AEOGA CH67

After Frost Descent, autumn departed and winter arrived, leaving Yujing bone-chillingly cold. Snow fluttered down continuously for days, cloaking the earth in silver, while cold plum blossoms bloomed in full glory on the branches, creating a scene of breathtaking beauty. Yet people snuggled inside the palace, keeping close to charcoal fires for warmth, with no desire to go outdoors and freeze for the sake of enjoying the view.

With the roads covered in snow and travel made difficult, Lu Xuechao showed consideration for everyone by granting a special dispensation to waive the daily routine assemblies. Unless there was important business, no one needed to go outside anymore.

The climate of Changli was bitterly cold, and Yujing, being in the extreme north, became a world of ice and snow every winter. Its reputation as the “White Jade Capital of the Heavens” was partly due to this vast expanse of pure white snow.

The Directorate of Palace Attendants distributed charcoal and winter clothing to every palace. Chongxue Palace, in particular, was supplied with a generous amount of silver-wire charcoal—His Majesty had specifically instructed that His Highness the Empress was sensitive to the cold, so the heating preparations had to be utterly thorough, and His Highness must not be allowed to catch cold or freeze.

In truth, did that even need special instructions? Even back in former years when His Highness the Empress was still a deposed empress in the Cold Palace, His Majesty had already exhorted them time and again to send the most ice in summer and the most charcoal in winter, ensuring that His Highness’s residence was warm in winter and cool in summer. Year after year, it had been like this until their ears grew calluses.

Common folk did not have such fine conditions as the palace. Unable to afford charcoal, they had only a thin quilt for warmth. Going out to work was biting cold to the bone, yet staying hidden at home left them unable to maintain a livelihood. Every winter, no one knew how many people froze or starved to death. Fortunately, this year had Lin Chanzhi, whose rice fields and cotton fields yielded a bumper harvest. The shops Lu Xuechao had previously ordered to be purchased came in handy, selling grain and cotton clothing at low prices, while the method for curing preserved meat was widely publicized so that the populace could survive the harsh winter.

Pity that in this freezing weather, Xie Chongjin and his ministers still had to attend court daily.

As soon as Xie Chongjin left court, he headed straight for Chongxue Palace.

Clad in deep-purple dragon court robes with a black-collared, fur-trimmed cloak draped over him, the hanging tassels of his crown tinkled softly. Carrying a gust of wind and snow, he pushed open the palace door of Chongxue Palace and quickly shut it again, not letting the chill outside invade the interior.

“Where is Qingshu?” he asked.

A palace servant bowed: “His Highness is in the warm pavilion reading a book.”

On such a freezing day, all outdoor activities had ceased, so staying indoors to read was the only way to pass the time.

Xie Chongjin rushed straight to the warm pavilion. The moment he stepped inside, a rolling wave of heat washed over him. The difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures was like night and day. The room was comfortably warm, which not only melted away the chill he had brought in from the ice and snow, but even made him feel hot wrapped in his heavy court attire.

Lu Xuechao was leaning half against the daybed, his eyes lowered in deep concentration as he read a book. He was so absorbed that he didn’t even notice Xie Chongjin come in.

Xie Chongjin took off his imperial crown, untied his snow-dusted cloak, and walked silently to Lu Xuechao’s side, suddenly speaking up: “What book are you reading?”

Startled, Lu Xuechao looked up at him and closed the book: “You didn’t make a sound coming in, were you trying to scare me?”

“That’s truly wronging me. It was clearly you who were reading so intently that you didn’t even pay attention to me when I arrived. What book is so good?” Xie Chongjin glanced at the title on the cover. “Complete Compendium of Weaponry Fabrication…”

He paused: “And here I thought you were reading poetry or popular novels; I didn’t expect you to be studying so hard.”

“I said I would craft weapons stronger than Yelang’s, so I can’t just conjure them out of thin air,” Lu Xuechao said. “I have to learn.”

Xie Chongjin let out a soft sigh: “Qingshu works too hard for my sake.”

