"By Your Majesty's Imperial Edict. This old woman thanks Your Majesty on behalf of her eldest grandson."
Old Madam Pei sat up, and as Xiao Lie reached out to assist, she gently waved him away.
Supporting herself against the bed's edge, she slowly descended to the floor, finally prostrating herself fully in a deep, reverent bow before the emperor, remaining thus for a long while without rising.
Xiao Lie's figure stood equally motionless, his gaze fixed upon the aged head bowed to the ground.
He opened his mouth as if to speak further, yet ultimately remained silent. After a long pause, he merely turned slowly away, his steps unusually heavy, step by step retreating until his figure finally disappeared beyond the doorway.
Old Madam Pei remained prostrate upon the floor, the inner chamber now silent save for the flickering candlelight.
Behind the green gauze screen, Jiafu found her palms and back drenched in cold sweat. Watching Old Madam Pei's unmoving form, she feared the emperor might return and dared not emerge.
After what seemed an eternity, footsteps approached as Pei Quan, Madam Xin, and others hurried in. Seeing the old madam still kneeling, they rushed to help her up and settle her back onto the bed. Noting her ashen complexion, some brought water while others rubbed her back.
Opening her eyes, the old madam said, "His Majesty merely reminisced with me about his childhood before bidding me rest and recover. I am weary now, and you've all been working hard these days. Eldest daughter-in-law, stay with me—I have some words for you. The rest may retire for the evening."
Madam Xin started slightly before assenting.
Second Madam cast her a glance, her expression showing faint puzzlement and reluctant curiosity, yet she dared not question. Eventually, she followed Pei Quan and the others as they filed out of the room.
Left alone with the old madam, Madam Xin stood by the bedside, growing slightly uneasy at the prolonged silence. Hesitantly, she stepped forward. "Mother, did you keep me behind to instruct me in something?"
Old Madam Pei drew a key from beneath her pillow and handed it over. "Open that cabinet and bring me the box inside."
Puzzled, Madam Xin accepted the key and unlocked a gilded cabinet against the wall, revealing an aged sandalwood box within. Lifting it, she found it unexpectedly heavy and carried it to the bedside.
The old madam instructed her to open it.
Inside lay a golden box, which Madam Xin hesitated to touch, looking questioningly at Old Madam Pei.
"Open it."
With careful hands, Madam Xin unsealed the golden box. Recognizing its contents, she gasped and looked up in astonishment. "Mother, this is—"
"This is the Iron Certificate bestowed upon meritorious officials when the Great Ancestor founded our dynasty. Split in two and stored in golden boxes—one half given to the official, the other kept in the ancestral temple. It grants either immunity from execution once or the right to petition for rank and stipend. Only four were originally granted, and our Pei family received one. Now that my time nears, I've nothing else to leave. This is for Second Son—take it. If you truly cannot bear to lose the title, present this at the opportune moment, and restoration may yet come."
Madam Xin stood frozen, her hand hovering halfway between desire and fear, her expression peculiar.
The old madam closed her eyes and spoke no more.
Slowly, Madam Xin reached for the box. Just as her fingers brushed it, Old Madam Pei's eyes suddenly reopened, causing her hand to jerk back instinctively.Old Madam Pei stared at her: "I know you've harbored resentment and grievances all these years. Now that I'm about to depart, I leave you with one final piece of advice—the last lesson I've learned in this lifetime. In life, human calculations can never match heaven's will. I hope everything ends here. If you continue down this path of delusion, even if our ancestors left you ten Iron Certificates, I fear you'd have no fortune to enjoy them."
Madam Xin's face flushed crimson. She stood frozen for a long moment before kowtowing to the elderly woman on the bed. Clutching the box tightly, she turned and hurried away.
The candle flame flickered, and the wick crackled with a soft "pop."
"Come out now."
Old Madam Pei's voice carried through the room.
Jiafu finally emerged from behind the green gauze cabinet where she had been hiding. She slowly approached the old madam's bedside and saw her reclining there, gazing at her with a faint smile in her eyes. Overwhelmed with emotion, Jiafu threw herself by the bed, tightly grasping one of the old woman's hands. "Grandmother," she whispered, her eyes reddening.
The old madam's fingers were icy, yet her palm burned hot: "All these years, my greatest worry has been You'an. But now that you're here, I can finally set my heart at ease."
