Love Like the Galaxy

On the fifth day after Huo Bu Yi departed for the border, the matter of deposing the Empress was put on the agenda.

The court was eerily silent. All the high-ranking officials remained tight-lipped about the matter, save for a few scholars at the Scripture Discussion Platform who spoke a few words in the Empress’s defense—praising her virtue and gentleness, claiming she had done no wrong. However, among the families opposed to the Xuan Family and her son, there were also many well-read descendants. Those scholars often faced cold sneers and even fiercer rebuttals.

Once, when Cheng Yong came to visit his younger sister on her sickbed, Shao Shang couldn’t help but ask, “Is there really no minister willing to risk death to plead for the Empress?”

Cheng Yong replied, “We are first and foremost His Majesty’s subjects, and only then the Empress’s. To defy His Majesty for the sake of the Empress—is that the way of a loyal subject?”

“Deposing the Empress without cause goes against reason.”

“There is a reason. The edict states that the Empress was jealous.”

Seeing his younger sister’s downcast expression, Cheng Yong said softly, “For military deployments, for taxes, for any matter of state, the ministers might argue fiercely. But for a consort they’ve barely met? They won’t. Niao Niao, let me tell you this—unless it’s someone like Empress Lü, who shared hardships with the Emperor, or like Huo Pingjun, whose family was deeply intertwined with the throne, when ministers argue with the sovereign over deposing an empress, it’s usually a case of ‘the spear aimed at the shield’—in short, it’s never truly about the Empress herself.”

Shao Shang fell silent.

The days of recuperation were peaceful but dull. Sang Shi avoided discussing past grievances with Shao Shang, instead engaging her in chess and music, occasionally sharing amusing anecdotes from Cheng Zhi’s official duties. Madam Xiao hoped Sang Shi would counsel her daughter more, but Sang Shi said, “Niao Niao understands everything in her heart. But the heart is not a stone—it cannot turn so easily. Sister-in-law, don’t rush her. Let Niao Niao take her time. In a couple of years, she’ll see things more clearly.”

However, on the eve of her departure, Sang Shi deliberately helped Shao Shang to the corridor. “You’re much better off than I was. In my youth, the world was in chaos, war raged everywhere. A sister I laughed and drank with yesterday would be reported dead with her entire family at the hands of bandits a few days later; a close friend I planned to admire flowers with last month would flee to who-knows-where this month… I know you hold resentment in your heart, but step outside and look. Look at the stars, at the vast world. There are so many hardships in life—you and I are already among the fortunate.”

Leaning against the corridor pillar, Shao Shang gazed at the lush, fragrant courtyard, breathing in the vibrant spring air. Her heart had already made a decision, and from then on, she devoted herself daily to self-improvement and exercise.

With the court in turmoil over the Empress’s deposition, Yuan Shen no longer had time to visit four times a day, though he still came daily. For some reason, he was unusually quiet this time, often sitting silently across the screen from Shao Shang before leaving without a word.

Three days after Sang Shi’s departure, the edict deposing the Empress and the one appointing the new Empress were issued within a day of each other. Just as Shao Shang had expected, the Emperor forbade the courtiers from celebrating the new Empress’s appointment. At the same time, he treated the deposed Empress with exceptional generosity.

First, he enfeoffed all the remaining princes as kings, with the Second Prince becoming the Prince of Huai’an. Then, he redesignated the deposed Empress as the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai’an, relocating her to the Palace of Eternal Peace northeast of the North Palace. She retained the fiefdom of an empress, and to ensure her comfort, the Emperor even added an additional commandery to the Prince of Huai’an’s domain to support her.At the same time, the Emperor lavishly rewarded the Xuan Family. Empress Dowager Xuan's younger brother, Marquis Xuan, originally had no military achievements, but the Emperor defied opposition from the ministers to exceptionally promote him from a Marquis Within the Passes to a Full Marquis, expanding his fiefdom. The cousins of Empress Dowager Xuan were all granted noble titles and elevated to first-rank official positions. Even Empress Dowager Xuan's uncle, whose son had died young, had his son-in-law graciously ennobled as a marquis by the Emperor.

