Upon hearing this, Xie Rang immediately sobered up. How could he let Yun Qing move? He turned over and went downstairs to pour her a glass of water.

Yun Qing finished her drink and felt much better. She kept an eye on Xie Rang. He knew she didn't like staying in bed, so he had gone to get her new clothes, a bright red one at that—he seemed to have a particular fondness for this color.

As for the clothes I wore last night, they've been completely ruined and are now lying on the floor.

Yun Qing glanced at it, then looked away, unable to bear looking at it directly.

Only a wealthy emperor could afford to waste resources like this.

He probably knew his own nature, and he never skimped on spending on Yun Qing's clothes, preparing different outfits for each season. The weaving bureau didn't serve the harem; its focus was entirely on Yun Qing and Xie Rang.

Xie Rang remained calm and picked up the clothes that had fallen to the ground, placing them aside.

There were no court assemblies during this period, so he could openly and legitimately spend time with Yun Qing.

Unfortunately, by the time he finished tidying up and turned around, Yun Qing had already leisurely put on her clothes, and it was no longer his turn to help.

The craftsmanship of the Imperial Textile Bureau was excellent; even with the ubiquitous red color, they could create different styles that looked simple but actually contained profound meaning.

Take, for example, the dress Yunqing is wearing today. It is embroidered with phoenixes in gold thread. Unlike the white cranes that seem ready to take flight on the official robes, it has a more noble air and is exceptionally festive. Yunqing is beautiful, and her beauty is not overshadowed at all; instead, she appears stunningly beautiful.

Xie Rang's eyes brightened slightly: "Beautiful."

At first, when Xie Rang praised her like that, Yun Qing felt a little strange. But it was probably just a matter of getting used to it. Now she no longer had that thought and urged Xie Rang, "Put your clothes on too. It's not good for the palace servants to see you walking around like this."

The palace was warm, so Xie Rang didn't have to worry about catching a cold. Outside, it would be cold everywhere, and the cold doesn't discriminate between high and low status; even His Majesty the Emperor could get it.

Xie Rang smiled and said, "Grand Tutor, you probably don't want me to be seen by others."

Yun Qing coughed lightly but didn't reply.

Xie Rang hadn't expected to get an answer. After asking, he didn't wait for her reply and went to get dressed on his own.

After finishing their brunch, they went for a stroll outside.

The palace was vast, and Xie Rang had not opened a harem, so the number of people had been reduced considerably, making it seem deserted everywhere. But from another perspective, it was a rare kind of peace, since where there are many people, there are always all sorts of intrigues and schemes.

Since her clothes were thick enough, Yun Qing didn't put on a cloak. The snowstorm had just stopped, so she and Xie Rang were able to go for a walk.

Their footsteps made a soft sound on the snow. A group of people followed behind them, but everyone was wise enough not to disturb them.

As she passed a certain spot, Yun Qing paused in her tracks.

Xie Rang noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about some things from the past." Yun Qing smiled calmly. "It was right here that I met His Majesty."

No one wants to have their humiliating past brought up, but for Yun Qing, who was a witness to it, it carries a completely different meaning.

Xie Rang followed Yun Qing's gaze and saw not only the familiar palace layout, but also the large water vat from back then, which still sat there quietly. Although no one had moved it, it had long since become dilapidated and empty.

"I originally planned to leave, but His Majesty was so pitiful that I couldn't bear to see him suffer, so I stayed."

Looking back now, it's incredible that she made this decision when she first arrived here and the surrounding situation was still unclear.

The key point is that it actually succeeded in the end.

Xie Rang took her hand in his and said softly, "Thank you for your kindness, Grand Tutor."

Along the way, Xie Rang was very clear that without Yun Qing as his backer, his path would have been extremely difficult. Although he would eventually reach the same end, the hardships he would have endured would have been unknown to others.

Yun Qing smiled, then suddenly remembered: "Qi An, where did you used to live?"

There were too many things to do before, so Yun Qing didn't inquire about these matters. Anyway, since she came, Xie Rang hadn't suffered anymore, so there was no point in talking about these things anymore.

But at this moment, Yun Qing had a strong urge to know what his past was like.

It wasn't out of sympathy, but simply because she was a lover, she wanted to know.

Xie Rang remained calm, not seeming to care much when the topic came up: "If the Grand Tutor wants to know, I can take you there."

The palace is so big, and the Cold Palace is in the most remote and desolate corner. The further you go, the fewer people there are. Xie Rang sent the guards behind him far away. Obviously, although he said he didn't care much, he was still a little concerned.

Their steps finally stopped in front of a dilapidated palace. The locks on the palace were already rusty. A guard with a sword came from behind and cut the chains in a few strokes. He went inside and quickly swept away the cobwebs before retreating to the back.

Xie Rang went in first to check the situation inside before turning around and leading Yun Qing inside together.

Nearly ten years is enough time to change many things. Wild grass has grown in many corners of the palace, almost as tall as half a person. The doors and windows look dilapidated and dusty everywhere. Only the tree in the corner is growing well, but it looks a bit withered in winter, with snow hanging on its branches.

“Even in such a place, she kept hoping and longing, thinking that the man would have a sudden change of heart and come to see her.” Xie Rang said calmly, without sarcasm or sadness, simply narrating a story. The tone of the second half of the sentence changed, “Perhaps she also knew that no one would come to see her, but she had no intention of doing so. She didn’t know how she would get through the many days to come.”

Upon hearing this, Yunqing suddenly had a vivid image in her mind. Anyone familiar with history knows that in most dynasties, women had a very difficult life, let alone women in the inner palace. Once they lost the emperor's favor, they worried about their future.

Yun Qing hesitated, "When...how old were you when she passed away?"

Historical records about Emperor Li's childhood are vague and unclear, and later generations have no way to verify them. Yun Qing had never thought of touching Xie Rang's wounds before, so she never investigated it in depth.

"Was it around six or seven years old?" Time had passed so long that his memory was hazy, and Xie Rang couldn't quite remember either. He pushed open a door, took a few steps back with Yun Qing beforehand to avoid the dust that fell, and then said softly, "I used to live there."

The Cold Palace wasn't small in size, but it was simply furnished. Following Xie Rang's pointing finger, all that could be seen was a narrow wooden bed, a table next to it, and a wardrobe behind it.

“She knew a few words and taught them all to me. Actually, I once thought that if we were an ordinary family, we should be able to live a good life.”

Xie Rang smiled, but his tone was tinged with melancholy.

Yun Qing let go of his hand and walked inside, pausing for a moment when her gaze fell on the table.

There were some words engraved on it, scattered here and there. The most prominent one was the two characters "Pray for Peace" in the center. She raised her hand and gently brushed it over, and her heart trembled.

For a fleeting moment, she felt as if she were looking directly into the eyes of that tiny child across time and space.