The person in Zhao Chu's memory had become very blurred.

He only remembered that the winter was particularly cold. He had many wounds on his hands from practicing needlework, but when he climbed down from the treetop, his thin winter clothes were already soaked through with snow.

It was so cold, colder than the pain of needles, when the freezing wind carried their mocking laughter and blew through him, he had lost all sensation.

He didn't even have the strength to shiver; he only knew that such weather could freeze a person to death. When Zhao Yao no longer persisted, he immediately turned and rushed into the wind and snow, heading towards his own palace.

Unlike others, if a servant in the palace fell ill, there would still be imperial physicians to treat them, but if he fell ill, he could only wait to die.

At that moment, a cloak fell on him.

Thick and soft, it enveloped him in a warm breath.

He had been frozen for too long, his limbs and mind stiffened by the cold, so much so that this sudden warmth made him tremble all over.

This was something that came suddenly at a dead end.

He only had the last bit of life left and dared not gamble on whether this was charity or a trap.

He was like a startled bird and, driven by instinct, quickly took off the garment, hurriedly fled, without even getting a clear look at the person in front of him.

That night, he developed a high fever.

Wu Xinghai had gotten into a dispute with an eunuch from the Inner Bureau over some charcoal for him and got one of his eyes blinded. Song Yan went to the Eastern Factory to deliver a message for him and still hadn't returned.

He was only eight years old at that time, still instinctively relying on his mother.

In his delirium, he secretly left his palace, braved the wind and snow, crossed the long street alone, and knocked on the gate of the Cold Palace.

He had no strength; it took him a long time to knock on the door before he heard the voice of Dou Qingyi.

"Xiao?"

"Mother..." He almost cried in an instant, tears dripping onto his clothes and freezing instantly. "...I'm so cold."

However, Dou Qingyi's voice inside the door was as cold as the snow falling on his face.

"It's the middle of the night. What are you doing here?" she asked. "And where is Song Yan?"

From outside the door, Zhao Chu couldn't see her expression.

"Mother..."

"I've told you, don't come near the Cold Palace." The voice from inside the door remained cold and stern. "Go back immediately, and don't let your father know."

Outside the door, Zhao Chu made a barely audible sob.

After that, there was silence for a moment.

"Go back and wear more clothes. Tomorrow, I'll have Shi Shen send you some money. It won't be much, just enough for Song Yan to buy some charcoal." Dou Qingyi paused. "Don't forget, even if it's cold, you can only wear your own clothes. Xiao, remember what I've taught you?"

"Don't have any contact with your mother..." Zhao Chu's voice trembled outside the door.

"What else?"

"Never touch a man's clothes."

Dou Qingyi inside the door made a sound of agreement, without praise, just a cold and simple sentence: "Go back now, and don't let there be a next time."

After that sentence, there was no more sound from inside the door.

Dou Qingyi was never good at expressing emotions. She also knew that she had fallen to her current situation and had no chance to be a kind mother.

Inside the door, she knelt on the steps.

Comfort and tenderness would not only fail to help them survive in the deep palace but would also cause them to lose everything and fall into the abyss.

She quietly listened to Zhao Chu staggering to his feet and then disappearing into the footsteps of the wind and snow. Her pale hand silently covered the heavy bronze door.

That was where Zhao Chu's voice had come from earlier.

As Zhao Chu, who had walked alone through the long street, struggled to lift his head, he could only see the endless red walls and golden tiles in his blurry vision, along with the snowstorm that engulfed the entire world.

He suddenly remembered the person who had draped the cloak over him.

That person must have been extremely bold and unrestrained, with a very hot body temperature. When the cloak fluttered, the sleeve even formed a smooth and graceful arc.

That arc brushed against Zhao Chu's shoulder, lightly bumping into that spot.

In the biting wind, he trembled and gently touched his left shoulder with his burning hand.

There seemed to be a lingering warmth there.

He was too cold, so much so that in his blurry consciousness, he instinctively wanted to take that brief warmth from there as a tiny spark to help him through this night journey.

But the snowstorm that night was too heavy, and the sensation at that spot had already been engulfed by the pervasive coldness.

Zhao Chu couldn't feel it.

