus settled.

On the way back to the palace, she encountered the National Master halfway. This mad monk wore purple prayer beads, and upon seeing her, immediately said: “Great tribulation at the coming-of-age ceremony, great joy at twenty, but Your Majesty’s hair will turn completely white.”

White-haired great sorrow? Shen Guiyan’s heart sank, and the smile she had just worn instantly froze. The National Master stood in place, clicking his tongue twice: “My divinations are always accurate, never wrong. Even if some demon tries to change your fate, what is meant to come will still come! Three years from now, your hair will turn white as snow, and on your own birthday, you will shed tears throughout the palace.”

These words struck like a thunderbolt, making her vision darken.

The National Master hummed some lewd ditty he’d heard from who knows where, making his way out along the palace path. Shen Guiyan lowered the sedan curtain, deeply worried.

After experiencing so many trials already, what could still be waiting ahead for her?

“Yan’er?” During the meal, Gu Chaobei called her name several times before she came back to herself. He couldn’t help but ask with some confusion: “What’s wrong? Did things not go smoothly with Nuo’er?”

“No.” Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes and said: “Today when I went out, I saw people flying kites.”

The Emperor looked bewildered. What about kites?

“This subject-consort thinks, if we don’t know when the string will break, then before it breaks, we should let the kite fly higher and more beautifully. Don’t you agree, Your Majesty?”

Gu Chaobei didn’t understand, but he nodded anyway. Whatever his wife said was right.

However, seeing that she seemed unhappy, Gu Chaobei still went out to instruct Zhuiyun to handle some matters.

In the afternoon, in an open area of the imperial palace, everyone was flying kites. The sky was filled with swallows, phoenixes, and butterflies—all manner of kites. Gu Chaobei led Shen Guiyan to watch, saying: “Which one do you like? I’ll have them bring it to you.”

Shen Guiyan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. That had been a metaphor! Did he not understand metaphors? He actually had people fill the entire palace with kites!

Still, her heart felt much lighter. She pointed at a swallow: “That one.”

A palace attendant immediately handed the spool to her. Shen Guiyan looked up at the sky, smiling as she thought: at least there are still three years. With him doting on her so recklessly like this, she would have no regrets.

Prime Minister Gu grew old and, after returning power to the Emperor, requested to retire to his hometown. Though the Emperor tried repeatedly to keep him, the Prime Minister did not stay, only recommending Gu Chaodong.

Gu Chaobei looked at Gu Chaodong with a dark expression, never imagining that in the end it would still be him assisting himself.

The foreign beauty from back then had already been executed along with the iron cannon incident. Gu Chaodong now had no principal wife, but seeing his inclination toward Buddhism, no one forced him.

Empress Dowager Nian sighed: “Prime Minister Gu remained loyal his entire life and never betrayed the Late Emperor in the end.”

Gu Chaobei pressed his lips together, set aside his prejudice, and accepted Gu Chaodong.

Yuwen Changqing had gone to Huainan. When he returned to the capital, they didn’t see him and didn’t know what had happened. When they asked the Empress Dowager, she only said three words: “Depends on fate.”

What fate? Fate with whom? Having left the capital for so long, neither the Emperor nor Shen Guiyan knew. Only the all-knowing Baoshan came running to reveal: “The Princess is marrying the Huainan Prince’s heir. General Yuwen went to observe the ceremony. Master, you don’t know—Princess Duanwen hasn’t married for so long, accompanying General Yuwen through water and fire. Everyone thought she would definitely marry General Yuwen in the future. Who knew that this year when the Princess turned nineteen, she went straight back to Huainan to marry. General Yuwen didn’t stop her, only followed along saying he’d observe the ceremony.”

Shen Guiyan felt somewhat wistful. Duanwen had truly accompanied Yuwen Changqing for many years—fighting side by side on horseback, and showing a young woman’s bashfulness when dismounted. If Yuwen Changqing couldn’t stop her on this trip, he would never again meet a girl as wonderful as Duanwen.

Shen Guiwu had also married, but very low-key. As a grand general marrying a courtesan as his principal wife, he naturally didn’t dare make a big production of it. Shen Guiyan went to meet her sister-in-law once. That young woman was breathtakingly beautiful, well-educated and proper, without much of the dusty air about her. No wonder Second Brother had taken a liking to her.

Grand Tutor Zhou remained busy at the various academies in the capital, sending large numbers of talented individuals to the court each year. With Xu Zhuangzhou gone, the old man would often sigh, but his spirits remained good. Despite his advanced age, he was still robust.

Everyone seemed to be living lives that suited their hearts. Even Baoshan and Zhuiyun had married and planned to have a bouncing baby boy next year.

Shen Guiyan smiled as she watched Nuo’er and the First Prince playing in the garden, peacefully nestling in Gu Chaobei’s embrace for three years.

The nation was peaceful and the people secure, with favorable weather and abundant harvests. Under the Ming Dynasty’s rule, all under heaven was at peace—the elderly had support, the young had education, and the people had sustenance. In the capital, the sound of reading echoed everywhere, trade flourished, and people came and went endlessly.

Recently, lanterns and decorations had begun appearing throughout the capital. Without anyone organizing it, the common people spontaneously hung red silk at their doorways. Today there would be an extra dish on the table—very festive indeed.

Yet it wasn’t near any festival, nor was it a great harvest. It was simply that the Empress’s birthday was approaching.

Empress Shen, named Guiyan—a legendary life, never leaving the Emperor’s side, seeking welfare for the common people, beloved by all under heaven. Every year on her birthday, the capital would be especially lively. Even beggars on the street would take out two copper coins they’d saved and go to a street bun shop to exchange them for two buns—with meat filling.

This year was the same. The Emperor once again demonstrated his favor toward the Empress to his subjects. Lion dance troupes and stilt-walking teams filled the streets, and palace attendants specially carried pastries onto the streets, freely distributing cakes to the people to share in the joy.

This high-profile behavior also sent a message to the court officials: one Empress in the rear palace is enough; no other consorts are needed for decoration.

Early in the morning, Gu Chaobei had already changed his clothes. When he turned to look at Shen Guiyan, however, her expression seemed off.