When Wei Qingheng appeared, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Though it was incomprehensible that the distinguished Chancellor of the Imperial Academy would appear here sleepless in the middle of the night, considering that a Director of Studies and Princess Regent had already shown up, there was nothing too shocking about it.

I said: “Could it be that Master Wei also came to bathe in hot springs?”

Wei Qingheng laughed: “Tonight I followed Director Nie here.”

I frowned: “You’re investigating him?”

Wei Qingheng said frankly: “After all, he’s the heir of Marquis Nie. This is Crown Prince’s instruction.”

Hearing the words “Crown Prince,” my heart felt uncomfortable. I rubbed my temples and said: “Don’t mention tonight’s events to the Crown Prince when you return.”

Wei Qingheng said: “Mm.”

Seeing him agree so readily with a relieved smile, I said hesitantly: “Why don’t you ask why Nie Ran and I are like this…” Finding my words inadequate: “Anyway, since you ask nothing, I don’t know how to explain myself.”

Wei Qingheng arranged his robes: “Because…” He looked up with a gentle smile: “It’s none of my business.”

I: “…”

Wei Qingheng looked at the sky, rather sleepily scanning me: “Now does the Princess want to return with me, stay alone… or does the Princess have grievances to voice?”

I asked: “Can I trust you?”

Wei Qingheng glanced at me, also lifting his robes to sit down. No longer using flowery words, he said decisively: “Yes.”

Since Wei Qingheng had heard my conversation with Nie Ran, rather than saying nothing and leaving him suspicious, I might as well tell him everything to gain his trust. If he’s a good person, naturally that’s good; if he also harbors other thoughts, this could dispel his wariness.

This was just a fleeting calculation on my part. However, when I calmed down to tell this story, I realized Wei Qingheng was a very good listener.

For instance, he wouldn’t gasp in shock, even when I revealed my amnesia. When I spoke of those days as Nie Ran and He Feng, he only nodded slightly without pursuing details or making me say more unspeakable things. Only when I mentioned being shot with an arrow and jumping off the cliff did he turn seriously to ask if my body still had any problems. I nodded, and he nodded too.

I thought Wei Qingheng would offer some comforting sentiments, but instead he said: “The Princess’s life experiences are truly rich and varied. This story is indeed tear-inducing.”

I laughed dryly: “Master Wei, being so detached before the story’s protagonist—how am I to bear this?”

Wei Qingheng shed his joking manner: “The Princess grieves over Young Master Nie’s amnesia—this is understandable. However, has the Princess considered that if Young Master Nie truly recovered his memory, would you reunite with him?”

I was stunned again.

“If Young Master Nie knew you had a consort and many male favorites, would he harbor resentment? Would the Princess divorce your consort for Young Master Nie? Even if the Consort agreed, Marquis Xia Yang has been His Majesty’s longtime concern—would he agree to the Princess’s match with the Nie family? Of course, the Princess could choose to abandon your status and flee to distant lands with Young Master Nie, but can the Princess guarantee that after recovering all your memories, you could still let go?” Wei Qingheng said: “All your current emotions stem from that one year of memories. But Princess, you have nineteen previous years—have you considered which weighs more?”

I said: “Must Master Wei think about everything so rationally and comprehensively? Are you celebrating for me that Young Master Nie can forget the past, otherwise adding to this Princess’s troubles?”

Wei Qingheng shook his head with a gentle smile: “Perhaps… I was quite close to the former Princess and speak more from her perspective.”

I frowned: “Past me and present me are the same person—what’s the difference?”

Wei Qingheng asked back: “Then what’s the difference between Xu Fang and Nie Ran?”

I stammered: “No, they’re two different people…”

Wei Qingheng looked at me with contained laughter, no longer arguing: “Fine, if the Princess says they’re not, then they’re not.”

The world bustles on—who knows my suffering? I sighed deeply: “Now I just feel being this princess is utterly boring. Aside from fine clothes and food, I’ve gained no benefits but must endure others’ schemes. How did the former me endure…”

Wei Qingheng’s smile faded as he said gravely: “Such words make you even less like yourself, Princess.”

“Then what would be like me?” I sneered: “Always considering everything carefully, never making mistakes in word or deed, having no one trustworthy around me, no friends, even needing to scheme against my husband and brother. Even common people are happier than me. Could I still smile cheerfully in such circumstances… Then I wouldn’t be human—I’d be a saint!”

“If so, why doesn’t the Princess abandon this status, flee to distant lands, change your name, and marry into an ordinary family for a lifetime of peace without troubles?”

