Da Furen smiled and vaguely said: “Indeed, your Father certainly will not abandon his hopes. The plan will not end with one failure, it will continue but the only difference is the person who executes it. If you cannot do it, there is still Chang Xiao and Chang Xi. If they do not succeed, there is still Chang Ru of Erfang, and not to mention a bright and clever Li Wei Yang now. Whether it is the children of the wife or the concubines, it is only in name. The right to decide still remains in your father’s hands.”


  Li Chang Le’s fingers quivered as a panic rose in her heart.

  Da Furen noticed the effect it had on her and decided it was not necessary to frighten her anymore: “To tell you the truth, whether it is Chang Xiao, Chang Xi, or anyone else, they are only stones used to test the waters before the Li family takes action. Once they grow up, they will become much more useful, but in the end, they are only stones used to pave the road for you. Do you understand? That is why you must not make any mistakes, and especially not to involve your Dage and bring him down with you.”


  Tears seemed to be brimming in Li Chang Le’s eyes. Under the candlelight, they seemed even lovelier and capable of stirring one’s heart: “Mother——”


  Da Furen gently patted her hand: “You are precious jade and beautiful in this manner. Why would you be willing to be ruined by a common tile? I can bear with it; you can also bear with it and patiently wait for a timely opportunity.”


  Li Chang Le lowered her head and did not respond for some time. At last, she only offered a soft “hmm” in agreement.

  Towards the end of the year, Da Li was enveloped in a great snowfall. All the officials and nobles in the capital drank wine and gazed out at the snowfall in good spirits, but eventually, no one could smile anymore.

  This snowfall had lasted over half a month and had become a snowstorm. Tens of thousands at the southwestern border were affected. Shocked, the Emperor ordered expenditures to be reduced, emergency relief to be provided, and ordered civil and military officials to devise countermeasures. Not long after, proposals landed on the Emperor’s desks like falling snow.

  In the Pavilion, Tuoba Zhen could be seen wearing a deep blue changpao. The yijin and sleeves were intricately embroidered with flying cranes amidst the clouds with silver threads, which complimented the golden, carved belt and pale jade ornament the color of bamboo. Even with a just a glance, his presence created a lasting impression, more so than for others. The black chess in his hand remained suspended in midair above the chessboard.

  Li Min Feng looked to him, slightly smiling as he said: “San dianxia is still preoccupied with the state of the snowstorm?”


  A strange expression crossed Tuoba Zhen’s face. He smiled as he set the chess piece down: “Not at all, the Crown Prince will address all urgent matters. I am only someone with too much time on their hands and is indulging in their wealth and prestige.”


  Li Min Feng casually said: “San dianxia, you and I have known one another for many years, yet you feel the need to keep things from me?”


  Tuoba Zhen no longer hid his sentiments but only smiled vaguely and said: “Min Feng xiong, it seems you already have a solution to the snowstorm in mind?”


  Li Min Feng set down a white chess piece and casually said: “Between this and that, there is only one way, and that is to open up the granary for emergency relief. At this point, bixia is prepared to close his ears to the world.”


  Tuoba Zhen nodded, smilingly as he said: “That is true. In the past couple days, Fu Huang has reprimanded the officials in court several times. He ordered that a countermeasure to address the source of the snowstorm must be devised in three days. It is a pity that no one dares to present their proposal.”


  Perhaps they were not necessarily afraid, but who was willing to risk their authority and status for this. Li Min Feng did not say this aloud and only urged: “ San dianxia, this is your chance.”


  Tuoba Zhen did not say anything. He was staring off into the distance, past Li Min Feng. Taken aback, Li Min Feng turned around to see three young ladies leading mumus and yatous through the long, curved corridor towards them. The young lady and the lead wore bright red garments with exquisite embroidery of peonies, and every movement made was full of life……

  The sides of the corridor were covered with an exotic species of plum blossoms in full bloom. The plum blossom scenery was awe-inspiring but was quickly blurred away in the presence of Li Chang Le’s beauty.

