As the music sounded once more, it signaled the end of the New Year's greetings ceremony for the Empress Dowager.

The first day of the Lunar New Year in the Imperial Palace thus passed.

Watching the throng of court ladies, adorned in myriad colors, chatting as they departed the palace—yet maintaining a sense of propriety—the Emperor, standing behind the main hall, turned around.

“Your Majesty is not going in?” Cai Zhong asked, slightly surprised.

“I’m not going in now. I will dine with the Empress Dowager a little later,” the Emperor said.

Not with the concubines, only with the Empress Dowager and the Empress; surely the Empress Dowager and the Empress would be even happier this way.

Cai Zhong cheerfully took the lead.

The Emperor walked at a leisurely pace.

That woman was not among them…

The court ladies had exited according to their rank. Those of high enough rank to leave through the main gate of the Li family compound would naturally not be of low standing, but looking out across the departing crowd…

He smiled, shaking his head.

It was rather amusing…

The Emperor had something on his mind, which Cai Zhong noticed immediately. But this time, he could not guess what it was, nor did he dare to try.

The Emperor most strongly objected to anyone knowing his thoughts, and he most resented anyone leading him by the nose. In the past, saying he understood the Emperor's will was less about genuine insight and more about the Emperor permitting him that understanding. Should he ever grasp a will the Emperor wished to keep hidden, his life would surely be forfeit.

Cai Zhong lowered his head, smiling pleasantly as he engaged the Emperor in casual talk.

“…Elder Lord Zhou is not well, Your Majesty. He is of such an advanced age; we shouldn't let anything untoward happen. Your Majesty should summon him back,” he suggested.

The Emperor did indeed smile. The more he thought about it, the more amused he became, eventually bursting into hearty laughter. In the solemn precincts of the Imperial Palace, this sudden, clear laughter made the eunuchs and maids hurrying by with lowered heads pause in surprise to look over.

Meanwhile, in the desolate northern frontier, bursts of laughter also rang out. However, compared to the Emperor, this supreme figure, these people were as lowly as dust.

The vast drill ground was packed with soldiers, some standing, some sitting, all currently doubled over with laughter.

In the center of the field, several soldiers lay sprawled out in disarray.

“…It’s my leg injury!” A soldier lying on the ground blinked open his eyes as the man in green, drenched in sweat, attempted to wrap a strip of white dressing around his arm, and quickly reminded him.

The man glared.

“Then why did you pour the dye on your arm?” he asked, holding up the dressing somewhat helplessly.

“I spilled it by mistake,” the soldier retorted just as sharply. “Can’t you even treat wounds? My arm is bleeding, doesn't that mean my leg is also injured?”

Treating wounds! You’re really getting into character!

“You’re unconscious and you can still talk?” the disciple shot back, glaring in return.

The two stared at each other, while those nearby stamped their feet.

“Are you going to carry him or not?” they shouted.

The man finally made up his mind and tied the dressing around the soldier’s arm after all.

“Then we can’t use wooden boards to carry him; we need a soft stretcher,” the stretcher-bearers reminded him.

Sweat broke out in layers on the man’s head, and he began shouting for a cloth stretcher.

The situation was just as chaotic elsewhere.

Suddenly, another wave of laughter erupted when a soldier, half-carried, tumbled off the stretcher, only to scramble back on by himself.

The laughter from the surrounding crowd rose higher and higher, until everyone was laughing until tears streamed down their faces.

This sound carried far, prompting curious glances from the citizens passing by.

“What’s going on in the drill ground? It’s so lively?”

Someone in the know shared what little information they had with the crowd.

“They say it’s an act,” he reported.

Actors? That’s going too far! Why aren’t the theatrical troupes performing at the Temple of Ma Wang?

Why are only the soldiers allowed to watch?

That’s completely unfair!

Since the border regions exercised extra caution during the New Year, they hadn't hired any troupes for two years. Now, they were secretly inviting a troupe just for the soldiers to watch!

They weren't having it!

Finally, to the sound of a gong, the exercise concluded.

Although the onlookers were now sprawled on the ground, unable to get up from laughing, the ten judges—Qi Yue, Liu Pucheng, and Zhang Tong among them—maintained solemn expressions.

“…Failure…”

“…Failure…”

“…Failed to affix wound classification tags… delayed treatment… deduction of points.”

As the judgments were read out one by one, the disciples of the Qianjin Hall hung their heads dejectedly, while the soldiers who had feigned injury grinned widely.

“Alright, write up your summary analyses when you return. Today’s exercise is concluded.”

People remained gathered around the drill ground, watching the participants pack up the various strange implements. Under persistent, cheerful questioning, they kept asking when the next ‘act’ would be.

“It’s not an act, it’s an exercise,” Hu San snapped, correcting a soldier.

This was a very serious matter, you know!

“It’s just pretending to be wounded soldiers, so isn’t that an act?” the soldiers chuckled, slapping Hu San heartily on the shoulder. “Invite me next time! Being carried back and forth is quite fun. We’re idle on New Year’s Day anyway; this is much more interesting than drinking after drills.”

Hu San grimaced from the slaps and stomped away angrily.

The Garrison Commander standing on the high platform was struggling to suppress his laughter. If not for Chang Yuncheng standing beside him, he would have been howling with mirth.

When he first heard that the former Crown Princess’s wife wanted to borrow some soldiers, he had assumed she needed them for manual labor, especially since Lady Qi’s household was so busy with clanging and banging that they hadn't stopped even for the New Year. But to think she was using them for an act—oh, no, an exercise. Since they were idle on New Year’s Day, he was happy to watch the spectacle, and it showed his attention and support. To his surprise, it was genuinely entertaining; he planned to bring his own wife and children next time.

