Of course the tavern couldn’t close.

If it closed, how could distinguished guests come calling?

The middle-aged woman walked in, greeted Luo Sheng, and asked, “Is the beggar’s chicken ready?”

“It should be. Hong Dou, go check the kitchen.”

Hong Dou turned and headed to the back kitchen.

The woman waited silently, showing no inclination for idle chat.

Since she didn’t speak, Luo Sheng didn’t initiate conversation either.

Before long, Hong Dou emerged carrying a food box. “Miss, it’s ready.”

Luo Sheng nodded slightly. “Give it to Nanny Dou.”

“Nanny Dou, take care with it.” Hong Dou passed the food box over.

Truthfully, she found this nanny quite agreeable—their names both had the character “Dou” in them.

Nanny Dou took the food box and, as before, opened it to transfer the beggar’s chicken into the food box brought from the palace. However, she discovered that besides the mud-wrapped beggar’s chicken, there was also a plate of pastries inside.

“What’s this—”

“Jujube cake. Don’t you recognize it, Nanny Dou?” Hong Dou asked in surprise.

The corners of Nanny Dou’s mouth twitched.

She dared say that if this little maid were in the palace, she wouldn’t survive three days.

“Her Ladyship didn’t request jujube cake.” Nanny Dou spoke carefully.

Luo Sheng said with a smile, “The jujube cake just came out of the oven. Eating it in this season is especially nourishing. Please take a plate for Her Ladyship to try.”

Nanny Dou was still hesitating when Hong Dou pressed her lips together and said, “A single plate of pastries isn’t heavy. Just take it, Nanny. If Her Ladyship doesn’t eat it, you can eat it yourself. I’ve already tried it—sweet and soft, absolutely delicious.”

Hong Dou’s words made Nanny Dou unconsciously twitch her nose. The fragrance of jujubes filled her nostrils.

The little maid had a point.

“This servant thanks Miss Luo on Her Ladyship’s behalf.” Nanny Dou placed the beggar’s chicken into the food box she’d brought, then added the jujube cake.

Amusement grew in Luo Sheng’s eyes. “You’re too kind, Nanny Dou.”

Nanny Dou didn’t linger. She hurried away carrying the packed food box.

Luo Sheng walked to the window and watched the blue-curtained sedan chair gradually disappear into the evening glow. Only after it vanished from sight did she turn and head to the back kitchen.

Everyone who served Noble Consort Xiao closely at Yuhua Palace knew that today was the day Nanny Dou went outside the palace to fetch beggar’s chicken for Her Ladyship.

The Noble Consort didn’t care much about most things, but she had a particular fondness for beggar’s chicken. Especially after returning from the autumn hunt, she had to eat it once a month to feel content.

“Nanny has returned. Her Ladyship is waiting for you.” The palace maid lifting the curtain showed Nanny Dou an ingratiating smile.

Nanny Dou nodded with reserved dignity and walked quickly inside.

The floor was covered with thick, soft carpeting—spotlessly white, as if great drifts of snow spread throughout the hall.

Nanny Dou prostrated herself in greeting.

Noble Consort Xiao stood barefoot on the snowy carpet, her indifferent expression gaining a trace of interest. “You’re back. Bring the things here.”

Nanny Dou opened the food box and removed the food items one by one.

Noble Consort Xiao’s gaze fell on the plate of jujube cake.

Nanny Dou quickly explained, “The jujube cake happened to be fresh from the oven. Miss Luo had a plate packed for Your Ladyship to try.”

Noble Consort Xiao said nothing.

The palace maids serving her closely understood this meant she intended to try it.

A palace maid immediately stepped forward to taste-test the food.

After a good while, the palace maid curtsied to Noble Consort Xiao. “Your Ladyship, it’s safe to eat.”

Noble Consort Xiao accepted the jujube cake presented by the palace servant and took a small taste.

For such an ordinary pastry, Noble Consort Xiao had little interest. Though the jujube cake Nanny Dou brought was much better than the usual jujube cakes she’d eaten, jujube cake was still jujube cake—it couldn’t transform into beggar’s chicken.

