Chapter Ninety-Three: Waiting for His Return

The mountain streams murmured softly, their gentle tinkling echoing through the snow-laden woods and pavilions, where layer upon layer of snow blanketed the distant forest and the nearby towers. She sat beneath the covered walkway, her thoughts drifting far from the wintry scene before her.

How had things come to this? She and he had only just been wed, yet when she awoke again, he was already gone, leaving her alone in this mountain estate without so much as a parting word. Her memories were hazy, drifting in and out of focus, and a dull ache throbbed in her temples.

“Madam, it’s time for your medicine.” Taoxin, dressed in jade-green, approached and set a bowl of herbal decoction by her side. “Before leaving, His Majesty instructed me to make sure you took this daily. It’s good for your health and mustn’t be neglected.” She stepped forward, gently helping Xuexue sit up from the bed, speaking softly as she did so.

“Ji Wuqing?” Xuexue murmured, a trace of uncertainty in her voice.

“Yes, madam. His Majesty was quite anxious about you when he left—I could see it plainly,” Taoxin sighed, bringing the medicine to her lips. “But you can rest assured, madam. His Majesty will come to fetch you in a few days.”

Will he? Xuexue paused, took the medicine, and drank it down in silence. The taste had become bland to her by now; after all, she had to drink two bowls every day.

“Taoxin, who would have thought we’d meet again in such circumstances?” After finishing the medicine, she gestured for Taoxin to sit beside her.

“You may not know, madam, but when you suddenly disappeared that day, we were all frantic. Mistress Qiu even sent people to search for you. But before we had any word, suspicious figures began to appear at Wangyun Manor, forcing us to flee. I followed Mistress Qiu and the others through many hardships before arriving here at Wangque Manor. Only after your return to the palace did we finally breathe easy again.” Taoxin looked at Xuexue’s pale face with concern.

Yet who would have thought that after only a few months apart, madam would be so changed—so thin, so wan, so weary.

“I see. That day, I only meant to lure out those spying on the manor. I never imagined it would cause such trouble.” Zuo Qiu Liye, indeed, was trouble incarnate.

“Oh, and madam, His Majesty left you a letter.” Taoxin remembered the king’s instructions. Since madam had not asked about him, she took it upon herself to mention it.

“He left a letter for me?”

“Yes, here it is.” With that, Taoxin drew a letter from her sleeve and handed it to her.

She held the letter in her hand but did not open it. It was strange—though it was nothing more than a useless piece of paper, she felt a deep sense of reassurance simply holding it.

“Will you not open it, madam? Or shall I read it to you?” Taoxin looked at her mistress in puzzlement. Though her face was pale, her expression remained serene and composed.

If anything was different, it was the faint glimmer in her eyes—subtle, barely perceptible, yet tinged with a quiet joy.

“No, I’ll wait,” she replied, shaking her head. She wanted to hear him read it to her himself when he returned.

The Kingdom of Ji, Royal Palace.

The palace was awash with celebration. The emperor and empress had just been wed, an occasion marked by a general amnesty and a shift of attention from the tensions between Ji and Wu. The entire kingdom basked in an atmosphere of joy.

At the Imperial Academy, he sat at his desk, reading urgent dispatches delivered at breakneck speed from the border.

“Your Majesty, the situation between Ji and Wu has grown dire. The Dark Pavilion of Wu has brought troops to our border—war seems inevitable,” said a minister in dark blue court robes.

“A war between the two nations was always unavoidable. Besides, it was they who provoked us first. Now that their monarch is in our hands, we have the advantage,” another minister offered.

Ji Wuqing quietly perused the dispatch, his expression calm and measured.

“The Dark Pavilion? Is Elder Jin leading them?” Closing the dispatch, his tone grew grave.

“No, Your Majesty,” the minister hurried to reply. “This time, the leader is not Elder Jin but a new force—Elder Yue, rumored to be barely twenty years of age.”

Elder Yue?

“Is his name Yue Chengxi?”

“I cannot say, Your Majesty. He is rather mysterious. The only thing known is his surname, not his given name,” the minister answered, surprised that the king knew so much already.

“It’s only a name. If the man cares so little for it, there’s no need to trouble ourselves over it.”

“Understood. But, Your Majesty, what shall we do now?” the minister asked, deeply admiring his sovereign.

Ji Wuqing leaned back in his chair, adopting an air of leisure. “Since they’ve made the first move, let us see what they intend. For now, we need only maintain the stalemate and watch who breaks the peace first.”

He spoke evenly, a subtle, enigmatic smile at the corner of his lips.

“Understood, sire.” The ministers withdrew, leaving Ji Wuqing alone in the study.

