Chapter 133: Leaving the Capital

Emperor Yongchang sat quietly in the palace with the Virtuous Imperial Noble Consort Yuan Chuxia for a long while. Neither of them spoke; one quietly attended to her own matters, while the other watched silently.

Virtuous Imperial Noble Consort Yuan Chuxia looked up at Emperor Yongchang and spoke slowly, “If one day I die, please see to it that my son leaves this place.”

She sighed deeply before raising her eyes to meet his and continued, “In return, I will give you the military command token.”

After saying this, Yuan Chuxia slowly rose and performed a deep bow to the emperor. Yet Emperor Yongchang remained seated, silent.

Glancing outside, his voice cold and hesitant, he said, “The New Year is coming soon; we will be together then.”

Yuan Chuxia shook her head gently and replied, “I must leave before you. That way, in the next life, we will never meet again.”

Hearing her words, Emperor Yongchang felt his voice catch in his throat, an uncomfortable ache spreading through him, tilting his head slightly.

Seeing this, Yuan Chuxia said nothing more, and as usual, the two parted without joy.

In the twenty-fifth year of Yongchang, on New Year’s Day, Li Yanhua returned weary from travel. Lin Miaomiao noticed the grim expression on his face.

Frowning with curiosity, she asked, “What happened?”

Li Yanhua replied, “Change your clothes quickly. We must go to the palace.”

Lin Miaomiao nodded solemnly, and that New Year’s Day, they hurried into the palace.

Upon entering, Lin Miaomiao saw the Seventh Prince, Li Yankang, who had aged considerably. The youthful arrogance once in his bearing was gone, replaced by a middle-aged air of defeat. Lin Miaomiao frowned in disbelief—how could he have fallen so far in just a few months?

When Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhua reached the chamber of Virtuous Imperial Noble Consort Yuan Chuxia, they also saw Princess Chang’an, Li Anyi.

Outside the room, the bitter scent of herbs hung in the air. Lin Miaomiao frowned as they stepped inside.

There lay Yuan Chuxia on the bed. Though only forty, her eyes bore the pallor of death.

“I am leaving now. At last, I am free,” she said, her face briefly lighting up with a beautiful smile as she saw Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhua.

Tears welled uncontrollably in Princess Li Anyi’s eyes. Li Yanhua stood silently, and Lin Miaomiao’s own tears fell unbidden.

As night fell, Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhua had to leave the palace since adult princes were forbidden to stay overnight.

Hand in hand, they walked step by step toward the palace gate. As Lin Miaomiao glanced back, the massive vermilion doors closed with a heavy lock.

She let out a deep sigh, then turned to Li Yanhua. “Let’s go home.”

Tilting her head, Lin Miaomiao smiled at him. They exchanged a look.

In the darkness, Li Yanhua sighed deeply. After a long moment, he embraced her and said in that same chilling tone, “Yes, let’s go home.”

Lin Miaomiao felt a faint chill on her neck and looked up at him, realizing that this strong man was crying—because he knew his mother was about to leave this world.

Together, they departed, one following the other.

Li Zheng, having learned of Yuan Chuxia’s grave illness, came to the palace wishing to see an old acquaintance once more.

But he received only a letter from a palace maid: Yuan Chuxia’s condition was worsening. If Li Yanhua and Lin Miaomiao did not leave the capital immediately, they would face a three-year ban from departing the city.

Yuan Chuxia had sent the message herself; Emperor Yongchang was naturally aware of her plight.

Slowly, Yuan Chuxia handed the military command token to Emperor Yongchang, saying, “Let him go.”

Emperor Yongchang clenched the token tightly, then rose and handed her an imperial edict.

The document bore the royal seal. A lovely smile appeared on Yuan Chuxia’s lips as she took up the brush and wrote the edict. Her handwriting was identical to the emperor’s.

Upon finishing, she fainted abruptly.

Emperor Yongchang caught her in his arms. The imperial physician was summoned swiftly to the study. Seeing her thus, his heart ached deeply.

In mid-January of the twenty-fifth year, Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhua departed the capital for their fiefdom. The sudden issuance of the edict left the palace’s powerful courtiers stunned.

Prepared in advance, Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhua packed their belongings. Lin Miaomiao gifted her thriving business in the capital to Princess Li Anyi.

