It was a lotus root hairpin made of gold.

The lotus flowers clustered together, the lotus seedpod and lotus leaves lifelike.

The moment Ni Su saw it, she immediately recalled that her mother had also seemed to possess a similar gold hairpin.

In her memory, she had often seen her mother wear it in childhood, but as she and her elder brother grew up, and after their father’s accidental death, her mother’s clothing became increasingly plain, and her gold and silver jewelry had much less exquisite styling.

Snow fell on the gold hairpin, crystalline as grains of salt.

Ni Su came back to herself and raised her eyes to meet the gaze of Vice Envoy Zhou before her, properly dressed in official robes. “Even though the emperor’s edict hasn’t yet been issued, Little Lord Zhou, doing this is tantamount to opposing the Huang family.”

“You need not worry about this matter.”

Zhou Ting looked at her. He had always been accustomed to silence, but today he wanted to say more to her. “Miss Ni, my mother previously came to your medical clinic. You’ve already met. Today these betrothal gifts were also hastily prepared at my request by my mother. She said that if not for the urgent circumstances, she would not wish to be abrupt with the young lady. In the future, my mother and I will properly observe all proprieties.”

Ni Su vaguely still remembered that lady.

But after a moment, she took a step back. Under Zhou Ting’s instantly dimming gaze, she pressed both hands at her waist and bent her knees slightly. “My apologies, Little Lord Zhou.”

Zhou Ting’s fingers gripping the gold hairpin tightened then loosened.

He should have stopped there, yet couldn’t help but blurt out: “Why?”

Ni Su thought for a moment and asked him: “Little Lord Zhou, do you still remember when I previously discovered two silver needles at the Wu residence entrance and gave them to you?”

“I remember.”

“If I were to ask you now whether you’d allow me to treat Wu Dai’s epilepsy, would your answer still be the same?”

Cold mist was dense, snow falling on shoulders. Zhou Ting stood straight. “Yes.”

“But Miss Ni, I don’t look down on your medical skills. I simply don’t want you embroiled in those disputes, and I don’t want you to have too hard a life. I’m not trying to constrain you with distinctions between men and women. My intention is to protect you.”

The flood surged mightily, and those who swam against the current would certainly have a very hard time.

But she need not be so hard-pressed.

Ni Su’s hands gathered in her sleeves, yet remained stiff and cold. Snow grains covered her temples. She looked at the young man before her and smiled. “Then your answer is also my answer.”

“Thank you, Little Lord Zhou.”

She spoke earnestly.

He was someone willing to shield her from wind and rain, yet not someone to share wind and rain with her.

Zhou Ting was silent for a moment, then put the hairpin away. Wind filled his sleeves as he spoke evenly: “The emperor’s edict should be issued very soon. You and I can only take the first step of a fake marriage, then amicably separate after one year. Only this way can we escape this calamity.”

“There’s no need.”

Zhou Ting’s eyes revealed a trace of surprise. “Then what will you do? Will you truly marry Huang Li? Miss Ni, he…”

“No.”

Ni Su shook her head. “Young Master Huang is the Western Chancellor’s son. Moreover, there’s still an Imperial Noble Consort in the palace. If I were to marry you, Little Lord Zhou, even if it’s fake, it would certainly cause you to displease the consort and Young Master Huang. You came to help me having prepared yourself to withstand pressure from all sides, but I cannot, for my own private matters, cause you to fall into danger.”

“I won’t marry—not anyone.”

The chests that had been moved into the rear corridor had their red silk removed and were all moved back out. The matchmaker also didn’t appear again. Zhou Ting turned to go outside the main hall, but suddenly stopped. He turned back to look at that woman wrapped in a thick fur cloak, her figure still slender, and couldn’t help but ask with concern: “Can you manage on your own?”

Refusing his help, relying only on herself alone—could she escape this marriage that the palace consort intended to force upon her?

“I can.”

Ni Su said.

Zhou Ting made an “mm” sound. More words were pressed down his throat. In the end, he only said: “If you encounter difficulties, you must come find me at the Office of Night Vigilance.”