Slowly, his demeanor changed—the warmth faded, replaced by a chill severity, his gaze sharpening with steely resolve.

A shadow flickered into the room and knelt before him. “Master, they have left safely. The rest is in your hands.”

“I understand.” Ji Wuqing nodded. The look on his handsome face was wholly different from before, as if he had become a new man.

With that, the shadow vanished.

“Your Majesty, Consort Yu has sent word. She asks if, now that Lady Xue has been made queen, the management of the harem should return fully to her.” A young eunuch stood at the threshold, head bowed.

“Tell her that Her Majesty is still unwell, and for now the affairs of the harem should remain in her hands. She is not to disturb the queen unless absolutely necessary. She may handle matters as she sees fit.” Every word was a shield for the queen.

“Yes, Your Majesty, I will relay your message.” The eunuch bowed smartly and withdrew.

Once again, the study was empty. He stood, moving to the side of the desk. This seat still felt unfamiliar to him…

“Your Highness, you may not enter! Princess—”

“Princess, His Majesty is inside working. You mustn’t disturb him—he’ll be angry—”

Outside, a commotion had erupted. Maids and eunuchs circled around Xiaoxi, trying to reason with her, but everyone knew the little princess was the apple of the king and queen’s eye, and none dared be too forceful.

“Out of my way! I’m looking for the old man—I want Father! I have something to tell him!” Puffed up with indignation, Xiaoxi ignored their attempts to stop her, and before long, she stood before the study door.

“It’s all right, let her in,” Ji Wuqing called, unable to suppress his amusement as he listened to the ruckus outside. He sat back down to await her arrival.

At once, the noise ceased, and no one blocked Xiaoxi’s path again. She shot the maids and eunuchs a triumphant look—though she said nothing, her satisfaction was clear.

She pushed open the heavy study door with some effort, her small face straining, and finally made her way inside, heading straight for Ji Wuqing.

“Old man, tell me—where have you hidden Mother?” Though small, she was fierce as she confronted him.

Today, she wore a round, puffy robe, her cheeks puffed up with indignation—so adorable one could not help but smile.

Ji Wuqing finally looked up at her, his tone indifferent. “You still can’t see her.”

“Why not? I want my mother—you’re a terrible person for keeping her from me!” Xiaoxi immediately protested, almost in tears at the thought that she hadn’t seen her mother in nearly a month.

Ji Wuqing looked away, unflustered. “Be patient. Your mother is unwell. Once she recovers, you may see her.” His voice softened, coaxing her gently.

“But, old man, I miss her so much. I haven’t seen her in so long. I’ll be good—I’ll just stand by her bed and look at her, I won’t make a sound,” Xiaoxi pleaded, running to his side, face earnest.

“No,” he replied, unmoved.

Clinging to his chair, her pout deepened, and suddenly, she burst into tears. “Waaah! You’re bullying me! I want my mother—I want her now! You’re so mean! Give her back!”

She was small, but her cries were thunderous, shaking the room and tugging at the heart. She looked at Ji Wuqing through her tears, truly heartbroken—her tears were real, flowing in torrents.

“All right, stop crying,” Ji Wuqing said after a moment, seeing that she could not stop sobbing, her little body wracked with hiccups.

He bent down and gathered her into his arms, stroking her back gently. “But for now, you truly can’t see her. I promise, in half a month, you’ll see her. Is that all right?”

“Sniffle… and I want to sleep with Mother. You’re not allowed to interfere…” Sensing him give ground, Xiaoxi immediately began to bargain, still sniffling.

“…All right.” Ji Wuqing nodded with some reluctance. He was well aware of the battles between the king and the little princess—he could only hope he could keep his word.

“Old man, when did you become so agreeable?” Xiaoxi eyed him in confusion—it seemed the old man was acting strangely today.

“…”

“I know! You must be afraid I’ll complain about you to Mother. Don’t worry, I’ve never said a bad word about you to her.”

“If you say another word, I may just take back my promise.”

“Not another word!” Xiaoxi pursed her lips, tear stains still on her cheeks. “Strange, I haven’t seen Uncle Miaojian today.” She sat in his lap, glancing around.

“He’s away on a mission for me. You won’t see him for a while,” Ji Wuqing replied, raising an eyebrow as she stopped crying but still nestled comfortably in his arms.

But Xiaoxi was oblivious, lacking both tact and awareness. She simply shifted to a cozier position and even tugged his sleeve to wipe her tears.

“When will he be back? I wanted to play with him.”

“I hear you pester Miaojian quite a bit. Don’t you know he’s busy?”

“Yes, busy playing with me.”

“…”

End of excerpt.