Eight months had passed since the day the Crown Prince of the Great Xu rode out of the imperial capital with the army.
Winter had come and gone, and spring had quietly painted the courtyards of the Yue residence with blooming plum blossoms. The world continued to move as it always did, yet for the Yue family—and especially for Yue Ning—time seemed divided into two parts: before Xu Chen left, and after.
The war at the northern borders continued.
Though the capital remained peaceful, rumors from the front lines drifted through the streets like restless wind. The people spoke of fierce battles, of harsh snow-covered plains, and of the Crown Prince leading soldiers deep into enemy territory.
Inside the Yue residence, however, life carried on with quiet dignity.
Servants moved through the courtyards with trays of tea. Cousins gathered for meals. The elders discussed household matters beneath the shade of old trees.
Yet sometimes, when Yue Ning stood quietly near the lotus pond, her thoughts drifted far beyond the capital—toward the distant northern lands where Xu Chen now fought.
---
Three months earlier, the Crown Prince had turned eighteen on the battlefield.
The news arrived through an official military report sent to the imperial court. Though it was a formal document, word of it soon spread quietly through the capital.
At the Yue residence, Yue Ning learned of it when her father, Yue Chen, mentioned it during dinner.
"The Crown Prince has already spent eight months at the northern front," he said thoughtfully. "And he celebrated his eighteenth birthday there. Few princes have ever grown so quickly."
Grandfather Yue Shun nodded slowly.
"A ruler forged through hardship will understand the weight of the throne better than those raised only in comfort."
The family spoke respectfully, but Yue Ning remained silent.
That night, she returned to her courtyard and sat beneath the moon.
Eighteen years old.
She remembered the last time she saw him—the quiet garden where they had spoken, the pouch she had placed in his hands before he left for war.
Inside that pouch were small things: herbs, protective charms, and a simple jade bead she had carved herself.
To others, they were ordinary items.
But both of them knew the truth.
They carried far deeper meaning.
--
Just one week earlier, the Yue residence had celebrated Yue Ning's thirteenth birthday.
Unlike the grand banquets held for noble daughters in the capital, the Yue family preferred something simple.
Lanterns were hung across the courtyard. Servants prepared her favorite dishes. Cousins gathered around the long wooden table laughing and teasing one another.
Her brothers, Yue Han and Yue Bo, presented her with a wooden jewelry box they had clearly carved themselves. The edges were uneven, but the effort was sincere.
"Little Sister," Yue Bo said proudly, "we made it ourselves."
Yue Ning smiled gently.
"It's beautiful."
Her cousin Yue Rui presented a silk ribbon from the market.
Yue Jun gave her a small ink brush.
Even little Yue Ming's two-year-old son toddled toward her with a flower clutched in his tiny hand.
The elders watched with warm smiles.
To them, Yue Ning was still the gentle and quiet granddaughter who had grown up before their eyes.
No one knew the vast secrets she carried.
---
Late that evening, after the celebration ended, a familiar messenger arrived at the back gate of the Yue residence.
He carried no official seal.
Instead, he delivered a single folded letter addressed simply to Miss Yue Ning.
The servant brought it quietly to her courtyard.
Yue Ning dismissed her maids before opening it.
Inside was Xu Chen's handwriting—steady and firm, yet carrying the faint roughness of someone who had spent months in military camps rather than palace halls.
The letter read:
Ning'er,
The northern winds are colder than the capital's winters.
The plains stretch endlessly, and snow sometimes falls even when the sun is shining.
The soldiers here are strong. Many have fought for years. They respect strength more than titles.
I thought the battles would be the hardest part of this war, but strangely, the quiet nights between them are more difficult.
On those nights, I remember the capital… and someone who once scolded me for skipping meals while studying military maps.
I still carry the pouch you gave me.
It has been more useful than you might imagine.
I hope the plum blossoms in your courtyard have bloomed by now.
—Xu Chen
Yue Ning read the letter slowly.
Then she read it again.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
Outside, the moonlight rested quietly across the courtyard stones.
---
Yue Ning prepared her reply immediately.
Her handwriting was calm and elegant, each character carefully placed.
Your Highness,
The plum blossoms have indeed bloomed.
Grandfather says this year's blossoms are brighter than usual.
The capital remains peaceful. Your victories have reassured the people, though rumors of battle still travel through the markets.
I hope you are eating properly. Military discipline does not excuse neglecting your health.
The pouch I gave you contains herbs that may help with fatigue. Use them when necessary.
As for the northern winds…
When spring arrives in the capital, perhaps they will finally soften.
—Yue Ning
She sealed the letter carefully.
The messenger departed before dawn.
---
Far to the north, the military camp of the Xu army stretched across a vast frozen plain.
Rows of tents stood beneath a grey sky. Soldiers moved between them carrying weapons, supplies, and messages from the front lines.
Inside the largest command tent, Xu Chen finished reviewing a battle report before finally allowing himself a moment of rest.
A messenger entered quietly.
"Your Highness, a letter from the capital."
Xu Chen accepted it immediately.
He recognized the handwriting before even opening the seal.
As he read the letter, the stern expression he usually wore in camp softened slightly.
Outside, the wind howled across the plains.
But for a brief moment, it felt as though the distant warmth of the capital had reached him.
He folded the letter carefully and placed it inside his armor—next to the pouch Yue Ning had given him months ago.
The war was far from over.
But knowing that someone waited for him beneath the same sky made the long nights easier to endure.
---
Neither the Yue family nor the imperial court knew the depth of the connection between Yue Ning and the Crown Prince.
To the world, they were simply acquaintances.
But behind the quiet exchange of letters, something far deeper continued to grow.
They knew each other's greatest secret.
They knew each other's true identity.
Yet neither spoke of it.
Not yet.
For now, they remained separated by distance—one in the peaceful capital, the other on the harsh northern battlefield.
But the bond between them only grew stronger with time.
And somewhere beyond the reach of mortal sight, forces far greater than war continued to watch silently.
Because the story of the Supreme Heavenly Dao and the Supreme Heavenly Empress was only just beginning.