After Zhou Ting and his party left, Qingqiong finally moved over from the stable. “Miss Ni, if you don’t fake-marry Vice Envoy Zhou, how will you refuse the Huang family’s marriage proposal?”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to cut your hair and become a nun!”

Qingqiong was frightened half to death.

“What nun?” Ni Su laughed and shook her head. “Qingqiong, go gather some of our tangerines. I remember we still have a ginseng root—I’ll go find it.”

“Where are you going?”

Qingqiong was utterly confused.

Ni Su walked toward her room while saying: “Young Master Huang’s gifted plaque has been so useful. If I don’t pay a visit, wouldn’t that be discourteous?”

Candles were lit in the room, and offering fruits piled up on the incense table. Ni Su looked at that empty medicine basket. After a moment, she kept the beast pearl on her person and went to find the ginseng.

This year’s winter was extraordinarily cold. After leaving court, Huang Zongyu sat in his family’s sedan chair returning to the residence. When a person reached his age, their body was often weary. Even sitting in the room, despite servants adding charcoal several times, that northern air still drilled straight into his bones.

“Master, is the emperor truly of this mind?”

Huang Zongyu’s legitimate wife Lin Shi attended at his side. “I heard that Miss Ni is merely an orphan girl from Que County, from a small household. How can she match with our second son?”

“Only you think our second son is a treasure. At his age, he still causes me trouble day after day,” Huang Zongyu half-closed his eyes and sipped his tea. “That Miss Ni, a weak woman, dared to treat illnesses and save people in a place like Yongzhou. If not for these medical workers being there, the military and civilians of Yongzhou city would have long been infected with disease from the plague cattle Yelu Zhen used and died! Moreover, a young lady who can be so highly praised by that Shen Tongchuan—you still use words like ‘small household’ and ‘whether she matches’ to belittle her. This is truly inappropriate.”

“This concubine misspoke.”

Lin Shi lowered her brows and eyes.

Huang Zongyu lifted his eyelids to glance at her. “Listen to my advice. Her entering our family has only benefits and no drawbacks for us. First, it fulfills the emperor’s and the consort’s grace. Second, I didn’t take a position on the Yongzhou matter before—if our second son marries her, the memorials from the Censorate impeaching me will also be fewer.”

“Master is right. This concubine hadn’t considered master’s difficulties.” Lin Shi’s brows and eyes were gentle. She raised her hand to signal the maidservant beating Huang Zongyu’s legs to withdraw. She personally stepped forward to massage his legs. “Thinking it through carefully, without a legitimate wife to suppress second son’s five concubines, it’s also not good. They’re each troublesome. When that Miss Ni enters the door, I’ll also have it easier.”

The old married couple were just speaking when they heard a steward report: “Master, there is a Miss Ni who wishes to see master—precisely that Miss Ni for whom master personally inscribed characters and sent a plaque.”

“Speak of Cao Cao,”

Huang Zongyu straightened up and laughed. “And Cao Cao truly arrives? Quickly invite her in!”

Ni Su came alone. Now that heaven and earth were freezing cold, she hadn’t brought Qingqiong out with her. She only carried a basket of orange-yellow tangerines and a box of ginseng herself, following the Huang residence’s steward through the spacious, elegant courtyard. Along the way, servants occasionally swept snow from the tips of the swaying dark green pine branches.

Huang Zongyu warmed himself by the fire in the main hall. The moment he saw the steward bring that woman wrapped in a rabbit fur cloak up the steps, he immediately said: “Quick, quick, let Miss Ni come warm herself by the fire—don’t let her freeze.”

Ni Su entered and bowed with a curtsy. “Ni Su greets Chancellor Huang.”

Lin Shi sat to one side, unobtrusively assessing this woman. Her propriety was complete, she showed no timidity, her bearing and appearance were also unexpectedly good.

However, her dress was snow white, and only pearls were pinned in her black hair.

“Greetings, Madam.”

Ni Su saw her. Though no one had prompted her, seeing maidservants clustered attending the woman at her side, she already understood in her heart.

“Miss Ni, please sit. Someone, bring tea.”