*

Fang Linyuan didn't know that just now, his arm brushed against Zhao Chu's shoulder and lightly bumped into the same spot as many years ago.

He tightened the cloak around Zhao Chu's collar, wrapping his figure tightly.

"Yes," he said. "The year I entered the palace, I saw you by Taiye Pond."

"In the winter?" Zhao Chu asked.

Why did Zhao Chu suddenly ask about this?

"Don't you remember?" Fang Linyuan said. "Oh, right, you didn't know who I was at the time, and you didn't even ask for the cloak I gave you."

As they spoke, faint voices of the imperial guards could already be heard outside the plum garden, presumably the emperor had been informed of the disturbance here and had sent someone to check the situation.

Fang Linyuan quickly tied the cloak for Zhao Chu and pulled it to make sure it wouldn't fall off.

Indeed... now the two of them were tied together by fate, and he was almost more afraid than Zhao Chu himself of the latter being discovered as a man.

But at this moment, Zhao Chu suddenly grabbed his wrist.

Fang Linyuan was startled. "What are you doing?"

"Did you know who I was back then?" Zhao Chu asked again.

He looked up, puzzled, at Zhao Chu. But Zhao Chu still had that cold demeanour, staring at him intently, like a fox demon about to devour someone.

"...That’s right," Fang Linyuan withdrew his arm. "Otherwise, why would I ask the emperor to marry you?"

Speaking of the word "marry", Fang Linyuan couldn't help but feel awkward, his mouth twitching stiffly.

Zhao Chu didn't move, still staring at him. "So, you've known since then..."

Why did he have to dig up the past like this!

"Your Highness, is Your Highness the Fifth here?"

Voices of the guards came from not far away.

Fang Linyuan quickly raised his voice. "Yes, over here."

As he spoke, he also reminded Zhao Chu in a low voice, "Someone's coming, don't use your usual voice to speak."

Zhao Chu indeed kept his mouth shut.

His rare obedience and cooperation finally relieved Fang Linyuan, who turned his head to look in the direction of the imperial guards.

Unbeknown to him, behind him, Zhao Chu wrapped himself in the cloak, and the gaze he cast upon Fang Linyuan, though quiet, was deep to the point of being almost terrifying.

From that moment onwards, it had been ten years.

Suddenly, Zhao Chu remembered the drunken voice of Naren Temüjin from earlier.

"Jade Yama really likes you."

Zhao Chu glanced at Fang Linyuan's eyes and brows moved slightly.

He never believed there was such a thing as love in this world. Ever since the human heart developed its nine apertures, it had long abandoned these useless entanglements. Survival of the fittest, that was the natural order of things.

But... Was it true that someone could like another person for ten years, even just because of a chance encounter?

He would never be deceived by such words. Sweet words and sincere emotions were nothing but poison that clouded one's rationality.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes, but under the cover of the approaching footsteps of the imperial guards, he lifted his injured hand.

The fingertips, curled slightly, lightly touched his left shoulder.

It was warm.

It wasn't that he foolishly wanted to believe in something, but that the spark from that cold night was truly there.

It had been resting on his shoulder all along, not extinguished, only buried under the fallen snow, making it invisible to him.

Just now, when the snow was brushed away, the spark flickered back to life.

It was Fang Linyuan who brushed away that snow.

*

Emperor Hongyou's face darkened.

The grand Hall of Zhonghua was now silent as a tomb.

The news from the plum garden had been tightly sealed off, and the ministers and noble families had already left the palace after the banquet. Now, only the palace concubines who attended the banquet and a few princesses and princes remained seated here.

They were all gathered here now, but they all kept silent, lowering their brows and not daring to speak. In the entire hall, with dozens of people present, only the sound of the Empress gently patting the sleeping Ninth Prince Zhao Jue could be heard.

Fang Linyuan turned his head to look at Zhao Chu.

He sat there, with the imperial physician kneeling in front of him, treating his wounds. The jade had been crushed by a grip, and many shards had already embedded into Zhao Chu's flesh under his grasp. At this moment, the physician was carefully picking out the jade shards, not daring to lift his head.

Zhao Chu's expression remained unchanged, silent and with his eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.

