The world is ever-changing, shifting like mulberry fields with each passing day.

On the long avenue, two carriages from the Eastern Palace blocked the center of the road, yet no one dared step forward to advise them; those on horseback dismounted, and those driving carriages took a detour.

Xu Guiyi's mind drifted with uncertainty as she spoke, "I hadn't expected the Cheng and Pei families to be so close to one another."

Having sat for so long, Lu Zhirou grew uneasy as well, and only offered a brief explanation, "I've heard... that the late General Feihong, who died in battle on the northern frontier six years ago, was once a fellow disciple with the Duke of Cheng. The old madam of the Cheng family was also General Feihong's adoptive mother..."

Xu Guiyi's eyes lit up instantly, her gaze unusually bright. Fearing she had omitted something important, Lu Zhirou quickly added, "All this was told to me in secret by my mother before I married. She was afraid that, being young and inexperienced, I might utter something inappropriate in the Eastern Palace and offend someone without realizing it. Your Highness, I mean nothing by this—I'm not trying to stir up trouble, I..."

Xu Guiyi held her breath, her tone gentle and soft, "Madam Lu's heartfelt care for you is a blessing. To have one's mother constantly by one's side, teaching the ways of the world and the discernment of right from wrong, is a fortune many envy but few possess."

"Your Highness..." Lu Zhirou was briefly at a loss for words.

"After the defeat at Chelan City six years ago, the Pei family of the Marquis of Wujing vanished from the world, while the Cheng family has since ascended step by step. The fortunes of life truly differ from person to person," Xu Guiyi said, her voice faint, as if sighing.

Lu Zhirou steadied herself, gazing out the window before continuing, "Your Highness, there is much you may not know. Our Guangling is the imperial capital, and things change so quickly here, not even two eyes can keep up with it all."

Xu Guiyi looked to Lu Zhirou, gesturing for her to go on.

Encouraged, Lu Zhirou began in earnest, "After General Feihong died in Chelan City, a year later His Majesty appointed the Duke of Cheng to take command of the military forces in the five northern cities. Later, the third master of the Cheng family was transferred to serve as the magistrate of Xinzhou. Xinzhou is the leading city in the north, which shows how highly His Majesty regards the Duke of Cheng."

"But at the Cheng residence just now, we met the second and third masters, yet not the Duke himself. Why did they not return together?" Xu Guiyi surmised.

Lu Zhirou shook her head. "You may not be aware, Your Highness, but early this summer, something happened in Xinzhou. The third master was dismissed from office and has been idle at home ever since." At the time, Xu Guiyi had been preoccupied with wedding preparations and had missed this news.

Just then, the carriage began to move, rolling forward slowly—no doubt the prince ahead had finished his mourning and remembrance.

"Yet, by your account, the Cheng family was entirely unaffected by the Pei family's case all those years ago," Xu Guiyi pointed out. Given how close the two families were, that seemed rather odd.

Lu Zhirou pondered a moment before replying, "Not entirely unaffected. Since the incident six years ago, the old madam of the Cheng family fell ill, her health worsening with every passing year. The household affairs have been managed by the second madam ever since. That’s why I haven't seen the old lady at any gatherings in recent years."

A sting, like that of a poisonous insect, pricked Xu Guiyi’s heart, leaving a dull ache.

After a pause, she asked again, "At the Cheng house, we saw the heir of Prince Huai. I couldn't help but notice that something was amiss in his demeanor. Does he have some connection to the Cheng family?"

Lu Zhirou’s expression grew awkward. Every question from a clever person cut straight to the heart.

"Is it something you cannot say?" Xu Guiyi asked, noting her discomfort.

Lu Zhirou looked even more ill at ease, and after a moment replied quietly, "It's not exactly a connection, but... there once was an engagement between the heir of Prince Huai and Lady Cheng..."

"What?!" How could that not be a connection? "An engagement? If there was one, why would she marry into the Eastern Palace..." to become a consort to the illustrious Fu Lanchen?

The House of Prince Huai—what a fine family, and the prince's heir is the very picture of noble grace. What was the Cheng family thinking? What was Cheng Hewei thinking? Of the thousand questions in Xu Guiyi’s heart, nine hundred were about the Chengs.

"Your Highness, please don't be upset. Lady Cheng gave up a match with Prince Huai's house and chose the Eastern Palace instead out of necessity. I don't know the details—my father would never tell me such things. But I heard from others that Lady Cheng broke off her engagement with the prince's heir in the summer, and was then selected for the Eastern Palace. I think it was when the third master was detained in Xinzhou; it took the intervention of the Empress' family, the Marquis of Changping, for him to return safely to Guangling. Though stripped of office, at least his life was spared," Lu Zhirou confided, leaning closer to Xu Guiyi and whispering in her ear.

Xu Guiyi followed her train of thought, "Then does it not mean that His Highness..."—hinting at something akin to coercion.

Lu Zhirou grew suddenly uneasy, sitting in silence for a long while before finally saying, "I don’t believe it was His Highness’s doing."

"Why?" Xu Guiyi pressed.

"I think, with his temperament, His Highness would never meddle in such court intrigues."

Whether it was the Cheng family’s influence or Cheng Hewei herself, if Fu Lanchen desired them, it would not have been in this manner.

