All night, it was extremely quiet in the loft.

Outside the windows, there snowed heavily and the wind blew fiercely. Mingled with slight ices, the snowflakes swayed in the air in rustling sounds. It was full of darkness now, and the air was depressed.

It was time to get up now. Gu Yunxi poured thick rose saps into the water of the bath, and then she rubbed her body with Symplocos Paniculata Soap. By means of the fragrance, the pungent smell of spices was covered.

When she came back to the bedroom, she found half of the bed empty. Leng Qingtang and his quilts were all lost.

Ah!

It should be that he was annoyed that she didn't tell the truth to him, so he left her and went to the bedroom on the first floor to sleep.

Suddenly, the sadness fiercely flooded, occupying her mind and body. That made her unable to avoid it.

On the rear of the bed, the red candles ceaselessly shed tears. The flames swayed on the verge of being extinguished, which was just like her, sad and helpless.

Suddenly, the flames flickered and finally extinguished. Gu Yunxi wore her garment and went to the bed, tucking her delicate body in the cold quilt. She closed her eyes but couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

She clearly knew some suspicion occurred to Leng Qingtang. Hence, he hustled to make sense of the truth.

On this condition, she couldn't do anything but keep away from him for a time. Thus, both of them could be calm.

It was in the loft. In the guest room on the first floor, Leng Qingtang awakened drowsily, blankly staring at the cold and half-empty bed.

Outside the windows, the cold wind fiercely blew. But in the room, all was quiet. Sometimes, the charcoal fire burning in the brazier cracked, the sound of which was clearly heard and made people feel lonely and sad.

It was very cold tonight. But he didn't know whether his darling tucked up or not.

Leng Qingtang lay on the bed, being blank in his eyes.

His delicate darling was always careless, in order that he should take care of her to the most degree.

Although she was no longer a little girl, she still couldn't get rid of her impetuous habits. She always couldn't sleep quietly, especially when she liked to kick off the quilt.

After they slept on the same bed, in the nighttime Leng Qingtang always held such a habit as being awakened for a while. Then he would hold a burning candle and observe whether Yunxi tucked up or not.

As the flames in the brazier flickered, Leng Qingtang became more and more worried about Yunxi.

If the flames of the brazier in the upstairs chamber were extinguished, how could it be?

If it was so cold in the room while Yunxi didn't tuck up, and she caught a cold, how could it be?

Leng Qingtang quickly got up and put on a garment, when he couldn't help preparing to rush into the upstairs.

He considered, if he couldn't see Yunxi in great condition in person, he wouldn't sleep well during the night.

But when his feet touched the ground, the cold floor instantly calmed him down.

It was not long before the thing happened in the noon. As soon as he thought Huanan Jiyan's sad expression, Yunxi's decisive face and attitude of saying nothing, Leng Qingtang bore a full annoyance.

Who was Leng Qingtang? He was Gu Yunxi's husband!

He always considered, in Da Yi, Yunxi and he were apart and gathered more than once. But now they reached a foreign country and eventually married. So, they had been open to each other in every way. From now on, there would be no secret between them.

Their love was based on the previous time and experiences of suffering life and death together, so that there would be no gap between them.

Unexpectedly, Yunxi should leave a corner in her mind and refused him.

Leng Qingtang turned over and couldn't be asleep. It seemed that his body was tortured, when a sense of undescriptive pain flooded in his mind again.

Just let it be. Perhaps it was his own idea that Yunxi and he were frank to each other in every way. He could only blame himself for this wishful idea.

Leng Qingtang made a deep sigh, turning over and confronting the wall. He refrained and kept sober for a while. Eventually, he became calm and quietly fell asleep. All was quiet during the night.

...

It was in the Palace of the capital, Da Yi.

Since the day when Concubine Hui named Shi Yuanqing served Huanan Xin, she caught Huanan Xin's attention. Then she became superior and was in a higher rank. That was, she was honored to be Noble Concubine Hui in the rank-second and conferred to live in Miaoyin Hall.

On winter night, the cold wind blew when the air became wet and damp. It was likely to be a scene of "with darkness, the snow was impending".

In her hall, the fragrance was slight while the light was dim.

The newly embroidered blanket lay on the ground, and in the double bed made of rosewood, there were two pillows embroidered with magpies and plums. On the yellow cushion embroidered with cranes and clouds, a fur of red foxes was unfolded.

Noble Concubine Hui was afraid of cold, so that the wall heating occurred to the hall early. Now it was as warm as a spring in the room, where all furniture was delicate and luxurious.

Since Shi Yuanqing was honoured to be Noble Concubine, she had been serving Huanan Xin alone. She had been admired by Huanan Xin for a month.

She thought it was because of her own charm. But she knew little about the past things that happened in the time when the emperor was only a prince.