Wei Qingheng’s voice was neither high nor low, carried on the wind, faintly conveying a teacher’s authority.

I had always forgotten that since childhood, he had been my master.

The person I most revered and most feared.

I was stunned for quite a while before saying: “I haven’t not lived among common people. I… when I was He Feng, I was much happier than now…”

“Without Young Master Nie’s shelter and care, how would the Princess have survived?” Wei Qingheng rose with hands behind his back, saying seriously: “If born into a poor family, farming from childhood, if unlucky enough to encounter drought or flood, life passes hastily. Even if living peacefully for a lifetime, constantly worrying about food and clothing—the ‘fine clothes and food’ the Princess speaks of would be like heaven to them, unimaginable luxury. If born into wealth, sheltered daughters stay home waiting for marriage according to matchmakers’ words and parents’ commands. How many can meet someone with mutual affection worth depending on? If trapped in polygamous households fighting for a lifetime, what meaning is there?”

Wei Qingheng continued: “If born into official families, the palace selection every three years cannot be avoided. Does the Princess think all three thousand palace beauties are happier than you?”

A stifling breath stuck in my chest: “You’re overgeneralizing…”

“What is partial and what is general—doesn’t the Princess understand clearly?”

I said weakly: “In this world… there should be women who don’t worry too much about livelihood… who can meet someone they love and live peacefully through life…”

This time Wei Qingheng didn’t speak. He looked at me calmly, finally producing a smile and slowly sitting back down.

I felt I’d said something wrong but was unwilling to show weakness, so I simply closed my mouth.

After an unknown period, Wei Qingheng suddenly spoke: “The Princess has been… a very fortunate person since childhood.”

“The Princess was born with bright, beautiful eyes.”

“No woman in the world doesn’t wish to be beautiful, yet with natural appearance, even if plain or ugly, one can only blame heaven.”

“Since the Princess became sensible, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were all taught by the finest teachers.”

“Your talents match any prince’s. How many in this world are naturally dull, remaining mediocre despite lifelong effort?”

“The Princess received the world’s finest love.”

“His Majesty gave you everything he could—glory and power. All the court ministers who rack their brains end up beneath you.”

Wei Qingheng said: “Can the Princess say you don’t care about any of these things, that they mean nothing to you?”

I finally realized he spoke with perfect reason. I was too accustomed to inherent advantages, only seeing what I lacked.

Wei Qingheng said: “Familial affection—imperial family affection naturally harbors calculations, but it’s not all false sentiment. At least His Majesty toward the Princess has been wholehearted. Friends can be earned through sincere effort. At worst, I am also the Princess’s friend.”

Wei Qingheng’s gaze turned to me with an indescribable care.

Warmth filled my heart. I unconsciously pursed my lips and nodded, as if from deep memory, saying: “Master, I understand.”

As soon as I spoke, I was startled, and Wei Qingheng was also stunned. Then he raised an eyebrow: “Unexpected that this lesson could help the Princess recover memory—very good indeed.”

“So when I first called you Master Wei, you discovered my amnesia?”

Wei Qingheng stretched lazily: “These things aren’t important now, are they, Princess Highness? If we don’t return soon, dawn will break.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” I grabbed his sleeve: “There’s something I can’t remember. Could you give me a hint?”

Wei Qingheng looked at me questioningly.

“About Han Fei and Fang Yachen.”

Wei Qingheng wearily closed his eyes.

I said: “Han Fei is leaving for the south soon, but I feel letting him go like this seems inappropriate… What story do they have between them?”

“Your Highness, can we discuss this tomorrow?”

“No, absolutely not, definitely not.”

“…It will take a long time to tell.”

“Fine, don’t waste time—begin.”

…

The matter between Han Fei and Fang Yachen indeed required considerable effort to explain.

Fortunately, Wei Qingheng was not only a teacher but the highest-ranking official among teachers. His speech was well-organized and concise.

This story traced back to Fang Yachen’s father Fang Liang’s generation. Of course, to follow chronological development, it involved other characters like this Princess, requiring extra attention to follow the twists and turns.

Fang Liang was once a legendary figure who dominated his era. At seventeen, he passed the imperial examination, serving as Suzhou Prefecture Judge, Shanxi Circuit Surveillance Commissioner, Deputy Minister, Left Vice Minister of the Transmission Office, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief patrolling Denglai, Left Vice Minister of War, Minister of War concurrent Crown Prince’s Junior Guardian. Finally, Father Emperor granted him the title Grand Marshal.