For a time, the Xuan Family basked in the height of prosperity.

On the second day Shao Shang could move freely, she sent a messenger to the Third Prince's residence with a letter. She even prepared a bag of coins for the messenger to bribe the gatekeepers, just in case. However, the Third Prince's strict household management meant the messenger returned with the bag still full.

Sighing, Shao Shang thought for the first time that changing the Crown Prince might not be such a bad idea.

She had assumed it would take at least until the next day, but to her surprise, the Third Prince's carriage appeared at the Cheng Residence within an hour, nearly startling the old steward into stumbling. He mused to himself that the suitors for their Young Lady were simply overwhelming, coming one after another like waves—it was all a bit too much for him.

Madam Xiao rushed over upon hearing the news and anxiously demanded, "Why is the Third Prince here? Where are you going? You're not fully recovered yet!"

"Mother, why do you still look so unwell? Don't tell me you've fallen ill while I've gotten better."

Shao Shang stared in surprise at Madam Xiao. The once radiant and robust middle-aged beauty, even in the harsh military camp, now looked sallow and haggard. "Qing Yimu, please make sure Mother gets plenty of nourishment. Food is better than medicine—beef bone porridge, pig trotter soup, pigeon, blackfish..."

Qing Cong, supporting Madam Xiao, smiled wryly. Madam Xiao stamped her foot. "Answer me properly!"

As A Zhu helped her adjust her clothes, Shao Shang smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Mother. I'm just going to the palace. But since the Empress has been deposed, my old tokens are useless now, so I asked the Third Prince to take me to see her."

Madam Xiao fretted, "I heard the Palace of Eternal Peace has its gates tightly shut. The Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an refuses to see anyone. How will you get in? Besides, why didn't you ask the Crown Prince to take you into the palace?"

"The Crown Prince?" Shao Shang laughed. "Where could he take me?" She rummaged through her dressing table until Cheng Yang, kneeling quietly nearby, handed her a pair of earrings.

Shao Shang fastened the two white jade earrings and shook them before the bronze mirror. "That time I quarreled with Huo Bu Yi and hid in a palace chamber to vent, the Crown Prince originally wanted to mediate. But when he heard me smash a flower stand inside, he stopped dead in his tracks—hmph! If you want to enter the Palace of Eternal Peace, the Third Prince is the one to ask."

Once ready, Shao Shang bowed to Madam Xiao in farewell. Just as she was about to step off the veranda, she suddenly paused, turned back, and said slowly, "Mother, don't worry about me. I can survive anywhere. But if you don't take care of your health, Father will never forgive me."

Then her gaze settled on Cheng Yang behind Madam Xiao, and she added kindly, "Qing Yimu will be looking after Mother, so all the household chores will fall to you."

Cheng Yang nodded blankly.

The spring sun was always dazzling, casting an ethereal glow on the girl as if she were fragile primrose that might vanish with a gust of wind. Watching her slip on her Turned-Up Toe Shoes and prepare to leave the courtyard, Madam Xiao suddenly called out tremulously, "Niao Niao!"

Shao Shang turned back with a smile. "I'll be back soon.""Be right back"? Madam Xiao felt dizzy—this was the third time she had heard those words.

In her daze, she seemed to see that day ten years ago when they had rushed to the frontlines. The frail little girl was held in Mother Fu's arms, her face red from crying, screaming heartbreakingly, "Mother, don't go! Father, don't go!" Cheng Shi couldn't bear it, turning back repeatedly, even wanting to rush back and snatch his daughter away—after all, Cheng Mu and Ge Shi wouldn't be able to catch up. But she had calmly stopped her husband. The army was about to march; they couldn't afford complications.