It was said that on the next day, at noon, the Duke of Cheng arrived and rushed straight into the mourning hall, falling to his knees at the entrance, and crawled to the altar. There, he cried out, "Mother!"—a long, mournful wail that lingered in the air.

Such a cold and proud general, such a despairing and heartbroken son—news of it moved all who heard to sorrow.

"Xiyue, I want some chestnut cake." In Chunhui Hall, Xu Guiyi sat despondently beneath the eaves, her eyes misty as she spoke in a low voice.

For a moment, Xiyue thought she must have misheard, Xu Guiyi’s voice was so faint. Yet after replaying it in her mind, she was certain—Xu Guiyi had indeed asked for chestnut cake. "Your Highness, haven’t you always disliked chestnut cake? Why today..."

Today was the third day of the tenth month, the day the old madam of the Cheng family was laid to rest.

Xu Guiyi had never eaten much, and lately she’d eaten even less. Now that she had asked for chestnut cake, Xiyue dared not question her further, and summoned Qingyu to accompany Xu Guiyi while she hurried to the kitchen.

Xu Guiyi buried her head tightly between her knees, hot tears soaking her dress. She had imagined countless times over these days—if the tragedy of years past had not occurred, if the Pei family still lived, the old madam would not have suffered years of illness only to pass away with regret.

Even on the day of the old madam’s centenary, at least she could have stood by her side as a niece, watching over her spirit for one last journey—instead of sitting, as now, in the Eastern Palace, weeping in silence, with grief she dared not reveal.

Even something as small as chestnut cake had to be kept secret.

She had always loved chestnut cake—especially the kind made by the old madam herself.

Six years ago, when she first assumed the identity of Xu Guiyi, her father told her to forget her past. She resolved to abandon every old preference.

She never picked up a paintbrush again, nor did she eat chestnut cake. At the Xu residence, the kitchen still made it, but even when it was placed before her, she would avoid it and choose something else.

Over time, Xiyue nearly stopped making chestnut cake altogether.

Because of the old madam’s passing, the emperor postponed the royal autumn hunt from early to late October.

In the Changqiu Palace, the empress sighed, "His Majesty must be thinking of the Duke of Cheng. Since his youth, the Duke has always been by His Majesty’s side, serving as his personal protector. When His Majesty first ascended the throne and the princes fell into chaos, the Duke saved him from peril time and again. Later, when foreign enemies invaded, it was the Duke who led the charge to the frontier, guarding the realm for over twenty years with unwavering loyalty. Of all those alive today, only the Duke has such a bond with His Majesty."

Only the Duke of Cheng.

Because all the others—whether lost in war or intrigue—are gone, and the dead speak no more.

Seated below the empress, Xu Guiyi wore a gentle smile, quietly hiding her slender hands inside her sleeves, lest the empress’s sharp eyes catch sight of the blue-purple bruises around her wrists.

She had inflicted those marks herself, gripping hard in order to suppress her indignation.

Xu Guiyi spoke warmly, "The Duke of Cheng has devoted his life to warfare, serving my father loyally—he is truly exemplary." Those eight words, and none could be more apt.

"Indeed. Although there was trouble with the Xinzhou case a few months ago, and the third master was dismissed, His Majesty turned a blind eye out of regard for the Duke," the empress remarked lightly, as if she had never ordered the Song family to interfere in Xinzhou’s affairs.

She knew full well that, without her covert maneuvering, how would Cheng Hewei have rejected the marriage to Prince Huai’s heir and instead sought to become the Eastern Palace’s concubine?

The empress maintained her smile, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles on her sleeve. "Your Highness, you must have heard about Prince Qi investigating the case in Jiangdong?"

Xu Guiyi dipped her head in acknowledgment. "When I last came to the palace, I ran into Princess Qi at the gate. She told me about it."

"What did she say to you?" The empress’s face froze for a moment, though she kept her smile.

"She said Prince Qi had gone to Jiangdong to investigate, that everything was going well, and that he’d be back soon." Xu Guiyi’s expression was honest; Princess Qi had indeed said nothing more.

The empress softened her tone, "Is that so? So Prince Qi will be back soon. I wonder how the case is progressing?" She glanced at Xu Guiyi and added kindly, "As women of the inner palace, we shouldn’t meddle in state affairs, but since this case concerns your father, I can’t help but worry. Rendu, go to Deqing Hall and see if you can learn anything about Jiangdong, then report back to me." Her expression was sincere, as if she genuinely cared about the fate of the Xu family.

Xu Guiyi rose and bowed, gratitude on her face. "Thank you, Mother."

"Silly child, there’s no need for thanks. We’re all family—there should be no distance between us," the empress said, repeatedly stopping Xu Guiyi from bowing.

Watching Empress Song’s self-satisfied smile, Xu Guiyi couldn’t help but wonder if, the day the old madam of the Cheng family lay gravely ill and Cheng Hewei came begging at Changqiu Palace, she had heard these exact same words.

The Duke of Cheng held command of two hundred thousand troops in the five northern cities. Throughout years of strife among the princes, he had never favored any one of them. But ever since the Xinzhou affair, the Cheng family’s stance had shifted significantly—especially after Cheng Hewei married into the Eastern Palace.

In the game of Go, the emperor claimed to be a national master. One wonders if he knew that his own empress was just as skilled at hunting her prey.