Chang Yuncheng’s gaze had remained fixed on that woman the entire time. Seeing that the crowd was beginning to disperse, he bowed to the Garrison Commander and took his leave.

“When are you inviting Elder Lord Zhou and Lady Qi for a meal? No matter how busy things are, it is still the New Year,” the Garrison Commander remarked.

Chang Yuncheng smiled and shook his head.

“Thank you for your kind thought, Governor, but perhaps not this time,” he replied.

With such an important figure spending the New Year here, all the civil and military officials along the Gansu line were desperate to visit daily, yet not one had managed to treat Elder Lord Zhou to a meal; even a brief meeting was considered good fortune.

Let alone them, even he hadn't had the opportunity in days. Of course, dining opportunities existed, but the chance for private, shared meals did not.

Chang Yuncheng watched as the group over there finally finished packing up; the disciples loaded their strange tools onto carts and drove away from the drill ground. Qi Yue and A’ru, however, had separate carriages. Most fortuitously, Zhou Maochun was absent! This was a rare opening! He bowed once more to the Garrison Commander and hurried away.

As the chief steward, Hu San’s carriage always brought up the rear. Suddenly, he saw Qi Yue’s carriage turn a corner ahead and shouted for his Master several times.

“Master, where are you going?” He urged his horse to follow, only to be slapped on the head by Zhang Tong.

“Senior Brother, why did you hit me?” he asked plaintively, turning around.

Zhang Tong glared at him.

“And you boast about being good at business, yet you lack perception,” Zhang Tong stated.

Hu San stared back, confused.

“But it’s always unsafe for Master to go out alone…” he protested.

“There is no place safer than here,” Liu Pucheng said with a faint smile from inside the carriage.

Why?

Hu San didn't quite understand.

When Qi Yue realized the carriage was taking an unfamiliar route, she too felt puzzled.

She and A’ru were discussing the emergency aid exercise inside the carriage. By the time they should have reached home, they hadn't arrived, and only then did they snap back to awareness. Lifting the curtain, Qi Yue saw they were already outside the city walls.

A heavy snow had fallen on New Year’s Eve, and everything around them was a blinding expanse of white. On the morning of the first, travelers were nonexistent.

“Where are we going?” A’ru cried out, startled, looking at the coachman. “Who told you to go astray?”

The coachman turned back awkwardly. Before he could speak, Qi Yue had already smiled.

A horse galloped around the bend ahead. Seeing their carriage, Chang Yuncheng pulled the reins sharply.

“The Young Lord ordered that we proceed this way…” the coachman murmured softly.

A’ru glared at him indignantly.

“He tells you to go, and you just go? Whose bread are you eating?” she scolded, then looked up to see Qi Yue already stepping down from the carriage and walking toward Chang Yuncheng.

“Where are we headed? On the first day of the New Year…” A’ru muttered.

Qi Yue was also looking up at Chang Yuncheng, her smile fixed, and asked the same question.

Chang Yuncheng extended his hand.

“Ride?” Qi Yue was delighted. She reached out, took Chang Yuncheng’s hand, and placed her foot where he indicated onto the stirrup to mount.

Her skirt was inconvenient, so Chang Yuncheng pulled her firmly, turning her sideways as he settled her in front of him.

“It’s too cold, we should take the carriage!” A’ru called out quickly.

But it was too late. Chang Yuncheng had already wrapped Qi Yue in his large cloak and spurred the horse onward, galloping away.

“Are you cold?” Chang Yuncheng shouted loudly.

Qi Yue held tightly to his waist, pressing against his warm chest. Her face emerged from beneath the thick cloak, and she flashed him a smile.

“Not cold!” she shouted back.

Chang Yuncheng looked down at her, smiled briefly, then looked up and urged the horse faster.

After riding a short distance, the horse slowed its pace.

“We’ve arrived,” Chang Yuncheng announced.

Because of the wind, Qi Yue had kept her eyes half-closed, leaning against Chang Yuncheng’s chest, and hadn't paid attention to the scenery along the way. Hearing him speak, she finally looked up.

“Wow,” she exclaimed involuntarily, throwing open the cloak.

They were standing on a gentle slope. Before them lay a vast plum garden, its brilliant crimson blossoms blazing spectacularly against the surrounding expanse of white snow.

Seeing Qi Yue’s look of pleasant surprise, Chang Yuncheng smiled with a hint of smugness.

“Hey, I know this place!” Qi Yue laughed, clutching his arm. “Isn't this the Plum Garden Jiang Hai mentioned! He said he’d bring me to see it!”

Chang Yuncheng’s face immediately darkened. He wrapped her tightly in the cloak again and spurred the horse down the slope.

Although the Plum Garden wasn't a residence, it was enclosed by a perimeter wall, clearly indicating that the garden had an owner, much like the orchards.

This wall showed signs of damage and repair in several places, and one section had a noticeable gap. Chang Yuncheng’s horse steered directly toward this opening and leaped through.

“Is anyone in charge here? Is there a household nearby?” Qi Yue couldn't help but ask.

“So what if there is a household? Can’t one view the plum blossoms if there’s a household nearby?” Chang Yuncheng huffed.

That familiar, domineering, unreasonable expression resurfaced. Qi Yue laughed and playfully pinched his chest.

Chang Yuncheng leaned down unceremoniously and kissed her between the eyes.

The horse did not stop, heading deeper into the garden.

The few estate men who had rushed over upon hearing the noise only saw the horse tracks on the ground.

“Damn it, those soldiers are back again!”

“They’re going to ruin the trees again!”

“Not this time! If they dare cut another tree, I’ll fight them to the death…”