The next morning, Zhao Heng was woken up by footsteps outside her door. She woke up groggily and heard Lin Mama saying, "Let Concubine Meifei know that Lady Liangyuan isn't awake yet."
"Lin Mama." After a moment of processing, Zhao Heng sat upright and turned to the door, calling out.
"Is Lady Liangyuan awake?" Lin Mama asked in surprise, reaching out to feel Zhao Heng's forehead and finding that her fever had subsided. "Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable?"
Zhao Heng felt a tickling sensation in her throat and said, "My throat is dry, I want some water."
Lin Mama immediately went to the table and poured her a cup of honey water. Zhao Heng drank it and felt relieved. She asked, "Has anyone come to visit?"
"It's Concubine Meifei coming to express her gratitude," Lin Mama helped her up to change clothes. "You were still asleep, so she left first."
"Is the Fourth Prince awake?" Zhao Heng asked.
Li Jiayan had choked on a lot of water in the river last night and fainted after being pulled ashore, but she hadn't inquired about the situation.
Lin Mama nodded and said, "He's awake. Thankfully, yesterday, when the Empress heard that the Fourth Prince had fallen into the water, she sent the imperial physician to the Changchen Palace. His condition isn't serious, but he is still running a fever."
Zhao Heng felt relieved, as she had been worried that Li Jiayan might have been in trouble.
In this troublesome autumn season, she hoped for everything to be peaceful and smooth, without any complications.
"My Lady really scared me to death yesterday. The water was so cold, and you just jumped in without hesitation, it was really..." Lin Mama shivered at the thought, feeling grateful that Zhao Heng was safe.
"I know what I'm doing. If I really couldn't save him, I wouldn't have forced it." Zhao Heng looked at Lin Mama's worried expression and smiled. Suddenly, she asked, "Did you find out why the Fourth Prince fell into the water?"
"I asked around, and they said that recently the Fourth Prince has been frequenting the Chaoyang Pavilion to listen to the zither. Yesterday, when he passed by Chenghu Lake, he thought he saw someone falling into the water, so he tried to rescue them. Unfortunately, he slipped and fell in himself." Lin Mama sighed, "Concubine Meifei was so frightened, she kept saying that the palace has been uneasy this year and she's afraid the Fourth Prince was entangled by something sinister."
Lin Mama continued, "It's true, this year has brought challenges for several princes. First, the Crown Prince was seriously injured, then the Sixth Prince went missing in broad daylight in the palace, and now the Fourth Prince drowned yesterday..."
After a while, Zhao Heng slowly raised her eyes, gently holding Lin Mama's hand. "Superstitions are all nonsense, Mama, don't dwell on it. I'm hungry."
Lin Mama nodded with a smile, then left to prepare breakfast and herbal medicine for Zhao Heng.
After spending some time in her room, Zhaoheng went to find Li Nanxi.
Li Nanxi and Ning Wanzhi were huddled on the bed, looking at a broken handball. Ning Wanzhi sighed repeatedly.
Zhao Heng entered with a food box, catching Ning Wanzhi's attention. Ning Wanzhi greeted her with a sigh, "Auntie."
"What's wrong? Why is Little Ning so upset?" Zhao Heng placed the food box on her arm, gently tapping her forehead with a smile.
Ning Wanzhi kept her eyes downcast, not saying a word.
Li Nanxi explained, "Her handball is broken."
"Handball?"
"Yes!" Li Nanxi vigorously nodded, holding up the handball with a hole, "It was a gift from the Xiao Silang a few years ago."
Zhao Heng took the beautiful handball, feeling a sense of nostalgia.
"I'll fix it for you," Zhao Heng said with a smile.
She thought Ning Wanzhi would be happy, but she seemed unenthusiastic, saying, "Even if it's repaired, it can't go back to the way it was. It will eventually break again."
Zhao Heng looked at Ning Wanzhi, and with a gentle smile, she said, "Even if it can't be restored to its original state, it can still accompany you in a different way."
"A different way?"
"Yes," Zhao Heng exhaled gently, "I'll make a little pouch for it, sew on a string, and hang a bell below it, you can hang it by the window as a wind chime."
Li Nanxi chimed in, "I want one too!"
"Of course, if you feel it's broken or you don't like it anymore, you can gracefully dispose of it," Zhao Heng said, looking down. "But don't be attached to it forever."
Ning Wanzhi seemed to understand and immediately asked, "Can you help make it look pretty for me?"
In the end, she couldn't bear to throw it away. Zhao Heng held the handball in her palm, nodding with a smile, "Of course."
At noon, Zhao Heng returned to the Chengming Hall, and Lin Mama informed her, "Lady Liangyuan, Concubine An is waiting for you."
Zhao Heng nodded, lifted her skirt and hurried to the flower hall to see Concubine An. As the windows in the flower hall were open, Concubine An stood by the window, looking at a painting on the wall.
Sensing someone's approach, Concubine An turned and looked at Zhao Heng through the blossoming branches of the osmanthus tree. With a gentle smile, she asked, "Back already?"
Zhao Heng raised her eyes and respectfully greeted Concubine An, "Concubine An."
As an elder, Concubine An deserved all the politeness that Zhao Heng could offer.
"The Fourth Prince fell into the water last night and is still running a fever today. He used to enjoy the pastries I made, so this morning, I prepared some for him to bring over." Concubine An's eyes were filled with a gentle smile, "I brought some for you as well."
"You always take care of me." Zhao Heng turned to Concubine An's smiling face, returning the smile.
Concubine An handed her the food box and said, "Don't be so polite with me, I often trouble you as well."
"In that case, I'll be disrespectful." Zhao Heng took the food box and slightly bowed, then handed it to Lian Zhou, saying, "Take out the pastries."
Turning back, she noticed some flour on her hands.
