Seeing Bai Siruo’s crestfallen expression, Feng Jinyao felt a gentle ache in her heart. This cousin of hers wore her emotions openly, without calculation or disguise. It made her both easy to read and easy to wound.
“Alright,” Feng Jinyao said softly, her tone coaxing yet sincere. “Today is Grandmother’s birthday. I saw that a game of pitch-pot [an aristocratic banquet game where arrows are thrown into a narrow-necked bronze vessel, a test of elegance and accuracy] has been arranged at the waterside pavilion. I reckon both male and female guests will have the chance to display their skills. You should make your appearance then, so everyone knows that while the Wei family women are famed for strict refinement, the Bai family is hardly lacking in excellence.”
“Really?” Bai Siruo’s eyes brightened at once, the earlier gloom vanishing like mist before the sun. She was being coaxed like a child, yet she did not mind. With a decisive nod, she regained her spirited confidence.
The two cousins chatted and laughed, their earlier distance melting away. What had once been polite familiarity slowly turned into something warmer, more genuine. It was only when a maid outside announced the arrival of more guests that they rose together to receive them.
By then, the Bai residence had become a sea of carriages. One lacquered carriage after another lined Chang’an Street, their embroidered curtains fluttering in the winter wind. Vendors clustered outside, seizing the opportunity to set up stalls, their cries of congratulation and commerce rising in lively waves.
Steward Qin [chief steward of the Bai residence] instructed the gatekeeper to distribute roasted chestnuts to the children who had gathered eagerly near the entrance. The children, clutching the warm treats, chirped blessings for Old Madam Bai . Even Steward Qin’s usually severe expression softened at the sight.
Within the inner courtyards, the atmosphere was no less animated.
Old Madam Bai sat in Shou Kang Courtyard [her private reception courtyard reserved for close companions], flanked by two dear friends from her youth: the matriarch of the Zheng family [wife of a respected noble household] and the Dowager Madam of the General of the Cavalry’s mansion [widow of a high-ranking military official]. The three elderly ladies conversed with the ease of those who had weathered decades together.
“You are truly blessed,” Old Madam Bai said with a delighted smile. “I heard your seventh child is with child as well?” At their age, family prosperity was the sweetest topic for these women.
The Zheng matriarch laughed warmly. “Yes, though her pregnancy is not yet stable. I have told her to remain at home and not join today’s festivities. After she delivers safely, she shall come personally to pay respects to you, sister.”
“Offspring are paramount,” Old Madam Bai nodded. “This old woman is in good health still. I shall prepare a fine gift for my dear great-grandchild after the birth.”
“You spoil them endlessly,” the Zheng matriarch teased.Their laughter intertwined like old silk threads, while the Dowager Madam beside them listened quietly, a contented smile resting upon her lips.
It was at this time that Bai Siruo entered Shou Kang Courtyard, drawing Feng Jinyao along. The moment she stepped inside, she waved excitedly toward a young woman.
“Mingyue! I am over here!”
The woman called Mingyue was Xu Mingyue [granddaughter of Grand Secretary Xu, from a family renowned for strict scholarship and upright conduct]. Her brows curved like crescent moons, her face delicate as an apricot blossom. From afar, she resembled the bright moon her name evoked—radiant yet distant, inviting yet untouchable.
“This is my cousin from the Feng family,” Bai Siruo said warmly. “You may call her A-Yao. She has not been in good health recently and seldom attends banquets. Today, with so many gathered, I’ve brought her to meet more people.”
“Greetings, Sister Xu,” Feng Jinyao said gently.“A-Yao, you are too polite,” Xu Mingyue replied with a light laugh. “This little tyrant has never introduced me to any of her other sisters before. It is rare for someone to win her favor.”
Xu Mingyue and Bai Siruo had become fast friends despite their contrasting upbringings. Though raised within the strict discipline of the Xu family, Xu Mingyue was neither rigid nor cold. She possessed poise without arrogance, knowledge without pretension.At their first meeting, Feng Jinyao found herself drawn to Xu Mingyue’s serene eyes as well.
But more than that, she remembered her previous life.
After being rejected by the Liang family for marriage, Xu Mingyue had not wept or thrown herself into despair. Instead, she went to Yunqi Academy [prestigious scholarly institution] and became a female instructor, proving her talent equal to any man’s. Feng Jinyao had admired such resolve deeply.
Now, standing before her once more, Feng Jinyao felt a quiet longing to draw closer to such a steadfast soul.
The three spoke together for some time before a small procession entered the courtyard, immediately commanding attention.
At its center was Wei Lanxuan [eldest granddaughter of the Duke of Wei, niece of Consort Wei, famed noblewoman of Dongdu]. Her features were exquisite, her eyes bright and confident. Draped around her shoulders was a fiery red fox-fur cloak [luxurious winter garment signifying wealth and favor], which made her presence even more striking.
Behind her followed Liang Luo [legitimate daughter of the Minister of Justice], Wen Yuwei [niece of the Vice Minister of Personnel], and several daughters of lesser officials. Together, they moved like stars encircling the moon.
