Love in Red Dust

The sky darkened bit by bit as bonfires were lit around the camp, the pine resin crackling as it burned.

Guan Zhaojing emerged from the tent carrying clean laundry when he spotted someone crouching in the open area outside. The silhouette resembled their Princess Consort. He couldn't tell what she was busy with, only seeing her sketching something on the ground with a twig.

He moved closer to look. "Are you arranging battle formations?" Upon closer inspection, it didn't seem so—she appeared to be drawing little figures.

She looked up with a smile. "I'm drawing Xian'er. It's been almost four months since we left the capital." She gestured with her hands. "When I left, he was only this big. Children grow so fast—he should be able to sit up by now."

Guan Zhaojing made an understanding sound. "So this is how the young master looks sitting?"

She nodded, patiently pointing it out to him. "These are his legs, and these are his arms."

Guan Zhaojing thought to himself that her drawing skills weren't exactly impressive. He bent down for a closer look. "What's that? It looks like a copper coin."

"This? It's his eyes. The Yuwen family all have golden rings in their pupils—so beautiful."

Better stop drawing—even if they're beautiful, this isn't doing them justice. Guan Zhaojing forced a smile. "I know you miss the young master, but don't worry. This war won't last long. The vanguard has already made contact with the Sain Noyan tribe. I reckon in about a month, we'll be returning victorious to the capital. It's getting chilly at night—you should go inside. His Highness has finished his work for now. Why not keep him company?"

What more was there to say? The more they talked, the harder it would be to leave—she might not even be able to go through with it. She shook her head. "The scenery is nice out here. I'll stay a while longer to clear my head."

Guan Zhaojing clicked his tongue. "Alright then, but don't catch a chill. The doctors here are all Mongolians—their medical skills seem rather dubious to me. If you fall into their hands, they'll treat you like livestock."

She chuckled softly. "Go on with your work. Don't worry about me."

Guan Zhaojing acknowledged and left with the laundry. Glancing back from a distance, he saw the Thirteenth Master approaching with a guard. Their Princess Consort abandoned her drawing and stood to greet them.

She lifted the tent flap to let them in. The royal tent had two sections—the inner chamber for discussions and the outer for waiting. She took the tray from the guard and smiled at the Thirteenth Master. "Thank you for helping me, Thirteenth Master. Even in the underworld, I'll remember your kindness."

The Thirteenth Master nodded. "I should have gone in with you, but I was afraid Twelfth Brother might suspect something. I'll wait outside instead. Sister-in-law, your selflessness is admirable, and as your younger brother, I respect you deeply. But this is a matter of life and death—you must think carefully. There's only one cup of gold dust wine. Once given, someone must die—spilling or wasting it doesn't count. And even if Twelfth Brother escapes the death penalty, he won't avoid punishment entirely. You still have a son—are you truly willing to trade your life for his?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. "You know my background. To exchange my worthless life for his is more than worth it. Don't worry—I'll make sure you can report back smoothly. In the future, my husband will need your care. Please put in a good word for him before the Emperor—I thank you in advance."

She curtsied, and he made a gesture to support her. "Sister-in-law, rest assured. As long as I, Old Thirteen, am here, I will one day clear Twelfth Brother's name."

That was enough—she could set out with peace of mind. She smiled gratefully and, without another word, turned and entered the inner chamber.

Hongce was biting his lip as he moved small flags across the sand table, shifting them from one mountain to another while studying his strategy. She placed the tray on a distant table and brought the cup over, nudging him with her shoulder. "Have some wine to warm yourself."He was somewhat puzzled. "Drinking is forbidden during military campaigns—it's a standing order."

She shot him a glare. "Are you lecturing me on military orders? Military orders also forbid bringing women along, yet here I am before you, aren't I?"

He thought for a moment, then chuckled at himself. "I really can't argue with that."

Two cups of wine stood side by side—one filled with gold dust on the left, the other with strong liquor on the right. They faced each other, and as he reached out, expecting the left cup, she handed him the right one instead.

