The stars shifted, and time flowed like water. With the melting of another year's snow, the spring of the tenth year of Manifest Peace arrived as scheduled.
Over these three years, domestically, natural disasters had significantly decreased. Apart from last year’s locust plague in Shanxi and the floods in Anhui the year before, all other regions had enjoyed bountiful harvests. The annual tax revenue was ample, and for the first time, the state treasury had a surplus.
Externally, the Hu people, after their crushing defeat three years prior, had suffered such severe damage to their vital essence that even now, the mere mention of Pei You'an’s name struck fear into their hearts. According to the signed treaty, they had retreated five hundred li northward, and for the next ten years, they would be utterly incapable of launching any large-scale provocations along the border.
As for the imperial clan, by the end of last year, the emperor had also quelled the last remaining threat—Jing'an Wang, who had been secretly reported for rebellious intentions. Over the past three years, the last surviving princes, including Jing'an Wang, who were deemed either powerful enough or likely to follow in Changle Wang’s footsteps, had one after another met their ends—whether through confirmed charges, dubious accusations, forced suicides, or being stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners. Not a single one met a peaceful end. The emperor’s unwavering determination and ruthless methods in suppressing the feudal lords were evident. The remaining princes, trembling with fear and desperate to avoid calamity, voluntarily surrendered their military forces. The court fully reclaimed all elite troops previously held by the feudal lords and strictly curtailed their authority. From then on, high-ranking court officials no longer needed to prostrate themselves when meeting the princes. Thus, the measures to restrict the feudal lords, which Emperor Xiao Lie had initiated upon his ascension, finally bore remarkable success in their tenth arduous year.
The new year should have been one of auspicious signs and peace for the nation. But just as the citizens eagerly anticipated the Lantern Festival, the atmosphere in the court abruptly grew heavy.
The echoes of New Year’s Eve firecrackers still lingered in the air when, barely two days later, news spread that the emperor might not hold on much longer—perhaps within these very days.
The emperor’s health had been declining steadily since the Crown Prince’s rebellion and execution years ago. Over the past two years, he had shown signs of exhaustion, like a lamp burning out, yet he had stubbornly clung to life. But when news of Jing'an Wang’s execution arrived late last year, it seemed to have drained the last of his strength. It was said that very night, the emperor collapsed.
Once he fell, despite the imperial physicians’ utmost efforts, there was no hope of recovery.
At the beginning of the year, court officials were still on their spring break when the news broke. Ministers such as He Gongpu, Zhang Shiyong, Lu Xiang, and Liu Jiushao gathered daily at the Eastern Pavilion, where the Grand Secretariat convened, awaiting orders. They learned that in recent days, the emperor had been mostly unconscious, unable to eat, sustained only by medicinal decoctions and ginseng soup. The gravity of the situation was written on every face, and involuntarily, all eyes turned to Pei You'an.
For the past two years, routine court affairs had been entrusted to the Grand Secretariat, led by Pei You'an. Beyond administrative duties, Pei You'an had also personally overseen the education of the Crown Prince’s heir. The young heir held his Grand Tutor in the highest esteem, and their bond was one of deep mutual respect and affection.
Not only was the heir exceptionally bright, but even at his tender age, his demeanor already carried an air of solemn dignity. Veteran officials like He and Zhang dared not act presumptuously in the presence of this seven-year-old child. As for the murmurs that had once circulated about the irregularity of his origins when he was first named heir, they had long since vanished without a trace, never to be spoken of again.Everyone knew full well that the old dynasty was coming to an end, and what was about to arrive was the era of the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince's grandson, who now held de facto power over the court, and his underage imperial student who still required guidance.
It was common knowledge that on the very night the emperor collapsed, Pei You'an rushed into the palace and canceled the spring holiday the next day. Apart from inquiring about the emperor's condition, he spent the rest of his time in the Eastern Pavilion, handling Pavilion affairs as usual. The Crown Prince's grandson shared an exceptionally close bond with his grandfather. Distraught and anxious over the emperor's illness, the young boy found it hard to sleep at night. Considering his tender age and the risk of excessive grief harming his health—and with no elder female relatives in the palace to guide him—Pei You'an, as the Grand Tutor, had his wife brought into the palace to temporarily care for and comfort the Crown Prince's grandson.
Naturally, He, Zhang, and others raised no objections to this arrangement.
Inside the Eastern Pavilion, under the watchful eyes of several colleagues, Pei You'an remained silent, saying nothing.
He appeared no different than usual.
...
