Pomegranate blossoms are not as crimson as the azalea's red.

At dusk, outside the gates of the Grand Princess's residence.

Lady Xue held Xu Guiyi’s hand, asking about her daily life in the Eastern Palace, “Are you growing accustomed to life there as the Crown Princess?”

“Aunt, I am faring well in the Eastern Palace. His Highness the Crown Prince is reserved by nature, but he has never made things difficult for me. The concubines are all well-behaved and never overstep their bounds,” Xu Guiyi replied, fully aware of what Lady Xue truly wished to know.

“When you have the time, do come home more often. Chuan has been missing his aunt,” Lady Shen added with a gentle laugh.

“Sister-in-law, as soon as I am able, I will return,” Xu Guiyi promised.

Lady Shen kept hold of Xu Guiyi’s hand, so Xu Guiyi said, “Let me see you both to your carriage.”

With that, Lady Xue walked on ahead, while Lady Shen, still holding Xu Guiyi, slowed her pace, allowing some distance between themselves and Lady Xue. Only then did Lady Shen lower her voice, “Your brother recently acquired an exquisite painting and had me leave it at a rouge shop on Vermilion Bird Street. I’ve already had the maid give the address to Xiyue. Have her fetch it in the next few days.”

Xu Guiyi looked at Lady Shen with a puzzled gaze. Lady Shen smiled, “The Crown Prince is fond of collecting ancient paintings, especially works by Master Qiu. That piece, ‘Lone Moon Night over Pingjiang,’ took your brother quite some effort to find. He thought you might present it to the Crown Prince at an opportune moment.”

“Isn’t such a gesture too deliberate, trying so hard to please His Highness?” Xu Guiyi’s gaze fell.

“My silly sister, between husband and wife, what harm is there in such attentiveness? Your brother loves chess. I never cared for it before, but now I often play with him, don’t I? Every bond in this world needs tending—most especially that between husband and wife. The Crown Prince is aloof; you must take the initiative. Someone must close the distance. You cannot always remain cold to one another, can you? After all, you are to spend a lifetime together,” Lady Shen counseled warmly.

“I understand, sister-in-law. Please thank my brother for his thoughtfulness,” Xu Guiyi replied, grasping Lady Shen’s hand tightly, a wave of warmth rising in her heart.

“Only your brother deserves thanks?” Lady Shen feigned indignation.

“Of course not! The one most deserving of thanks is you, sister-in-law. Look at Chuan—he takes after you so much. Handsome and clever, and oh so well-behaved,” Xu Guiyi teased, knowing well that Chuan was the apple of Lady Shen’s eye.

“Nonsense. Everyone says Chuan is the spitting image of your brother as a child, not at all like me,” Lady Shen chided softly, though her eyes sparkled with laughter.

“By the way, you must keep a close eye on Lady Cheng. She is not like the others. She and the Crown Prince share the bond of growing up together. His Highness may be indifferent to women, but he will surely feel something for an old childhood companion,” Lady Shen whispered, so softly that only the two of them could hear.

Xu Guiyi nodded in understanding. “I will remember all you’ve told me, sister-in-law.”

Ahead, Lady Xue was already waiting by the carriage and turned with a smile, “That’s far enough. Please, Your Highness, return.”

“Very well. Aunt, sister-in-law, take care on the road,” Xu Guiyi watched them board the carriage, the curtains drawn, before turning to walk toward the Eastern Palace’s carriage.

There, she caught sight of Cheng Hewei speaking with Fu Lancheng.

Fu Lancheng was always cold and distant, but before Cheng Hewei his severity seemed to soften—after all, they had grown up together.

Today, Fu Lancheng wore a robe of azure qilin silk beneath a deep violet damask outer garment, a midnight-blue sash with golden tiger patterns cinched at his waist. He stood at ease, tall and slender, refined yet imposing.

Cheng Hewei wore a pale yellow embroidered dress, her shoulders draped in a single-layered violet shawl. Standing by Fu Lancheng’s side, her beauty and poise radiated with every glance.

A perfect match, Xu Guiyi could not help but sigh inwardly.

Upon seeing her approach, Lu Zhirou and An Ruosu, who stood waiting nearby, immediately bowed, “Greetings, Your Highness.” Their voices broke the conversation between Fu Lancheng and Cheng Hewei.

Xu Guiyi smiled as she approached, looking at Fu Lancheng. His dark eyes were fathomless, his handsome features exuding an aura of chill severity. In this sultry late summer evening, Xu Guiyi inexplicably felt a coolness sweep over her.

“Your Highness.” Xu Guiyi met his icy gaze, stepped forward, and bowed.

“Greetings, Crown Princess,” Cheng Hewei said softly from beside Fu Lancheng. Xu Guiyi gave a slight nod in reply, her expression calm.

“Did you just see off the Xu family?” The Crown Prince, who had never deigned to speak to Xu Guiyi, actually addressed her.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Xu Guiyi replied with gentle composure.

“Weren’t you raised in Jiangdong? How do you maintain such close ties with the Xu family of Guangling?” Fu Lancheng turned, his tone tinged with mockery.

Because we are family, naturally our bond is close. He must not suppose that, just because the Fu imperial clan is riven by endless strife, all families in the world are like this.

Xu Guiyi suppressed a roll of her eyes and replied sweetly, “Before entering the Eastern Palace, I stayed for a time at my uncle’s house, and his family showed me great care.”

Fu Lancheng seemed unconcerned with her answer and turned to leave. Xu Guiyi prepared to follow when he suddenly looked back, fixing her with a chilly gaze. “Before coming to the capital, were you always in Jiangdong?”