Just then, footsteps approached, it was the eunuch sent by Emperor Hongyou to fetch Naren Temüjin.

Fang Linyuan turned to look and saw the eunuch followed by two Turkic men.

They were Naren Temüjin's attendants, but he himself was not present.

The people in the hall had varied expressions, the palace consorts exchanged silent glances, while Zhao Yao, not far away, glanced at Zhao Chu with a look of gloating.

The eunuch knelt before Emperor Hongyou, and the two attendants also bowed towards Emperor Hongyou.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Emperor Hongyou's expression was grim, and after a moment of silence, he asked in a deep voice, "Where is the Crown Prince Naren Temüjin?"

One of the attendants replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince Naren Temüjin was brought back to his residence earlier and is currently intoxicated. When your messenger came to invite him, he was already deeply asleep and couldn't be awakened. He is unable to come to see you at the moment."

With that, he bowed again and said, "If Your Majesty has any orders, we will follow your commands."

Fang Linyuan's brow furrowed slightly.

Naren Temüjin avoiding to meet him was within his expectations. And these two men, with their confident demeanor, probably already knew what had happened.

They were well aware of the Han's emphasis on etiquette. An undignified incident like tonight would be feared more by them than by the Han themselves. Now that the two countries were about to sign an agreement, Naren Temüjin’s status was important, and since Zhao Chu had not really been insulted, they were probably confident that Emperor Hongyou would be cautious and not do anything to Naren Temüjin.

Indeed, they were confident, and Emperor Hongyou couldn't do anything to them.

Emperor Hongyou remained silent with a dark face.

After a moment of dead silence, Jiang Hongluan, who was beside him, spoke softly with a smile.

"Enough, it's not a big deal. Your Majesty, since Crown Prince Naren Temüjin is already asleep, and the night is late with heavy dew, let these two gentlemen also go back to rest." She spoke, extending her hand in a soothing gesture, gently touching Emperor Hongyou's arm.

"If there is anything, Your Majesty can address it tomorrow."

Emperor Hongyou paused, then turned to look at her. Jiang Hongluan smiled warmly, her face full of reassurance. Only then did Emperor Hongyou reluctantly raise his hand and said, "You may leave."

Upon hearing this, the two men immediately bowed and left.

The heavy doors of the hall were closed from the outside. Emperor Hongyou's face revealed a gloomy expression. Jiang Hongluan beside him also showed concern, hesitating to speak but not daring to advise further.

Emperor Hongyou slapped the armrest of the dragon throne heavily.

"Outrageous! The Turkic barbarians dare to go too far!"

With a clang, the force startled the imperial physician, causing the forceps in his hand to fall to the ground, and Zhao Chu's blood from his palm also dripped onto the floor.

The imperial physician was immediately frightened, prostrating himself on the ground. Before he could even apologize, he saw everyone in the palace quickly getting up and kneeling towards Emperor Hongyou.

"Your Majesty, please calm down!"

The imperial physician hurriedly turned over and kowtowed in the direction of Emperor Hongyou.

Fang Linyuan had to kneel down as well.

Emperor Hongyou remained silent.

Fang Linyuan cautiously raised his eyes and saw Emperor Hongyou sitting with a grim face, looking towards the direction behind him, as if confronting someone.

Who else could confront Emperor Hongyou now?

In his peripheral vision, Zhao Chu still sat there, while the entire palace knelt down, but only he and Emperor Hongyou sat face to face, as calm as if Emperor Hongyou weren't enraged.

Tension reached its peak.

Just then, there came a faint sobbing from the hall.

It was Zhao Jue, who had just been awakened.

The crying seemed to have triggered something. With the sobbing, Emperor Hongyou's expression suddenly changed, and the almost dripping-with-anger expression softened instantly.

"Is Jue’er awake? No worries, come, let father emperor hold him."

He turned around, smilingly reached out from the empress's arms to take Zhao Jue. He gently held and comforted him with soft pats, while gesturing for everyone in the palace to rise.

Zhao Jue was the first son born to the emperor after the third prince, and also the legitimate son born to the empress nearing forty years of age. The emperor always doted on him, treating him as if he were the apple of his eye.

