Spring came quickly. It was nearly time for Xue Qi's birthday. But his mother, Empress Murong, was still "ill."
The palace gossip spread to the streets.
"Do you think the Emperor will grant amnesty for the Prince's birthday?" merchants asked in the teahouse.
"Doubt it. The Empress has been out of favor for months. The little prince won't get much attention."
"I disagree. He's the only son. Even if Consort Guo has a son later, he'll be second in line."
"But look at the Murong family. They're all the way on the border. The Emperor wouldn't dare call them back."
"Why?" a young man asked.
"Don't you know why the late Emperor deposed Empress Murong?" an older man whispered. "In-laws seizing power. The Murong family was too strong. The late Emperor hated them."
"So he raised up the Deng family, and then the eunuchs, to suppress them." A young nobleman standing behind them finished the thought. "But now, the biggest threat isn't the Murongs. It's the eunuchs."
The merchants jumped, terrified.
"Young master, you shouldn't say such things."
"Why not?" The young man smiled. He wore white robes, a jade face, and eyes black as ink. "It's the truth. Even if an official were here, I would say the same."
He bowed and left, mounting his horse and riding away.
"He looks familiar," one man mused. "Wait! That's the Little General Murong I saw in Wuchuan!"
Murong Jin stopped at the palace gate.
"Halt!"
"Imperial Guard, on official business." She flashed a gold token. One side was inlaid with a red ruby character: Guard.
"Apologies!" The guards let her pass. Only the Emperor's personal guards carried that token.
She didn't go to Zhaoyang Palace. She slipped through the shadows to the Emperor's bedchamber.
Laughter. A child's bright voice.
She peeked around a pillar. Little Dingzi was playing with Xue Qi in the courtyard.
Little Dingzi? She started to leave, but bumped into a solid chest.
She leaped back, hand on her hilt.
Xue Liulan stood there, smiling lazily in his yellow robes.
She relaxed. He checked to make sure they hadn't disturbed the boy, then jerked his head. "Follow me."
He led her to his bedchamber. The door was ajar, two maids guarding it.
"Leave us."
The maids fled, delighted to be free.
He pushed the door open and went inside. She followed, closing it behind her.
"What is it?"
"You came back alone?" he asked, his back to her.
"I left Ning Bi there. She should have stayed." She omitted He Chengjian's name. The walls had ears.
"Her scars?"
"Healed." She placed a porcelain bottle on the table. "Medicine for Guo Lingyu. Since Ning Bi is fine, I'll let her off this time."
He turned. "She stole your husband, and you're letting her off?"
Murong Jin was silent. Then she laughed. "It's Qi'er's birthday. I should go prepare."
"You haven't answered my question."
"Do I need to?" She looked at her hand on the latch. "If I didn't have to worry about Guo Shangzhong, she would be dead already."
Footsteps behind her. Before she could turn, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.
"I thought you would say it didn't matter." He rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Do you think I'm that generous?"
"I was afraid you didn't care." His voice dropped. "You were gone for a month. No news. I thought you weren't coming back."
She stiffened. She remembered her conversation with Yi in the Snow Mountain clinic.
"Sister Jin, why go back? We could easily take Qi'er from the palace."
"The Murong Jin of Wuchuan is gone. The old me could die on the battlefield without a second thought. But now… I have too much I can't bear to leave."
"Because of Qi'er?"
"Because I have lost too much. Yi, I have never cherished anything as much as I do now."
"What are you thinking?" Xue Liulan asked softly.
She shook her head, turning in his arms to hug him back. "You didn't mistreat my son while I was gone, did you?"
"How could I?" He looked at her, hurt. "He's my son too. And I couldn't trust him with Guo Shangzhong."
"So you had Little Dingzi watch him?" She rolled her eyes.
"I even took him to morning court." He sounded aggrieved.
When the baby cried during court, he had almost offered a promotion to anyone who could stop it.
She stared at him, then burst out laughing. "Xue Liulan, isn't it a bit early to be training him?"
"Why not? The sooner he grows up, the sooner I can run away with you and roam the world." He looked serious.
"You?"
"I know you don't like palace life."
She buried her face in his chest, smiling.
The birthday banquet was small, just family. Guo Lingyu and Die Man sat below them. Murong Jin sat beside Xue Liulan, holding Xue Qi.
"I heard the Empress was ill for days. Has she recovered?" Die Man stood, raising her cup.
"I am fine." Murong Jin nodded, but didn't drink.
Xue Liulan picked up his cup. "The Empress is just recovering. I will drink for her."
"Your Majesty, surely you don't need to trouble yourself," Guo Lingyu said, glaring at Murong Jin. The scar on her face was still visible. "The Empress looks perfectly healthy to me."
"Sister Guo is wrong," Die Man laughed, covering her mouth. "Our Empress has skin like white jade. Flawless."
Murong Jin frowned, focusing on feeding Qi'er.
The baby looked at Guo Lingyu, then at his mother. He squirmed, trying to get down. Smack. His sleeve caught a bowl, sending it crashing to the floor.
"Wah!" He started to cry.
"Peace and safety for every year! Peace and safety!" Little Dingzi chanted, rushing to clean up the shards.
"Peace and safety? More like a short life," Guo Lingyu sneered, flicking her sleeve and storming out.
Murong Jin comforted the baby, exchanging a look with Xue Liulan. The better he treated Qi'er, the harder the boy's life would be.