After some time, Li Yuan was welcomed into the Jing Clan’s inner estate and given the same elegant courtyard he had toured a few days earlier during the wedding festivities. Cui Huayin and Yao Jue moved in with him as well, a simple act that marked the beginning of renewed harmony between the Jing and Gu Clan.1

The courtyard itself was all wood, releasing a faint, cool fragrance. It stayed warm in winter, cool in summer, and remained free of insects. Though smaller than most, Li Yuan didn’t mind; his own home wasn’t large, so what use was a sprawling courtyard to him?0

Still, he had to keep up appearances. So he sat alone on the stone steps by the entrance, staring at a sea of off-white flowers in the distance. He looked utterly lost, as though dazed by grief.0

From beyond the courtyard walls, he sensed people secretly watching...0