Madam Xiao suddenly struggled, shouting hysterically, "Don't let her go! Someone, stop her... Hold her back, quickly, someone stop her!" She felt she was about to lose her daughter, to lose her forever. But perhaps she had already lost her ten years ago—only realizing it now.

Why had she been so calm and rational over the past decade? Why had she been so determined to maintain her good reputation? She should have been like a fierce lioness, tearing out the throats of those who took her child away. Or she should have been like the shrew at the village entrance, dragging Ge Shi by her hair around the estate, beating anyone who dared object until they lost every tooth!

—It wasn't that she had no way to take her daughter with her. She had simply been too cautious. And now, it was too late for regrets.

Madam Xiao gasped violently, her blood surging. Suddenly, she tasted something sweet in her throat, a warm, metallic tang spilling from her lips—then she collapsed.

...

Shao Shang sat in the light carriage, wearing a thick veil hat. The Third Prince rode alongside and suddenly spoke, "Why did your household steward look at me with such surprise?"

She tightened the curtain to avoid being recognized by passersby. "Country folk have seen little of the world. Your Highness need not mind it."

The Third Prince sneered. "When Zisheng visited your home before, was it the same...?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had misspoken. In truth, he found it strange—after surviving such hardships, shouldn't these two have been reunited in joy? How had things come to this?

Shao Shang rested a hand on the carriage railing, speaking quietly. "Though Lord Huo holds high rank and power, he has always been gentle and courteous, treating even servants with kindness—quite unlike Your Highness's description... By the way, has the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an fallen ill?"

The Third Prince's lips twisted. "After receiving the edict deposing her, she packed nothing, taking only a few palace maids to the Palace of Eternal Peace. She eats less each day and refuses to see the imperial physician even when ill. So my mother not only dares not hold an enthronement celebration but even hesitates to move into the Everlasting Autumn Palace."

Shao Shang nodded. "I thought as much."

The Third Prince couldn't resist mocking. "With Mother so unhappy, Father keeps showering rewards on the Xuan family. If the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an continues to ail like this, Father might empty the entire treasury for the Xuans. Hmph! Father is too kind-hearted. If he were as ruthless as Emperor Gao or Emperor Wu, who would dare say a word? This world always punishes the generous!"

Shao Shang shot him a look. "At a time like this, Your Highness shouldn't add fuel to the fire. Everyone has their own nature. Empress Dowager Xuan once said she could never be Empress Yue, nor could Empress Yue be her. The same goes for His Majesty."The Third Prince was silent for a moment before speaking again, "Do you really think you can persuade the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an? I heard she had already made all her arguments clear to Father Emperor that day. Why is she still holding onto this now?"

Shao Shang smiled faintly. "Neither His Majesty nor any of the imperial princes and princesses truly understand Empress Dowager Xuan's heart—the truth is, she needs to be coaxed. Yet ever since Grand Duke Xuan passed away, no one has comforted her. Instead, she's had to repeatedly console others—her widowed mother, her young brother... Ah..."

The Third Prince pictured Empress Dowager Xuan's dignified and composed demeanor and looked skeptical.

"Consort Xuan has never truly suffered hardships since childhood. Despite the chaos of war outside, she always had someone shielding her from above. Thus, the long years never eroded her true nature—deep down, she remains the cherished eldest Young Lady of the Xuan Family, doted on by her loving parents."

"But circumstances forced her hand. In the Qian'an Royal Manor, she had to yield to her cousins. After marrying His Majesty, she felt guilty toward Consort Yue and had to continue yielding. And because her natal family was weak, she had to maintain the image of a virtuous and magnanimous empress. No matter what happened, no matter how unhappy she felt inside, she had to pretend everything was fine—even preemptively 'understanding' His Majesty's decisions before he could explain them. Now that she no longer needs to pretend, she's finally letting her temper show."

"I thought you greatly admired the Empress," the Third Prince frowned.

"I do," Shao Shang replied. "But the truth must still be spoken."

