Chapter 51
Extra 7

In the ninth year of Yanxi, during the Spring Equinox.

Early in the morning, the Li residence welcomed a special guest, even alarming the elderly Madam Li Yunxi, who hurried to greet her.

However, the guest did not follow the steward’s guidance to the main hall. Instead, she passed through a corridor and noticed some paintings drying on a distant railing. Finding the unique painting style familiar, she walked over to the paintings, seeking the source of this familiarity.

The steward dared not rush her, and soon enough, Li Yunxi arrived, leaning on her cane.

Upon arrival, Li Yunxi saw the most distinguished woman in the world standing before the paintings, hands behind her back. Her eyebrows and eyes resemble the late Empress Zhaoming, causing Li Yunxi a moment of disorientation, as if time had reversed, taking her back to her childhood at the Grand Princess’s residence when she first met Empress Zhaoming.

How old was she then… six years old?

It had been too long, and Li Yunxi couldn’t remember clearly. Perhaps those who knew her past well would remember better.

Back then, she studied with Lin Qiwu and was taught by the esteemed Mr. An Ying. Later, when Prime Minister Pei Siyuan courted death, she personally pushed him and even went to prison to see him off for the last time because they were both students of An Ying, sharing some camaraderie.

Such hypocrisy.

She was too young back then, Li Yunxi thought.

The woman looking at the paintings addressed Li Yunxi as “Aunt Yunxi.”

The woman was the granddaughter of the late Empress Zhaoming, and her mother was the current Empress Dowager Li Zhi, making her and Li Yunxi cousins.

Li Zhi had difficulty bearing children and had only one daughter, who was frail and sickly at birth. Empress Zhaoming named her “Ying’an.”

Gu Ying’an.

Twenty-one years ago, Empress Zhaoming passed away, and her youngest son, Gu Chi, ascended the throne. Less than two years later, he abdicated in favor of Gu Ying’an.

Gu Ying’an came incognito, addressing Li Yunxi not as “Minister Li” or “Grand Tutor” but as “Aunt,” making it clear she was here for leisure, not state affairs.

Li Yunxi understood. Recently, the court has been in turmoil over the issue of succession, giving Gu Ying’an a headache. Gu Ying’an had two sons and a daughter, all of whom were barely able to recognize their fathers from the harem. Unfortunately, each child had a different father… or perhaps four, as the little Princess’s father was either an uncle or a nephew, both of whom entered the harem together. They looked alike and had similar schedules, making it impossible to determine the biological father, so they were both considered as such. Now, all three princes and princesses had come of age and were involved in politics, each with their own strengths in character and knowledge, causing Gu Ying’an much distress.

“The Empress Dowager and the Retired Emperor are both old and unwilling to get involved in the succession issue, so I can only come here to escape,” Gu Ying’an sighed and then asked, “Who painted this? It looks so familiar.”

It seemed she had seen something similar before but couldn’t recall where. The feeling was like hearing a lullaby from a nanny as a child, growing up and forgetting the tune but finding it familiar when heard again.

Li Yunxi looked at the painting and smiled, “My fifth sister painted it.”

“Aunt Weixi?” Gu Ying’an knew she had an uncle who was feared by everyone when he was mentioned. She had heard rumors of his discord with her grandmother over the throne, but she also knew that those rumors were false.

Many people believed that there was a Bodhisattva at the King Yan Mansion, and since she was young, she loved visiting the mansion. She always heard her uncle call her Aunt Weixi, so she followed suit.

Unfortunately, from the time she could remember, Aunt Weixi had been afflicted with a strange illness, requiring her to sleep for long periods every day. She also remembered a doctor at the mansion who often tricked her into grinding herbs for him.

Gu Ying’an was deceived because the doctor knew so much that even a little information was enough to keep young Gu Ying’an fascinated for an entire afternoon.

In the doctor’s stories, her uncle was in poor health and was supposed to pass away when she was three years old. However, due to proper care, he survived that year, while Aunt Weixi suddenly fell ill, needing to sleep for many hours daily, and no treatment seemed to work.

A few years later, Aunt Weixi passed away first, and her uncle followed in the same year.

“One three…” Gu Ying’an looked at the painting and suddenly uttered two numbers.

Li Yunxi didn’t understand the meaning and heard Gu Ying’an say, “I remember now. Aunt Weixi had a similar painting in her room. I saw it many times as a child. No wonder it looks familiar.”

The most memorable time was when she peeked through the window into Aunt Weixi’s room, seeing the painting on the wall and her uncle and aunt leaning against each other. She also heard Aunt Weixi talking to her uncle, though she couldn’t recall the details. It seemed Aunt Weixi was asking her uncle to remember a string of numbers, saying that if he remembered them, they might meet again.

The string of numbers started with one three, but she had long forgotten the rest. She only remembered that as a child, she counted on her fingers, and it was just one number too many for her two hands.

“Why is the painting hung here?” Gu Ying’an asked again.

