The man possessed a refined and composed demeanor, his features marked by a scholarly elegance. Yet his tall stature and the patrol uniform of the Imperial Guards he wore lent him a contrasting air of martial rigor. This contradiction only made him more striking, most notably in the unrestrained, free-spirited charm he exuded. When he saw Li Ce and rose to greet him, there was a sharp integrity in his bearing—unyielding, unbending—utterly unlike the sycophants of the court. This was Yan Congzheng.
Li Ce gave a slight nod in greeting."Commander Yan, are you off duty today?"If he were on duty, this would count as dereliction of post.
Yan Congzheng answered in a clear and crisp voice,"I am on rotation today. My mother has a fondness for the mooncakes of the Duke An's household, so I shamelessly came to beg a few. I fear I've made Your Highness laugh."In truth, although she claimed to like them, they hadn't visited in years.
"What's there to laugh at?"Madam Ye quickly invited them in."When Changgen left, he made special mention to deliver mooncakes to the Prince of Chu and to Young Master Yan. That's why we made more than usual this year. Had you not come, I would have had Jiaojiao make house calls with them."
When Li Ce first met Ye Changgen, the latter had insisted he try their family's mooncakes. He was a man of his word.
Ye Jiao was peeling pomegranates and muttered,"I wouldn't have gone. Mother always sends me running errands. Ever since my brother left, she's been treating me like a son."
Madam Ye laughed,"If I didn't treat you like a son, would I entrust the family business to you? How else could you buy ginseng like it were mere radish, without so much as blinking? Don't you go playing innocent after taking advantage."
Ye Jiao chuckled guiltily."Hehe—here, Mother, have some pomegranate seeds. Don't be angry."
"Come, everyone, take a seat," said Madam Ye cheerfully."You'll all surely dine with your parents tonight. Stay for lunch here. No one is allowed to leave."
For over a decade, the Duke An's household had not been this lively. Though Ye Changgen was away, it was the first time nobility remained for a meal. The gatekeepers reported regularly—so-and-so's household had sent Mid-Autumn gifts.
Partly it was because Ye Changgen had joined the army, partly because Ye Jiao had achieved merit at Mount Li, but most importantly, because the case of Prince Su had concluded. Any discerning soul would understand what this meant: that the former Prince Chen had been wronged, and the Emperor was ready to set aside his resentment toward the Duke An's house.
If Ye Jiao were to marry into the Prince of Chu's residence, the house of Duke An would inevitably soar to new heights. Better to send gifts now and make a favorable impression than to wait and flatter later.
The wet nurse summoned Ye Rou. Dishes were brought to the table, wine cups filled. Though the full moon had yet to rise, the atmosphere brimmed with warmth and reunion.
Madam Ye took the seat of honor. The two guests sat at the head of the table. Ye Rou, as the elder sister, sat opposite Li Ce, while Ye Jiao sat across from Yan Congzheng.
Madam Ye conversed with Yan Congzheng, inquiring after the health of his elders. He replied politely, glancing up to see Li Ce peeling a pomegranate and placing the seeds into a bowl for Ye Jiao. Fortunately, both had long arms, reaching across the laden table with ease.
At the mention of the Yan household, Ye Rou recalled Yan Congxiao and apologized on Qian Yougong's behalf. Yan Congzheng expressed even greater remorse and conversed with her at length.
Meanwhile, Ye Jiao was already offering walnuts to Li Ce."New walnuts," she said. "Crack them open and have a taste."Li Ce frowned at the shell, barely cracked open. Yan Congzheng turned and instructed a servant,"Fetch a hammer."
"No need," said Li Ce. With a single slap of his palm, the walnut cracked apart, as though his hand were made of iron.
Their noise finally caught Madam Ye's attention."Jiaojiao!" she scolded."The Prince of Chu is our guest. How could you ask him to shell walnuts?"
"It's quite alright," said Li Ce, lowering his hand, wincing from the numb pain."Miss Ye cared for me during my illness. It is only right I repay a little kindness now that I've recovered."
