Lu Xuan leaned on her maid’s arm as she walked to the window. The spring scenery in Changxin Palace was splendid, with the courtyard filled to the brim with vibrant roses, their heavy blossoms weighing down the branches.
Lu Xuan did not like roses. She preferred the richly fragrant gardenias. But the Emperor adored roses, so Lu Xuan had no choice but to cater to his tastes, planting her courtyard full of them.
The Emperor enjoyed lotus tea, so Lu Xuan kept ample stores of it in her chambers. He relished fresh fruits, so she had the imperial kitchen pick the ripest ones, slice them, and lay them out for his enjoyment.
Lu Xuan had meticulously learned all the Emperor’s preferences and did her utmost to please him.
Yet as she gazed at the sea of blooming red roses, she couldn’t help but wonder, "I’ve tried so hard to win the Emperor’s favor, doing everything perfectly. Why does his heart still stray?"
Her only hope now rested on the child in her womb—perhaps it would bring the Emperor back to her.
...
...
News of Shen Wei’s impending return to the palace also reached the Kunning Palace, where the Empress resided. The delicate Ru kiln teacup in her hand slipped and shattered on the floor, spilling tea everywhere.
"Shen’s brother… is Shen Mieyue?" The Empress’s eyes widened in shock.
Granny Liu bowed her head. "The news is accurate. The Emperor has already sent envoys to escort the Empress Dowager and Shen Wei back to the palace."
The Empress slowly sank back into her chair.
Three years had passed. In that time, the Empress had been busy raising her children, managing palace affairs, and engaging in covert battles with Lu Xuan. So much so that she had nearly forgotten about Shen Wei.
"She’s lucky to have a general for a brother—that gives her a powerful backer." The Empress clenched her handkerchief, recalling the old grudges from Prince Yan’s Mansion, where Shen Wei had once outmaneuvered her.
Back then, Shen Wei had nearly trapped the Empress in obscurity for life.
With Shen Wei’s return, the palace was bound to be thrown into turmoil once more.
Having witnessed Shen Wei’s cunning firsthand, Granny Liu advised, "Sweep the snow from your own doorstep, and leave others to theirs. There’s no need for you to engage with her—let her be."
Granny Liu firmly believed that Shen Wei was a formidable opponent. The best way to protect oneself was to stay far away and avoid provoking her.
The Empress shot Granny Liu an irritated glare. "I am the Empress of this nation. At most, she is a mere consort. If I couldn’t defeat her in the past, how could I fear her now that I hold the reins of the inner palace?"
To fear a concubine—where would that leave the dignity of the Empress?
Granny Liu sighed deeply and tried again, speaking gently, "Shen Wei has lived with the Empress Dowager on Donghua Mountain for three years. Even a stone would grow attached over such a long time. The Empress Dowager will surely favor her."
The Empress arched a brow and smirked. "Granny Liu, you must be getting senile. The Empress Dowager is from the Xie family—Xie Fanglan is her own niece. Do you really think she would side with an unrelated outsider like Shen Wei over her own flesh and blood? Speaking of which, Consort Lan must be overjoyed, eagerly awaiting the Empress Dowager’s return to back her up."
The Empress Dowager, born into the noble Xie family, had been sent to Donghua Mountain three years ago to recuperate.
The Empress was certain that upon her return, the Empress Dowager would support her niece—not spare a thought for Shen Wei.
Seeing the Empress’s stubbornness, Granny Liu was reminded of the headstrong princess consort from Prince Yan’s Mansion, who had refused to listen to reason.
Just as Granny Liu opened her mouth to plead once more, the Empress cut her off impatiently. "I’m not a fool. I won’t act against Shen Wei—not yet. Once she returns, Lu Xuan won’t sit idly by. I’ll watch the tigers fight and reap the rewards."
Since entering the palace, Lu Xuan had enjoyed near-exclusive favor. The Emperor visited her chambers more than anyone else’s.
The Empress was convinced that Lu Xuan would take the initiative to clash with Shen Wei—no intervention needed.
Silently, the Empress prayed that the two would battle to the death, even if it meant their children perishing in the crossfire.
Dismissing thoughts of Shen Wei, the Empress changed the subject. "Granny Liu, the Imperial College will soon let out. Take some servants and fetch Chengzhen."
To protect Li Chengzhen from potential harm by jealous concubines, the Empress had assigned attendants to shadow him at all times. Even trips to the privy were monitored by eunuchs.
After the sudden death of her eldest son, the Empress had only one child left.
All her hopes now rested on her youngest.
...
Yongchun Palace was the residence of Consort Yu, Zhang Miaoyu.
