In the blink of an eye, the old year was over and the new one had arrived. Wen Chan had hidden away for three years of peace, but this time, there was nowhere to run. She had to brace herself and attend the numerous, endless banquets of the new year.

She remembered that in her past life, she hadn't been very popular among the imperial and noble ladies. It was likely due to her reputation for killing, coupled with her somewhat withdrawn and gloomy nature; the other young princesses would take a detour to avoid her. The situation seemed slightly better this year. Perhaps it was because the matter of selecting her husband had stirred up a storm in the capital, which demonstrated the Emperor's high regard for her. Consequently, many people, even if fearful, wanted to make their faces known to her.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, the Emperor hosted a banquet for his ministers at Yanming Yunxiao Tower in the morning. In the afternoon, he specially made time to summon the three young men from noble families selected by the Princess for an audience in the palace, so he could personally examine their character and knowledge.

Wen Chan sat languidly behind a screen, resting her chin on her hand, and listened to the three men's answers outside.

The two men competing with Pei Rusong were Qin Boyan, son of the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Qin Huai, and Zheng Hengyu, son of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy Zheng Zhuang. Both were descendants of famous ministers from a previous generation, elegant young gentlemen who were well-read and versed in etiquette. However, Pei Rusong had, after all, lived for over forty years in his previous life. He had personally experienced bloody storms and assisted the New Emperor in fighting his way out from a hail of blades. His perspective and insight were far superior to those of two genuinely young men. Although he knew to restrain himself somewhat before the Emperor, this alone was enough to distinguish the superior from the inferior.

Previously, because the Pei Family had tried to evade the selection, the Emperor had been somewhat critical of Pei Rusong. But after this audience, his opinion of him had changed drastically. He felt that Pei Rusong possessed profound insight and was well-versed in political affairs, a rare talent indeed.

After the Emperor finished examining the candidates, he ordered the palace attendants to bestow rewards upon them and see them safely out of the palace and back to their homes. He then walked around the screen and asked Wen Chan enthusiastically, "Which one do you think—"

His words came to an abrupt halt.

Princess Chiming, who was there to choose a Prince Consort, was nestled in a round-backed armchair padded with a thick brocade cushion. She leaned against a soft pillow, resting her chin on her hand, her expression serene as she peacefully took a nap with her eyes closed.

The Emperor: "..."

He stood there staring blankly for a moment, wanting to flare up but not knowing how. In the end, he couldn't hold it in and was so exasperated he laughed. Pointing at Wen Chan, he raged at Liang Jiang, "Look at her! Just look at this behavior!"

Wen Chan was not in a deep sleep and woke up when she heard them talking. She called out, "Father Emperor," and stretched her stiff neck from side to side, seeming as if she hadn't had enough rest. "Is it over?"

Looking at her sleepy appearance, the Emperor suddenly remembered how she had loved to come play in Chunxi Palace as a child. Often, he would be discussing matters in the front hall, and when he returned, the little princess would already be curled up asleep. He and Empress Chu had doted on their youngest daughter, so they had been especially indulgent with her, never restricting her from freely entering and leaving the Emperor's personal palace.

But later, the Empress passed away from illness, and the Princess left the palace. The opportunities for father and daughter to meet became few and far between, and the warmth of the past was no more.

In the blink of an eye, the little girl who would wait for him on the small couch until she fell asleep was now about to be married.

The Emperor motioned for her not to rise and sat down opposite her, teasing, "I've never seen someone so unconcerned about their own marriage. Besides, New Year's Eve was six or seven days ago, and the Shangyuan Festival is just around the corner. How are you still so sleepy?"

Wen Chan felt it was because she had pulled too many all-nighters working with Pei Rusong in her past life; she would get drowsy whenever she heard him talk about political affairs. On top of that, she had been busy with banquets and social obligations these past few days. Having finally stolen a moment of peace and listening to Pei Rusong speak eloquently from just beyond the screen, she had unconsciously drifted off to sleep.

"One easily gets sleepy in the afternoon," Wen Chan said casually, tucking the soft pillow behind her back and taking a sip of the freshly replaced tea. "Besides, it's very warm here in Father Emperor's chambers."

The Emperor shook his head with a smile, indulgently deciding not to fuss over her minor transgression. "How did those three perform just now? Which one suits your fancy the most?"

Wen Chan thought for a moment and replied, "The son of the Qin Clan is calm and steady, and the son of the Zheng Clan is learned and talented. But when it comes to stunning looks, the son of the Pei Clan is far above the other two."

The Emperor: "..."

It was rare to hear her give someone such high praise. It seemed that being drawn to beauty was human nature, irrespective of gender, with no exceptions.

"His talent and knowledge are also above those two!" the Emperor huffed, both empathizing with her mindset and annoyed that she only saw his looks. "I bet you were just sleeping the whole time!"

Wen Chan smiled. "If I had praised his great talent from the start, Father Emperor would surely have thought I was making an excuse to hide other thoughts. Since you think so too, it shows that this person is indeed blessed with both talent and beauty, without a doubt."