Jiafu clung to the old madam's hand: "Grandmother will live a hundred years. A'fu and my husband still need your care..."
Tears welled up uncontrollably, her voice choked with emotion.
Old Madam Pei smiled gently: "Silly child, everyone must depart sooner or later. At my age, I've already enjoyed all the blessings this world has to offer. As long as you all remain well in the future, I can leave without regrets."
Jiafu shook her head repeatedly, tears streaming down.
The old madam turned her hand to grip Jiafu's tightly: "Regarding You'an's origins—if he were to learn of them someday, given his temperament, I fear he would never come to terms with it. If possible, I would rather he never knew. I shouldn't burden you with such a heavy responsibility either, but as husband and wife are one, I can only entrust him to you now. Should he ever face trials because of this in the future, you must stand by him in my stead. Never abandon him, do you understand?"
The old woman's expression grew exceptionally solemn.
Jiafu wiped her tears and knelt solemnly by the bed: "Grandmother, rest assured. A'fu will do everything in my power to remain by my husband's side for life, never leaving nor forsaking him."
The old madam gazed at her, a faint smile gradually appearing on her lips: "Then I can go in peace..."
She seemed exhausted. After speaking, she slowly closed her eyes and drifted into deep slumber.
...
In the deep winter night, heavy snow fell relentlessly, the accumulation already ankle-deep on the ground.
The guards at the capital's western gate huddled around a charcoal brazier on the ramparts, grumbling about the weather, when suddenly a lookout shouted: "Someone's coming!"
The others rushed over, squinting into the distance where he pointed. Indeed, through the swirling snow, a group of riders galloped swiftly along the dark post road leading to the western outskirts, their horses' hooves kicking up powdery snow. In moments, they reached the city gates, voices calling loudly for entry.
"Is that Lord Pei returning?"
The gate captain had been instructed to watch for Pei You'an's possible return these past few days. Seeing the approaching party, he immediately leaned over the wall and called down.
"It is!"
An attendant raised his arm and tossed up his credentials. The captain caught them, verified their authenticity, and promptly descended to open the gates.
The party rode through the city gates and galloped off in the direction of the Pei residence.……
Several days had passed since the emperor's visit.
During these days, Jiafu had not left the old madam’s side for a moment, attending to her day and night. When exhaustion overwhelmed her, she would merely doze off briefly on the bed behind the green gauze curtains, truly as if she never loosened her garments.
Earlier, upon learning from the imperial physician that the old madam would not survive the end of winter, she had written to Pei You'an to inform him of the news.
Although the old madam had once stopped her from writing to Pei You'an, fearing it would distract him from his duties outside, the circumstances now were different.
In Jiafu’s view, ensuring his return to see his grandmother before her passing was just as important as his official responsibilities.
These past few days, the old madam had been unable to eat or drink, spending most of her time in a dazed slumber, sustained only by ginseng soup to keep her spirits alive.
Jiafu knew in her heart that the old madam was also waiting for Pei You'an.
On such a snowy, late night, where was the footsteps of that returning man now?
Standing by the window, Jiafu gazed at the heavy snowflakes drifting through the night sky, her forehead pressed against the cold window frame. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard the hurried crunching of footsteps in the snow from the courtyard, followed by the faint, delighted cry of an old maidservant: “The young master has returned!”
Jiafu’s heart leaped, her blood surging in an instant. She turned abruptly and rushed out, reaching the outer chamber before the doorway when she saw the door curtain being lifted aside. A man slightly stooped and strode in swiftly.
It was truly Pei You'an returning!
Snow clung to his shoulders and dusted his brows and hair. His eyes were bloodshot, exhaustion lining his gaze, his entire body emanating a chill as if he had just emerged from an icy cavern.
“Eldest cousin—”
Before Jiafu could finish her call, her voice choked with emotion. She halted before him, her eyes reddening.
Pei You'an did not pause for even a second. He strode to her, opening his arms to pull her into an embrace. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips—still cold from the snow—swiftly to her forehead, then murmured softly, “Don’t be afraid. I’m back.”
As if to comfort her, he tightened his arms around her briefly before releasing her.
“And Grandmother?”
“Inside!”
Suppressing the storm of emotions surging within her, Jiafu immediately turned toward the inner chamber. Pei You'an followed closely behind as they hurried in.
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