Sixteen, sixteen.

It was another bitter autumn. The cold descended with such haste that the crops were frozen in the fields before they could be harvested. The people within the pass suffered greatly, and the northern tribes beyond it, equally affected, grew more frequent in their incursions upon the land.

Since late autumn, several skirmishes had erupted along the northern border against the raiding parties of the barbarians. Within the Liangzhou army, some were gripped by panic, fearing for their lives amidst the endless warfare, while others seized the opportunity to earn merit, accumulating piles of gold and swift promotions.

Before long, a document detailing these military achievements was placed before the Marquis of Jing'an for his judgment. The Marquis took but a single glance before tearing the promotion order to shreds.

"Common criminals are one thing, but this man carries charges of witchcraft and treason—and you dare to recommend him? If you have no desire for your heads, I certainly wish to keep mine firmly on my shoulders before the Emperor."

He found a flimsy excuse to demote the guerrilla general, who was slated for promotion to assistant general, to the role of city garrison, and specifically instructed his lieutenant that this man was not to be trusted with any responsibility.

Two years later, an imperial edict, bright with yellow silk, sat in the main hall of the Marquis’s estate. The Marquis remained silent, ushering the edict into his study and slamming the door before throwing his sleeves in a fit of rage.

It was barely early spring; the border raids had not ceased, and the Liangzhou territory was in dire need of its troops. Yet, the Emperor had sent an edict from a thousand miles away, demanding he bring his seal of command to the capital to report on his duties.

The Marquis had inherited his title from his father over twenty years ago. In that time, he had visited the capital no more than ten times, and always when the Emperor was in his prime—to receive rewards or the occasional reprimand to remain loyal and diligent.

Today, however, things were different. He had but one son and one daughter; his daughter was of marriageable age, while his son was only ten, far too young to shoulder the weight of the house. The Emperor was aging. According to whispers from the capital, many civil officials had been demoted to remote regions over the years, and the military power of the prefectures surrounding the capital had been stripped away. Now, it was the turn of a Marquis stationed in a remote borderland.

To go to the capital now—at best, he would be stripped of his military power and allowed to keep his life; at worst, his entire family would be purged, suffering a fate worse than death.

The Marquis paced his study in a frenzy. In a moment of distraction, he recalled a man in the Liangzhou army—a man of great talent, burdened by criminal charges, who seemed to have some connection to the palace. He hurriedly dispatched men to search the archives of the Zhou prefecture, and after consulting with the army commanders, he finally identified the man: the deposed Crown Prince, Pei Heng.

*

The spring breeze painted the north in shades of green, and a gentle eastern wind swept through the alleys of the capital, lifting the hem of a girl’s dress and stirring a faint, lingering fragrance.

In a small alley, a young woman carrying a wooden tub of laundry walked toward home. Seeing a tall figure standing outside her gate, she furrowed her brows, suppressed a smile at the corner of her lips, and trotted forward to greet him.

"Why are you here again?"

Hua Qing leaned against her gate, clutching her laundry tub, and glared at her visitor with a fierce expression that could not quite hide the joy in her eyes. "I’ve told you, no matter how many times you come, my cousin will never let my sister marry you. You should give up that thought."

Wang Qiushi rubbed his hair, acting the simpleton. He pulled a purple velvet flower from his pocket; it was exquisite and lovely, with two tiny pearls nestled in its center. Hua Qing’s eyes lit up, but she immediately turned her head away.

"My cousin buys my sister jewelry far prettier than this," she said proudly. "Besides, she doesn't like purple, so she has no use for your little trinkets."

"I thought you liked purple clothes," he said, handing the flower toward her. "When I entered the city, I saw this in a shop and thought it suited you. If you want it, keep it. If you don't..."

Before he could finish, the flower was snatched away. Hua Qing examined it, then looked at Wang Qiushi, who was as sturdy as a bear. She thought to herself that he was not as handsome as her cousin, nor as clever and dexterous as her sister, but he possessed a simple, honest sincerity that made him impossible to hate.