Basking in the warm spring sunlight, Zhang Miaoyu lounged leisurely in the courtyard, a table beside her laden with fruits and pastries.
Zhang Miaoyu adored lively company. Finding solitude dull, she had invited Liu Ruyan and Princess Zhao Yang over for idle chatter, along with Li Yao, Li Nanzhi, and Li Wan’er (the late Crown Prince’s daughter) to play.
In the garden, the three young princesses happily picked flowers to weave into crowns.
"I told you Shen Wei would return," Zhang Miaoyu stretched her plump arms and grinned at Zhao Yang and Liu Ruyan. "I’ve missed her iced milk curds, brown sugar jelly cakes, lotus pastries, hotpot, and jujube-yam cakes."
Three years in the palace had nearly bored her to death.
She longed for Shen Wei’s return—someone to chat and gossip with.
Liu Ruyan reclined on a daybed, languidly fanning herself with a silver-threaded silk fan, her expression cool. "Leaving the capital was hardship, and returning is no less so. Life is suffering everywhere. If I were Shen Wei, I’d choose to stay in the mountains forever, keeping company with flowing streams and gentle breezes."
What was so great about the palace?
High walls, a fickle emperor—Liu Ruyan disliked it here, yet she had no choice but to remain.
Zhang Miaoyu rolled her eyes. "Sister Liu, the mountains may have breezes and streams, but they also have bandits and outlaws. Don’t just romanticize nature—remember the dangers of the world."
Liu Ruyan replied, "With the breeze as my companion, I’d die content."
Zhang Miaoyu: "..."
Speechless!
Turning away, Zhang Miaoyu resumed gossiping with Zhao Yang. "Now that the Empress Dowager is returning, Consort Lan from Huayang Palace is thrilled. She’s never been favored, so she’s counting on the Empress Dowager’s support—Zhao Yang? What are you staring at?"
Zhao Yang hadn’t been listening. Her gaze was fixed on the three little girls in the garden.
Li Yao’s maid, Little Yan, was deft with her hands—she could weave rabbits, cats, and flower crowns with ease. In no time, she crafted three delicate peach blossom crowns and placed them on the princesses’ heads.
The three girls, adorned with their floral crowns, frolicked merrily in the courtyard, a heartwarming sight. Zhao Yang watched, a tender smile playing on her lips.
"Zhao Yang, what’s so amusing?" Zhang Miaoyu poked her arm.
Zhao Yang snapped out of her reverie. "Children are so carefree and adorable."
Zhang Miaoyu leaned in with a grin. "I know you love kids. Over these three years, you’ve used your stipend to build shelters at Anguo Temple for orphans in the capital. The people and officials alike praise you as a kind-hearted princess."
In those three years, Zhao Yang had matured greatly.
She funded orphanages, distributed porridge to the poor in the outskirts, and petitioned the Emperor to reduce farmers’ taxes. The once-spoiled princess had transformed into a beloved figure.
Zhao Yang smiled. "It was nothing, really. Shen Wei taught me all this."
Three years ago, the imperial court was thrown into chaos—her father the emperor and the crown prince perished, Prince Heng staged a rebellion, and the empress dowager left the capital. One by one, Zhao Yang's closest family members were either gone or scattered. Suddenly adrift, she felt lost, uncertain of her purpose or the meaning of her life.
She secretly went to Donghua Mountain to seek enlightenment from Shen Wei.
At the time, Shen Wei was jogging and replied breathlessly: "If you've got nothing better to do, go snatch eggs at the marketplace."
Baffled but willing to follow the advice, Zhao Yang went to buy eggs at the market.
Amid the bustling streets of Yanjing, the sheltered princess, accustomed to a life of luxury, saw for the first time the homeless orphans, the emaciated beggars in tattered clothes—the raw, unvarnished suffering of the common people.
Only then did she grasp the deeper meaning behind Shen Wei's words: "While the nobility drown in idle extravagance, ordinary folk struggle to survive."
As a princess who lived off the labor of the people, Zhao Yang realized she ought to do something for them.
Thus began her three-year journey of aiding the impoverished.
Seeing orphans fed and beggars clothed filled her with a profound satisfaction unlike anything she'd known—more fulfilling than even the thrill of romance.
Zhang Miaoyu, unaware of Zhao Yang's devotion to the people, mistook her kindness for a fondness for children. With a teasing smirk, she said, "If you like children so much, why not have your own? Yan Yunting hasn't returned to the capital yet, but he's already submitted a memorial to the emperor, requesting your hand in marriage."
Zhao Yang's face paled. "Marry me?"