With that, Fang Linyuan sat back down in his seat, stealing a glance at Zhao Chu.

He saw the royal physician bending down to pick up the pincers on the ground, while Zhao Chu had already taken out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve, wrapped it around his hand, and bandaged the wound.

"Be gone," he said without even lifting his eyes, addressing the physician.

The physician, feeling like he had been granted a reprieve, didn't bother to consider whether Zhao Chu's method of bandaging might worsen the wound. He quickly bowed to the emperor and retreated with his medicine box.

Meanwhile, the emperor had pacified Zhao Jue and instructed the palace maid to take him down to sleep.

He didn't even glance in Zhao Chu's direction again.

"The sky is getting late, Your Majesty still has to attend the early court tomorrow, it's better to rest early," advised Jiang Honglian from the side.

Having been upset by Zhao Jue's crying, the emperor's expression gradually softened, and he uttered an affirmative sound.

Jiang Honglian smiled and raised her eyes again, speaking kindly to Zhao Chu, "Today's events have startled Huining. When you return, you must rest well in the mansion. Your father emperor is worried about you. In the future, you must not go to places where there are no people alone, as you did today."

As her words fell, the hall once again fell into a silent stillness with no one responding.

Fang Linyuan contemplated for a moment, about to speak up to promise on behalf of Zhao Chu, but then heard the emperor's furious shout, "Zhao Chu, haven't you heard what your mother said!"

Just now, it was the tender "Jue'er", but facing Zhao Chu now, he called him by name with an intense tone, as if he were an enemy.

Fang Linyuan, caught in the middle, felt as uncomfortable as a withered vegetable crushed by a steamed bun.

Zhao Chu remained silent.

A light scoff came from the side again.

"Zhao Chu, your mother and father are worried about you. You caused such a big disturbance today, and the emperor hasn't punished you, which is already great kindness. If you don't appreciate it, it's fine, but why treat the emperor with such indifference?" It was Zhao Yao again.

She seemed to have finally found an opportunity to speak. Sitting upright with an air of superiority, she looked at Zhao Chu with sarcasm, as if she had finally found a chance to criticize him.

But when Zhao Chu lifted his eyes, his gaze fell silently on her, indifferent as if looking at an inanimate object.

Zhao Yao was suddenly a little scared, but as if someone was backing her up, she pursed her lips, raised her head even higher.

On the other side, Zhao Jin also raised his head high and stood up calmly.

"Although the emperor is lenient, I still want to ask for permission to request the emperor to punish Zhao Chu," he said.

Fang Linyuan on the side was dumbfounded by this turn of events.

He looked around at everyone and couldn't figure out why Zhao Chu, who was clearly the victim, should be punished.

"You continue," said the emperor to Zhao Jin.

"Zhao Chu is now married, disregarding his own chastity, she should also know that the princess's reputation is the same as the emperor's reputation," Zhao Jin explained. "The events of tonight were indeed instigated by those barbarians from Turpan, but if it weren't for Zhao Chu's failure to abide by the rules of a married woman, and her private flirtation beforehand, how could it have aroused the barbarians' evil intentions?"

Fang Linyuan was utterly stunned.

What was he saying? Was he suggesting that Zhao Chu almost got insulted because he seduced Naren Temüjin?

Could there be anything more absurd in this world?

Fang Linyuan felt that the three princes were overdoing it with Zhao Chu, forgetting to bring their brains along.

He looked at the emperor, waiting for him to scold them with some pity.

But unexpectedly...

Upon hearing this, the emperor turned to look at Zhao Chu, his brows furrowing even deeper.

"Speaking of which, I want to ask you. What were you doing alone in the Plum Garden tonight?"

The emperor actually took his words seriously?!

Fang Linyuan was completely astonished.

Beside him, he heard Zhao Chu's disdainful chuckle.

"If you want to punish, just do it. No need for so much talk."

He raised his eyes and looked directly at Emperor Hongyou, his gaze filled with mockery and provocation.

*

Since childhood, Zhao Chu knew that some people were born to be disliked.

He never attempted to win the favour of Emperor Hongyou.