Still Feng Jinyao had no heart to dwell on there appearances. As Wen Yuwei’s gaze, when it landed upon her, was sharp with concealed malice.
The girl leaned toward Wei Lanxuan, whispering a few words. Instantly, several pairs of eyes turned toward Feng Jinyao, their expressions subtly shifting.
Wei Lanxuan approached with a faint smile towards the three. Bai Siruo prepared to greet her, expecting at least polite exchange.
Instead, Wei Lanxuan merely inclined her head slightly—no more than courtesy demanded—before leading her entourage directly into the main room, leaving Feng Jinyao, Bai Siruo, and Xu Mingyue standing behind.
“Such an arrogant display,” Bai Siruo muttered, frowning. “We have never quarreled with her. Why ignore us so pointedly today?”
Xu Mingyue lowered her voice. “I heard that Consort Wei intends to act as matchmaker between her and the Ninth Prince [only son of Consort Wei, deeply favored by the Emperor]. Soon, the Wei family may gain another prince’s principal wife. It will be a double celebration for them.”
No wonder.The Ninth Prince was already of age and greatly favored by His Majesty. Rumor held that he might soon be granted the title of Crown Prince—an honor that would surpass even the Empress’s eldest son.
The Wei family’s power would rise yet higher by than .Bai Siruo curled her lip, unimpressed. “I have no interest in watching them flatter the Wei family. A-Yao, let us return to Qinxiang Courtyard.”
She turned, only to see Feng Jinyao standing still, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of her hand warmer.
The sight of Wei Lanxuan standing beside Wen Yuwei had stirred something in her memory.
In her previous life, she had never understood why the Wen family sent Wen Yuwei to deliver that jade token—even at the cost of jeopardizing Wen Mengsheng’s [eldest son of the Wen family] marriage prospects.
Was it truly only about seducing her? Or something far deeper?
After her own marriage, the Feng family had been labeled as part of the Ninth Prince’s faction. She had repeatedly asked her father and brothers to assist her husband’s family, even drawing her maternal Bai family into the web.
What could have driven the Wei and Wen families to risk everything—even their own survival—to frame and destroy the entire Feng family?
Unless…
Unless the target had never been merely her marriage.
Unless the Feng family’s downfall had been a necessary stepping stone in a much larger struggle for imperial succession.
Feng Jinyao’s fingers tightened slightly around the gilded hand warmer [portable brass heater used in winter, symbol of refinement]. Her expression remained calm, but beneath that composure, her thoughts churned like a hidden current beneath still water.Unless the Feng family possessed something capable of threatening the Ninth Prince or the Duke of Wei, why would those two towering houses stoop to such a venomous scheme?
The thought struck FENG JINYAO like a blade drawn in moonlight.
Her eyes cooled.
If such a thing truly existed, she must find it before they did—find it, seize it, and weave her own snare for the Wen family.
She had only just steadied her breath when a hand shook her sleeve.
Bai Sirou leaned close, brows knitted.“Ayao, what troubles you? You look so distant.”
Feng Jinyao’s lashes lowered. “It is nothing. I did not sleep well last night.” She lifted her gaze with quiet composure. “Cousin, shall we go to Qinxiang Courtyard first?”
“Yes. The sisters from the Duke of Zheng’s residence have arrived as well. We may as well take them there and enjoy ourselves before the banquet.”
Feng Jinyao inclined her head.
She left a maid to guide Wei Lanxuan and her glittering circle, then led the others toward Qinxiang Courtyard.
The Waterside Pavilion bridged Shou Kang Courtyard and Qinxiang Courtyard like a jade clasp between two silken robes. In summer, it would be fragrant with lotus breeze; but today, frost gathered along its railings, and even laughter seemed to crystalize in the air.
The young ladies walked lightly, sleeves brushing, voices warm against the cold.It was then that Feng Jinyao’s gaze drifted—almost carelessly—across the pavilion.
And froze.There, beyond ten measured steps, stood a presence so unmistakable that distance itself seemed to bow before it.
In the hierarchy of the Capital, few names carried the weight of Xiao Tingyi, the Seventeenth Prince and youngest son of the Late Emperor.
As the younger half-brother to the reigning Emperor, he held the prestigious title of Prince Ding [a title signifying ‘The Prince who Stabilizes the Realm’], making him a figure of immense imperial gravity. Though he remained in the capital, he was the Commander-in-name of the Southwest Dingwang Army [the elite “Army that Settles the Borders”], a position that granted him iron-fisted authority over the empire’s most formidable military force and ensured that even the most powerful officials in the Eastern Capital treated his name with hushed reverence.
Even in stillness, he carried the bearing of dragon and phoenix alike.
A dark cloak wrapped about him (winter ceremonial mantle lined with sable; reserved for imperial princes), the hem of it brushing against frost-whitened stone. His face was pale, almost translucent in winter light, yet his eyes—deep and unmoving—held the clarity of an unfathomable spring.
One glance from him , and the air itself grew heavier.“Ayao?” Bai Siruo called from ahead. “What are you looking at?”