She didn't know what Huanan Xin was thinking when he quietly stared at the candles or overlooked the distance. She didn't understand why Huanan Xin became silent for her slight expression when he sometimes held her hands and talked with her.

On this evening, Huanan Xin still slept in Miaoyin Hall.

It was dark in outside. Removing her sophisticated ornaments, Shi Yuanqing put on a pink nightgown embroidered with pines and petals. She smiled and greeted Huanan Xin.

The night was long. Huanan Xin didn't want to sleep so that he ordered Shi Yuanqing to play a stringed instrument for him.

Noble Concubine Hui was best at playing the stringed instrument. Immediately, this beauty slightly lowered her eyes, smiling and sat in front of the stringed instrument. She behaved elegantly and graciously.

As the smart eyes shifted, Noble Concubine Hui gracefully raised her eyes. She smiled and softly asked, "Your Majesty, which tune do you want to hear? Please tell me the name, and I will play it for you."

Huanan Xin was upright and stood in front of the lamp, listening to the sound of blowing wind and falling leaves. His soft smile gradually disappeared, "In this cold season, it is going to snow. Just play a song of Missing in Snow for me."

Huanan Xin slightly raised his eyebrows, casually waving his hand high.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Noble Concubine Hui softly smiled, as her delicate fingers were prepared.

When the strings were plucked, the clear sounds occurred. The sounds were as quiet as the orchid in the valley, being like the melting snow and rain flowing in the pieces of ice, various and orderly.

Huanan Xin leaned on the double bed, rubbing the red fur of the fox. Seeming to be drunk, a kind of thin and cold mist in his squinted eyes and couldn't disappear.

While sniffing the fragrance of turpentine from the brazier's flames, Huanan Xin became serious and couldn't help thinking the past things.

At this time of one year, it was also cold in such a winter. In a similarly warm palace, he sat in front of this kind of lamp and endeavored hot marinated noodles.

The girl in front of him smiled and looked beautiful.

How long had it been? What did the girl look like?

Huanan Xin instantly widened his eyes, nervously holding the forehead and carefully thinking. The details were gradually gathered…

But the more he was anxious to think, the dimer the face was. Huanan Xin was astonished and sweated, clenching fists and fiercely shouting,

"Stop…"

As Shi Yuanqing's body suddenly trembled, the tune sounded awful.

She was frightened and crawled on the ground, nervously begging, "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Huanan Xin softly reached his hands, helping Shi Yuanqing in terrible expression up and holding her in his arms.

He watched her delicate face for a while. But then his beaming eyes faded and gradually became dim.

She was just similar to Gu Yunxi, but she was never Gu Yunxi...

"Your Majesty, what are you thinking?"

Softly leaning on Huanan Xin's chest, Shi Yuanqing looked at him with love and boldly inquired.

She was never a stupid woman, so she could completely understand the love that Huanan Xin only liked having sex with her.

Although he ceaselessly sent delicious cakes and interesting toys to Miaoyin Hall, she knew that Huanan Xin had never loved her genuinely.

The man in front of her was handsome and noble. Even taking off the golden and majestic dragon robe, he was still attractive, which charmed numerous women in the world.

She was fascinated by his charm, even wanted to be the woman who could be kept in his mind.

Now when the opportunity came, she could not help asking questions.

Huanan Xin rarely showed mild in his face, softly rubbing her earlobes with fingertips, "If I said I don't love you, how would you do?"

Shi Yuanqing softly lowered her head, mildly answering,

"Your Majesty, I can't blame anyone although you don't love me. I am so incapable that I can't delight you. But whatever you think of me, I always love you. I will regard you as my husband forever and genuinely serve you."

Huanan Xin turned to be serious in his eyes, thinking for a while. Then he smiled, "You are indeed sweet."

Her waist was held more tightly. At that time, Huanan Xin was close to her. He breathed a little fast, when the warm breath puffed on her neck.

When Huanan Xin intended to take her to the bed, Eunuch Superintendent Liang Zhen's voice suddenly occurred outside.

"Your Majesty, there is a secret report from Yue Xilou of the Eastern Depot."

Hearing that, Huanan Xin immediately pushed Shi Yuanqing away. Instantly, his love disappeared.

"Yunxi is eventually found!" Huanan Xin became happy, with delight in his eyes.

Yunxi...?

It was the first time Shi Yuanqing heard a name from Huanan Xin, which seemed to belong to a woman...

"Great! Immediately call Yue Xilou to go to the Palace. Eunuchs, I will go to Qinming Hall."

Huanan Xin turned around and left, striding without hesitation.

"Your Majesty!"

Shi Yuanqing sadly implored, walking to stop him.

Huanan Xin held her and perfunctorily coaxed, "Yuanqing, you just have a good rest. When I am free, I will see you."

"Your Majesty..."

Seeing Huanan Xin followed by the honor guards walking out of Miaoyin Hall at night, Shi Yuanqing looked pale and sad on her face.