Lin Shi showed her a faint smile, then instructed the maidservants at her side.

Ni Su handed the tangerines and ginseng to the steward. She sat down before the charcoal brazier. “This commoner woman came today to thank Chancellor Huang for gifting the plaque and inscription.”

“Why must the young lady express thanks?”

Huang Zongyu supported himself with both hands on his knees, a smile on his face. “Able to receive such praise from Prefect Shen, I knew you weren’t an ordinary woman. Everything you did for the military and civilians in Yongzhou—the emperor sees it, and I also see it.”

“Chancellor Huang doesn’t know—originally my medical clinic was very quiet,” Ni Su accepted the tea bowl from a maidservant, holding it with both hands. “It’s the plaque you gifted that gave my medical clinic its current situation.”

“How is this my achievement? Rather, it’s because the common people of Yunjing all know of Miss Ni’s righteous deeds in Yongzhou.” Huang Zongyu’s beard was graying and white, trembling slightly as he spoke.

Lin Shi at the side kept staring at Ni Su’s dress. “Miss Ni, are you still in mourning?”

She was dressed far too plainly.

“My mother passed away. I have been in mourning for her for a year and a half.”

Ni Su said.

Lin Shi’s expression cleared somewhat. In Great Qi, women’s mourning periods ranged from one to three years, but actually after one full year, they could marry.

“But this is also not only for my mother.”

Ni Su lowered her eyelids, staring at her own snow-white sleeves.

Huang Zongyu’s tea-drinking movement paused. He raised his eyes. “What do you mean by this?”

“Has Chancellor Huang heard of Young Master Ni?”

Ni Su continued holding the tea bowl but didn’t drink.

Hearing the three characters “Young Master Ni” abruptly, Huang Zongyu nodded. “This is natural. The military reports from Yongzhou and Prefect Shen’s memorials all stated it very clearly—Yongzhou city was able to be defended largely thanks to a Young Master Ni. However, he…”

“He died.”

Ni Su completed his sentence.

Huang Zongyu immediately detected something unusual from the sharpness of her words. He immediately fixed his gaze on this woman.

Being pressed by this Western Chancellor with such a sharp gaze, Ni Su still appeared very composed. “I observe mourning and also observe chastity.”

“Mourning is observed for your mother,”

Huang Zongyu’s warm smile had completely vanished. “Chastity—observed for Young Master Ni?”

“I followed Young Master Ni to Yongzhou. Though he and I never married, we were in reality betrothed.”

“Who can testify?”

“Yongzhou’s General Qin, Commander Yang, Commander Wei, and even every Yongzhou person who saw Young Master Ni and saw me—all can testify.”

Ni Su stated calmly: “They all know Young Master Ni and I were inseparable. When Young Master Ni served as General Qin’s aide and stayed in the military camp, I was also at his side.”

“He died for the nation’s territory and the people. Though he and I were only betrothed, I believe that observing chastity for him for three years is also appropriate.”

Lin Shi was already so shocked she couldn’t speak.

The main hall was nearly deathly silent. Only occasional crackling sounds came from the charcoal brazier. Outside, wind and snow intensified. Huang Zongyu steadily scrutinized this young woman. After a long while: “Indeed it is appropriate.”

“Thanks to Chancellor Huang’s inscription, my medical clinic now constantly has patients. I won’t disturb you further.” Ni Su smiled faintly, set the tea bowl aside, stood up, and bowed to Huang Zongyu and Lin Shi. “Ni Su takes her leave.”

Huang Zongyu watched her turn toward the door. He suddenly spoke: “Wait.”

Ni Su stopped and turned around.

“The Hanlin Academy is currently discussing the matter of posthumously honoring Young Master Ni. However, we don’t know Young Master Ni’s origins, nor do we know his real name. I wonder if Miss Ni could inform us?”

Huang Zongyu sat in his folding chair, looking at her.

“I met Young Master Ni in Yunjing. I didn’t ask about his past, but I do indeed know his real name.” Cold wind from the courtyard blew in. Ni Su’s snow-white skirt hem rippled slightly. She met Huang Zongyu’s gaze. “His name was Xu Jing’an.”

