Returning to Beijing

Things were packed away one by one, and the courtyard gradually emptied. The bright red "double happiness" characters pasted up for the wedding were still lit, because no one had bothered to tear them down after A-Yun's sudden departure. Now they stood out starkly on the walls and windows, reminding everyone that it was an unfinished wedding.

At this moment, everyone saw it and didn't know what to do. Ling Ying silently walked over, slowly peeled off each of the "double happiness" characters, smoothed out the wrinkles, carefully folded them, and put them into her bag.

Yan Shu noticed the jade hairpin in his hair; he hadn't taken it off since A-Yun left. Looking at it, her eyes welled up with tears again.

Ling Yuan walked to Ling Ying's side. "If you don't want to go back, stay here. Uncle Ling is here, and A-Yun... is here too... It's not too late to go back when you want to."

Ling Ying shook his head: "Thank you, Your Highness. But I have to go back." He paused. "Only by going back can I avenge Ayun. She grew up here and has never had any trouble... This is definitely not an accident."

When Ling Yuan heard him say that, he could only pat him on the shoulder and continue packing his things.

The journey back to Beijing was quite different from the one we took to get there. We were on the road almost every day, but even so, it still took us more than a month.

As Yan Shu looked at the increasingly familiar street scene, she knew that she had returned. Chun Tao was already waiting at the gate of the Prince's Mansion. When she saw Yan Shu get off the carriage, tears immediately streamed down her face. "Your Highness, you're finally back."

"Alright, alright," Yan Shu comforted her.

Stepping back into Lingxiao Pavilion, she felt somewhat dazed. A year had passed, and she was back. Those days in the Northern Frontier were the happiest time of her life, free from the constraints of status and power struggles, as simple as a dream.

Seeing how well Chun Tao had taken care of the crabapple tree in the courtyard, and how the furnishings in the house were exactly the same as when she left, she realized that she had become the Princess Consort of Duan once again.

After settling Yan Shu in, Ling Yuan immediately went to the palace.

"Cough, cough, cough," a series of coughs could be heard before even entering the hall. Hurrying inside, one saw the Emperor sitting at his desk, looking noticeably thinner and pale.

"Brother!" Ling Yuan's heart tightened.

The emperor waved his hand to dismiss his attendants, leaving only the two brothers in the hall.

“It started a few months ago,” the Emperor said weakly. “My hands are becoming increasingly unresponsive, and sometimes I can’t even hold a pen… I was afraid something would go wrong, so I had to call you back.”

The Emperor first inquired about the situation in the northern border, and Lingyuan reported back in detail.

"Chen Li and the other two were brought back, but they were incredibly stubborn, refusing to speak even under torture. As for Qiao Ling, she was completely disheveled and unrecognizable," the Emperor sighed. "It's true that Chen Li is a cousin of the Crown Princess, but without concrete evidence, we have no choice but to let it go. There's nothing else we can do but order their execution for now."

Ling Yuan nodded silently; this was indeed the only option at the moment.

"I know you don't crave power, so even though you hold military power, I have never doubted you." The Emperor looked at him with a look of entrustment in his eyes. "Actually, I originally planned to send Xuan Gui to the Northern Border. It just so happened that someone suggested it, so I went along with it. I also wanted him to help you out and give you some experience."

"Your Majesty, I understand. Thank you."

"Speaking of which, Xuan Gui's wedding should be held soon." The Emperor took a breath. "There haven't been any happy events in the palace for a long time, so it would be good to have one."

Inside the study of Prime Minister Cui's residence, Prime Minister Cui asked, "You're back?"

The person in the shadows reported in a low voice: "Prime Minister, the token of succession is the pair of dragon-shaped jade pendants that were bestowed upon Prince Duan and his wife."

Cui Chong closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and his last glimmer of hope was extinguished.

"As expected... His Majesty has long favored Prince Chen." His voice was cold. "My decades of hard work must not be ruined in an instant."

No one can stop him. Not even his own daughter...

When Lingyuan returned to his residence, Yan Shu hurriedly came forward to greet him and inquire about the Emperor's condition.

"It's not good." Ling Yuan frowned. "However, my elder brother plans to have Xuan Gui married, saying it'll bring good luck."

Yan Shu said, "This is also a happy event. Xuan Gui can finally get what he wants."

A month later, Prince Chen got married.

Xuan Gui finally married Yu Xue'er. He gently lifted the bright red veil, revealing the face he had longed for day and night.

After the nuptial wine was drunk, the maids and servants knelt on the ground, saying, "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness!"

Everyone left, leaving only the newlyweds inside. Xuan Gui looked at Yu Xue'er, then lowered his head and kissed her.

