Shen huang gui fei retreated from his yurt without protest. The Emperor was glad for it. He didn't know what he'd do if he had to suffer her for the rest of the morning. She left behind the cloyingly sweet smell of perfume that made his headache all the worse. In the blue light of the early morning, he recounted his foolishness. A few cups of wine and, Shen huang gui fei was back in his bed. He was no better than a dog, rutting up against anything that didn't have time to run off.

  Rightfully, Shen huang gui fei was devoted to him, but he had repeatedly scorned her presence lately for a reason. Yet, he had rewarded her by allowing her to serve him in bed.

  "Your Majesty," a eunuch announced, "Her Highness The Empress is here,"

  "Let her in,"

  The Emperor flexed his sore muscles as The Empress strolled inside. He waved away the formality between them as The Empress helped him wash and dress for the day.

  "Zhang Wei said the wine last night was very strong. Drink this to restore your vitality before you speak the tribes this morning,"

  The Empress was simple, and he liked it. He had never had to twist himself in knots or bend over backward for her to understand him. She was a straightforward woman.

  He took the cup from her and brought it to his nose, pausing at the sweet, floral smell.

  "What is this?"

  "Clear-mind soup, Your Majesty,"

  "I've never had clear-mind soup that smelled like this," he said.

  The Empress also leaned in to sniff the drink before pulling back with a frown.

  She turned to Jerjer, "Who poured this cup for His Majesty?"

  "It was Mo'er, Your Highness,"

  The aforementioned maid was called to kneel before them and begged for forgiveness.

  "Forgive me for this small mistake, Your Highness–"

  "Small mistake?" The Empress interrupted, "How could you confuse clear-mind soup and golden leaf tea? Yes, it's only tea this time, but what if every servant was so lax? I can't forgive this,"

  The Emperor closed his eyes, already sick of the commotion, "Just send her away.

  The Empress, like always, did as she was told without question.

  "I apologize, Your Majesty," she said, taking the cup from him, "It's good that you're so diligent in what enters your body. Nothing evil would dare pass your lips,"

  The thought forced him into stillness as The Empress removed his sleeping clothes.

  Nothing evil would pass his lips...

  When he finished dressing, there was a light breakfast waiting for him. He accepted the bowl of broth and ginger she portioned out for him.

  "Shen huang gui fei served me last night," he said.

  "Yes,"

  "Do you think she was worthy of it with how she's conducted herself lately?"

  The Empress laid down the chopsticks in her hands.

  "Shen meimei is from an upper banner family and followed you from The Old Manor. She's also raised a good daughter. How could she be unworthy?"

  The Emperor had nothing to say. It was a noble answer from his noble wife.

  "Your Majesty, there's no shame in forgiving Shen meimei. You may think the wine clouded your vision, but what if it revealed your true desires? You and Shen meimei have loved each other for many years. It only makes sense that a bird and the sky meet again,"

  True desires? The Emperor fought back a snort. It had been many a year since Shen huang gui fei had been the subject of his desires. It felt like an eternity. In fact, he had been so drunk that night that he imagined Huifen had served him in bed.

  The Emperor let the conversation taper off. Unlike several of the women in the back palace, The Empress didn't try to fill the quiet with mindless chatter.

  "You're spending the day with Yu fujin?" He asked eventually.

  "Yes," she replied, "It's good that the wine last night was too bitter for me to drink. If two glasses affected Your Majesty, I can't imagine what it could have done to me. I would have been poor company for her, "

  The Emperor paused around the food in his mouth before swallowing it.

  "The wine was too bitter?"

  The Empress didn't look up at his question, her eyes focused on peeling the plump green grape in her fingers, "Far too bitter. Your Majesty knows I prefer wine with a bit more sweetness,"

  The Emperor continued to let The Empress serve him quietly, but a great flame of anger was smoldering in his chest. The wine that Shen huang gui fei served him, he had granted to The Empress as well.

  His wine had been sweet.

  ?

  Jiayi's fingers trembled as she helped her mistress undress for the day.