Jing’an, Jing’an.

The moment Ni Su was led out by the steward, Lin Shi immediately stood up and walked to Huang Zongyu’s side. “Master, has she gone mad? Observing chastity for three years for someone she didn’t marry—I see she’s only sixteen or seventeen. After three years what age will she be? At that time, will it still be easy to find a match?”

Ni Su left the Huang residence. Though the snow grains scraping her cheeks were cold, they made her feel refreshed and clear-headed. She wrapped her cloak tight and walked back to South Locust Street. From afar she saw a burly man carrying a woman into her medical clinic on his back, followed by Miss Zhang dressed in red.

Ni Su quickened her steps back. The moment she entered the main hall, she heard Miss Zhang’s crying.

“Miss Ni, please save my mother quickly!”

The moment Miss Zhang saw her, she called out chokingly.

Ni Su immediately had the man help Miss Zhang’s mother to the bamboo bed behind the screen. The woman’s face was deathly pale, yet she was still conscious.

After Ni Su worked busily for a while, she determined the woman had only momentarily succumbed to attacking anger. She wrote a prescription and gave it to Miss Zhang to have filled, then used injury medicine to treat the scratch wound on her mother’s forehead.

“My marriage is off.”

After Miss Zhang’s neighbor helped get the medicine, Miss Zhang sat with Ni Su, her face showing a miserable expression. “We had agreed before—his family permitted me to bring my mother along. But unexpectedly, today when I was at home trying on my wedding dress, his mother ran to my house and spent a good while making sarcastic remarks mocking my mother, and complained my family was impoverished with no dowry… My mother became enraged and they started scratching at each other. Only then did I know he deceived me—he never explained this matter to his parents at all!”

Miss Zhang wept: “He just wanted to marry me first! Then later when he says he won’t agree to let my mother come, even if I want to back out, I won’t be able to!”

“I originally thought that since my mother and I couldn’t continue on, if I married into his family it could also let my mother have it easier. But if I must abandon my mother, I’d rather not marry!”

Ni Su extended her hand to gently stroke her back. “If you don’t want to marry, then don’t marry. If you feel life is difficult, I happen to have only Qingqiong here working busily. If you come help, I’ll pay you wages.”

Miss Zhang’s hands covering her face suddenly moved away. She raised tear-filled eyes to look at the woman before her. “Miss Ni… thank you.”

“Miss Ni, come eat quickly!”

Qingqiong ran over from the back carrying a bowl of hot noodle soup. “You haven’t eaten much all day.”

Ni Su responded, then stood up, but felt the beast pearl at her waist suddenly become extremely hot. Immediately after, her vision went black. She stumbled, vaguely heard Qingqiong and Miss Zhang’s shouts, then knew nothing more.

Qingqiong and Miss Zhang frantically helped her to the back, then requested Afang’s father from the pharmacy across the street to examine her. Though Afang’s father operated a pharmacy, he wasn’t without medical knowledge. Knowing Ni Su was only exhausted, both Qingqiong and Miss Zhang breathed sighs of relief.

Miss Zhang didn’t dare leave either. She settled her mother on the bamboo bed in the front main hall, running back and forth—sometimes caring for her mother, sometimes coming to check on Ni Su.

That youth named Qingqiong was born somewhat strange. Miss Zhang initially didn’t dare speak much with him, but seeing him move out a wooden chest covered in wet mud from somewhere, she still couldn’t help but ask: “Little Brother Qingqiong, what’s that?”

“Don’t know.”

Qingqiong stared at the chest.

After Ni Su went to the Huang residence, while alone at home he had discovered this chest. However, when Miss Zhang brought her mother, Ni Su had been constantly busy, so he’d also forgotten about it.

All the way until the moon rose to mid-heaven, Qingqiong moved over many candles, hurriedly continuing the candle flames Ni Su had lit. But he didn’t know if this was useful for Xu Hexue.

Ni Su suddenly sat up.

Both Qingqiong lighting candles and Miss Zhang dozing at the bedside were startled.

“Miss Ni?”

Miss Zhang tentatively called out.