“I am not working hard for your sake. I am a person of Changli, so doing my utmost for Changli is only as it should be.” Lu Xuechao reopened the book. “You handle a myriad of daily affairs with an endless stack of memorials to review and imperial decrees to approve every day; where would you find the time to worry about these things? You need only do the work of an emperor well and leave the rest without concern—otherwise, what would be the purpose of your ministers?”

Xie Chongjin sat down on the daybed, letting Lu Xuechao lean against him, and emphasized: “You are not a minister, you are my spouse.”

“I know.” Lu Xuechao smiled and tapped his own head. “Father Emperor’s dying wish was for me to assist you well. Those with capability should bear more work; letting this go to waste would be a true waste.”

Xie Chongjin joked: “With you worrying so much, this emperor position ought to be given to you instead, while I simply live off my wife’s success.”

Had anyone else heard these words, they would likely have dropped to their knees in terror, proclaiming they dared not harbor any thoughts of coveting the throne. Lu Xuechao, upon hearing it, pondered seriously for a moment before shaking his head: “If I were emperor, I wouldn’t do as good a job as you.”

Those who achieve great things must possess an unshakeable mind. Lu Xuechao was unwilling to let his mind rust away; he had strived to learn so many different skills across so many lifetimes, firstly to fight against the mastermind behind the scenes, and secondly because he had to find something to do so he wouldn’t lose himself in that endless, torturous cycle capable of driving anyone insane.

Being trapped in a stretch of time with nothing to do for too long would destroy a person’s willpower. Learning different things provided a sense of novelty, making him feel that he was still a living, breathing human whose time was flowing, rather than a monster living eternally in a loop, allowing him to retain his last shred of clarity and reason.

Xie Chongjin, on the other hand, had genuinely squandered so many lifetimes, existing as a walking corpse for so many years, living day after day and year after year according to a set program.

Lu Xuechao had always died young in every life, not living as long as Xie Chongjin. Xie Chongjin’s life was the one that was truly devoid of freedom until death, far more unbearable than his own.

If it were him, after experiencing so many lifetimes of muddle-headed, wasted time, could he—upon suddenly gaining freedom—not go mad, keep his brain from rusting, and quickly throw himself into state affairs, revitalizing Changli and handling administrative matters in perfect order?

Lu Xuechao had never experienced it, so he couldn’t be sure of the answer.

However, he felt that he would not do better than Xie Chongjin.

No one in this world could do better than Xie Chongjin.

Xie Chongjin smiled, shifting the topic: “Qingshu’s birthday is coming up. I must hold a grand birthday banquet for you right here in Chongxue Palace. I owe you for so many times… I ought to make it up to you all at once.”

Lu Xuechao was born on the fifth day of the eleventh lunar month, the day after Major Snow.

Winter in Yujing brought snow almost every day, and on the day of Major Snow among the twenty-four solar terms, the heavy snow fluttered down true to its name. Lu Xuechao was born on a snowy night, and the next morning, as the morning cloud glow rose, he was born. Curiously, the moment he was born, the snow that had fallen all night stopped, revealing a bright morning glow; that day became a rare, completely sunny winter day in Changli.

Hence, he was named Xuechao.

On that day, the Empress had carried the one-year-old Crown Prince out of the palace, smiling as she said, “The snow has cleared to a bright sky after days of heavy snow. Huaiyun was so cooped up in the palace; look, isn’t the morning glow outside beautiful?”

The little Crown Prince babbled and laughed, gazing at the morning glow with bright eyes.

Later, when Lu Xuechao married into the Eastern Palace, the Empress mentioned this past event to him, smiling as she said that perhaps their fate had been forged back then.

Xie Chongjin had always attached great importance to Lu Xuechao’s birthday. Every year after the age of six, Xie Chongjin had accompanied him to celebrate his birthday without fail, sending one gift a year from when he was seven all the way until he was seventeen.

After entering the Cold Palace at seventeen, on his birthday, Xie Chongjin had still not forgotten to send a gift through someone. One look made it clear it was personally and meticulously chosen, though it was a pity he couldn’t present it in person or throw a grand birthday banquet for him.

