Inside Qiwu Palace, A-Yuan listened to the shadow guards' whispered reports about the chaos at Kunning Palace and the final outcome, a cold smile curving her lips. Xiao Chengkang walked to her side carrying a bowl of freshly brewed calming soup.

"With Granny Lin expelled and Madam Lin confined, it can be considered that one of her wings has been broken," Xi Lingyuan said softly as she took the soup bowl. "However... it failed to damage her fundamentals."

"A cornered dog will jump over the wall, and its demise will be swift." Xiao Chengkang's voice was calm, his gaze profound. "After this incident, her standing in His Majesty's eyes has plummeted, and the hearts of men in the palace are in turmoil. The forces she has planted will inevitably be affected. We only need to wait for the right opportunity to gather more irrefutable evidence of her forming cliques and wreaking havoc on the court. One strike... and it will be fatal." He gently put his arm around A Yuan's shoulder. "Drink some soup first. You haven't slept all night; you need to rest well."

Upon hearing this, Xi Lingyuan drank the warm soup, leaned against him, and felt his steady heartbeat. The anger in her heart was gradually replaced by warmth. The thrilling "detoxification" experience of last night was still fresh in her mind, making this moment of peace all the more precious.

In late autumn in Jiangnan, the Chrysanthemum Manor was still a sea of ​​golden chrysanthemums. A cool breeze carried the crisp fragrance of chrysanthemums and the moist scent of earth. Shen Yuewei sat on a warm couch by the window, her needle and thread weaving as she carefully stuffed the last few dried chrysanthemum petals into a plain brocade pillowcase. Outside the window, Xiao Chengjing stood with his hands behind his back beside the sea of ​​chrysanthemums, watching the villagers carefully harvest the late-blooming "Jade Feather Tube" and "Jade Phoenix Terrace," preparing for the final drying.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! A letter from Xiling has arrived!" Uncle Fu's slightly excited voice broke the silence of the room. He strode in, holding a thin, dusty envelope in both hands.

Shen Yuewei's needle and thread stopped abruptly, her heart leaping! She almost immediately put down the pillowcase, her fingertips trembling slightly, and took the long-awaited letter from home.

She eagerly tore it open. The letter was only a thin sheet, the handwriting slightly hurried, yet still clear and organized. In the letter, Xiao Chengkang briefly mentioned that the capital of Xiling had recently appeared "peaceful," and that Empress Lin seemed to have become much more "well-behaved" after being confined to Kunning Palace. He subtly mentioned that he and A Yuan had resolved a "minor trouble," and that both were well, telling their parents not to worry.

The letter specifically mentioned that A Yuan was gaining more and more favor in front of the Emperor and had begun to assist in handling some trivial matters of state. Xi Linghao's spirits seemed to have improved slightly under the careful care of A Yuan's diet and the pills he prepared.

Finally, he inquired about the well-being of his parents in Jiangnan, and also asked about the safety of his sister An'an in the north, whether his sister Shen Zhao had given birth safely, and how his children Ning'er and Yan'er in the capital were doing in their studies. His words revealed his concern for his family.

Shen Yuewei read the letter word by word, her fingers unconsciously tracing the familiar handwriting on the paper, as if she could touch her son who was thousands of miles away. When she saw "the minor trouble has been resolved" and "all is well," her heart finally eased slightly, but she knew all too well the treacherous nature of the Western Palace. Behind those two words of "peace and tranquility," she knew how many heart-wrenching events were hidden. Especially when she read about A Yuan beginning to participate in court politics, she was both pleased with the girl's intelligence and courage and couldn't help but worry even more—a tall tree catches the wind; would the Lin family let it go so easily?

"What did Kang'er say?" Xiao Chengjing had entered the room at some point and was standing beside her.

Shen Yuewei handed him the letter, her voice tinged with a bittersweet relief mixed with a deeper concern: "Kang'er said he and A Yuan are both well, and Xi Ling has been outwardly calm lately... A Yuan is a very capable child, and has already begun to help His Majesty with some affairs... but..." She gazed at the deepening autumn colors outside the window, "I still feel uneasy. That Lin family is a venomous snake; after being confined for a month, how could she truly be docile?"

Xiao Chengjing quickly scanned the letter, his composed face revealing little emotion, but a hint of seriousness flickered deep in his eyes. He put the letter away and gently patted his wife's hand: "Kang'er is quick-witted, and A-Yuan is no ordinary person either. Since they say they are all well, we should believe them. As for the Lin family," a cold glint flashed in his eyes, "a snake with its fangs removed, trapped in a cage, even if it is unwilling, needs time to accumulate venom. Kang'er mentioned in her letter that things appear peaceful on the surface, so they must already be on guard. Don't worry too much, lest you harm your health." His gaze fell on the chrysanthemum pillow on the bed, which was almost completely filled with flowers. "Kang'er will definitely return safely, and with this calming pillow you made yourself, she can have a good night's sleep."

Shen Yuewei followed his gaze, and the heavy worry in her heart seemed to be slightly soothed by her husband's steady words and the chrysanthemum pillow in front of her, which held endless longing. She took a deep breath, the cool air with the fragrance of chrysanthemums refreshing her heart, and whispered, "Hmm... I hope so."