The emperor had several children, and Zhao Chu excelled in everything from studying to flower arrangement, incense burning, and needlework. He was the smartest and most talented child of Emperor Hongyou.

But from as far back as he could remember, Emperor Hongyou never liked to visit his mother's chamber, nor did he like him. At the age of three, he could recite poems, but whenever he recited poems or studied, Emperor Hongyou's face remained devoid of smiles.

As he grew older, Old Nanny Songyan secretly told him to learn to hide his talents.

It was because his mother was too knowledgeable and had greater insight than the emperor, which was why the emperor didn't like her. He was the emperor's daughter and didn't need to be too clever of a child. As long as he was obedient enough, he could win the emperor's favour.

Zhao Chu didn't understand why. Zhao Jin, at the age of eight, only learned to recite the Three-Character Classic (NT: one Chinese classic text, children first formal education at home). When he stumbled through reciting it to his father, Emperor Hongyou couldn't stop laughing.

Why did he, at the age of three, have to pretend not to know when he clearly did?

Later on, when his mother was sent to the cold palace, Old Nanny Songyan said that pretending to be obedient was useless now; only by preserving her life could she have a future.

Preserving one's life in the palace was an easy task.

He didn't need to please Emperor Hongyou; he just needed to speak as little as possible in front of him, so his voice wouldn't give him away. He didn't need to smile, and even if it angered Emperor Hongyou, it didn't matter, because it meant he could avoid attending several palace banquets, thus preventing others from noticing his lack of proficiency in pretending to be a woman.

Emperor Hongyou disliked him, but because he was his child, he wouldn't kill him no matter how angry he became.

Since he wouldn't kill him, Emperor Hongyou was not to be feared by him.

At moments like these, Zhao Chu wasn't afraid either. He stared straight at Emperor Hongyou, knowing that for the sake of his reputation, the emperor would never dare to punish him in a way that would disturb the courtiers.

Sure enough, under his gaze, Emperor Hongyou's pupils gradually contracted, his chest heaving more violently, and the hand resting on the armrest, clenched so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

But he couldn't speak a word.

A faint arc formed at the corner of Zhao Chu's mouth, like a circling eagle scrutinizing an enraged lion.

He understood early on that those who had nothing to lose were the least afraid. It was just that Zhao Jin and the others didn't understand, still trying to please the emperor and sow discord with him, not realizing they were just fools wasting their efforts.

Those who had never been loved had no fear of disdain.

Zhao Chu's cool smile lingered at the corners of his lips.

But then, a clear voice sounded beside him.

"Your Majesty, forgive me, but what Third Prince said is indeed inappropriate."

It was Fang Linyuan.

The cool smile on Zhao Chu's face froze.

...He had forgotten.

He had been arrogant, disregarding everyone present, but he had forgotten that Fang Linyuan was also there.

He was not someone who had never been loved.

Fang Linyuan really didn't want to wade into this mess.

But seeing Zhao Chu and Emperor Hongyou on the verge of confrontation, he felt like the cabbage sandwiched in the middle, watching the bread slices on both sides getting hotter and hotter. If he didn't step in soon, he would be cooked.

Heaven help them, couldn't they argue behind closed doors as a family? Why drag him, an innocent bystander, into this?

Though he cursed inwardly, he had to maintain a dignified expression on his face, standing up and bowing to Emperor Hongyou.

"Is this a place for you to speak?" Zhao Jin interjected loudly.

"Jin'er," Emperor Hongyou frowned, stopping him.

Startled, Zhao Jin quickly lowered his head.

"Marquis Anping," Emperor Hongyou turned to Fang Linyuan, his expression finally softening a bit. "I know you have good intentions to protect her, but if she really does something wrong, I also need to give you an explanation."

"Your Majesty, please forgive me," Fang Linyuan bowed. "Before the banquet today, that Naren Temüjin showed disrespect in front of Fifth Princess, with frivolous words and actions. I had reprimanded him at that time. Now that he dares not come forward pretending to be drunk, it can be seen that he is guilty, not intentionally implicating Fifth Princess."

As he spoke, he glanced slightly at Zhao Jin.

"Third Prince was also present at the time and should remember the situation then, right?"

Zhao Jin's face turned ugly, and he turned away without saying a word.

