A long line of eunuchs carried box after box of wedding goods into Mei Li's small courtyard, Hong Ling was busy and sweating profusely, every available space was filled to the brim, and the eunuchs were still bringing more in. Many little palace maids crowded at the gate to watch the commotion, their usual mocking expressions replaced with admiring gazes, they intentionally raised their voices to let Mei Li's servants hear, "The King really treats the Princess well!"

  Meili leaned against the high pillow, half-reclining on the couch, silently flipping through the pages of the book in her hand, oblivious to everything outside the door. The stack of miscellaneous talks and joke books that Yonghe sent her had accumulated into a thick pile, accompanying countless nights when she dared not fall asleep.

  "Gege, Cheng Yi Beile is here." Hong Ling rushed in, wiping the sweat with her handkerchief, looking surprised. Ten thousand didn't think that Cheng Yi Beile would come to see his own Gege, he only came to pay respects to his ancestors on New Year's Day.

  Meili was also slightly surprised, her straight body stunned for a moment before getting up to greet him, Chengyi had already walked in from outside with slow steps.

  They exchanged a silent glance, Cheng Yi slightly furrowed his brow, and his eyes faintly swept towards Hong Ling, who was standing still. Hong Ling felt a chill run down her spine and immediately understood the unspoken signal to retreat. Cheng Yi's expressionless face was just like Qing Wangye's, making people even more fearful. As she exited the door, Hong Ling instinctively closed it behind her, feeling that since Cheng Yi had come to see Gege, there must be something very important.

  "Please sit down, Cheng Yi." Mei Li personally poured him a cup of tea. He must have rushed back from the arena in a hurry, and his pale-colored long gown was covered with a thin layer of dust.

  Cheng Yi sat down in the chair but didn't drink tea. He didn't say much, and from his bosom he took out a small brocade bag and handed it to Mei Li, "Take it."

  Meili politely accepted it, not wanting to disappoint him, so she pretended to be curious and opened the brocade handkerchief. Inside was a yellowed sheepskin with dense patterns drawn on it, including figures and eight trigrams, complex and messy, like a mysterious symbol made by a swindler in the Jianghu world. She didn't care about investigating, but was only curious why Cheng Yi would give her such a thing.

  "This is the 'Eight Trigrams Eight Arrays' diagram." Cheng Yi explained briefly, "The Emperor sent me to find it for a long time, it's related to the giant treasure of the Former Ming. I found it two years ago... and have been keeping it with me all along, just in case the Emperor would punish me, I couldn't wait until the day I went to Dzungaria." He smiled coldly.

  Meili's hand holding the sheepskin map shook violently, almost dropping it. She understood the meaning behind his words - this "Eight Trigrams Eight Arrays" diagram was extremely important to the Emperor and even the Qing dynasty itself, so much so that Cheng Yi could use it to save his life.

  "Tomorrow when the Emperor returns, give this to him. Even if you can't become the Empress, it's enough to make you a concubine."

  "Xiang Yi ge..." Mei Li held back her tears, her heart feeling both bitter and sweet. There was still someone in this world who would think of her like this, and she was deeply grateful for this kindness, but couldn't accept it. She gently took his hand and returned the sheepskin to him, "I can't take it, you keep it."

  This is his treasure for keeping his life, she can't accept it.

  "Take it away." Cheng Yi smiled softly and stuffed the sheepskin back into her hands. "Now... I don't need it anymore. He... won't kill me."

  She wanted to refuse, but he looked at her solemnly and shook his head, interrupting her words. "I will lead the troops to the border first, it seems... as an elder brother, I haven't done anything for you. You take this to the Emperor, he will naturally understand my intention, restore your and Shuo Gege's titles, although you are not the main wife, but your rank is higher than hers, at least you won't be humiliated by her in the future."

  She knew she was disheartened, Cheng Yi rarely said a few more words, perhaps at this moment she had no intention of planning for the future, but... The days would still go on, he sighed bitterly, these days that had never stopped flowing for anyone or anything were simply cruel.

  Fate has repeatedly made things difficult for her, and he can only help her this much.

  "Meili, even if it's just for my sake, you have to do as I say." He sighed, Meili's future... actually didn't rely on this treasure map at all. What he could do... was really only this much.

  Meili remained silent for a long time before finally nodding her head.

  At night, lying in bed with the sheepskin treasure map tightly grasped in her hand, she was filled with fear for the years to come. Her numb heartstrings were broken by Cheng Yi's words. She... was just a concubine, a small wife, in the cold palace. People like her had seen many times before. Those who had been favored and those who hadn't, all ended up the same after being discarded by their men. Their eyes were what she feared most when she first entered the cold palace - each pair was dull and lifeless, eerie and ghostly. All they did every day was wait for death.

  Only those who have experienced darkness... will be afraid of it.

  At last, she walked on the road to the main hall of the imperial palace with the treasure map in her bosom. At least she wanted to try for herself and not disappoint Cheng Yi's kindness... She was afraid.

  Perhaps she had gone too early, the eunuchs and palace maids responsible for cleaning up had just finished their work, the palace was quiet, even the birdsong sounded like mournful sighs to her ears.

  As she walked past Jingxuan's residence, she unconsciously quickened her pace, but... a few steps later, she stopped. Alone on the road, her footsteps were light again. The palace wall here was unusually thin, just to separate the roads. She clearly heard Su Yings' voice.

  "...... Jingxuan, can't you just marry me and then let her in afterwards?" Su Yuen almost begged humbly.

  Jingxuan did not respond.

  "Please," Su Ying begged, crying and acting pitifully, her beautiful face like a pear blossom in the rain, anyone would have pitied her.

  "What does it have to do with you? She's just a concubine." Jing Xuan seemed to be somewhat heartbroken, and said lightly.

  She was just a secondary wife.

  Meili stood stiffly on the palace path just a wall away from them, wanting to flee but unable to move as if nailed to the spot.

  "She... is also a gege." Su Ying choked, "She is also deeply loved by the ancestors. More importantly..." She burst into tears and hugged his waist tightly, he likes Mei Li! In order to get her, he even went to great lengths and scolded her Ama! She leaned into his arms, sobbing, "Jing Xuan, I'm so scared! Sharing you with other women... I don't dare complain, I'm just afraid... Afraid that in the future I'll have nothing."

  "Nothing at all?" Jing Xuan also held her tightly in his arms, "You will become my official wife, the Emperor needs you to be my official wife, with me by your side, how can you still have nothing?"

  "Jingxuan, do I have you?" Su Yan asked foolishly.

  "Hmm. I promise you won't be short of anything." He smiled.

  "Jingxuan..." Su Yan sighed with a low sob, "I'm afraid of the years to come."

  Meili raised her eyes and gazed at the clouds drifting slowly across the sky, only in this way could her aching eyes hold back tears.

  Su Ying... is also pitiful, she's just as scared as her.

  She heard Jingxuan's words to Zhamulang, and knew that Su'e and Jingxuan's marriage had deeper intentions from the emperor. She leaned against the wall and turned back, unable to see where the end of the road was among the vast palace walls. Why bother making things difficult for the emperor?

  Fate has already made up its mind to harm her, why bother with futile struggles... Even if she became the empress, even if she could regain the title of Heshuo Princess, what's the use? She would still be just a secondary imperial concubine!

  She is just Jingxuan's secondary wife!

  She made the emperor, the ancestors, and even Cheng Yi Ge embarrassed. Cheng Yi Ge had secretly kept this treasure map for two years, knowing the emperor's intentions yet still disobeying him. Could the emperor really forgive him again?

  Why must she struggle in vain? It's futile.