The Third Prince sighed. "There's no other choice. The Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an refuses to let anyone into the Palace of Eternal Peace, especially members of the Xuan Family and the imperial princes. It might as well be you who tries to persuade her."

"What about the Eldest Princess and the Fifth Princess?"

"The Fifth Princess is still confined. As for the Eldest Princess..." The Third Prince's expression turned cold. "First, she wept before Father Emperor, then 'understood' his good intentions. Now she and her consort are taking turns urging Father Emperor not to exhaust himself—no wonder Empress Dowager Xuan fell ill. I'd fall sick too in her place."

Shao Shang shook her head. The Eldest Princess and her husband truly followed the standard playbook.

As they spoke, the two arrived before the gates of the Palace of Eternal Peace—indeed, the doors were tightly shut.

Shao Shang glanced at the Third Prince, her eyes conveying, 'Your turn, handsome.' The Third Prince shot her a glare, took a deep breath, and summoned a group of burly guards. They hauled out a battering ram thick enough to require two men to embrace it. At the count of three, they rammed the palace gates open with several thunderous strikes, sending the eunuchs who had been bracing the doors tumbling to the ground.

Under the stunned gazes of the onlookers, Shao Shang lifted her skirts and swiftly stepped inside. The Third Prince ordered the guards to shield her from the palace maids trying to block her way, then said, "Using a battering ram within the palace grounds is an unprecedented scandal. My crime is sealed—you'd better reason properly with Empress Dowager Xuan!"

Shao Shang turned back. "Who said anything about reasoning?"

The Third Prince, rarely flustered, looked aghast.

"Don't worry, don't worry!" Shao Shang quickly reassured him with a smile. "Once I succeed, Your Highness won't be punished—you'll be rewarded before His Majesty!"

The Third Prince choked on his breath, nearly ascending to the heavens then and there.

The Palace of Eternal Peace had been completed less than two years prior. Though slightly smaller than the Everlasting Autumn Palace, its elegant architecture and bright windows surpassed it in beauty. Unfortunately, Empress Dowager Xuan and her attendants had no heart to maintain it. As Shao Shang walked through, she found the halls empty and desolate.Empress Dowager Xuan now resided in a hastily arranged palace chamber. Apart from a central bed, there was only a small fire pit in the corner, with no other furnishings. Zhai Nanny stood blankly by the fire pit and hurried over to announce Shao Shang's arrival when she saw her enter.

Less than a month apart, Empress Dowager Xuan’s once jet-black and glossy hair had turned white in patches, her entire being exuding an air of aged desolation. She lay on her side beneath the covers, her back turned to Shao Shang, silent.

Shao Shang craned her neck to look for a moment before kneeling beside the bed. Zhai Nanny sobbed, "You should go back. I’ve tried everything, but Her Highness won’t listen to anything."

Shao Shang smiled at Zhai Nanny and said unhurriedly, "Your Highness, there’s something amusing I’d like to share with you."

Zhai Nanny was taken aback.

"Today, the Third Prince escorted me into the palace. After reading my handwriting, he exclaimed in surprise, ‘How is this identical to Zisheng’s?’ Only then did I realize that for the past year, I had been copying Lord Huo’s calligraphy. Hah, that man is truly cunning."

Empress Dowager Xuan stirred slightly.

"When I was little, people often called me a child abandoned by my parents. Back then, I thought that once I grew up, such things would never happen again." Tears slowly welled up in Shao Shang’s eyes.

"If I want something, I’ll find a way myself—Heaven grants people intelligence and strength, but some fools are too lazy to use them. Then, I met Huo Bu Yi, and gradually, my wits and strength were shelved away. I became just another ordinary fool. And then, when I least expected it, he abandoned me."

Empress Dowager Xuan turned her face slightly.

"I resolved to forget Huo Bu Yi, but when I open my eyes in the morning, I remember him telling me not to skip meals. When I step outside, I recall how he used to come fetch me in his carriage. Every moment—whether eating, dressing, laughing, or scolding—I think of him. So I decided to discard everything he ever gave me, only to find his traces the moment I pick up a brush. In this state, I doubt I can marry anyone."