Xu Guiyi froze at once. Lu Zhirou and An Ruosu beside her were also puzzled, not understanding why His Highness would ask such an odd question.

Just then, Cheng Hewei interjected, “I heard the Crown Princess was born in Lanzhou and has always lived there. Had you ever visited Guangling or the north before?”

Hm… Xu Guiyi quickly smoothed away any trace of alarm and smiled, “I heard that His Highness and Lady Cheng grew up as childhood companions. Perhaps I resemble someone from your past, and that’s why you ask?”

Now it was Fu Lancheng and Cheng Hewei who were caught off guard. Xu Guiyi’s lips curved in a gentle, graceful smile. “Please do not take offense, Your Highness. When I entered the palace, Her Grace the Noble Consort commented that my eyes resembled someone she once knew. I thought, perhaps her acquaintance was also known to Your Highness.”

Fu Lancheng’s eyes flashed, his voice as cold as a wintry pond. “That person from my past is not worthy of being mentioned.”

Xu Guiyi caught, out of the corner of her eye, Lu Zhirou and An Ruosu lowering their heads in silence at the Crown Prince’s brazen words.

Cheng Hewei seemed about to speak, but Fu Lancheng cut her off. “Enough. Let’s return.”

“Yes,” the ladies replied in turn.

According to custom, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess should share a carriage, so Xu Guiyi took her seat in Fu Lancheng’s carriage, still reflecting on Lady Shen’s advice: in a marriage, one party must sometimes take the initiative.

But as soon as she sat down, Fu Lancheng shot her a fierce glare. Xu Guiyi, thinking she had erred, started, “Your Highness…”

With a thud, Fu Lancheng flung open the carriage door and, without a word, stepped out.

“I…” Xu Guiyi was baffled. She summoned Xiyue to her side. “Did I say something wrong just now?”

Xiyue answered timidly, “I do not know, my lady. I only saw His Highness walk over to Lady Cheng’s carriage.”

Hearing this, Xu Guiyi was instantly angered. “I didn’t say a word to him—what is he upset about?”

“My lady, before the wedding, the Lady of the House already warned you. His Highness is always like this. Please do not let it trouble you,” Xiyue tried to comfort her.

Xu Guiyi could only sigh in frustration. “But just now I…” The carriage began to move, slowly heading toward the Eastern Palace.

“My lady, here is a note from Sister Yan, Lady Shen’s trusted maid. She said you would understand at a glance,” Xiyue produced a slip of paper from her sleeve, on which was the address of the rouge shop.

But Xu Guiyi, still fuming, tossed the note aside with a glare that might have crushed it underfoot had she the chance.

“My lady, even if you’re angry with His Highness, you should not throw this note away. It is the thought of the Young Master and Lady Shen,” Xiyue quickly retrieved it.

Xu Guiyi reconsidered, realizing her pettiness, and took the note, smoothing it carefully in her hands.

That year, autumn had come early to Guangling, and the season’s winds brought several small rains.

Xiyue worried about Xu Guiyi facing her first autumn in Guangling and constantly reminded her to wear warmer clothes morning and night.

Xu Guiyi only smiled gently. “It’s barely autumn, and already you fret about me catching cold. What will become of me come midwinter? Will I not be allowed outdoors at all?” Yet later that winter, so many things happened that she rarely did leave her chambers.

Still, Xiyue insisted on fastening a thin cloak around her shoulders. “Before you left home, Second Madam reminded me countless times that you’ve always been frail. She asked me to look after you with the utmost care.”

Xu Guiyi pursed her lips quietly, lowering her gaze to hide the sorrow in her eyes.

The third daughter of the Xu family had indeed always been delicate—but she was not that girl…

Xu Guiyi smiled kindly. “Did you fetch the painting as I asked?”

Xiyue’s face lit up. “Yes, my lady! Shall I bring it now?”

“Please do,” Xu Guiyi replied.

Slowly, she unrolled the scroll. The painting—Lone Moon Night over Pingjiang—leapt to life, vivid and lifelike.

“I know nothing of art, but even I can tell this is a masterpiece,” Xiyue exclaimed in wonder.

Xu Guiyi’s lips curved in a gentle smile. Then, her expression grew solemn as she gazed at the painting before her, her thoughts drifting back to ten years earlier.

A decade ago, there had been a great azalea tree in her family’s courtyard. She would often have a table set beneath it, carry a soft chair out, and sit beneath the branches copying the works of Master Qiu, stroke by careful stroke.

Her mother was often away on campaign and only stayed at home for a few days when returning to report to the capital. Though their meetings were rare, her mother always took a painting with her when leaving Guangling, tucking it inside her armor. “Yesterday, I showed your painting to Master Hai,” her mother had said. “He believes our Azhao is truly gifted. If you continue to practice, you will surely achieve something remarkable.”

Master Hai was the most renowned painter in the palace at the time.

Xu Guiyi had always been delighted to hear this. “Truly?”

“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?”

“Then I will practice every day and live up to your hopes,” the young girl would say, her eyes filled with adoration and longing.

But once, she had accidentally overheard a conversation between her mother and grandfather.

“I am old and may not have many years left,” her grandfather had said. “Will you still not let Azhao study the art of war?”

“Father, our Pei family has shed enough blood for Dayi. Azhao loves painting—let him paint. How can a hand that holds a brush wield a blade?” her mother replied.

“But we are a family of generals,” her grandfather insisted, his tone grave.

“What harm if a family of generals produces a scholar? Who decreed that the Pei family must walk but one path? Azhao is gifted. If he can carve a new road for our family, I would be glad to see it.”

But in the end, he never picked up a brush again, and the Pei family never found that new path.

He had let down his mother’s hopes.