Chapter 0312: Winters and Springs Pass, Autumn Arrives—Each Worthy of Their Own Story
The New Year passed with the sporadic crackling of firecrackers.
Empress Dowager Cao of Kunning Palace suddenly claimed illness and soon passed away.
The emperor posthumously honored her as “Longevity Empress” and promptly arranged her burial. Accompanying the coffin out of the palace was a woman clad in white outer robes.
The middle-aged woman possessed a tall, heroic stature, with elegant brows and eyes deep as dark tranquil waters. Mounted on a pure white horse, she gazed fixedly toward the imperial palace before withdrawing her gaze without a trace of nostalgia.
A straw rain hat concealed her features. With a crack of her long whip, she urged her horse forward—one person, one horse, one bundle—vanishing down the official road to Liaozhou, leaving only chaotic hoofprints reminiscent of her tumultuous life.
Henceforth, she was free and unburdened.
At the Liaozhou border, Liang Wan Da and Li Dongyao exchanged respectful greetings, having successfully resolved the issues between Coal Mountain and the bandits. Liang Wan Da climbed into his carriage, departing through the winter snow for his hometown in Yi Province.
At one moment, a horse and carriage crossed paths.
Inside the carriage, a hand warmer emitted curling smoke as the thoroughly transformed prefectural governor sipped warm tea, pondering a unfinished chess game while envisioning a future of smooth official promotions and contented citizens.
Upon the white horse, the traveling woman’s straw cloak gathered snow, her sleeves fluttering in the wind. Puffs of warm breath escaped her rosy lips as slender arms rose with the breeze. She took several swift drinks of heated liquor, her bright, spirited eyes gleaming with rebirth.
Winter faded into spring.
Jing Ze, having completed his training in Dezhou, returned to the court. His outstanding governance earned him imperial rewards, propelling him to become Jian’an’s youngest Grand Secretary with prospects of rising to chancellor and advising two sovereigns.
Ouyang Jiu joined the Investigation Institute under the Censorate, becoming the capable assistant to the upright Chen Yushi. As some officials speculated, the emperor intended to groom him for the position of Mayor of the Capital. Ji Songhua also entered the Supervisory Council, navigating effortlessly among officials with such favorable reputation that he uncovered numerous rumors inaccessible to Ouyang Jiu. Their relationship warmed, often spending holidays together accompanied by Zhu Xiaobiao, strolling through snow and spring blossoms.
Xie Shoujun was again dispatched by the emperor to the frontier, tasked with compelling the Xiongnu tribe to submit to Jian’an and sending the Xiongnu prince to the capital as a hostage. To repay Xie Shoujun’s maternal debt to Empress Dowager Cao and compensate for previously engineering his exile to the border, Xie Jinyu surrendered half his military tally and dispatched his elite troops to the frontier battlefield.
Xie Zimiao embraced the life of an idle prince, frequently visiting the Imperial Academy to attend classes with scions of noble families. Though rarely involved in state affairs, his keen intellect consistently earned him perfect scores on examinations. He displayed remarkable talent in biology, becoming engrossed in breeding sows. This infuriated Rou Fei, who wished to blame Xie Chengze for leading Xie Zimiao astray—until hearing that crossbred pork would be exceptionally flavorful, whereupon she silently swallowed her saliva.
Although the Imperial Academy’s backyard—filled with pigs and crops—was rather unsightly, it served the people’s welfare. Who could argue with food?
For the sake of cuisine, Rou Fei privately funded the Imperial Academy generously, hoping they would breed sweeter fruits and more fragrant pork.
Spring faded into autumn.
The second princess of Jian’an has married. Her partner is a talented scholar with exceptionally handsome features, but both his merchant parents have passed away from illness, leaving behind a vast mansion, immense family wealth, and a host of greedy relatives eager to claim a share of the fortune.
To protect his estate and assets, he sought out Xie Ping An, proposing a contractual marriage: he would provide financial support for her prosperity, while she would lend her influence to help him establish authority within the household.
They immediately reached an agreement and married by imperial decree.
Not to be outdone, the third princess Xie Shu attempted to select a clever young master from a noble family to bear a dragon heir. However, the Imperial Advisor decreed that she could not sleep with any man before turning twenty. Xie Shu had no choice but to reluctantly abandon her plan and instead decided to groom a young boy in advance, ensuring she would hold sway over the household in the future.
After the New Year, Da Dangjia and San Niang held their wedding ceremony. It is said that while helping Da Dangjia prepare for the celebration, Er Dangjia took a liking to a spirited woman who ran a pastry shop. Widowed early, she had single-handedly raised her son and managed to open the shop under pressure, with some discreet assistance from Sheng Yiren.
Though her life had stabilized somewhat, her young son, lacking a father, was often bullied by other children. He would return home crying, asking for a new father—one skilled in martial arts. Coincidentally, when the boy was being harassed, Er Dangjia happened to pass by and intervened. The child clung to him, calling him “Dad” and insisting on introducing him to a wife.
The woman observed Er Dangjia’s tall and sturdy build, thinking he could easily intimidate local ruffians and protect her pastry shop. She found herself growing fond of him, and after several encounters, the two became a couple.
Everyone was moving in a positive direction.