Ni Su seemed to suddenly come around. Her shoulders sagged as she panted breath by breath. Seeing something wrong with her, Qingqiong asked with concern: “What’s wrong? Where do you feel unwell?”

Ni Su shook her head.

She pinched her swollen temples, her gaze falling on Miss Zhang’s crimson sleeves. “Miss Zhang.”

She suddenly raised her head, her eyelids slightly red, soaked with moist tears. Miss Zhang was stunned for a moment, then heard her speak hoarsely: “Could I borrow your clothes?”

Cold, indifferent moonlight scattered across the ground, illuminating the accumulated snow crystalline, tree shadows swaying.

Xu Hexue didn’t know where exactly he was. Heaven was black as ink. His eyes could no longer see. He leaned against tree shade piled with ice and snow.

All around was silent, only wind and snow rustling.

He half-lowered his eyelids. Before his eyes was pitch blackness, yet in his mind were chests tied with red silk, a man in crimson official robes with proper bearing standing in the corridor, extending a gold hairpin to that woman.

He saw her, wrapped in a fur cloak, looking up at the person before her, then staring at the gold hairpin in his hand for a long time.

Xu Hexue suddenly closed his eyes tightly. He didn’t want to think further.

Luminous dust flew wildly, demonstrating that his state of mind remained unsettled. He still couldn’t suppress his thoughts and imaginings.

Snow accumulated on withered branches was blown by wind, pouring into his collar and sleeves. He was completely unaware. His temperature was originally even colder than this bleak deep winter.

Ghosts and spirits don’t need sleep like people do.

But at this moment, Xu Hexue very much hoped he could sleep for a moment, even just one moment.

Let there be nothing in the dream. Thus, he also wouldn’t think of anything.

The rustling sound of treading on accumulated snow approached from far to near, very much like the dream he hoped for. But as those footsteps drew closer and closer, a blur of light fell before his eyes.

He abruptly opened his eyes.

A warm yellow light projected toward him. That light and shadow illuminated the snow crystalline. It was a glazed lantern, the tassel fringe colliding and emitting crisp sounds. The woman carrying the lantern wore a dress of deep red. She ran urgently. The draped silk on her body was swept away by wind, yet she paid no attention, only carrying that lantern. When Xu Hexue saw her draw near, he saw she held an armful of incense candles.

He stared at her tightly from within the tree shade.

Ghosts and spirits might truly dream.

The beast pearl suspended in mid-air stopped moving. Ni Su had fine perspiration at her temples. She raised her head and discovered luminous dust scattered and leaping in that dark patch of tree shade.

They floated, like fireflies.

Ni Su walked closer step by step, discovering in the tree shade his blood-mottled garment hem, meeting his eyes.

Xu Hexue looked at her. She seemed to have used some cosmetic powder, even her brows carefully traced. Such meticulous adornment made her possess several degrees more brilliance than usual that one couldn’t look away from.

She wore wedding garments, yet appeared here.

“Not marrying?”

He suddenly spoke.

Ni Su was stunned. She immediately thought of that mud-covered chest. “I will.”

She said.

Xu Hexue tightened his jaw and turned his face away, unwilling to speak with her further.

However, the young woman beneath the tree looked up at him. “If I didn’t come find you, would you just leave alone?”

“No.”

He pressed his lips tight, but after a moment still couldn’t help but answer her: “I said before, if this day came, I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

He said “this day.”

Ni Su’s nose tingled sourly, yet she smiled. “Then what are you hiding here for?”

Xu Hexue still didn’t look at her. “Just wanted to wait until it’s a bit lighter, then I’ll come see you.”

Ni Su didn’t speak, but watched the glimmering moonlight fall upon him, bit by bit washing away the bloodstains on his body. If he waited until dawn, this garment she made for him would become very clean.

Snow water dripped down from Ni Su’s temples along her hair. “Xu Hexue, I have many incense candles. I can sustain you for a long time, and I’m not afraid of the different paths of humans and ghosts…”

She looked up at the person in the tree shade, her eyelids moist. “Just like this for a lifetime—is that good?”