If the above offices are hard to digest, simply put: he was once outstanding among civil officials, led military officials, and finally controlled most military power. Even Chief Minister Zhao had to fear him.

Such figures inevitably become too prominent, and one misstep creates eternal regret. This misstep was Han Fei—his carefully cultivated final disciple whom he escorted and nurtured throughout.

Speaking of Han Fei, everyone knows he nearly became my consort but had a mental breakdown and fled the wedding. The source of this breakdown was precisely Fang Liang’s only son, Fang Yachen.

Strictly speaking, Han Fei and Fang Yachen were Imperial Academy students of the same year. Each distinguished themselves in palace examinations and both entered the Hanlin Academy. Both possessed refined hearts and literary brilliance, inevitably compared by others and secretly competing.

This should have been a Romeo and Juliet love story, but unfortunately, this Juliet hid her female identity too flawlessly, so it became a Romeo and rival’s love story.

Thus Han Fei long believed himself homosexual. With strict family upbringing and the deeply rooted idea that having no heir was the greatest unfilial act, he both spoke harshly to Fang Yachen while seeking new love to forget the old.

Very unfortunately, this Princess became his lifeline for forgetting love.

Please don’t ask why I chose him—blame only Fang Liang for deceiving me into interacting more with Han Fei to cultivate observational skills. Recalling this now, I find it quite disdainful. Someone who can’t even distinguish male from female—Han Fei’s insight remains questionable.

I didn’t know Han Fei was a pseudo-homosexual then. I happened to reach marriageable age, and few princes or nobles were willing to marry this Princess, so the marriage was arranged rather hastily.

This wedding broke many hearts. First was Fang Yachen, who, heartbroken the day before the wedding, went to the outskirts to clear her mind, accidentally fell from her horse and was severely injured, staying out all night. Then Han Fei, originally tormented by whether he was normal or homosexual—upon hearing Fang Yachen was missing, he rushed to find her regardless of everything, completely ignoring my existence. Finally, naturally, me—the dignified Princess Xiangyi whose groom fled on the wedding day. What face did I have to show off before brothers and sisters?

Originally, given this Princess’s past character, I would certainly have ground Han Fei to dust before giving up. But miraculously, my furious attitude completely changed the next day—not only was I beaming but I requested His Majesty forgive Han Fei’s crimes.

When telling this part, I asked Wei Qingheng what happened—had my head been caught in a door? Wei Qingheng only said perhaps it was caught by someone.

Back to the main story.

After this incident, Han Fei completely transformed from an innocent youth to a profound young man. After reforming, he followed his master south. Several famous cases were handled by this master-disciple pair, such as “Japanese Raids and Internal Conflicts,” “Maritime Patrol Questions Ryukyu,” “Commanding Dangerous Borders,” “Subduing Enemies Without Battle,” etc. People said Fang Liang treated him better than his own son—one day Han Fei would surpass his master.

Whether he surpassed his master is unknown, but two years later, the South River corruption case was personally cracked by Han Fei. The main culprit was Fang Liang. What secrets lay within, no one could say clearly. Anyway, after half a lifetime as an official, no one would believe Fang Liang was completely clean and honest. Coincidentally, both the Court of Judicial Review Minister and Deputy Minister didn’t want to offend this person, so they pushed Song Langsheng, then a Junior Judge, forward with various excuses. Fang Liang was completely doomed.

So I guess the small memory fragment I recovered involved that case. I had just become regent, and Fang Liang implicated many Crown Prince supporters. Naturally, I didn’t want him to fall, but Song Langsheng was stubborn—telling him about political situations was useless. He’d block you with “justice and righteousness.” When I sought Father Emperor’s help, he also declined citing poor health. Father Emperor feared Fang Liang’s power and wanted to use force against force—anyway, it cost him no effort.

When Fang Liang fell, the whole Fang family scattered. Even Fang Yachen, originally about to jump from the Hanlin Academy to the Cabinet, was implicated. When matters developed to this point, if Han Fei’s hidden feelings weren’t clarified, how could someone of Fang Yachen’s pride give up? The subtle entanglements between them, filled with inner turmoil, finally led Fang Yachen to want mutual destruction with Han Fei.

She plotted to poison the feast at Minister Han’s birthday banquet. Han Fei seemed to have anticipated this and only waited for death. But then, the completely unaware me, because I disliked Han Fei, insisted on competing with him for wine. Though Fang Yachen hated Han Fei, she was a genuinely good person and threw herself to knock me down. Thus the scandalous news of “Fang Yachen molesting the Princess” spread throughout court and countryside. The next day, I summoned Fang Yachen to the mansion for a talk.