"I can’t bear staying at home, enduring the pity and worry in my parents’ and siblings’ eyes! Your Highness, please help me!" Tears streamed down Shao Shang’s face, soaking her robes, while Zhai Nanny wept beside her.

The girl shuffled forward on her knees, clutching the bedding with her small hands, pleading desperately, "Your Highness, I have nowhere else to go. Save me, please save me! Give me a place to stay, help me through this, help me forget him! I can’t bear seeing him when I open my eyes and close them—I’ll die, I truly will! Your Highness, save me… or how will I go on living…?"

Zhai Nanny also cried out, "Your Highness!"

Finally, Empress Dowager Xuan slowly sat up, revealing a pale face streaked with tears.

…

When news arrived that the Palace of Eternal Peace had summoned an imperial physician and requested meals, the Emperor immediately stood up, overjoyed. Empress Yue also let out a long sigh of relief. Both the Emperor and Empress felt as if they had been granted a reprieve, finally able to sit down and share a meal together.

Upon learning that the Third Prince had stormed through the palace gates, the Emperor initially wanted to punish his son. But when he discovered that the prince had brought Shao Shang to the Palace of Eternal Peace, he sighed deeply and instead rewarded him with a bushel of pearls. After eating his fill, the Emperor promptly ordered Cen Anzhi to relay a message: "Tell Shao Shang to ask for whatever she wants. If she serves the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an well, We will remember her merits!"

With the Emperor in good spirits, the officials of the Department of State Affairs also wiped their brows in relief.The Marquis of Da Yue and Yuhou left the palace together, chatting as they walked. The Marquis of Da Yue said, "Thank heavens. These past few days, I’ve been on edge, fearing that if anything happened to the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an, Your Majesty and my sister would never reconcile properly again."

Yuhou replied, "It hasn’t come to that. Women, when stripped of their rightful position as the principal wife, always make a fuss. But I never expected that the one to break this deadlock would be that young Lady Cheng. Alas, the Xuan family truly lacks great talent. I don’t know if it was out of spite or genuine oversight, but at such a critical moment, they just stood by and watched as Your Majesty and Consort Yue were put in a difficult position. When Empress Dowager Xuan forbade them from entering the palace, they actually obeyed and not a single one stepped foot inside!"

The Marquis of Da Yue fell silent for a moment before saying, "I’ll go thank Cheng Xiaowei later for raising such a fine daughter."

"A fine daughter indeed—wise, intelligent, and decisive in times of crisis. So once this storm passes, I plan to propose a marriage alliance with Cheng Xiaowei. My twelfth son happens to be of suitable age and appearance for Lady Cheng," Yuhou remarked.

The Marquis of Da Yue abruptly stopped in his tracks. "You—you once wanted to marry your daughter to Zisheng!"

"So what?" Yuhou chuckled nonchalantly. "Marriage is a fundamental human bond. One shouldn’t delay it. If one match doesn’t work, try another. Even if the proposal to Lady Cheng falls through, it’s no great loss. Didn’t your aunt teach you that?"

The Marquis of Da Yue flicked his sleeve. "Mother was nothing like you! Ah, I wonder where Zisheng has gone by now..."

Yuhou stroked his beard and smiled. "Zisheng will be fine. With his looks, he’ll never lack admirers wherever he goes. But Cui You... Madam Huo is already gone. He can’t spend the rest of his life without someone to care for him. I have a cousin who’s been widowed for two years, not yet thirty. I was thinking of introducing her to him. What do you think?"

The Marquis of Da Yue rolled his eyes. "What do I think? I think you should quit your official post and become a matchmaker instead!"

"What’s wrong with being a matchmaker? A few years ago, I arranged for the second princess’s sister-in-law to marry General Han’s youngest son. Now the couple is blissfully happy and never fails to visit me during festivals. Far better than being an official and earning nothing but complaints!"