On the carriage back to the palace after attending the wedding, the Prince Duan and his wife leaned against Ling Yuan and said softly, "Thinking back to when I married you, it was a whole day of fuss."

Ling Yuan wrapped his arm around her: "Then when we get back... shall we relive the details of our wedding night?"

Yan Shu looked up at him and couldn't help but smile: "Okay."

In the days that followed, Yan Shu would occasionally go to the palace to chat with Consort Lin, or Princess Yu Xue'er would come to visit her. The days seemed to pass peacefully.

But Yan Shu felt uneasy. The dream was becoming clearer and clearer—the tall figure with his back to her, holding a sword… that figure increasingly resembled Ling Yuan. And the woman in palace attire had fallen after being shot by an arrow. But their faces remained blurry.

The closer autumn got, the more anxious she became.

But the Qiu Di hunt was still put on the agenda, and Yan Shu knew that the final showdown was coming.

When Lingyuan returned home that day, his face was grave. “Your Majesty can barely hold a pen, and he can’t speak fluently anymore. I wanted to cancel the hunt, but the ceremony to worship our ancestors and pray for peace and prosperity cannot be abandoned. Your Majesty insists on holding it.”

Yan Shu's heart skipped a beat. The historical records made no mention of Emperor Yongye suffering from this serious illness! They only recorded that Emperor Yongye died a month after the "rebellion" of the Northern Army.

Could it be... that someone has rewritten history?! A thought began to form in Yan Shu's mind: could it be... that even her own "death from illness" was...

She suddenly grabbed Ling Yuan's hand, her eyes more serious than ever before: "Your Highness, do you believe me?"

Ling Yuan was taken aback by her question, then smiled and said, "Of course I believe you."

"Then immediately send a message to your uncle, telling him to keep a close eye on the Northern Border Camp. Don't let any disturbances slip by! We absolutely cannot let any unknown army get close, and don't believe anyone's words! Also, tell your uncle that if anything seems amiss... he should immediately lead the troops back to the capital!" She spoke very quickly. "You must send Ling Ying! No, Qing Feng should go too! The two of them can look after each other, which will be safer."

She stared intently into Ling Yuan's eyes: "Your Highness, once we get through this, I will tell you everything...

Ling Yuan smiled and said, "Why do you make it sound like a life-or-death duel? So, are you hiding something from me?"

"Trust me this time." Yan Shu gripped his hand tightly.

Seeing that she didn't seem to be joking, Ling Yuan didn't ask any more questions.

"good."

He immediately wrote a secret letter, personally summoned Ling Ying and Qing Feng, carefully instructed them, and ordered them to set off immediately without fail.

Yan Shu stood at the gate of the mansion, watching their departing figures until they disappeared at the end of the long street. Only then did she finally feel a little relieved.

Days passed, and Yan Shu eagerly awaited news from Ling Ying and Qing Feng. This was her only hope. Fortunately, they had sent the two people they trusted most, which gave her some peace of mind.

That day, she was lamenting that Yu Xue'er hadn't come for several days when Ling Yuan brought back news from outside—the Princess Consort of Chen was pregnant.

Ling Yuan spoke cautiously, as if afraid of touching her. Yan Shu understood his feelings and said softly, "It's alright. Although it still hurts to think about it, it's all in the past. I always wear those little fish jade pendants close to my body, as if Huai Yu is still by my side."

She paused, then said, "Let's go to Prince Chen's residence to see Xue'er."

When the two arrived, Yu Xue'er was suffering from severe morning sickness, vomiting until her face turned pale. Xuan Gui was pacing anxiously beside her, offering her water and patting her back, not knowing what to do.

Yan Shu stepped forward to comfort her, "Try eating something sour to calm down? That's what I did back then." After saying this, she noticed Yu Xue'er looking at her anxiously, and smiled, "It's all better now."

She thought for a moment and then reminded him, "You'd better not go on this hunt."

Xuan Gui chimed in, "I originally wanted to stay with her at the palace, but Father insisted I go."

Yu Xue'er smiled weakly, "It's alright, Your Highness. There are imperial physicians and so many people to take care of you in the manor. It will only be a few days."

Hyun-kyu could only say, "Okay, I'll be back as soon as possible."

After the four talked for a while, Lingyuan and Yanshu took their leave.

Before they knew it, it was the eve of the hunt. Yan Shu tossed and turned, unable to sleep, gazing absently at the moonlight outside the window.

Tomorrow is the autumn hunt. The hunt recorded in history that changed everyone's fate.

She gripped the half of the jade pendant tightly; the cool touch calmed her down slightly.

This time, she's determined to rewrite the ending.