As the cold winters and hot summers pass, it's time for the snow to melt and all things to come back to life.

Wenxue Restaurant launched trendy dishes to suit the occasion, which led to a temporary rebound in business.

Merchants from all over the country, officials who had been demoted or promoted, and scholars traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations... all gathered together.

Local people no longer need to go to restaurants that hire storytellers; they can simply listen to a storyteller at the Wenxue Restaurant and know everything that is happening in the world.

When Ye Wenxue heard that several regular customers had come, she specially brought two bowls of dishes that Siwang had just come up with and sent them to the private room.

As soon as he stepped out of the kitchen, a merchant dressed in a fur coat slammed his hand on the table:

"What benefit would I gain from lying to you? When I was selling goods on the grasslands, you were probably still playing in the mud somewhere!"

The people at the next table jeered, "Zhong Laosan, it's not that we don't believe you, but what you're saying isn't firsthand experience, it's clearly gibberish!"

"Oh, this nameless soldier under General Qi killed hundreds of enemy soldiers on his first battlefield appearance and single-handedly turned the tide of battle, turning defeat into victory."

"In four years, he rose from a lowly soldier to the General Who Guards the North. He was victorious in every battle he commanded, and he even rushed to the aid of the enemy hundreds of times, arriving in time each time and defeating the enemy decisively."

This year, he has even become a renowned regent!

"Listen to this, who would believe that? On the frontier, merit is based on military achievements. It's not uncommon for soldiers to go from having nothing to having everything in just a few years. But nothing this exaggerated. I think you've got it wrong!"

"The new regent and the General of the North cannot be the same person."

The merchant named Zhong Laosan blushed and said, "Impossible! When I was trading goods on the border, I encountered a few unruly people sneaking into the city. General Ye was just a soldier back then, and he saved my life!"

Last year before the Lunar New Year, I was selling furs in the capital and saw the Regent traveling with my own eyes—there's no mistake! He had a huge scar on his face; how could I be wrong!

Ye Wenxue paused, turned the dish around, placed it on Zhong Laosan's table, and sat down herself.

"Really? Such an amazing person is rare. Can you tell me more? Consider these two dishes my payment for listening to your story."

While Zhong Laosan was still in a daze, his deskmate readily agreed, and they chatted happily, one after the other.

"Speaking of which, Manager Ye and the newly enthroned Regent are from the same clan. I've heard that the Regent's real name is Ye Qing, and he has a slight blood relation to the Huo family from back then."

Ye Wenxue blinked. What kind of weird name is that?

"Huh? The Huo family isn't... how come he was still given such an important position and became regent?"

Old Zhong, regaining his senses, picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks: "Your information is outdated. Before General Ye became regent, he had already exonerated the Huo family. It was someone in the court vying for power who framed the Huo family! Alas, it's a pity that the Huo family was full of heroes..."

"Ahem," a well-informed merchant said in a low voice, "I have received some news, but I don't know if it's true or not. This General Ye Qing is the only bloodline of the Huo family, named Huo Zhaoqing."

Ye Wenxue was not surprised, and even guessed that the message was personally sent by Huo Zhaoqing in preparation for the next move.

She looked over in the same direction as everyone else in the hall.

The merchant looked left and right, then lowered his voice and continued:

"Weren't all the women of the Huo family exiled back then? The Huo family is a family of military generals, and every woman in the family is extremely capable."

It was a terrible start, but most people survived. Only Madam Huo, the rumored mother of Huo Zhaoqing… followed General Huo to her death shortly after.

Ye Wenxue lowered her eyes and suddenly understood why Zhiwu had said that the man was extremely decadent and had no will to live when she left the town at the foot of the mountain.

Zhong Laosan sighed and suddenly asked, "Do you know where the Huo family women are now? I have received great favors from the Regent, so I should at least take care of his family."

The merchant scoffed, "Do we need your help? The year the Huo family women were exiled, they were kidnapped before they even reached their place of exile. The hundreds of officials escorting them were all killed, not a single one was spared."

He faced Zhong Laosan's gaze and said, "...Okay, I don't know where the Huo family women are either. I've only heard that most of them are still alive."

Zhong Laosan took a sip of wine and was about to say a few more words when someone rushed in from outside.

He strode to a table in the corner and knelt down: "My lord, news has come from the capital that His Majesty passed away on New Year's Eve, and the Regent will temporarily oversee the country!"

The situation in the capital has changed drastically; the old master orders you to return home immediately!

The man was so excited that he didn't lower his voice at all, and the entire first floor of the restaurant could hear him clearly.

The young man, referred to as "the adult," called the waiter to settle the bill and then left immediately.

While everyone was still in shock, Ye Wenxue quietly went back to the backyard, rubbed Yuanyuan's flushed face, and for some reason recalled the boy's burning and determined eyes when they were deep in the mountains.

Five years have passed so quickly.

＊

The emperor's death was a major event, and since he had not appointed a crown prince before his death, the entire court was in turmoil for a period of time.

During this period, the regent took the initiative to expose Huo Zhaoqing's identity, revealing to the world the late emperor's conspiracy and the secret dealings he had done with the princes, and purging the court with swift and decisive measures.

When the message reached Wenxue Restaurant, Ye Wenxue was taken aback.

It's impossible to reconcile the regent, who is decisive and can kill with a single glance, with the boy who was beaten up in the mountains that year.

It wasn't until six months later that the regent overpowered his ministers and ascended the throne, completing the change of dynasty at minimal cost.

"Mom, I'll wash the vegetables, you go and rest."

"It's nothing," Ye Wenxue said without looking up. "You only get three days off on the fifteenth of each lunar month, that's too much work for you. Dazhuang, you should go and rest. Siwang and I are here."

"mother……"

"Alright, alright, Cheng Zhihuai, that's fine. If you don't want to rest, take Yuanyuan to the clinic and call Sanyuan back. It's already dark, and he still hasn't come home."

Cheng Zhihuai hesitated for a moment, then squeezed past Si Wang and washed the vegetables with Ye Wenxue:

“Mother, the teacher said that with the new emperor’s ascension to the throne and the change of dynasty, there might be an additional imperial examination… The teacher wants me to take the exam.”

Ye Wenxue was slightly taken aback, and called to Siwang, who was puffing out his cheeks in anger: "Your mother and your eldest brother have something to discuss. You take Yuanyuan to pick up your third brother and bring him back for dinner."

Siwang responded listlessly, found Yuanyuan digging for earthworms in the yard, washed her hands, and led her out the door.

Ye Wenxue then looked at Cheng Zhihuai. Five years had passed, and the child was only thirteen or fourteen years old, yet he had matured far too early.

What are your thoughts?

Cheng Zhihuai kept his head down: "I...I don't know. Mother, being an official doesn't seem to have any good aspects. Besides, the restaurant still needs me, I don't want to..."

Ye Wenxue wiped her hands clean and patted Cheng Zhihuai's head:

"If you're worried about the restaurant, I'll hire a few more staff tomorrow; if you're worried about your younger siblings, you can rest assured with me here. If you're still uneasy, go and pay your respects to your parents..."

Cheng Zhihuai stared at her intently, then suddenly spoke: "Mother, I've wanted to ask this for a long time, do you really have no feelings for Suiye? Or is it because of us...?"