The Marquis of Da Yue paced slowly, hesitating before saying, "By the way, I heard some news. That Yuan Shen—Yuan Shanjian—who’s always by His Majesty’s side, has been visiting the Cheng household day and night. Have you heard about it?"

"Of course I have," Yuhou replied.

"You—!" The Marquis of Da Yue stamped his foot. "Don’t tell me Yuan Shen is there to discuss scriptures with the Cheng father and son. I don’t believe it!"

"Of course he’s not there for them. What’s the big deal? A maiden sought by a hundred suitors is nothing unusual."

"But didn’t Yuan Shen already have an engagement with Cai Yun’s niece?"

"Dear cousin, from young Lady Cheng, I’ve learned one thing—even a cooked duck can fly away, and an engagement can always be broken."

...

Madam Xiao lay on her couch, eagerly awaiting her daughter’s return all day. Instead, she received only a cold imperial edict—summoning Lady Cheng to serve as the Palace Administrator of the Palace of Eternal Peace, with an official rank of six hundred dan, along with additional honors bestowed upon her husband and eldest son, plus generous gifts of gold and silk.

Visitors who came to offer congratulations soon noticed the unusual silence of the Cheng couple. When questioned, they merely blamed it on spring fatigue.

That day, after managing household affairs, Cheng Yang dismissed her maids and went alone to the study. After searching through several rooms, she found Cheng Cheng in a back chamber, browsing the bookshelves.

Cheng Cheng smiled. "Yangyang, what brings you here? You’re getting married next month—shouldn’t you be resting in your room?"Cheng Yang did not reply but sat down across the desk from Cheng Cheng. "Father, didn't you mention last time that you wanted to bring Mother back?"

Cheng Cheng was taken aback. "Yes," he admitted, somewhat embarrassed. "When I was studying at White Deer Mountain, your maternal grandfather kept sending supplies, and your uncle visited several times. They said your mother has completely changed."

Cheng Yang asked, "Father, have you forgotten how Mother humiliated and berated you?"

Cheng Cheng sighed and lowered his head. "Alas, I am not as capable as your elder uncle or younger uncle. I have no official rank, and with my age and lame leg, what good woman would marry me? The families your elder uncle approves of don’t want me, and those who would accept me, your elder uncle doesn’t approve of. Otherwise, they’re just coveting the Cheng family’s influence and have ulterior motives. It might be better to bring your mother back..."

"I disagree," Cheng Yang said firmly. "I disagree with bringing Mother back. If Father is struggling to remarry, perhaps you should first find a gentle and kind-hearted concubine to serve you."

Cheng Cheng gaped at her. "You... you..."

"Father knows that Aunt is ill, doesn’t he?"

"Of course I know! But—"

Cheng Yang’s eyes welled with tears. "Elder Uncle told outsiders that Aunt’s illness is a recurrence of an old ailment, but I know she fell ill because of Niao Niao—she regrets it. She regrets abandoning Niao Niao ten years ago, regrets being harsh with her afterward, and regrets that they never had a single day of harmony and joy before the palace gates separated them."

Cheng Cheng looked ashamed. "It’s all my fault for failing to control your mother back then."

"Father’s nature is like this. Even if Mother hadn’t constantly invoked Grandmother’s authority, you wouldn’t have been able to argue with her alone," Cheng Yang said, wiping her tears.

"But Father, is this fair? My uncle and aunt cherished me like a treasure in their arms for over a decade, while Niao Niao endured cold indifference and neglect under Mother’s care, raised to be crude and unrefined. When I first came to the Capital City, I didn’t realize it, but now I see how despicable Mother’s actions were!" Cheng Yang clenched her fists.

"Over those ten years, Aunt sent people multiple times to bring Niao Niao back, but Mother schemed to block every attempt. I heard from Shaogong that most garrisoned generals intermarry among themselves. If Aunt had been able to take Niao Niao with her, she could have found a suitable and satisfying son-in-law like Qiqi from the Wan family—then those surnamed Lou or Huo wouldn’t have had a chance!" The usually composed and gentle girl spoke with rare indignation.