"I've been in Khalkha for several days now, and we still haven't shared a proper drink. You're always so busy, but no matter how busy you are, you must take care of yourself." She led him to sit down, gazing at him under the lamplight, her eyes shimmering behind a veil of mist, making them appear even brighter. Softening her tone, she earnestly advised him, "Don’t stay up too late at night. The chief steward says victory is within sight, so you can finally relax. When we return to the capital, bring Xian'er to live with us. If we’re apart for too long, he won’t feel close to us anymore."

He hummed in agreement. "I’ll listen to you. After this matter is settled, I don’t plan to involve myself in politics anymore. I’ll follow Seventh Lord’s example and live as a leisurely prince."

She smiled. "Seventh Lord isn’t exactly carefree these days. His Princess Consort runs a strict household, and he’s taken up duties at the Grand Council."

He wasn’t particularly surprised, leaning against the armrest pillow as he replied, "That’s good. He ought to make some progress, so he doesn’t keep getting scolded in front of the Emperor."

She lowered her head with a faint smile and murmured, "Our son has already been born, yet we’ve never had a formal wedding ceremony. Let’s skip the other customary rituals. Today, we’ll drink a cup of nuptial wine, and consider me already married to you."

A glimmer of emotion surfaced in his eyes as he gazed intently at her. "I’ve wronged you. Once we return, I’ll arrange everything properly and make up for all I owe you."

She nodded in agreement, hiding the wine cup beneath her sleeve as she linked arms with him and softly sang, "Pluck the flowers of joy to adorn my hair, pour the wine of joy into cups, the magpie of joy alights upon the eaves..."

Closing her eyes, she drained the cup in one go. All the hesitation and sorrow from before vanished, the weight lifted, and her heart felt strangely light. Waiting for death was nothing more than this. She took the cup from his hand, stood up, and placed it back on the tray. Setting the two cups side by side, she thought carefully—afraid that an ugly death might sadden him, it would be better not to die in front of him.

"I’ll take the cups out and have someone bring water for you to wash up later." She turned back with a smile and walked step by step toward the door.

At that moment, Thirteenth Master entered, glanced at the cups, and curled his lips slightly. "Twelfth Sister-in-law, you can’t wander off right now."

So they had to confirm her death before it was over! She halted, helpless, and had no choice but to turn back.

"Twelfth Brother, has Sister-in-law told you about the Emperor’s gift of golden wine?" Thirteenth Master sat in the armchair, interlacing his fingers and rubbing his nose bridge. "Today is the final day. I have a duty to fulfill, so I have no choice but to proceed."

Hongce frowned at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"Don’t panic, Twelfth Brother." He glanced at Dingyi. "After all, I still remember our bond as brothers—how could I bear to watch my own kin die? Today, Twelfth Sister-in-law came to me, begging for one favor. You know the rule—gold dust isn’t given twice. In other words, someone must die by it. Twelfth Sister-in-law is a good woman. She’d rather take your place. After returning to the capital, I’ll have grounds to justify this. The Emperor can’t order your death again—at most, you’ll be confined, and the Imperial Clan Court will investigate thoroughly. The Imperial Clan Court is under my control, so you needn’t worry about that, Twelfth Brother..."Hongce felt as if struck by a heavy blow, nearly vomiting blood. He never expected her to come up with such a plan—what was this? Sacrificing herself to save her husband?

He turned to look at her. She stood frail under the lamplight, tears in her eyes but no sorrow on her face. She must have no regrets! But what about him? How could he accept this reality? Staggering over, he embraced her. "Dingyi... If you die, I can't live on alone. What do you take me for? Even now, you're still deceiving me!"

She cupped his face, wiping his tears, murmuring apologies. "I'm not clever enough to think of any other way to save you. Don't blame me. Never in my life have I felt as proud as I do now—finally, I've been of some use. Even if I die, it's a worthy death. But Xian'er... you must take good care of him. I leave nothing behind but this son. Find him another mother, and never tell him who his real mother was. Don't let him taste sorrow from childhood."

But he couldn't bear to listen any longer. Trembling, he grabbed her wrist to check her pulse, his mind in chaos.

He knew the deadliness of this poison—incurable, a certain death. The pulse revealed nothing, and what could be done now? He had risked life and limb for the court, only to end up like this. Over twenty years felt like a fleeting dream. Now, emerging from the fog, he saw everything clearly—unable to curse, unable to wail, only endless sobs.