She stepped forward, rounding the rockery—
—and saw him.The smile drained from her lips.There was no turning back now so as steel entered her spine; she advanced with measured steps and lowered herself in formal courtesy.
“Greetings, Imperial Uncle.”(As Prince Ding is the younger brother of the Emperor, all younger generation nobles must address him as ‘Imperial Uncle’ regardless of distance in kinship.)
Xiao Tingyi inclined his head—no more than the faintest movement.For him that was acknowledgment enough.Feng Jinyao followed suit, lowering herself with precise grace.
“ Greetings ,Your Highness.”The title settled softly, yet her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
For one terrifying instant she felt exposed—like a letter half-burned yet still legible. Had he seen through her? Had the frost-bound calm of those eyes pierced the secrets she carried from another lifetime?
Bai Siruo recovered first.
“We apologize for disturbing Your Highness’s calm. We must escort our sisters to the front courtyard. We shall not intrude upon your enjoyment of the scenery.”
Without waiting for dismissal, she bowed once more and hurried Feng Jinyao away.
Once beyond thirty paces, Bai Siruo exhaled sharply.“My dear sister,” she murmured, her voice tight, “you are astonishingly bold. Do you know what befell the last person who stared at him so openly?”A sheen of cold sweat glimmered at her temples.
Beside her, Xu Mingyue (granddaughter of the Grand Secretary Xu) walked quickly but with steadier composure.Feng Jinyao frowned faintly. “He is Prince Ding? I have never seen him before.”
Bai Siruo stared at her as though she had confessed to tugging a tiger’s whiskers.“You truly fear nothing.”
She lowered her voice further.
“The Seventeenth Imperial Uncle was once the Late Emperor’s most cherished son. Had His Majesty not been many years his senior—and had the Seventeenth Prince not been gravely ill when the Late Emperor passed—who can say whose dragon throne this would be?”
Her eyes darted about; even wind might betray such words.
“The court is a chessboard of serpents. The Ninth Prince—His Majesty’s favorite—and the Empress’s eldest son have contended for years. Both have sought Prince Ding’s allegiance, for he commands the loyalty of the Southwest Dingwang Army (a border force hardened by campaign, fiercely devoted to its general). Yet he has favored neither. His mind… none can fathom its depth.”Feng Jinyao nodded gravely. “I understand. I shall avoid him.”And she meant it.
A man who survived battlefields, factional storms, and imperial suspicion alike was not one to trifle with.
After the girls departure the charcoal brazier glowed crimson in front of Xiao Tingyi.
Behind his stood Yang Zhao (personal attendant and trusted aide; always positioned one pace behind the prince’s right shoulder—a sign of intimate service and unquestioned loyalty).
Silence reigned.Then—
Cough.
Twice.
A lingering wound from a campaign ten years pasthas flare up again. Without rare medicinal decoctions (often reserved for imperial consumption), he might long ago have perished. In winter, the ailment worsened as faint blood flecked his handkerchief.
Such a pity, many would sigh. Such a face. Such a destiny. He had not intended to attend today’s celebration. Yet Elder Xu (Grand Secretary of the court) and PRIME MINISTER BAI had urged him repeatedly. Having hidden from public view for more than a year, he relented.
He had sought only quiet. Instead—he had encountered her.
The Bai family’s eldest granddaughter was said not yet to be of marriageable age. Yet that girl—
That aura.Beneath courtesy and demure bearing, something colder coiled. He, who had walked battlefields thick with blood, did not mistake such currents.
The Eastern Capital hid interesting things indeed.Color touched his pallor.As a faint smile curved his lips.
Winter, perhaps, would not be dull this time.
Back among warmth and feminine laughter, Bai Siruo clapped her hands lightly.
“Dear sisters, today is my grandmother’s birthday. My aunt has prepared ingenious trinkets to express our gratitude. Yet they cannot be taken lightly—you must solve riddles to earn them.”
A maid stepped forward bearing four bracelets: white, red, yellow, and purple (silk-threaded bangles; colors symbolizing purity, fortune, nobility, and mystery respectively).
Curiosity rippled through the gathering.“Sister Siruo, what are the bracelets for?”
Bai Siruo’s eyes sparkled.
“Simple riddles are dull. Since the banquet has not begun, why not divide into four groups? Choose a bracelet, compete together, and let us see which team triumphs. The winning sister shall receive not only a token gift…”She gestured.
A maid advanced carrying a brocade box (cloud-patterned silk, likely containing jade or rare ornamentation).“…but something far more astonishing besides.”
Laughter swelled, bright as lanternlight.Yet beneath the gaiety, in the quiet chambers of her mind, Feng Jinyao’s thoughts still moved like a blade concealed within silk.
Unless the Feng family held something worth destroying them for—
What was it?
And who would bleed first when it came to light?
🌸 Hey! Translating this story takes a LOT of time ⏰💦
If you liked it, leave a comment 📝💖 — it really makes my day!
Your support keeps the story alive and helps me deliver the next chapter faster! 🚀📖