Cheng Cheng pressed a hand to his forehead in distress. "I understand what you mean. Though Grandmother intended to make things difficult for her husband’s sister-in-law, she was careless by nature. If Ge Shi hadn’t been there constantly whispering malicious advice, things wouldn’t have gone so far."

"I will write to my aunt and explain everything. Whether Mother has changed or not, she cannot return to the Cheng family!" Cheng Yang sat rigidly, trembling slightly. "Why should those who do evil be rewarded with a peaceful old age? In all those years, did Mother ever show mercy to an innocent child? As long as I remain in the Cheng household, she will never come back!"

Cheng Cheng caught something unusual in her words. "What do you mean, 'as long as you remain in the Cheng household'?"

Cheng Yang replied, "I told Elder Uncle that I don’t like that man and refuse to marry him no matter what. He has already agreed to help me break off the engagement."

"How could you do this?!" Cheng Cheng stood up abruptly, his face flushed with anger. "Don’t you know how much effort your aunt put into arranging this marriage?! That family has a pure and upright reputation, and their status is excellent. What could possibly dissatisfy you? You... you...!"

"Because I can’t leave," Cheng Yang sobbed, her voice shaking. "Aunt is so terribly ill—it’s as if all her vitality has been drained! Qing Yimu is tending to her, but who will manage the household? I can’t leave at a time like this!"

Cheng Cheng, who spent his days buried in books, was utterly bewildered."The eldest cousin has already been appointed to an official post and will leave for Qingzhou after his wedding. In the midst of newlywed bliss, how could we ask Xu E to stay behind and serve Aunt-in-law?!" Cheng Yang desperately wiped her tears with her sleeve, her face a mess. "The second cousin has been adopted into the Wan family and will follow Uncle Wan to his post after marrying Qiqi—who will be left at home then?!"

Cheng Cheng stood frozen in shock.

Cheng Yang took a deep breath to steady herself. "Not only is Mother unworthy of returning to the Cheng family, but I am also unworthy of marrying and living a peaceful life! As long as Niao Niao remains unsettled, I will stay with the Cheng family. Father, don’t say anything. You may return to White Deer Mountain and continue your studies. With me at home, I will take good care of everything!"

Cheng Cheng numbly sat back down, watching as his daughter seemed to have grown up overnight. His heart ached with both sorrow and pride, yet he felt deeply ashamed of his own helplessness, letting out a long sigh.

After the father and daughter left, the last row of bookshelves rustled as two young men emerged from behind—Cheng Shao Gong and Ban Jia.

Moments earlier, Cheng Shao Gong had secretly brought Ban Jia in to look for books. Hearing Cheng Cheng enter, they quickly hid to avoid a lecture from the book-loving uncle, only now able to crawl out.

Brushing dust off himself, Cheng Shao Gong muttered, "Look at my fate—always overhearing things I shouldn’t. Now what? Should I tell Father and Mother about this... Hey, A Jia, A Jia, what’s wrong with you...?"

Ban Jia stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the door.

"What’s the matter? Why are you spacing out? That’s just my uncle and cousin—you’ve met them before, haven’t you?" Cheng Shao Gong waved his hand in front of Ban Jia’s face.

Ban Jia stood rigidly, his delicate face wearing a dreamlike expression. "Shaogong, did you hear thunder and lightning outside just now?"

Huh?!—Cheng Shao Gong glanced outside. The sky was clear and bright.

...

Outside, the sky was indeed clear, and it remained so for several days. Shao Shang quickly got to work—dividing her team into two groups. The larger group was tasked with cleaning up the Everlasting Autumn Palace, while the smaller group handled the Palace of Eternal Peace.