"I don't know what I did wrong—perhaps my greatest mistake was being born into the imperial family." He squeezed her hand tightly. "Don't be afraid. Even if we descend to the underworld, I'll go with you. We've been apart too long, and now that we're finally reunited, it's like this... I'm tired of it all. I just want to rest. How do you feel? Is there any pain?"

She shook her head and pulled him to sit down, brushing aside his fallen hair. "Don't let my sacrifice be in vain. I don't want your company on the road to the underworld. Between the two of us, one must stay to care for Xian'er. If we both die, he’ll truly become an orphan."

They spoke softly, not weeping in each other's arms, yet the scene was unbearably poignant. Hongxun suddenly slammed the table, unable to endure it any longer. "I can't watch this! Why must I be the one to do such a thing? This is utterly heartless!"

His outburst startled them both. They looked at him blankly as he wiped his face and forced an awkward laugh, pointing at the empty cup. "That's bezoar prepared using ancient methods. Over time, a glossy layer forms on the surface, making it look like Gold Dust." He expected a dramatic reaction, but their expressions remained unchanged. Growing anxious, he added, "Don’t you understand? Twelfth Sister-in-law didn’t drink gold dust wine—it was bezoar wine... Though it’s meant to treat convulsions, a single cup won’t harm a healthy person."

Hongce finally strode toward him. Hongxun stumbled back in alarm, raising his hands defensively. "Twelfth Brother, don’t be angry! Don’t punish the innocent... I wasn’t the mastermind, just an accomplice. If you want to settle scores, take it up with the Emperor—it was his idea! They ordered me to do this..." Fearing for his life, he tiptoed and shrieked at Dingyi, "Twelfth Sister-in-law, I didn’t mean to trick you! Save me, don’t let Twelfth Brother hurt me!"

Dingyi was stunned. In an instant, the situation had turned—how had it come to this? She stood up, carefully assessing herself. There were no unusual symptoms, but wasn’t this joke going too far?

"You said someone at court had impeached the Twelfth Master," she murmured, staring at Hongxun.“That’s right, there were,” Hongxun swallowed hard, “and not just one—each one was absolutely certain.”

“Then what about the treasonous documents you showed me? Weren’t those written by Twelfth Master?”

Backed against the wattle fence, he hid behind an armchair and said, “They were written by Twelfth Brother—letters he sent to the Khalkha chieftain, ordering them to coordinate in battle. You couldn’t understand them, so they were perfect to use… Wait, wait… dear brother, don’t lose your temper, hear me out.”

Hongce was in no mood to listen; he was practically fuming with rage. Was what had just happened a joke? To be fooled like this was a first for him. Was their goal to make him heartbroken, to make him suffer unbearably?

“Come here. I’ll hold back a little—I promise I won’t kill you.” He crooked a finger. “Come here.”

Hongxun wasn’t stupid and adamantly refused. “That’s right, I’ve been following Twelfth Sister-in-law since she left the capital. Otherwise, how could she have escaped the wolves in the Gobi? How could she have so easily slipped into my camp? I escorted her all the way to your side—you should be thanking me… If you want to blame someone, blame the mess you made earlier, the one that reached Father’s ears. Father said this girl’s origins were dubious, that she was taking advantage of Twelfth Brother’s kindness to overturn the Wen family’s case, not truly loving him. Second Brother disagreed—he’d already been swayed by the Empress’s pillow talk and spoke up for Twelfth Sister-in-law. Father didn’t believe him, and the two of them clashed. In the end, they decided to set a trap and see who would fall into it…” Hongce hurled a book at him, hitting him square in the head. “Ow!” He clutched his forehead. “The child! Xian’er! It was Sha Tong who leaked the secret! He’s been watching Shanlao Alley day and night—this time he didn’t come to the northern deserts, he’s at the Wen Family Compound looking after the child! And Seventh Master—he was in on it too! You can’t blame me alone—I’ve suffered more than anyone. Now it’s over. I’ve written to the capital—Twelfth Sister-in-law willingly took the blame, and even the Emperor has nothing more to say. Well… I had to test it. I wasn’t at ease either. Twelfth Sister-in-law, please forgive my offenses. I doubted you too, but you did well—you’re more righteous than any man. I admire you.”

