The Old Madame didn’t bother to comfort Zhao Qiyun; she hurried Zhao Qihuang back to the Splendid Pavilion.
After a brief wash and change, Zhao Qihuang put on an apricot-red palace dress and followed the Chief Eunuch, who was already waiting outside, into the Imperial Palace.
The palace sedan chair traveled smoothly, and before long, they arrived outside the Fengkun Palace.
The Chief Eunuch led the way. Zhao Qihuang lifted her skirt, ascending the white jade steps of the Fengkun Palace, one by one.
Inside the Fengkun Palace, high-quality calming incense was burning, and the air carried a faint, almost imperceptible scent of medicine. The Empress was leaning on a chaise lounge by the window, covered by a thin silk blanket. Her face looked a bit more haggard than usual, with faint dark shadows beneath her eyes.
Zhao Qihuang fundamentally did not believe in Fate, but now she found the situation too strange. If it were all coincidence, it was far too coincidental. Was her destiny truly linked to the Empress’s fortune, or was the deep palace inherently a stage where plays were constantly performed?
When the Empress saw Zhao Qihuang enter, her slightly dim eyes suddenly brightened, and the exhaustion in her features dissipated considerably. “Qihuang, you’ve finally arrived.” The Empress beckoned her over, her voice carrying a trace of subtle urgency.
Zhao Qihuang stepped forward and performed a proper court curtsy: “This subject’s daughter greets Your Majesty the Empress. May your phoenix body be well.”
The Empress gave her a chiding look, her tone very affectionate: “Child, why bother with these formalities with me?” She pulled Zhao Qihuang’s hand, settled her on an embroidered stool beside the chaise, and scrutinized her before saying, “I heard what happened. Your Third Uncle is truly foolish!”
The Empress’s face chilled, and she spoke with disdain: “The granddaughter of a Grand Tutor, nothing more. Is she worth making you suffer indignity in a place like the ancestral hall? It’s laughable.”
Zhao Qihuang lowered her eyelids, her long lashes casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes. She asked softly, “Has Your Majesty’s health improved recently? This subject’s daughter was truly worried upon hearing you were unwell.”
The Empress affectionately squeezed her hand, her eyes full of gentle smiles: “I am fine. I was just troubled by a few minor matters the past few days.” She sighed softly. “Seeing you, my heart finally feels truly settled.”
Zhao Qihuang smiled faintly. *Yes, seeing her, the “Auspice” who brings good fortune, the Empress naturally felt relieved.* On the surface, she showed concern and said, “It is Qihuang’s fortune to be able to ease Your Majesty’s worries.”
The Empress nodded contentedly, then changed the subject, a hint of displeasure entering her voice: “Speaking of which, the Crown Prince must have been blind. The Spring Flower Banquet is such an occasion—how could he bring another woman along? Now there are all sorts of messy rumors outside the palace, saying the Crown Prince favors Zhao Qiyun. It’s preposterous! Don’t be upset; I will discipline him for you when the time comes.”
Zhao Qihuang kept her eyes lowered, her fingertips lightly rubbing the folds of the fabric on her knee. Her tone was indifferent: “Aunt is overthinking things. It doesn’t matter who Crown Prince Brother takes to the Spring Flower Banquet; your niece doesn’t take it to heart.”
Hearing this, the smile on the Empress’s face faded slightly. She stared at Zhao Qihuang for a moment, then suddenly sighed: “Ah Huang, you are quite free-spirited. But do you remember? You promised me that if you did not have a sweetheart, you would give your Crown Prince Brother a chance.”
Zhao Qihuang remained silent, only looking down at the apricot blossom embroidery on her sleeve cuff.
Seeing her silence, the Empress leaned closer, softening her voice. “Ah Huang, I am not trying to force you, but you know how many women in this world truly have autonomy? Becoming the Crown Princess, and later the Empress, reigning over the world—that is a truly noble and respectable life.”
“By then, everyone will have to look up to you, and no one will dare make you suffer the slightest grievance.” She paused, a look of hope entering her gaze toward Zhao Qihuang. “I only wish for you to be well. Some things are destiny, and also fortune.”
The hall was silent for a moment, leaving only the gentle rising smoke of the calming incense.
Zhao Qihuang looked up at her Empress Aunt. Three years ago, when she first ascended to the phoenix seat, her hair was entirely black. Now, her temples were faintly graying, and beneath her bright and dignified face lay hidden exhaustion and worry. What did it matter that she was the most esteemed woman? She was still trapped in the deep palace, constantly guarding against suspicion. In the end, it was nothing more than this. Moreover, the Crown Prince never liked her; even if she became Empress, she wouldn’t meet a good end.