Emperor Hongyou's expression eased slightly.

"Moreover, Princess did leave when you, I, and Naren Temüjin were drinking, witnessed by many palace attendants, and had no conversation with Naren Temüjin," Fang Linyuan added.

Emperor Hongyou let out a sigh.

"It has nothing to do with her," he acknowledged. "But spoiling her like this with the Empress, making her so arrogant, makes it embarrassing for me to face you alone."

Though he didn't admit his mistake outright, he finally softened his stance, but still wanted to scold Zhao Chu a few more words.

In front of everyone, Fang Linyuan didn't want to get involved, but he had no choice.

He bowed to Emperor Hongyou and said aloud, "Your Majesty, your words humble me. I am still grateful for not blaming me for my rudeness and frivolity that day, and I am even more grateful for raising Princess with such strength and determination."

"How do you explain this, Marquis?" Emperor Hongyou asked.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. When I arrived at the Plum garden today, Fifth Princess was being harassed by that scoundrel, breaking her jade pendant in public. Her action... was that of intending to uphold her integrity to the death. If it weren't for me intervening in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

*

"Upholding integrity to the death," Zhao Chu said with a light laugh on the return journey. "Fang Linyuan, you really came up with that."

Fang Linyuan, sitting beside him, was also laughing.

He was still recalling the scene in the Chonghua Hall when he had finished speaking.

Emperor Hongyou stood there dumbfounded, surrounded by astonished gasps from the palace concubines. Meanwhile, Zhao Jin and Zhao Yao, who had been smug just a moment ago, were now surprised, their eyes wide open and mouths agape, almost making Fang Linyuan burst out laughing.

This trip to the capital had taught him some skills that he couldn't learn in the borderlands. The ability to fabricate tales and turn a deer into a horse was something that couldn't be learned elsewhere.

Fang Linyuan turned his head and saw that although the fox was not looking at him with a straight face, there was a smile on his face.

"Naturally," Fang Linyuan said. "If I said you were going to kill Naren Temüjin, wouldn't His Majesty be even more angry?"

Thinking of Emperor Hongyou's relieved expression when he had calmed Zhao Chu earlier, Fang Linyuan couldn't help feeling that this cunning fox owed him a lot.

Let's see how he pays it back.

He smiled on the surface, turned his head to look at the bustling night scene outside the window of the capital, but he didn't see the curtain rise. The light and shadow outside the window clearly fell on Zhao Chu's face, but his smile gradually faded.

After a moment, he heard Zhao Chu say, "But in the future, you don't have to help me with palace matters."

Fang Linyuan turned his head inexplicably. "Why?"

"Don't you see that if you get involved, nothing good will come of it?" There was an inexplicable emotion in Zhao Chu's tone, like a barren tree blooming before seeing tender flowers, with scattered dust falling first.

But Fang Linyuan was even more puzzled.

"But I've already been involved, haven't I?" he said. " Husband and wife are one, isn't that what you said?"

At the mention of " Husband and wife are one," Zhao Chu's mouth twitched slightly.

After a moment, he lowered his eyes and said softly.

"Well, then I'll compensate you doubly in the future."

The early spring night breeze lifted the curtains, and the lively lights from the street market outside elongated the shadows of Zhao Chu's eyelashes on his face. His intact hand was clasped on his knee, motionless, betraying a hint of nervousness.

This was the first time he had made a promise to someone orally.

Meanwhile, Fang Linyuan beside him was watching the fire-breather at the street corner with interest. He laughed at the words and casually said, "That's not necessary. If you really want to compensate me, just leave when your business is done, and let me marry a normal wife."

The hand clasped on Zhao Chu's knee tightened slightly.

He turned to look at Fang Linyuan, and after a long while, he asked softly, "Normal?"

The carriage rolled on, passing by the street corner. With a whoosh, the fire-breather spewed flames three feet high, causing an uproar around, even Fang Linyuan's eyes lit up.

"What?" he turned back with enthusiasm, not hearing what Zhao Chu had said.

But seeing Zhao Chu's brows furrow, he turned to look out the other window.

"Nothing," he said lightly.

Fang Linyuan, seeing this, shook his head in amazement.