  "The weather today was very nice," Jiayi said, "The walk with Her Highness and Yu fujin was peaceful,"

  "As peaceful as it could be," Xiang pin said, "Poor Yu fujin. No matter how much His Majesty rewards their family, she'll always have that pain,"

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  Yu fujin's story was sad but not unusual. Her son, Batzorig, had given his life to bring glory to his clan, his father, and the great Qing. He was only 19. While Chief Ulagan had plenty of children with his concubines, Batzorig was Yu fujin's only child. Yu fujin floated around the plains in a swath of mourning white.

  "No matter how many rewards His Majesty showers her with, she'll never forget,"

  With that, Xiang pin went quiet, much to Jiayi's dismay. She hoped that she could keep Xiang pin talking. If her mistress kept speaking, Jiayi wouldn't have to.

  Molan and Ping'er came by with warm water and a cloth for Xiang pin to wash her face.

  "Do you think His Majesty will flip your tag tonight?" Jiayi asked.

  Xiang pin raised an eyebrow and wiggled the cloth in her hand, "Obviously not! His Majesty was in a foul mood all day!"

  "Like that's any surprise," Bolin muttered, "After a night with Shen huang gui fei,"

  Molan huffed, "He doesn't even like her. Why would he honor her by letting her serve him?"

  Bolin brought his voice down low, "I heard it wasn't honor but wine that let her serve him,"

  "Enough," Xiang pin said, her voice sharp, "Watch how you speak of His Majesty,"

  "Yes, Your Highness,"

  Xiang pin finished her nightly ablutions in silence. As Jiayi turned back the covers, she decided to leave the conversation for another day. Xiang pin was already in a poor mood, there was no reason to make it worse.

  "You've been quiet today," she said as Jiayi helped her lie down.

  Jiayi smoothed the covers over Xiang pin's lap and sat on the floor by her bed.

  "I feel sorry for Yu fujin," Jiayi said, twisting her hands in her skirts.

  "Really?"

  Jiayi nodded.

  Xiang pin didn't respond and instead said, "You can all withdraw,"

  "Not you, Jiayi," Xiang pin said before Jiayi could excuse herself.

  Jiayi sat back down.

  "Look at me, Jiayi,"

  It was the last thing Jiayi wanted to do, but she obeyed.

  "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing, Your Highness," Jiayi quickly assured.

  Xiang pin sighed. "You've been glowing with happiness since we left the palace, and now? You look like you'll be hanged tomorrow,"

  Jiayi bit back a sigh. There was no avoiding it. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small silver bottle. She held it out to Xiang pin.

  "What's this?"

  Jiayi let out a breath, "Last night, near the east end of the forest, I saw Jingse burying something in the ground. When she left, I dug it up,"

  "She buried this bottle?"

  "Yes,"

  Xiang pin inspected the bottle and shook it to hear the bit of liquid sloshing around. Jiayi's pulse raised as Xiang pin continued to scrutinize it.

  "Jingse," Xiang pin muttered. She clenched the bottle, "What time last night?"

  Jiayi swallowed and dropped her eyes to the ground.

  "It was more...early morning than late night, Your Highness,"

  Xiang pin's eyes strayed from the bottle, "How early?"

  "Maybe...maybe two this morning?"

  Xiang pin placed the bottle on the bedside table and sat up, pushing the covers away. She peered down at Jiayi.

  "You were wandering the forests alone at twp in the morning?"

  "Not wandering. Waiting," Jiayi swallowed again, "For someone,"

  Xiang pin said nothing. Jiayi didn't have the courage to try to fill the silence.

  Despite its softness, Xiang pin's voice cut through the quiet like a blade.

  "A man?"

  Jiayi's head snapped up in alarm. A denial was caught behind her teeth, clumsy and slow. She abandoned the lie soon after. It was already too late.

  She couldn't withstand the look in Xiang pin's eyes, so she lowered them to her lap again.

  "Jiayi," Xiang pin said with a sigh, "What have you done?"

  "I haven't done anything bad, I swear," Jiayi said, "No one can prove anything,"

  "Nothing now, but what about in three or four months?"

  "No," Jiayi said, "There's no chance of that,"

  Pregnancy.

  Even thinking of it made Jiayi shudder.

  "Is that supposed to make me feel better? How could you do something so foolish? You're smart enough to know what would happen if you were caught,"

  Jiayi bowed her head at the scolding. She knew very well.