After tasting it briefly, Noble Consort Xiao instructed the palace servants to open the beggar’s chicken.

The beggar’s chicken wrapped in its mud shell was still hot. Noble Consort Xiao ate two bites of meat, then set down her chopsticks.

She hadn’t even finished the already small chicken wing.

“Take it away.” After rinsing her mouth, Noble Consort Xiao reclined on the beauty couch, her expression languid, as if nothing interested her.

The jujube cake was delicious, but there were too many delicacies in the palace—she’d long grown tired of them.

The beggar’s chicken was not only delicious but held special meaning for her. Yet no matter how special a food was, tasting a bite to reminisce about the past was enough.

The palace gates were deep, the long nights endless. With no plans to seek advancement for her natal family, and no blind little wretches to compete with her for favor, life in the palace was inevitably too lonely, too tedious.

The emperor’s favor didn’t make her rootless heart feel secure.

The tragic experiences of her youth had taught her that she must have something she could grasp in her hands, or else she’d be at others’ mercy.

In the past, what she’d grasped was her beautiful appearance, her graceful dance, her unique temperament.

She’d used these to obtain the emperor’s favor, to obtain her position as Noble Consort.

But these things would ultimately fade with the passage of time, and she had no confidence she could hold onto what she’d gained with them.

No—she felt quite disheartened. She felt she would lose them sooner or later.

Thinking about these things, what meaning did the silks and delicacies before her have?

Noble Consort Xiao lowered her eyes, staring at her still fair and soft, slender jade hands, her heart filled with lingering sorrow.

She wanted a child.

Even if it was just a daughter, so that in this vast deep palace she would no longer be rootless driftwood, so that the heart that had never felt secure could settle down.

With a child, she wouldn’t fear losing those things destined to be lost with the flow of time.

Watching a child grow bit by bit—the gains would outweigh the losses.

What a pity it was so difficult. She simply couldn’t see any hope.

Noble Consort Xiao placed a hand on her flat abdomen and sighed softly.

Entering the twelfth lunar month, each day grew colder than the last.

On this day, snow finally began to fall. Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, landing on eaves, on treetops, on pedestrians’ hair and the corners of their robes.

Wei Han’s black cloak was covered with fine snowflakes as his footsteps hurried into the imperial palace.

“Your Majesty, Prince Kaiyang has returned.” Zhou Shan leaned close to Emperor Yong’an and spoke in a low voice.

Emperor Yong’an’s slightly closed eyelids lifted. His expression unchanged, he said, “Have him enter.”

Before long, a dark-robed, black-haired young man strode in.

“This subject greets imperial elder brother.”

“Rise. Grant him a seat.”

Zhou Shan immediately moved a small stool behind Wei Han.

Wei Han sat down.

In the hall, aside from Emperor Yong’an and Wei Han, only Zhou Shan remained.

“Did you discover anything?” Emperor Yong’an asked.

“I’ve already traced the whereabouts of the traveling merchant who reported the remnants of Prince Zhennan’s household to Magistrate Liu Qing. Word from the south says he should reach the capital in a few days.”

Emperor Yong’an nodded slightly. “Good.”

The informant merchant hadn’t come to the capital together with Magistrate Liu Qing, and then the incident of someone poisoning Luo Chi had occurred—this forced him to think deeply.

He couldn’t fully trust the people from the Three Judicial Offices, and naturally he couldn’t fully trust Prince Kaiyang either, so he’d set multiple parties to investigate, creating mutual checks and balances.

After carefully asking about several more matters, Emperor Yong’an waved his hand. “Eleventh Brother has worked hard. Go back and rest.”

“This subject takes his leave.”

Upon leaving the palace, the snow was falling even harder. The flurries like flying catkins had turned into goose feathers.

Wei Han allowed the swirling snow to fall on his newly donned ink-colored cloak. Rather than returning to the prince’s residence, he headed straight for the place where the guard from Prince Zhennan’s household was being held.