"Since you bought it and brought it here, I’ll take it." She pinned the flower into her hair and arched a brow at him. "Does it look good?"

Wang Qiushi nodded with a smile. Hua Qing laughed shyly, gave a light cough, and returned to her feigned, serious demeanor. "A gift is a gift, but I still won’t let you get close to my sister."

Wang Qiushi had been hearing similar words for over two years. At first, he had tried to explain that Yuezhi did not like him, that he had no intention of pestering her, and that they had simply been neighbors for six years—he had watched her grow up and cared for her as he would a sister.

Hua Qing’s temperament was even more headstrong than Wang Miaomiao’s; she was single-minded, ignored his explanations, and always teased him with them. At first, Wang Qiushi had felt frustrated, but gradually, he found her playful boldness to be utterly charming.

"My mother and Miaomiao have gone shopping," he said. "I was thinking of going to the lake outside the city. There are many people flying kites there. Would you like to go?"

"Kites?!" Hua Qing grew excited. She opened the gate to peek inside, and seeing Yuezhi in the courtyard, she asked, "Sister, Brother Wang says he wants to take me to fly kites outside the city. Can I go?"

Yuezhi was mending a shoe sole and had heard most of their conversation. Hua Qing was about the same age as Pei Heng, seventeen this year. She usually didn't care to talk to men, yet in front of the honest and dull Wang Qiushi, she behaved like a child with endless things to say. Seeing them hit it off, Yuezhi felt happy. "Go ahead, but be sensible. Don't make Brother Wang worry about you."

"I know!" Hua Qing happily carried her tub inside to change her clothes in the west wing. Seeing Wang Qiushi waiting foolishly outside, Yuezhi stood up, invited him in, and offered him a stool.

"Hua Qing has a bit of a temper and doesn't get along with the neighbors, but she is always willing to talk to you. In the past, she would always ask me, 'Why hasn't Brother Wang come into the city yet?'"

Wang Qiushi hung his head shyly. "She loves to laugh, and she doesn't mind that I’m clumsy and not good with words."

Yuezhi smiled. "If two people can be happy together, that is the best thing. I am in no rush to marry off my sister, but if you have such intentions, you should prepare early."

It was as good as a direct invitation. Wang Qiushi sat up straight. "I’ve bought a few acres of good land outside Yanjing. I can’t afford a house in the city yet, but if I scrape together enough silver, I could rent one for twenty years... I only fear that she would suffer if she were with me."

"Tell her that yourself. Let her know your heart. If she is willing to be with you, I will not stand in your way."

Yuezhi did not speak in absolutes; after all, it was their affair. If they were of one mind, she found it difficult to intervene too much.

As they spoke, Hua Qing emerged in a new purple dress, having applied a touch of lip tint. She hopped down the steps and, seeing Wang Qiushi sitting before Yuezhi, rushed to pull him up from the stool. She hooked her arm through his and led him outside. To Yuezhi, it looked like a little rabbit tugging along a giant grizzly bear, which was unexpectedly cute.

Once outside, Hua Qing grumbled, "I told you not to get close to my sister. You never listen. You two won't have a future."

Wang Qiushi’s mind was filled with Yuezhi’s advice. With a surge of courage, he turned his arm and took her hand. Hua Qing stiffened, her expression softening into something purely innocent.

"I came here specifically to see you. Saying I was coming to see Yuezhi was just an excuse..."

"Oh."

"If you don't like it, I won't touch you."

"I didn't say I didn't like it..."

The two held hands quietly in the alley, whispering, their footsteps gradually fading into the distance. Yuezhi sat in the courtyard, sighing. The year Hua Qing had first come to live with her, she had claimed that "all men in the world except for my cousin are no good," but now, she had her own beloved suitor.