  Xiang pin said nothing for some time before letting out another sigh.

  "Well, we can only move forward from here. What's his name?"

  "Huh?"

  "His name, Jiayi," Xiang pin said with a roll of her eyes, "You're a good little actress, so you'll have to be a bit shy with His Majesty when the announcement's made. You seem like the dashing sort, so he must be a guard. Uncovering whatever scheme Shen huang gui fei has cooked up with this bottle is no small thing. I can ask for a marriage on your behalf,"

  In any other circumstance, with any other man, what Xiang pin said was a beacon like no other. But in this world, in this moment, it reminded Jiayi of everything she could never have.

  "You can't," she said.

  "Nonsense," Xiang pin said with an airy shrug, "This fellow can't be all that far above you. An Imperial guard, right? If you're worried about Wei Jiayi's family, I can–"

  "It's Prince Han,"

  Jiayi's pulse thrummed in her neck as she awaited Xiang pin's response. Was she going to scream? Finally give Jiayi the verbal thrashing she deserved? Instead, there was more silence before Xiang pin let out another breath.

  "I didn't think Prince Han was that sort of man," she said, "All this time, I thought he was noble and had a good character,"

  "He is," Jiayi said, jumping to defend him.

  "How good can he be if he's been lying to you, Jiayi? He knows all of his promises are worthless,"

  "Zhishi hasn't made any promises to me,"

  Jiayi was desperate for Xiang pin to understand that Zhishi wasn't a bad person. He was good. He was nothing but good.

  "He's been nothing but kind to me, Your Highness. He's never lied to me,"

  "Oh Jiayi," Xiang pin said, her eyes full of pity, "What have you done?"

  Hearing such a tone made Jiayi wish that Xiang pin had been furious instead. It made embarrassment crawl up and down Jiayi's spine.

  "I know it was stupid, but I just wanted a chance to fall in love. I'm so grateful to be by your side, and I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth, but I just wanted to know, even if it was just for a little bit,"

  Xiang pin shook her head, "The Empress brought Yele-Nara Xiurong here because she wants her to marry your Zhishi,"

  "I..." Jiayi swallowed around the lump in her throat, "I've made peace with that,"

  "You've made peace with never seeing Prince Han again after he starts his new life with Xiurong? With the fact that on the rare occasion he comes back to the palace, he'll never look at you again? You've made peace with that?"

  Jiayi nodded. The thoughts weren't her favorite, but she had come to terms with it.

  Xiang pin tilted her head, "If Her Highness announced their engagement tomorrow, you'd be fine then?"

  The words struck Jiayi's chest like an arrow. It couldn't be tomorrow. Her Highness would wait until First and Second Princess were married off and maybe even Third Prince! Wasn't Jiayi supposed to have more time?

  Mind racing, she blurted out, "But that's not fair!"

  "Sometimes life isn't," replied Xiang pin.

  But it was to you.

  It was a mean thought, and Jiayi had just enough sense not to say it aloud. Unfortunately, she didn't have to. Xiang pin reached out, cradling Jiayi's calloused, work-beaten hands in her soft fingers.

  "Do you think His Majesty was my first love? Darling, if I told you how many times life decided not to be fair to me, we'd be up all night,"

  "But in the end–"

  "Yes, in the end. But no matter how much you want it, Prince Han won't be yours,"

  Jiayi pressed her head into Xiang pin's lap as the tears burned behind her eyes, "Are you going to tell me to stop seeing him?"

  Xiang pin played with a loose tendril of Jiayi's hair, "I can see how your heart beats for your Zhishi. Even if I told you, I don't think you'd listen,"

  It was horrifying how true that was.

  "Just...be prepared for the end. It may come sooner than you think. And know when it comes, there is life after,"

  "Thank you for your grace, Your Highness," Jiayi said through her sniffles.

  After leaving an embarrassing damp patch on Xiang pin's nightclothes, Jiayi sat up and began to pull herself together.

  "What do we do about the bottle?" She asked, her voice hoarse.

  "We'll go to Her Highness in the morning," Xiang pin said, her eyes flinty, "I won't deny her the pleasure of putting the final nail in Shen huang gui fei's coffin,"