Concubine An handed her a handkerchief, "You've been in a hurry today, the flour on the food box isn't wiped clean."
"It's okay." Zhao Heng smiled and took the handkerchief to wipe her hands, her lips curving into a beautiful arc, "Thank you for always caring about me."
After spending some time together, Zhao Heng personally saw Concubine An off.
Watching her sedan chair disappear on the palace road, Zhao Heng turned back and entered the hall.
She sat at the desk, looking at the pastries on the table, lost in thought. She picked up a piece and savored the sweet taste melting on her tongue, it was delightful.
Before she knew it, she had finished the whole plate.
**
At the Northern Residence.
As night fell, the silver moon hung in the sky, and the chilling wind rustled through the air.
The wind whipped up snowflakes fiercely, hitting the icy ground. The sky darkened, and Fuyu stood outside her tent, straining her eyes against the wind that made her eyes feel sore.
The Northern region was bitterly cold, and most of the year was in the throes of severe winter, with snowfall as early as August. By the hour of Shen, the sky was as dark as ink, and the snow fell delicately.
Snowflakes settled in Fuyu's pitch-black hair, creating a layer of white within moments.
Her face was pale with cold, only the tip of her nose tinged slightly red. She draped a black-blue crane cloak around her arms, gazing into the distance at the snow-covered plains.
The cold seeped into her bones, but she remained still.
As mist rose on the snow, enveloping the vast expanse, the howling of the cold wind filled her ears.
The General had left the tent early in the morning and had not returned for seven or eight hours.
Uneasiness gnawed at Fuyu's heart as night approached. Seeing that dusk was fast approaching, she turned to enter the tent, ready to take a lantern to find the General.
The sound of crunching snow drew closer.
Fuyu looked into the dim snowy landscape and saw a warm yellow light flickering amidst the dark snow.
Snowflakes danced in the air, weaving an endless stream.
The solitary lamp came closer, casting a ring of yellow light on the ground illuminating the path ahead.
A tall figure stood behind the warm light, the shadow of their silhouette stretching long on the snow-covered ground.
It was the General!
Fuyu pinched the crane cloak in her hand and lifted her skirt to run towards the light.
As she approached, she saw the General wearing armor, covered in snow.
He held the only source of light in the vast expanse of the world, glancing down at her. His voice was crisp as he asked her, "Why are you outside the tent?"
The lantern's warm light shone on her face, yet it failed to bring any warmth to her complexion.
She wordlessly draped the crane cloak she held gently over his shoulders.
Suddenly, her numb hands were clasped by someone's warm, large palms.
A faint warmth enveloped her hands from his palm.
That warmth became her only indulgence in the snow. Her gaze fell on his snow-touched eyelashes, and she smiled gently, brushing the snowflakes off his lashes with her hand.
"General Xu is waiting for you in the tent," Fuyu spoke, her voice trembling in the icy air.
"Alright."
Li Yecheng held Fuyu's hand and led her into the tent.
"Your Highness, there still hasn't been any news at the post these past few days."
"Is that so?"
Li Yecheng picked up a letter on the table, scanning through a few lines.
"Your Highness, you know that all the reports sent to the capital in recent years, apart from military matters, have all disappeared without a trace. Why did you insist on writing this letter?"
The emotions in Li Yecheng's eyes were hidden behind his long eyelashes. He casually tossed the letter in his hand into the burning stove, saying, "Marriage is a significant event in one's life, it requires the blessings and arrangements of parents and matchmakers. If I marry Fuyu, I naturally need to inform my family, parents, and elder brothers back home to consider it a legitimate marriage."
Hearing this, Xu Wen sounded bitterly pained, "Your Highness, they may see themselves as your fathers and brothers, but have they ever treated you as a son or a brother? For so many years, have they cared about the days you spent in the Northern Residence?"
Exiled for five years, regardless of life or death, what kind of fathers and brothers were they?
Fuyu cautiously glanced at Xu Wen, who was filled with anger, then lowered her gaze. She heard the sound of boiling water in the kettle; she grabbed the handle with a cloth and poured two cups of steaming hot milk tea. Taking one cup, she handed it to Li Yecheng, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
He took the cup, holding the warm mug in his palm, and remained silent.
"Since the previous year, they have been finding ways to withhold our supplies, and this year they even had Chen Lun deliver such a letter. They let Your Highness be in the Northern Residence without a care, isn't that a way to push you towards death!" Xu Wen lamented.
Although his words were heavy, Xu Wen saw Li Yecheng take a sip from his tea and place the cup on the table, maintaining his silence.
In an instant, Xu Wen understood that His Highness still couldn't make a decision.
He then stood up, walked to the door, lifted the thick felt curtain, and let in the cold snow wind, the howling wind swirling on top of the tent. Xu Wen paused for a moment and said, "I was out of line, please forgive me, Your Highness."
With his dark blue robe swaying, he walked out heavily.
The dim moonlight bathed the tent as the curtain fell, blocking everything outside.
"Fuyu," Li Yecheng, who had been silent all this while, suddenly spoke.
Fuyu's eyes sparkled for a moment as she hurriedly got up and walked towards him, "General."
Li Yecheng took Fuyu's hand, guiding her to sit beside him. From his pocket, he took out a piece of candy and handed it to her.
"Do you not want to eat this?" Fuyu asked, looking at him.
Li Yecheng shook his head, placing the candy in her palm.
"Fuyu, as you've heard, my parents and relatives have abandoned me. They exiled me to the Northern Border, showing no regard for my life or marriage.
His gaze drifted downwards, searching the depths of his memory for faces long faded. He was raised by Old Duke An, possessing only hazy recollections of his parents. Though his brother's image remained etched in his mind, it was forever a picture of a smiling face sending him off to war.