Especially for the Everlasting Autumn Palace, although they needed to take away the items Empress Dowager Xuan was accustomed to, they couldn’t leave the place in disarray for Empress Yue—unless they wanted to risk their futures. Thus, Shao Shang demanded the palace maids and eunuchs uphold the spirit of "leaving not a single trace of mess." While removing furniture and belongings, they meticulously cleaned and organized the palace until it was spotless—neat yet not rigid, simple yet not empty—making it easy for Empress Yue to move her own belongings in.

Shao Shang knew well that actions spoke louder than words. She directly used the Empress’s private funds to offer rewards, reinvigorating the dispirited palace maids and eunuchs who had been demoralized by the deposed empress. In just six or seven days, both palaces were put in order.

The Emperor was highly pleased and ordered Cen Anzhi to deliver a chest of coins as a reward to Shao Shang.

Empress Yue, arms crossed, inspected the Everlasting Autumn Palace and, for once, expressed satisfaction. "I only knew her as someone who loved food and fun, quick with her words. I hadn’t realized she was so efficient in handling affairs." She, too, sent a chest of coins over.

While Zhai Nanny grumbled about "showing off the Yue family’s wealth," Shao Shang accepted the chest without hesitation.

Only the main and inner halls of the Palace of Eternal Peace had been prepared. Shao Shang arranged for Empress Dowager Xuan to settle in and recuperate while requesting the Royal Uncle to set up an independent kitchen in the side hall, with separate procurement and partial access privileges to the palace grounds.Shao Shang surveyed her surroundings. In the coming years, she would arrange this palace with a painting studio, a crafts room, a weaving chamber, a reading room... Behind the hall, she would cultivate a patch of vegetation—lush with flowers and leaves in spring and summer for moonlit tea and fruit tasting, abundant with harvest in autumn and winter for simmering soups, roasting meats, and late-night conversations by the hearth.

This place would never become a desolate, sorrowful cold palace. She would fill it with an atmosphere of quiet joy.

"In the future, I will establish rules—rewards for merit, punishments for faults. If anyone wishes to pursue other opportunities, they may leave freely... For now, close the main gate. From now on, entry and exit require my permission."

The palace maiden adorned with tinkling ornaments stood straight in the center of the main hall, her gaze steady, her tone calm and measured. As she issued her decrees one by one, the palace maids and eunuchs around her obeyed without hesitation.

Watching the vermilion gate slowly close before her, Shao Shang suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, so intense she nearly staggered.

—It had also been a clear, cloudless early spring day, the vast sky as beautiful and open as a piece of jade. Her mother had frowned in the carriage, nagging, while the barely fourteen-year-old girl absentmindedly replied, "The city gates are closing again."

But the girl hadn’t told the truth. Before the vermilion gates shut completely, between the gleaming golden door studs, she had seen that handsome, tall young man gallop back on horseback, stopping far away on a hillside to gaze inside.

At such a distance, she couldn’t possibly see his face clearly, yet she knew he must have been smiling at her. His smile was as gentle and pure as a spring stream, enough for her to remember for a lifetime.

At the time, the girl was already betrothed, yet in the deepest recesses of her heart, she had felt an inexplicable joy.

The memory struck so suddenly, leaving Shao Shang defenseless.

In this moment, at this very second, she remembered him with perfect clarity.

His lashes were long, the curve of his jaw elegant and refined, his lips quirking slightly when he smiled, a tiny dimple forming at the left corner. His eyes were deep yet clear, unwavering and sincere when they looked at her. His chest was warm, his embrace steady and strong—yet she would forget him completely.

Bit by bit, slowly, she would erase him from her memory. She would never let herself take such a risk again, never let her heart ache like that again.

[End of Volume]

Author's Note:

As usual, taking a three-day break. Next update will be on Sunday.

The ending really is HE (Happy Ending).

Stop guessing—you won’t figure it out anyway. Since childhood, adults have said my thought process is unconventional.

The next volume is the final one. I hope to finish before National Day—do you think I can do it?

My next book will either be wuxia or Republican-era—haven’t decided yet. Oh, and have you all bookmarked me?