I sought her not because I fancied her, but because when she knocked me down, I felt her soft chest and sensed something wrong with the spilled wine. The crimes of cross-dressing to deceive the sovereign and poisoning the Princess were enough for her to be executed by lingchi a hundred times. She also felt hopeless and confessed everything, only asking to keep her corpse intact.

Perhaps due to different experiences, their dramatic affairs seemed to me merely “since ancient times, much passion leaves only regret.” These two were obviously still young yet had already lost the flying, domineering spirit from the Qionglin Feast.

Unable to bear it, I considered asking Fang Yachen to enter the mansion as my male favorite. Fang Yachen didn’t understand, and I didn’t explain much. Soon after, Han Fei wore down my doorstep secretly begging me to forgive Fang Yachen and free her, willing to do anything for me.

I told Fang Yachen of Han Fei’s feelings and comforted her that Han Fei was just an upright person—to him, common people weighed more than masters. After several such conversations, Fang Yachen held me and cried, then made one request: never to see Han Fei again.

This request was very difficult. Unless I imprisoned Han Fei, which would be both groundless and inhumane, I arranged for Fang Yachen to stay in a secluded place at the Imperial Academy and made an agreement with Han Fei—unless he became a male favorite in my mansion, I would make Fang Yachen die horribly. Han Fei thought I resented his wedding escape and deliberately humiliated him, so he gritted his teeth and agreed.

When Wei Qingheng reached this point, he said: “The Princess saved Fang Yachen only wanting to do something for Lord Fang. But Fang Yachen didn’t see through this then, nor did Han Fei.”

Deeply moved by my own moral character, I asked: “If so, why didn’t I do good deeds completely and send Buddha to the west? Having them deadlocked like this benefits neither me nor them, right?”

Wei Qingheng said: “The Princess consulted me about this then, believing they still loved each other—one not knowing the other loved them, one unable to allow loving an enemy. First, time was needed for things to fade. Then some events needed to be arranged for them to know each other’s importance. If they couldn’t reconcile, how could they make peace?”

I remembered Fang Yachen once saying: “If ultimately destined to part, better leave some space. Even without looking back, future memories won’t be so suffocating. If both people give up, that’s even better—from then on, clear wind and bright moon, owing nothing to each other.”

Her words clearly meant gradually letting go.

I asked: “Then why didn’t I take action?”

Wei Qingheng laughed: “Later the Princess couldn’t even sweep the snow before your own door—how could you have energy to manage others’ frost on rooftiles? After that, the Princess disappeared, entangled with Young Master Nie in love and hate. Now you ask me again—I feel times have changed.”

I sighed with him. Since things had passed, dwelling on them was meaningless, but I should still manage this, drawing a final stroke for these two suffering lovers.

I suddenly remembered something: “Throughout your entire account, I didn’t hear you mention Han Fei clearly expressing feelings to Fang Yachen. Does Han Fei actually know Fang Yachen is a woman?”

Wei Qingheng was stunned by my question: “Ah? I hadn’t considered this. Should… maybe he knows…”

I rolled my eyes and wiped sweat: “So all this time Han Fei might not know what to do…”

Wei Qingheng said: “Then let him know—problem solved…”

I sighed: “Wait, if Han Fei is truly homosexual, won’t he be unable to accept the fact that Fang Yachen is a woman…”

Wei Qingheng was stunned again, then laughed heartily, very cheerfully: “Princess, you really are…”

I also smiled: “Do you know why Liang Shanbo died? Because after discovering Zhu Yingtai was a woman, he momentarily couldn’t accept it and despaired… Really, trust me, Master…”

At this time, dawn broke. Wei Qingheng laughed and sighed: “Disturbed by the Princess all night, I must return to catch up on sleep while there are no classes this morning. These dark circles—I don’t want to become students’ after-meal gossip…”

Unconsciously, yesterday had passed. Recalling all I learned and heard that day, I also felt a sense of having lived through ages. Just squatting all night—suddenly standing made me dizzy and stumble. In that floating moment, some images flashed in my mind’s depths: someone shouting “Consort Han fled the wedding!” then Father Emperor’s fury, then a serene, lofty silhouette at the bustling banquet. When that figure looked back, my heart thundered.

Wei Qingheng suddenly supported me, asking urgently: “Princess, what’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

I pressed one hand to my chest where my heart beat, supported Wei Qingheng’s arm with the other, caught my breath and said: “Just now I seemed to remember…”

“What?”

“At my wedding banquet with Han Fei, I think I saw… Big Brother…”