Not to mention how many years in past lives Lu Xuechao could not celebrate his birthday, having only his death anniversary instead.

Lu Xuechao said: “Given Changli’s current situation, let’s not make it grand or wasteful. Otherwise, I won’t be happy seeing it.”

“I know our Qingshu is thrifty and manages the household well,” Xie Chongjin said with a smile. “It won’t be wasteful.”

Strictly speaking, only after passing this birthday would Lu Xuechao truly reach twenty years of age.

Only then did everyone realize that His Highness the Empress was merely at the age of adulthood.

It was simply that Lu Xuechao was too formidable and all-capable, and his usual demeanor was so distant and cold—like ice and snow that hadn’t melted for thousands of years—that he seemed to have lived for a very long time. They had all treated him like a deity, overlooking that he was still so young, barely a few years older than themselves.

For His Highness the Empress’s birthday, the entire inner palace was naturally going to celebrate. Not just Xie Chongjin, but everyone began preparing birthday gifts for Lu Xuechao, wracking their brains in an effort not to be outdone by others.

Inside Hanxiang Pavilion, Hua Yan was picking and choosing through a pile of treasures in the storeroom.

“The color of this satin is too tacky; it’s not worthy of His Highness the Empress.”

“This white jade bracelet can be called white jade? It’s not even as white as His Highness’s wrist!”

“This won’t do either. Vulgar gold and silver items—His Highness definitely won’t like them.”

In choosing a gift, Hua Yan’s decision paralysis was flaring up.

He quietly went to probe his neighbor, Tanhua Fu: “Xinian, what gift have you prepared for His Highness?”

Fu Xinian replied: “An isolated original volume of poetry by the former dynasty’s great lyricist Li Qinghe, and a set of the Four Treasures of the Study.”

Hua Yan clicked his tongue: “You cultured people send things with so much culture. Should I also go hunt for some rare isolated volumes then?”

“Isolated volumes are hard to come by; mine was also obtained by chance,” Fu Xinian said. “Giving a gift is about the thought. If you blend some rouge and powder, His Highness will like it as well.”

Hua Yan felt troubled: “I did blend some, but His Highness the Empress’s lips are red without lipstick and his brows are dark without makeup. Whatever color I blend won’t look as good as His Highness naturally does. His Highness’s beauty is completely natural; adding makeup would actually spoil it.”

Powder and makeup were mere embellishments, whereas Lu Xuechao was naturally stunning without them.

Fu Xinian helped brainstorm: “Then blend a fragrance.”

“I previously sent the Cold Plum Fragrance, and there is no fragrance better suited for His Highness than that one; even if I blend another, it won’t be as good.”

Fu Xinian joined in pondering: “I heard His Highness the Empress is proficient in music theory. Though I haven’t had the fortune to hear him, what if you send a zither?”

Though Hua Yan was unversed in literature, he was skilled in song and dance, understood music theory, and possessed the ability to appreciate zithers.

Hua Yan glared at him: “Where do you think the phrase ‘zither and qin in harmony’ comes from? When His Majesty was the Crown Prince, he gave the Crown Princess a seven-string zither. The Crown Princess played the zither while the Crown Prince beat the qin—zither and qin in harmony, a loving couple. Ever since, His Highness the Empress has only used that zither. If I send a zither, wouldn’t that be competing with His Majesty for his person?”

“…” This time, even Fu Xinian was stumped. “I haven’t heard of that, nor have I heard His Highness play the zither since entering the palace.”

Fu Xinian naturally hadn’t heard of it. It was a story Xie Chongjin had mentioned when talking to Hua Yan.

In fact, Hua Yan hadn’t seen that zither either.

“His Majesty and His Highness the Empress are busy to death, so they naturally don’t have time to play the zither and qin.” Hua Yan lifted his foot and started walking outside. “I knew you were unreliable; I’d better figure out a way myself.”

“Hey—” Fu Xinian watched his retreating back and wanted to call out, but Hua Yan had already walked far away.

He shook his head secretly, letting out a helpless smile: “You say I’m unreliable, yet every time something comes up, you’re the first to look for me.”