Princess Li Anyi’s eyes reddened as she accepted the enterprise. Lin Langluan and Lin Langze had already been sent ahead to Li Yanhua’s fiefdom.

The business in Da’an Pass was handed over to Li Zheng’s men; Lin Miaomiao chose to take thirty percent of the profits. All arrangements had been finalized.

Emperor Yongchang, upon seeing the ledgers Li Zheng brought from Da’an Pass, said nothing.

When Li Yanhua left, the emperor did not even spare him a glance.

That New Year, Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhua spent their holiday journeying along the road. The trip to their distant northern fiefdom was long.

The fief was called Mo Bei, a remote region of the Dayong Dynasty, but Lin Miaomiao had money.

She smiled to herself, thinking of all she could accomplish with these silver coins. Even without work, she could live comfortably for life.

The edict ordering their departure came so swiftly that Crown Prince Li Hanwen never imagined his father would truly issue it.

Standing in the Eastern Palace, the crown prince exhaled deeply and suddenly thought of the command token.

With a flourish, he wrote the character for “tiger” on paper. The fine brush broke in his hand.

He threw the brush onto the table, closed his eyes for a long time, then opened them slowly, staring fixedly toward the imperial study.

After entering the palace, Li Zheng took over Lin Miaomiao’s business in Da’an Pass and handed the accounts to Emperor Yongchang.

“Currently, the winter and summer clothing worn by the soldiers at Da’an Pass are all provided by the factories there. Your Majesty, please see,” Li Zheng said.

The emperor rubbed his brow and replied, “Keep everything as it was. Process the accounts accordingly.”

Li Zheng nodded and left. That day, he read the letter Yuan Chuxia had sent him. It contained only one sentence:

“It is all over. Take care.”

Tears welled in Li Zheng’s eyes as he left—proving that even men, though seldom showing it, do cry.

Before departing, Lin Miaomiao entrusted Princess Li Anyi to deliver some silver and clothing to the Fourth Prince Li Deren. The princess agreed.

Li Deren was surprised to see Princess Li Anyi. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Why is it you?”

Princess Li Anyi folded her umbrella. At that moment, she bore a striking resemblance to Lin Miaomiao.

“I was entrusted to do so, and I shall be loyal to the task. Someone asked me to give you silver and clothes before leaving. Don’t forget your winter medicine either,” she said, gesturing for a maid to hand the items over.

The senior palace maid following Princess Li Anyi was Green Pearl, once the chief maid to Virtuous Imperial Noble Consort Yuan Chuxia.

Upon seeing Green Pearl and hearing the princess’s words, Li Deren frowned, stood trembling, and asked, “She has left?”

“Yes. Second Sister-in-law left with Second Brother. She dislikes the capital; she said the people here are too complicated. As a girl from the countryside, she would not be happy staying here.”

Li Deren gave a bitter smile. After a long moment, Princess Li Anyi left.

As she departed, a tear shimmered in Li Deren’s eyes. Holding his chest, he murmured, “Is this how Prince Zheng once felt for Virtuous Imperial Noble Consort?”

Princess Li Anyi suddenly recalled Lin Miaomiao’s words before leaving:

“We are going now. From now on, you live happily alone in the capital.”

“I have left the shop to you. You’ve learned how to make pastries and sweets for some time. You can explore on your own now.”

“If you don’t like the capital, once we settle in Mo Bei, come find us. And after I leave, please look after those old friends of mine.”

“The Fourth and Ninth Princes once knew each other. If you can watch over him, please do. After all, you are family.”

Princess Li Anyi smiled through tears, murmuring, “Second Sister-in-law is too kind. She barely knew him, said only a few words, yet still asked me to look after him before leaving.”

Green Pearl lowered her eyes and said, “But if this happens, the emperor will—”

Princess Li Anyi smiled faintly and looked up at Green Pearl. “No. When Second Sister-in-law left, she specially prepared a large amount of silver for His Majesty.”

Green Pearl stepped aside as the princess’s carriage stopped at the Ninth Prince Li Yonghe’s manor. Once splendid, the estate had begun to decline.

The Ninth Prince’s consort was startled to see Princess Li Anyi dressed in silk and brocade, then bowed respectfully.

Princess Li Anyi smiled upon seeing Li Yonghe and handed him the silver notes and clothes.

“Why? Are you really so kind? This shouldn’t be from you, right?”