Yan Congzheng nodded in agreement."Coincidentally, I've brought a basket of wild chestnuts. Since Miss Ye enjoys them, shall we ask the Prince to shell those too?"
Wild chestnuts were encased in spiny, rock-hard husks—more vicious than a hedgehog. The mood at the table shifted subtly.
Ye Jiao, until now engrossed in eating, finally noticed the two men sitting upright across from her, their eyes clashing like storm clouds brewing in the sky.
"No need to shell them," she said hastily, picking up her chopsticks."My fault—we shouldn't snack before the main course. Come, come, let's eat."She served Yan Congzheng a piece of mooncake, passed a meatball to Li Ce, and stood to refill their osmanthus wine, her laughter bright and effortless, lifting the mood once more.
The meal concluded without further incident. Yan Congzheng took his leave, mooncakes in hand. Ye Jiao let out a satisfied burp and slouched lazily."Really now, you two—how did it turn into a fight?"
Li Ce was hammering walnuts again and muttered,"When did you two first meet?"
"Seven or eight years old, maybe," Ye Jiao replied."We were out seeing lanterns. He came with Sister Yan and snatched my rabbit lantern. My brother beat him up, and that's how we met."
"And then?" Li Ce smashed another walnut.
"Then the shopkeeper sold the rabbit lantern to me. Later, when Fu Mingzhu tried to stick up for him, he got beaten too."Mentioning her brother, Ye Jiao fell into melancholy."I wonder where he is now... whether he even has mooncakes to eat."
Far away in Shazhou, Ye Changgen was gnawing on a flatbread. These desert biscuits bore no sesame, just slabs of dough the size of watermelons slapped onto a furnace wall—hard, dry, but perfect for long preservation. When he lay in ambush on the Gobi for two days and nights, they stayed intact. One bite released a rich, lingering flavor.
If not for the occasional crunch of sand between the teeth, they'd be perfection.
He handed the last bite behind him, and a hungry subordinate quickly took it.
"Captain," the soldier said while chewing,"Who would've thought, a noble from the capital like you working this hard. Staying still for days, I swear, even the lice on me have lice."
Ye Changgen uncorked his canteen and drank the final drop."I've lived in luxury before. Enduring hardship now just adds to my stories," he scoffed.
The soldier passed him his own water bag."Captain, when the Tubo arrive, don't rush forward—hide behind us."
"What kind of joke is that?" Ye Changgen sneered."The higher the rank, the farther you charge. That's how it is."
Before he left home, his mother had said—As a commander, you must not only survive, but also protect your men.But hiding behind them? Was he a coward?
In the distance, hooves began to thunder. Closer now, figures emerged in blue-gray garb.The enemy had arrived.
Back in the capital of Chang'an, thousands of miles away, the Mid-Autumn festivities were in full swing.
After lunch, a massive lantern was hoisted atop the tallest building of the Duke An's residence—a traditional Mid-Autumn ritual.
Ye Rou stood upstairs, looking down, lips curving in a faint smile.Beneath the lantern, Ye Jiao in crimson and Li Ce in dark robes stood together—she radiant and expressive, he deep-eyed and quietly elated. The autumn wind tugged at their robes, and Ye Jiao's silk shawl fluttered, entwining with Li Ce's sleeve.
He made no move to untangle it—simply let her bind him, and turned his head to look at her.A perfect pair.
Ye Rou picked up a riddle to toss down for Li Ce to guess, when she saw a servant approaching from afar, whispering something into Li Ce's ear.
Li Ce turned and departed. Ye Jiao followed, unaware of their destination.
They went to the Imperial Prison.
The attendant had said that Li Long, still imprisoned, had sent word requesting to see the Prince of Chu.
Ye Jiao, uneasy, insisted on accompanying him.
The case had been judged and made public. After Mid-Autumn, Li Long would be moved to a secret location for lifelong confinement.
It would be his last chance to see Li Ce.
He still wore the bloodstained brocade from the assassination attempt at Mount Li—once regal, now creased and filthy. His hair was a tangled mess. Though he still wore a crown, it...