Wang Miaomiao had married last year, and He Zhiyan had become betrothed to her cousin in the capital this spring; she was currently at home preparing her dowry and would be married before long. Seeing Hua Qing and Wang Qiushi so sweet, she guessed they would likely wed this year as well. Her friends were all settling down, yet she remained foolishly waiting for Pei Heng to fulfill his promise.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

The sound of knocking at the gate brought her back to reality. She stood up to look. Beyond the gate sat an elegant carriage, and the man waiting on the steps was dressed in silk, looking far more dignified than even the He family’s steward.

"May I ask if this is the home of Pei Heng?"

Judging by his tone, he had come for serious business. Yuezhi opened the gate. "Yes. May I ask who you are?"

The man was middle-aged and wore a kind expression. "I am the steward of the Marquis of Jing'an’s estate. I have been sent by the Marquis to invite the family of the young General Pei to a banquet. This is the invitation."

Yuezhi accepted it with both hands, feeling puzzled. "Why would the Marquis invite me to a banquet? I haven't heard of any recent accomplishments by Ah Heng."

The steward smiled without answering. "I am but a servant of the Marquis’s estate; I only know how to follow orders. If you have any questions, you may ask the Marquis himself at the banquet."

He had no intention of revealing any information, so Yuezhi had to let it go. She had wanted to wait for Pei Heng to return to discuss it, but he was in the army, sometimes returning every few days, though most often only once every fortnight or month.

She waited three days, but there was still no sign of him. As the date on the invitation approached, Yuezhi had no choice but to dress appropriately and bring Hua Qing with her to the banquet at the Marquis’s estate.

*

It had been many years since she had last entered the Marquis's estate. Back then, she had been commissioned by the Marquis's daughter to embroider a birthday painting for the old Madam. She had entered through the back alley’s small gate, guided by a low-level maid, and had waited outside the young lady's chambers. She never even caught a glimpse of the noble residents.

"The Marquis of Jing'an is powerful and wealthy; why would he invite us to a banquet?" Hua Qing’s confusion mirrored her own.

They boarded the carriage sent by the estate. Before they had even left the alley, the neighbors had all come out to watch, looking on with envy. Others might think they had climbed the social ladder and were destined for prosperity, but Yuezhi could not feel happy. She felt an ominous sense that the Marquis’s move was aimed at Pei Heng.

The carriage stopped before the main gate. The steward came out personally to greet them, accompanied by two matrons from the inner court to help them alight. They were ushered inside.

"Since you are female guests," the steward explained, "it is not appropriate for the Marquis to greet you personally. The Marchioness and the young lady have set a banquet in the inner courtyard. These two matrons will lead you there. If you need anything, simply instruct them."

"Thank you," Yuezhi replied politely.

The two matrons—one leading the way, the other following to listen for requests—bowed low, clearly treating them as honored guests. Observing the attitude of the servants, Hua Qing’s wariness gradually turned to joy. She whispered into Yuezhi’s ear, "Sister, they are treating us with such courtesy. Could it be that cousin has been promoted?"

"Perhaps," Yuezhi replied, though she was unsure.

When Pei Heng had first joined the Liangzhou army, he had indeed risen quickly, but for the past two years, his rewards had increased while his military rank had stagnated. He had even been demoted to city garrison at one point, only being promoted to vanguard general later because of the shortage of men at the front.

She could not fathom the thoughts of these high-ranking nobles. She only knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch, and it was highly irregular for a proper Marquis’s estate to hold a banquet for two commoners.

The estate was filled with carved beams and painted pillars, a display of wealth that dazzled the eyes. In early spring, the rear garden was just beginning to sprout new buds. Through an archway, behind the sparse shadows of the trees, a seductive figure drifted past.

The woman was dressed in vibrant reds and greens, her hair adorned with flowers. As she stood among several women of similar stature, laughing and speaking, she crossed her arms, and her thin sleeves fell away to reveal a long, jagged scar on her arm.

Yuezhi could not help but rub her eyes. Once she confirmed she had not seen wrong, she furrowed her brows. She stopped and asked the matron beside her, "Do you recognize that woman?"

"I do," the matron said, glancing over. "That is the concubine of Magistrate Qi of Pingzhou."