  Li Min Feng quickly turned around to look at Tuoba Zhen, and unsurprisingly, he was captivated by Li Chang Le.

  In his mind, Li Min Feng smiled. In this life, there was no man that was not enthralled after having seen his meimei. Although Tuoba Zhen had a cold and detached personality, he was no more than a common man.

  Li Min Feng raised an eyebrow: “Chang Le, you certainly know how to pick the time and place. You do not arrive early, nor do you arrive late. You choose to come at a time like this, causing San dianxia to forget about the chess game altogether!”


  Li Chang Le looked to Tuoba Zhen with a reserved smile: “There was a matter delaying me, so I came late. Chang Le will offer tea instead of wine as an apology to San dianxia.”


  Tuoba Zhen laughed aloud and stood up: “How can that be? Da Xiaojie is as lovely as this. Even if I had to wait an entire lifetime, I would still be willing.”


  Those words held a meaning of their own. Li Chang Le’s face reddened. Then, she remembered what her mother had said. Until it was certain he could secure the throne, she was not allowed to take any actions. She immediately recomposed her expressions and slowly said down: “These are Chang Le’s two sisters, Chang Xi and Chang Xiao. San huangzi met them last time.”


  Tuoba Zhen looked over Li Chang Xiao with a bit of embarrassment on her face, and Li Chang Xi, whose eyes were bright with admiration. He slightly smiled and nodded. They were only the daughters of concubines. There was no need to pay them any mind.

  Li Chang Xiao lowered her head. She only came to act as support. Everything else did not require her to speak or participate, and she was not to divert attention from Dajie. That was enough.

  Li Chang Xi could not hide the flush on her face. She used to worry that her scar would affect her marriage prospects, but yesterday, Da Furen personally came to see her and told her she must treat San dianxia well and offer her courtesy. In her words, there seemed to be a suggestion of a marriage arrangement, leaving Chang Xi overjoyed. Although San dianxia was not of noble birth, he still had his adopted mother, Wu Xian Fei, and her prestigious status. Even if he could not become Emperor in the future, at least, he would be a well-respected, noble prince with great authority! With such a good marriage, she did not think Mother would think of her, and her initial resentment suddenly subsided.

  “Earlier, San dianxia was contemplating the state of the snowstorm?” There was a fire pit for warmth in the pavilion. Li Chang Le’s long eyelashes were quickly layered with fine beads of snow, her lovely eyes slightly stirring. Her presence seemed even more noble and brimming with extravagance, prompting others to want to protect her and grow closer to her.

  Tuoba Zhen nodded, looking after every large snowflake falling beyond the pavilion with a hint of concern in his eyes.

  Li Chang Le smiled slightly, intending to make conversation, but then, she saw a girl in the snow, holding a bamboo umbrella. Beneath the umbrella, a young girl was enrobed in red, fur garments, whose presence was like intricately carved jade.

  Seeing that person, in the blink of an eye, Li Chang Le’s lips were quivering, but then she recollected herself. A light of dread appeared in her eyes, and in a fleeting moment, this vehement expression disappeared as if it had never existed.

  Li Chang Xi furrowed her eyebrows: “Li Wei Yang, what are you doing there?”


  Li Wei Yang raised her head and glanced over the people seated in the pavilion. Her lips slightly curved into a smile, and she deliberately came over at a slow, leisurely pace: “Wei Yang greets San dianxia, Dage, Dajie.”


  Li Chang Xi contemptuously peered over the cup of tea in hand: “In this extreme cold, people are suffering from the snowstorm, yet you still have the mind to collect snow on plum blossoms. You really are inconsiderate and indifferent to their struggles.”


  Li Wei Yang smiled: “There may be thousands of principles, but piety stands above all. I am collecting the snow on plum blossoms for Lao Furen. Does Wu mei have something to say?”


  Taken aback, Li Chang Xi immediately scoffed coldly and turned away.

  Li Chang Le glanced over at Li Wei Yang and gently said: “Meimei, the weather is cold and unforgiving, you must take care of your health.”