In the end, they had all ganged up to play a trick on her. Dingyi felt bitter, but seeing Hongce’s fury, she still had to step in and mediate. “It’s not their fault for doubting me—I didn’t do well enough. It was only natural for them to test me.”

But Hongce’s anger hadn’t subsided. “If that’s the case, shouldn’t it have ended after the drinking? What was the point of saying all that afterward?”

Hongxun mumbled, “I wanted to see how deep your feelings were for each other… I was wrong—I shouldn’t have laughed at you. But Twelfth Brother, have you ever considered why the Emperor sent Twelfth Sister-in-law to you? Normally, we shouldn’t presume the Emperor’s intentions, but flesh and blood… ahem, familial bonds compel me to advise you—after this great victory, don’t return to Beijing.”

Hongce calmed down and said softly, “I’ve been thinking the same. The fake gold dust was just a warning—next time it’ll be real. The court can’t wipe out all of Hongce’s faction at once, especially with Second Uncle still around. Stationing me in Khalkha is tantamount to exile—it’s the Emperor’s way of giving everyone an answer.”Hongxun sighed, "People like us, though called brothers in polite terms, are all signing our memorials as 'your servant'—what does that tell you? There's no helping it. When you live under someone else's thumb, you inevitably become the scapegoat when things go wrong. Twelfth Brother, you're a perceptive one. The Emperor treats you well, even sending your Princess Consort all this way to you. As for the child, don't worry. He's still young now—he might well be taken to the Changchun Garden to be raised. When he's older and stronger, he can be brought to Khalkha."

Hongce turned to ask Dingyi, "What do you think?"

Not returning actually suited her just fine. She was a humble person who could never fit into those imperial circles. Having a home in Khalkha with the one she loved was more than enough. Only Xian'er still weighed on her mind. The child was the apple of her eye—she hadn't seen him for months and already couldn't sleep well at night from missing him. Being separated for years would be unbearable.

But she couldn't ask for more. With reddened eyes, she said, "I'll follow your lead. Xian'er is still too young—I fear he couldn't endure traveling thousands of miles. Wherever I go doesn't matter, as long as I'm with you. As for my master and senior brother, I'll trouble the Thirteenth Master to look after them. And Hailan... my heart aches for her too. I often thought of leaving the capital, but now that I'm truly not going back, I feel like I'm leaving so much behind."

"That's no trouble. I'll bring you anything you need. Besides, your fief is here—it's not like you're truly exiled. Your Prince Chun residence is still in the capital. If you want to visit, no one can stop you." The Thirteenth Master seemed wistful, hands behind his back as he muttered, "I'd like a wife and son too, to hide away in Khalkha and never return. That capital—a cesspool! Stay too long and you'll rot."

Sighing at every step, he departed, leaving Dingyi and Hongce exchanging glances, feeling like survivors of some calamity.

So be it. This outcome was already better than he'd dared hope.

"When the war ends, I'll take you to my old estate by Lake Khövsgöl. It's beautiful there—flocks of waterbirds in summer, solitary smoke over the grasslands at dusk with herds of cattle and sheep." He smiled softly, as if seeing the scenery before him. "In autumn I'll pick sea buckthorns for you—those little berries I told you about. When I first came to Khalkha, I'd sit on a slope and eat a whole basket in a day. Truthfully, all my fondest memories are of Khalkha. Returning here feels more comfortable than being in the capital. No one calls me 'Tartar' here, nor must I watch my words. The mountains are high and the Emperor far away—we can live freely."

Watching his smiling face, the ice in her heart melted away, leaving only warmth.

A person's life twists and turns through countless storms, perhaps just to meet that one right person. Having met, tasted both sweetness and bitterness—that's true fulfillment. Pure happiness without learning to cherish it is no good. So Heaven arranges things—a stretch of hardship here, a stretch of ease there, balancing out to bring incomparable joy.

—The End—

Author's Note: Red Dust Encloses All concludes here, marking the end of the Palace Flowers series. Thank you all for accompanying me this far. After a short break, we'll set out anew—see you in the next story!