Ignoring such a spectacular performance, Zhao Chu was truly a ruthless person who could accomplish great things.

*

That evening, Fang Linyuan sent someone for a doctor to rebandage Zhao Chu's wounds and used the excuse to let him rest and recuperate, unapologetically staying in his Fu Guang Pavilion.

When Song Zhaojin heard about this, she even sent medicine for Zhao Chu, instructing him to rest well for these days and not worry about his duties.

Finally, Fang Linyuan obtained an unprecedented peace and quiet, practicing martial arts and reading two popular books from the capital.

On the third day, he even had the time to go drinking with the colleagues from the Ministry of Rites, led by Zhuo Fangyou.

The recent collaboration had indeed made Fang Linyuan familiar with them. Apart from the occasions when envoys from various countries came to pay their respects during festivals, they were usually free and kind-hearted people. In order to avoid arousing suspicion for Fang Linyuan, they specifically chose a place like the Moon Splendor Tower, where the prices were reasonable, there were many diners, and officials frequently came and went.

Fang Linyuan didn't refuse.

"I heard that Marquis and General Zhuo are going back to Yumen Pass soon, so let's take advantage of today's rest to celebrate for you both," Yu Tao said with a smile at the dinner table.

"Everyone is too polite," Fang Linyuan smiled back.

"No worries. General Zhuo promised me the other day that he would bring back some good wine from Yumen Pass for me. Today, we'll consider this our reward for that good wine!" said another official sitting nearby.

Hearing this, everyone at the table laughed.

Now that they were familiar with each other, a few officials were of good character, and the meal ended happily. After a few glasses of wine, they became even more relaxed, with some lamenting about their wives at home, while others gathered around Fang Linyuan, asking him if it was convenient to bring back some plants from the north that only had thorns but no leaves for them to see.

Amidst the laughter and chatter, Yu Tao mysteriously pulled Fang Linyuan to the window.

"Today, when I saw Marquis, I suddenly remembered what I heard at the yamen yesterday," Yu Tao said. "After thinking about it, I decided to inform you."

"What's the matter?" Fang Linyuan asked.

"Yesterday, there was news from the palace that the officials sent to negotiate with Naren Temüjin had hit a roadblock. The Emperor has been worried for two days and is afraid that he will have to summon Marquis soon," Yu Tao lowered his voice. "A roadblock? Naren Temüjin proposed some unreasonable demands?"

Yu Tao whispered, "He wants the Emperor to marry his daughter."

"Isn't that absurd!" Fang Linyuan was taken aback. "They abandoned their city and soldiers, how dare they ask for our princess in marriage?"

"But," Yu Tao responded. "It's said that those Turkic barbarians are very shameless. They say it's not about marriage, but that their wife died, leaving them widowed, and they want to marry a daughter of our Daxuan Dynasty. They even said it doesn't have to be the Emperor's legitimate princess, any daughter of a minister, or even a commoner, as long as they have a title to marry into their family, they wouldn't mind."

"Now it sounds nice, but who knows how he will proclaim it later?" Fang Linyuan frowned deeply.

"So true!" Yu Tao agreed. "It's said that those officials have been arguing for two days without a result. Since yesterday, some have even petitioned the Emperor to let you negotiate with Naren Temüjin. I'm afraid you'll be caught off guard when the time comes, not knowing how to deal with it, so I thought I'd inform you in advance... Just don't spread it around."

Fang Linyuan nodded.

"We've been standing here for a while, the conversation is over, Marquis, follow me back to our seats," Yu Tao said.

Fang Linyuan responded and turned to follow him back.

But at that moment, a gust of wind blew outside, and Fang Linyuan's gaze swept over, catching a sudden glimpse of a figure.

Tall and slender, the figure passed by in a flash, bearing a striking resemblance to Zhao Chu.

Fang Linyuan paused, quickly turning to look out the window.

 

--
The author has something to say:

Zhao Qiao: Be clear, what do you mean by "normal wife"?

Fang Linyuan: Isn't it clear? Who marries a wife, marries a woman, not a man!

Zhao Qiao: ...I can.

Fang Linyuan: ????? What do you mean, you can!

 

Translator : DarNan