Thinking this, Zhao Qihuang forced a shallow, utterly fake smile onto her lips: “Your Majesty, I actually already have someone in my heart.”
The Empress clearly didn’t believe her and asked, “Which family’s young master?”
Zhao Qihuang’s fingertips trembled slightly. If she just made up a name, given the Empress’s temperament, she might investigate the person the next day and immediately bestow a marriage… After a moment of internal struggle, she reluctantly forced out three words: “Wei Lanzhou.”
The air was utterly silent, broken only by the crisp chime of a jade bell hanging from the eaves outside, stirred by the wind. The Empress’s expression visibly changed, moving from surprise to disbelief, and then gradually turning sullen. “…Wei Lanzhou of the Duke of Zhenguo’s Estate?”
“Yes,” Zhao Qihuang replied softly. “Aside from him, your niece doesn’t know a second person named Wei Lanzhou.”
A strange silence fell over the hall. After a long while, the Empress slowly spoke, “Ah Huang, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Your niece is not being ridiculous.” Zhao Qihuang lowered her head, feigning shyness. “The person I love has always been Wei Lanzhou.”
Seeing her demeanor, the Empress frowned deeply, her expression complex. After a good while, she finally spoke slowly: “The two of you are absolutely impossible. Even if you don’t marry the Crown Prince, you must at least marry into an esteemed noble family.”
Zhao Qihuang inhaled softly, her voice dropping lower: “But in my heart, there is only him.”
Anger flared in the Empress’s heart: “The Wei family has already fallen. The men of the Wei family will surely face death.”
Zhao Qihuang knew this, otherwise she wouldn’t have used Wei Lanzhou as a shield. She pretended to wipe away tears, saying with a choke, “Aunt, time will dilute everything. Perhaps one day I won’t like him anymore. I only ask that Aunt give me some time.”
She kept her head lowered, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking utterly heartbroken. The Empress watched her, then sighed. If she pressed too hard, the girl might do something foolish. *Fine. Wei Lanzhou will be dead soon anyway.*
**
Two days passed in the Fengkun Palace in a flash. While in the palace, Zhao Qihuang spent her time accompanying the Empress in reciting scriptures and praying, aside from eating and sleeping.
The miscarriage of Consort Fang was suspicious. Although the Empress was not explicitly reprimanded by imperial decree, this confinement was a clear warning. The Empress was anxious, finding peace only in front of the oil lamp and the ancient Buddha statue.
Today, the Empress spent even longer than usual reciting scriptures. Sandalwood incense drifted faintly in the Buddhist hall, and the rhythmic *thump-thump* of the wooden fish drum made Zhao Qihuang somewhat restless. She secretly opened one eye. Seeing that the Empress was still sitting with her eyes closed in meditation, Zhao Qihuang slipped silently off her prayer cushion like an eel and sneaked out of the hall.
“Commandery Princess?” Outside the hall, Yuping, the Empress’s head maid, was slightly surprised to see her emerge.
Zhao Qihuang made a shushing gesture at her and lowered her voice. “It’s suffocating in there. This Commandery Princess is going to wander through the Imperial Garden for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
Yuping knew the Commandery Princess’s temperament—she was always restless—so she could only quietly caution her: “Commandery Princess, please watch your step and don’t stray too far.”
“Got it.” Zhao Qihuang waved her hand and headed toward the Imperial Garden after leaving the palace area.
She was intimately familiar with the layout of the Inner Palace. After several twists and turns, she found a secluded small pond. The water was shallow and clear, and several red koi leisurely flicked their tails among the aquatic plants.
Zhao Qihuang’s mood lightened slightly. She found a clean green stone by the pond and squatted down, extending a slender jade finger to ripple the water’s surface, watching the fish scatter in alarm only to gather again.
Just as she was enjoying the sight, a high-pitched, malicious burst of laughter came from behind a nearby rockery.
“Hahaha, quick, throw it this way!”
“Idiot, here, here! Crawl faster!”
Zhao Qihuang’s delicate brows furrowed. The sound was grating and unpleasant. She stood up, gathered her skirt, and peered around the edge of the rockery.
She saw several young eunuchs, dressed in inner attendant attire, surrounding a thin figure. They were tossing a colorful embroidered ball among themselves. The figure was crawling miserably on the ground, chasing the ball back and forth.
When she finally made out the person’s face, Zhao Qihuang frowned slightly. Li Chengjing.