"Whoosh—"
A sharp whistling sound pierced the air as a firework shot up into the night sky above the lantern market near the eastern outer wall of the palace. Brilliant bursts of color exploded one after another, each new blossom vying for attention before the last had faded. Gradually, the entire city became a dazzling spectacle of fireworks, each more splendid than the last, illuminating the capital's sky on this Lantern Festival night.
Since falling ill, the emperor had not left Cheng Guang Hall even once.
Located near the West Garden, the hall was originally far from the eastern market. Yet tonight, the distant crackles of fireworks soaring over the towering palace walls faintly reached even here.
Li Yuangui had kept vigil by the emperor's sickbed for half a month, catching only fitful naps on a makeshift pallet when exhaustion overwhelmed him.
The imperial physicians had just left. The emperor had been unconscious for two days and nights, and even the life-preserving ginseng soup had become difficult to administer today.
As they withdrew, the physicians' eyes betrayed unmistakable dread as they glanced at the emperor, who lay as if already asleep on the dragon bed.
Suppressing the grief welling up inside him, Li Yuangui stared at the half-full bowl of medicine and summoned a palace attendant. They were about to attempt feeding the concoction to the emperor once more when suddenly—the eyelids of the man on the sickbed fluttered faintly.
"Whoosh—"
Faintly, beyond the distant palace walls, another burst of fireworks seemed to drift in.
The emperor's eyelids trembled more violently now.
Li Yuangui noticed and rushed forward, urgently calling out, "Your Majesty!"
Xiao Lie's eyes slowly opened at last.
"Whoosh—"
Another distant sound seemed to echo.
Xiao Lie appeared to be listening intently. After a moment, his gaze gradually cleared.
"Your Majesty, you're awake? Your Majesty must take the medicine! Once you do, you'll recover!"
Tears of excitement brimming in his eyes, Li Yuangui's voice trembled slightly as he hastily lifted the medicine bowl. Scooping a spoonful, he brought it to the emperor's lips.
Xiao Lie seemed not to hear, remaining motionless as he continued listening to the distant fireworks. After a long while, in a voice so weak it was almost inaudible, he whispered, "Is tonight the Lantern Festival?"
"Yes. Your Majesty has been asleep for half a month..." Li Yuangui's voice choked up again.
"I've already slept half a month..."
Xiao Lie murmured the words back to himself.“How time flies… Just now, I dreamed of that Lantern Festival Night when I was fourteen… And now, waking up, she’s already gone. Over thirty years have passed in a blink… But it’s alright, I’ll be leaving soon too, to find her…”
He sighed softly, the emotion in his voice indistinguishable between joy and sorrow.
Li Yuangui lowered his head to wipe away tears.
“Go, fetch what’s in that box of mine.”
Li Yuangui paused, then understood. He hurried to a gilded and lacquered dragon-patterned cabinet, took out a key, opened the cabinet door, and carefully retrieved a box. From it, he took out a jade pendant and brought it to the emperor’s bedside, placing it gently into his hand.
The warm yet cool jade fell into Xiao Lie’s open palm. He closed his eyes, slowly clenched his fingers, and finally held the jade tightly in his grasp.
In the dream he had just moments ago, he was fourteen, and she was thirteen. It was also a dazzling Lantern Festival Night, the moon hanging over willow branches. He had sneaked out of the palace, riding a dragon horse with silver saddle, a carefree young noble. He deliberately spurred his spirited horse toward the girl, knocking over the rabbit lantern she was carrying.
She naturally recognized him—they had often crossed paths since childhood. Knowing he was spoiled by the emperor’s favor and always reckless in the palace, she was annoyed but, bound by propriety, dared not scold him. She turned away angrily to call for her family. He chased after her, pressing into her palm the jade pendant he had painstakingly carved himself long ago, now warm from being kept close to his body.
He knew she loved orchids.
“Consider this my apology—take it!”
He lifted his proud chin, feigning nonchalance, though his heart raced and his face flushed slightly.
She was startled and shy, quickly pushing the pendant back into his hand before turning to leave, as if it were something that might bite.
The young prince then hung the pendant on a willow branch and called after her retreating figure, “I’ll leave it here. If you don’t want it, so be it!”
Ignoring him, she walked a few steps before spotting her family approaching from the opposite direction. She turned back abruptly, finding him still standing by the willow, his eyes gleaming under the fireworks from the flower bridge ahead, fixed on her. His handsome, spirited face wore a teasing smirk, making her flustered. Afraid her family might see, she rushed back to the willow, snatched the swaying pendant, and hastily hid it in her palm.
OpenNovel