Li Yunxi didn’t know either. “Your Majesty, this painting was accidentally wetted by Miss Bai Ge, and she was afraid of being punished.”

Bai Ge was Li Yunxi’s granddaughter.

This spot was well-ventilated and sunny, and the steward had covered it up. If not for Gu Ying’an’s keen eyes, it wouldn’t have been noticed.

They both laughed.

Gu Ying’an asked Li Yunxi for the painting, and they moved together to the main hall.

Because of that painting, they inevitably talked about many old stories, many of which Gu Ying’an heard for the first time.

For example, when the first expedition fleet set sail, it brought back many exotic animals. One of these animals was initially called a qilin, but Consort Yan renamed it to what we now know as a “giraffe.”

Another story involved Li Ying, the wealthiest woman in Yangzhou, who donated money to the court every year for military expenses. This tradition began because Lin Qiwu, the Marquis of Dingguo, made a bet with Li Ying when they were children. The bet was for Li Ying’s monthly allowance, and when Li Ying lost, Lin Qiwu, who was desperate for money due to the war, took advantage of her with the help of Lin Yan’an, who had succeeded the title of King Yan.

Gu Ying’an listened to these tales of grudges and affections among the elders with great interest. “No wonder they didn’t get along,” she remarked.

Li Yunxi smiled nostalgically, noting that their relationship had strained since the first meeting. They also reminisced about how they first met.

Putting aside the issue of succession for a while, Gu Ying’an spent half a day leisurely at the Li residence, enjoying a plate of sunflower seeds and hearing many interesting old stories. If not for the chimes of the clock on the treasure cabinet, she wouldn’t have wanted to leave.

Li Yunxi personally escorted Gu Ying’an to the door, watching until the carriage headed towards the palace and was out of sight before turning back into the residence.

Although all three princes and princesses were the emperor’s biological children, everyone had their preferences.

Li Yunxi knew that Gu Ying’an favored her youngest daughter. The youngest daughter was the youngest of the siblings, and with Empress Zhaoming and the Retired Emperor both living long lives, Gu Ying’an was likely to live a long time, too. Choosing an older heir might not be suitable.

Moreover, the two fathers of the youngest daughter were of high status and not ordinary people, which made Gu Ying’an hesitant. She had to guard against powerful relatives and wanted to keep her daughter close, but she couldn’t bear to part with the considerate uncle-nephew duo.

The position of the heir… it seemed it would take a long time to settle.

“Madam…” Li Yunxi returned to her courtyard and found her granddaughter Bai Ge squatting by the door. Seeing her approach, Bai Ge stood up and ran to support her.

Li Yunxi didn’t enter the house but sat under a tree in the courtyard. “You, just like your mother, always causing trouble, but with a courage that surpasses the sky.”

Li Yunxi pretended to be stern, but everyone in the household knew she doted on this granddaughter the most. Otherwise, the steward wouldn’t have helped the girl cover up.

Bai Ge quickly admitted her mistake. “I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have gotten that painting wet, and I shouldn’t have tried to hide it from you. Please don’t be angry. I promise I won’t do it again.”

Every time she promised not to, but every time there was a next time.

Bai Ge was only eleven this year, a little girl who had lived with her maternal grandparents since her parents died young. Her parents died while sailing with Gu Yuwen, and none of the three returned. They had extensive experience in long voyages, were fluent in many languages, brought back countless exotic treasures and overseas machinery and knowledge, and even fought wars across the ocean, but ultimately died at sea, which they knew and loved best.

Truly remarkable.

Li Yunxi decided that next time, she would have a good laugh at her husband’s expense.

Li Yunxi forgave the little girl, who then became happy again. She chatted with her grandmother about her cousins while keeping her hands busy, taking an egg from her pouch and placing it on the stone table to play with.

The Spring Equinox is the perfect time for balancing eggs.

No matter how hard the little girl tried, she couldn’t balance the egg. She frowned and complained to her grandmother.

Li Yunxi took the egg from her hand. As expected, it was a boiled one. She laughed, and after laughing, she felt a bit dazed, perhaps because of her age, which often made her reminisce about the past. She remembered the Spring Equinox of that year when she was still a child. She wanted to win some fruit cakes from her seventh sister, Li Ying and begged her fifth sister for help. It was also under the tree in the courtyard. Li Yunxi seemed to see her younger self betting with Li Ying on balancing eggs. After winning the bet, she excitedly shouted towards the house—

“Fifth Sister, come quickly!” Li Yunxi looked towards the high door of the house, as if seeing her quiet fifth sister, with her hair styled like an unmarried girl, walking towards her with a cold expression.

In the blink of an eye, so much time had passed.

Time is indeed ruthless. Once it flows away, it never returns.

“Madam?” Bai Ge called out to Li Yunxi.

Li Yunxi came back to her senses. In this familiar spring, just like her fifth sister had taught her, using her old and aged voice, she said to her granddaughter, “To balance an egg, you need to use a raw one.”