The Emperor was stunned, then burst into laughter. He was truly helpless against her. Feigning anger, he chided, "How audacious, to even scheme against me! I don't know who you get this cunning and quirky cleverness from. We'll see if your Prince Consort can handle you in the future!"

Wen Chan cast a faint glance beyond the screen, thinking to herself, 'Instead of worrying about him, you might as well worry about whether I can withstand the Prince Consort's varied and creative resentfulness.'

On the side of the Emperor and the Princess, the choice of the Prince Consort was all but certain. As for Pei Rusong, he knew he had secured the position the moment he left Chunxi Palace. However, after the three of them left the palace together, he felt none of the joy of having his wish fulfilled.

Qin Boyan and Zheng Hengyu—Pei Rusong had no impression of these two from his past life, which showed they were merely mediocre individuals who relied on their ancestors' merits to secure official positions. Even compared to his truly younger self, these two had nothing outstanding about them.

They were opponents on a completely different level; there was nothing to be proud of in defeating them. What was detestable, however, was that both in and out of their words, they still had a tone of looking down on Princess Chiming. One said that with the Empress having died early and the Princess having no motherly consort to raise her, she must be spoiled and arrogant, unable to serve her husband's parents dutifully. The other said the Princess was cold-hearted and dared to execute a minister in public, meaning she would be just as ruthless in managing her own household in the future.

The final conclusion was that rather than enduring a lifetime of endless suffering for the empty title of Prince Consort, it would be better to marry a daughter from a prestigious noble family or one from a mid-ranking official's family with a generous dowry. Marrying someone like the Princess would be like inviting home a great Buddha as heavy as Mount Tai, which would only be a waste of one's youth.

Pei Rusong couldn't show his feelings too obviously. Since no imperial decree had been issued from the palace yet, he couldn't act as the Prince Consort to defend the Princess. He could only quietly make a mental note, planning to ensure that these two would never again set foot in the imperial court in this lifetime.

The night of the Shangyuan Festival.

In Jiqing Temple, south of Zhaojing City, there was a pagoda over a hundred feet tall, from which one could overlook half the city. In her previous life, on the night of the Yuanxi Festival every year, regardless of wind or snow, no matter how lively the lantern festival in the city was, Wen Chan would ascend this pagoda. It had become an unbreakable habit.

This year, she stood before that same window again, watching the lights flow like a river of stars in the dark night. On Yuanxi Festival night, the curfew was lifted, and the common people reveled and celebrated freely in the streets. Faint sounds of laughter, music, and strings drifted through the air, seeming to herald another year of prosperity and peace.

Light, steady footsteps came from the stairs. Before the person drew near, a cool, snowy air, carrying the faint scent of pine and cypress incense, rushed towards her. Wen Chan did not turn around, as if she had eyes in the back of her head. "Why are you here?"

Moonlight shone through the latticed window into the Buddhist hall. Pei Rusong, draped in a silver-white satin cloak, walked towards her step by step. The shattered light on the floor looked like snow that had fallen from him. For a rare moment, the two of them stood together without any barriers, just as they had in the old days. "I remembered that Your Highness comes here every Yuanxi Festival, so I came to try my luck. I didn't expect to actually find you—Your Highness didn't look back just now, did you? How did you know it was me?"

"Because I told the person guarding below to let you in if you came."

Pei Rusong stood beside her. His gaze lowered, and in the hazy moonlight, he saw the slight upward curve of her lips.

Young masters from noble families like them valued subtlety and aloofness in all things, as if taking the initiative was admitting defeat. In his past life, Pei Rusong had firmly adhered to this principle, and as a result, he never had the chance to take the initiative again.

In this life, having learned from his painful experience, he had turned himself into a Little White Flower that couldn't live without the Princess. But occasionally, he still yearned for a chance encounter born of a spiritual connection, only to find that he had long been in the palm of her hand.

She was clearly such an intelligent and gentle person.

On what grounds did those who had never even met her dare to speculate about her with malicious prejudice and rumors?

"I only accompanied Your Highness here that one time," Pei Rusong asked softly. "But Your Highness has watched alone for so many years. Is the night of the Yuanxi Festival, apart from being a bit more lively, any different from other nights?"

Wen Chan gazed at the myriad lights in the distance and answered nonchalantly, "No."

Pei Rusong turned his head to look at her.

"It's better that there's no difference, isn't it?" Wen Chan said. "That it's this lively every year, that lights are lit every night, proves that the realm is peaceful and stable. The common people have the leisure to rest and celebrate, and they can look forward to the coming year."

"But Your Highness is not there."

In her past life, she had been so certain that a knife was hanging over her head. When she stood alone atop the pagoda, watching the reveling crowds in the city, what was she thinking?

Everyone was looking forward to the new year; only she was counting down her remaining days.

"It's not necessary."

Wen Chan reached out and pushed open the wooden window. A biting night wind instantly poured in, howling as it swept up her long hair, which fell onto Pei Rusong's shoulder, like their two fates once again intertwined. Her eyes, as if reflecting the undying light of the stars, watched him with earnest and calm focus.

"To let the lights shine as usual, every year, every night—Pei Xuechen, that is our responsibility."