"Yes, Princess."

These commands were enough. Luyi went to prepare everything as wanted. Yaotian got up out of her seat, looking down at the long, bright, red-purple dress of a princess.

This was a dress specially tailored for her by Yun Chang's best tailor. There were several flowers and birds on it that kept dozens of the Royal Residence's seamstresses busy with embroidery for a whole month. The sleeves were very long. Silver-purple tassels hung at the edge from her feet, completing the look. It could not be more expensive or intricate than it was.

Excitement and pride flashed in Yaotian's inky black eyes.

The two most famous generals in the world, the Marquess of Jing-An and the Duke of Zhen-Bei, would now compete.

She herself was the Princess of Yun Chang and was already He Xia's wife.

Yet how did the Bai Pingting capture Chu Beijie's heart?

Zuiju was the one who knew best what Bai Pingting looked like at the moment.

The two had come empty-handed and only had two changes of clothes. The way here had been bumpy. They were both tired and dirty. When they arrived at the Prince Consort Residence, everything seemed to have been prepared a long time ago. No instructions were needed to call everyday items since they were all within reach."

Pingting's bronze mirror laid at the table alongside the comb she used back at the Ducal Residence. She had a large closet of neatly folded clothes, all the colours that Pingting liked not a single error.

There were a few cases near the table. One had a guqin in it and another had an agate bowl full of small multicoloured pebbles that one could easily mistake for jewels.

The house was soaked with incense, carrying warmth, but was not stuffy.

A vase stood on the windowsill, filled with freshly cut white plum blossoms. A few unopened buds had been placed next to the blooming flowers.

It was so perfect that it was chilling.

It felt as if Pingting had lived there for a long time. It was even more chilling seeing Pingting appear to want to be there, wanting to live there forever.

He Xia had headed to the Royal Residence early in the morning, leaving behind two caged birds that were familiar with the new environment.

Pingting was in the back of the building. Her face no longer had the extreme distraught expression she when the moon passed half the sky, ending the sixth.

The expression that replaced was one of lazy leisure.

This strange leisure made Zuiju feel unable to be close to her.

Zuiju stood across the corridor, looking at her straight back. She knew that her insides had already snapped, yet couldn't understand why she was able to stand so straight like that.

She sighed softly.

She couldn't understand it, but apart from Bai Pingting herself, who else could?

Zuiju sighed a few more times. She wasn't that far away from her. She could see her face clearly but couldn't see her heart.

Across the corridor, Zuiju's sighs seemed to bring another onset of unstoppable tears. She cautiously raised her hands and wiped the corners of her eyes. Pingting turned to her, beckoning anxiously.

Zuiju was stunned by this.

Ever since Pingting had spilled the medicine, fell to the ground and cried, she had become something soulless, a puppet or simply something inscrutable. She wouldn't say a word, and there was no distance in her eyes. Zuiju hurried forwards, as she hadn't seen such an energetic action from Pingting for such a long time.

Even though it was just a gesture, it was enough to bring joy.

Zuiju quickly walked through the corridor, hurrying to Pingting's side. "Miss Bai, what's wrong? Do you have any orders? Do you want to eat something?"

Pingting shook her head. She looked around to see if there were any outsiders watching before whispering, "It's kicking me."

The tiniest, almost-invisible gentle smile escaped from her pale face.

After several days of desolate grief and despair, this smile was the most beautiful Zuiju had ever seen in her life.

"Movement already?" Zuiju frowned and said, "You must have mistaken it, Miss. It's not that old and it shouldn't be able to kick at its current age."

"There's no mistake." Pingting bit her lip, "It really is moving." The slightest movement at that instant reminded Zuiju of the beauty that had impudently messed around in Chu Beijie's arms.

An unexpected memory.

The first memory without sorrow that had come to mind after that desperate night.

The scent of plum blossoms had been scattered throughout the secluded residence after the burial of the Locked Away Goodies. Hongqian had ran off to somewhere unknown like usual while the guards stood, occasionally nodding and chatting. Moran's expression was distant as usual, but he was a good-hearted, caring and gentle man.

The matrons in the kitchen sent meals over every day, affectionately offering a few complaints. They'd take away the food containers with satisfaction when seeing that Miss Bai had enjoyed the day's meal.

Chu Beijie's figure was also there, and Bai Pingting's heart was there too. She would play qin and he'd quietly stand at one side. Raising his head, his eyes had a look of pleasure and love that would not separate them.

All set against the snowy backdrop, it was picturesquely beautiful.

Looking back now, Zuiju realised that that period of living in the secluded residence was something truly precious.

Slender fingers waved in front of Zuiju's eyes, and she came back to earth. "Ah...Miss..." she said.

"I can't stay here." Pingting's voice was soft, full of determination.

He Xia must not know about this child.

But the two were currently imprisoned. How could He Xia not realise that Pingting's stomach had been growing day by day?

"Miss, the Duke will definitely come save us quickly."

Zuiju regretted it the moment the words left her lips.

Pingting's expression was like someone thumping down heavily on a river, stiffly frozen by winter, causing it to completely shatter.

She turned away and sat down on a stone bench of the courtyard. She lowered her head, not letting Zuiju see her expression. It was a while before she slowly said, "Zuiju, I beg you..."

Zuiju self-criticised herself for her loose tongue and hurriedly murmured, "Zuiju was wrong, I won't mention that person in front of Miss again."

Pingting then looked up at Zuiju and it was several moments later when she slowly raised her hands to her.

Zuiju took them and kneeled, raising her head. "Say no more, Miss. Zuiju understands."

The two slender white wrists grasped each other, gripping tighter and tighter.

The snow whirled; the flakes fell like tears.

The guqin of the Zhen-Bei Ducal Residence had been damaged. The large palm that stroked her black hair no longer had its warmth.

One remained as the world's precious sword that seemingly destroys, while the other became the red soul that swirls around the cold moon.

After the moon passed half the sky, her soul had been torn out of her bones and reduced to ash.

"One day, you will know what an excruciating heartache is."

She already knew.

She knew from that moment.