The harsh winter in the north has passed, but it is still cold. However, inside the warm pavilion of the general's mansion, the charcoal fire burns red-hot, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Shen Zhao held Xi'er, who was wrapped up tightly, and was teasing her with a brightly colored plush toy. Xuan Ge'er, on the thick carpet, was chasing after the little rocking horse that Lu Qi had just carved, crawling very fast and giggling.

"Slow down, you brat!" Lu Qi sat cross-legged on the carpet, looking at his son with undisguised pride and doting affection.

At this moment, Lu Xiao, enveloped in a chill, lifted the curtain and entered, holding a letter weathered by time: "A letter from Xiling Kingdom! It's from Kang Kang! And there's also Xiling's official letter of credence!"

"Give it to me! Give it to me! Let me see!" Shen Zhao immediately put down the doll and eagerly stretched out her hand. Seeing this, Lu Qi quickly picked up his son, who had crawled away, and went over to join in the fun.

The letter was written by Xiao Chengkang himself, detailing the dramatic events that had unfolded in the capital of Xiling: the Lin family's conspiracy was exposed, Zhao Zheng and Lianxing were executed, the Lin family was deposed, and Xiling Che and his mother were forced to live in seclusion at a villa. He concluded calmly by writing, "King Hao of Xiling is seriously ill and has abdicated in favor of Ayuan. The edict will soon be proclaimed throughout the land. Ayuan and I are well, so please do not worry. The northern frontier is bitterly cold; please take good care of yourselves, An'an, Zhaozhao, and all your nephews and nieces."

"Oh my god!" Shen Zhao covered her mouth after reading it, both surprised and delighted. "Sister A Yuan... is going to be an empress?! Brother Kang Kang... he... he'll be... he'll be the emperor's consort in the future?" Her eyes sparkled, filled with excitement and surprise.

Lu Qi clicked his tongue in amazement: "Good heavens! The Empress of Xiling! Look at this kid, he's really something!" He patted his son's bottom in his arms, "You little rascal, did you hear that? Your uncle has found you an empress as your aunt! From now on, you can walk sideways in Xiling!"

Lu Xiao looked at the copy of the imperial edict bearing the seal of Xiling and proclaiming the new emperor's ascension to the throne, his expression solemn yet tinged with emotion: "Xiling has changed. Princess Ayuan... no, Empress Xiling, your courage is extraordinary. Kang Kang... is also a pillar of the state. This is a blessing for Xiling."

At this moment, An'an brought in a plate of freshly roasted chestnuts and said with a smile, "That's great, Zhao Zhao. Now when we go to Xiling, we'll have the Empress backing us up!" She distributed the chestnuts to everyone, and the warm pavilion was immediately filled with a sweet aroma.

An'an was followed by three little kids. As soon as they came in, they wanted Lu Xiao to carry them. Lu Xiao looked at Yue Ge'er and Zhou Ge'er without saying anything, and picked up his only daughter, Han Jie'er.

"Daddy is so naughty, all he does is hug his little sister..." Yue Ge'er said with a hint of jealousy as he watched Lu Xiao pick up his little sister.

"Yes, yes, Daddy's bad, Mommy, I want to eat chestnuts," Zhou Ge'er said cleverly, knowing that his father was unreliable, and immediately went to find An'an.

Holding her daughter, Shen Zhao looked at the words "all is well" in her brother's letter, and then at her laughing husband, lively son, warm brother and sister-in-law, and smart and lovely nephew and niece. She felt her heart filled with immense happiness and peace.

Outside, the wind and snow howled, but inside, it was warm and cozy. She picked up a warm chestnut, carefully peeled it, and fed the golden flesh to her daughter, saying softly, "Xi'er, don't be cold. Our home is very warm."

A thousand miles away at the Xiling Palace, the bells of the new emperor's ascension to the throne are about to ring. Meanwhile, inside the simple courtyard of a villa on the outskirts of the capital, a mad soul, under the dim light of kinship, is struggling to find a way to redemption.

The dust has settled, and everyone is at peace with their fate.