The mistress who remarried has returned.

Su Yunxi sighed. She could only do what she was capable of, and there was nothing she could do about things beyond her capabilities, no matter how much she wanted to.

It is very painful to watch a loved one pass away and be powerless to do anything about it.

Thinking of this, she slumped her shoulders in dejection, no longer thinking about Empress Xiao, who was in the cold palace and died after only three or five days because she missed her son so much, or Zhou Yuan, who was being treated coldly by her stepmother.

After leaving the East Palace, Su Yunxi did not immediately return to the Su residence. Looking at the night sky, the moon was gradually becoming full. Half of December had passed, and tomorrow was Father Qin's birthday. However, this joyous day was always the most difficult day for Qin Huai. He would often stay up all night with his eyes open, and when his head ached, pounding his head with his hands would not help.

In those years, on this day, she would drop everything and stay by his side every step of the way after he returned to Jiuli Lane from celebrating his father's birthday. She tried many incenses and finally found that agarwood was quite effective in calming him down, but he always said that it wasn't the agarwood that calmed him down, but the person. Now, thinking back, it must have been the agarwood, because she held no weight in his heart.

Su Yunxi reached into her clothes and found the two taels of silver she had left on her a few days ago. She had spent some of it and now had a little over one tael left. A voice in her heart said that it was not worth the expense, but her body still went to the incense shop. She told the shopkeeper, "Boss, weigh out one tael of agarwood for me."

She still can't forget the man who raised her from age ten to seventeen.

The shopkeeper clicked his tongue. "One tael of silver can't buy much agarwood. It can only buy ten qian (a unit of weight) of it. One tael of gold for one tael of agarwood—this stuff isn't for ordinary people."

Su Yunxi said, "I only need these. One tael of silver will suffice."

The shopkeeper could tell that she was dressed simply and probably couldn't afford more. He wondered why she would insist on wearing the kind of incense that only wealthy and influential people would wear.

"I have a piece of unpolished agarwood resin, the resin that formed after Yunnan white sandalwood was struck by lightning. It's cheaper than the finished product. I can sell it to you for fifteen qian (a unit of weight) for one tael of silver. Do you want it?" The shopkeeper meant well, "but I'm just saying it's not as fragrant as the finished incense. The finished incense has added fragrances."

Su Yunxi preferred the original ingredients, as she didn't like adding too many complicated fragrances. The more natural the woody scent, the lighter the better. So she nodded, "Yes, thank you."

The shopkeeper then cut off a small piece of agarwood resin, wrapped it in paper, and handed it to Su Yunxi.

Su Yunxi handed the silver to the shopkeeper. It felt light in her hand; there wasn't much money at all. She hadn't even started earning money yet, and she had already spent her two taels of savings, leaving her with less than half a tael. It was really wrong of her to be so foolish for a man.

For the past ten years or so, she would make agarwood every December and burn it at night. In the earlier years, Qin Huai was by her side, but in the last four years, he hadn't been. This year, she was short of money and could only afford this little bit, which was already extravagant for her at the moment. After making it, she lit it in the night and smelled the fragrance in the darkness. It was truly a waste of money.

But I just couldn't control it.

Back at the Su residence, it was already night. I saw my mother sitting outside the side gate, waiting for someone.

Upon seeing Su Yunxi, Su's mother rose to greet her, taking the food box from Su Yunxi's hands. Seeing the worry on her daughter's face, she finally couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong, Xixi? Is the Crown Prince unwell again?"

"The Crown Prince is not in any serious condition," Su Yunxi shook her head. "Someone from the palace has come to report the death of Empress Xiao. She is about to pass away. She will only live for three to five days. Because of the Crown Prince's serious offense, I'm afraid that Empress Xiao's funeral will only be held by Consort Shu, who will burn her body and she will not be able to be buried in peace."

After hearing this, Su's mother remained silent for a long time. It seemed that Consort Shu had been waiting for this day for far too long.

Xixi had no way of handling matters within the palace walls, and her question only made Xixi feel helpless. "It's something your mother shouldn't have asked. Your mother-in-law has always been very good to you. I shouldn't have brought up your difficulties. Life is often full of things beyond our control. Xixi, you don't need to blame yourself. This is your fate. You can only do your best and leave the rest to fate. You're just a girl; you shouldn't have to bear these things."

Su Yunxi stepped into the courtyard. Usually at this time, Yunze would be in his room studying by candlelight, but now the lights were off. Su Yunxi turned to look at her mother, "Is Yunze asleep? He's gone to bed early today. Has he finished his homework?"

Su's mother smiled, "When you come home, you and your brother have nothing to say to each other. The first thing you do all day is ask about your studies. You're so young, but you act more like an old woman than I do."

Su Yunxi was taken aback, then chuckled. "I don't want children in this lifetime. I've had enough of raising Yunze. Raising a baby is just too difficult."

Su's mother scolded, "That's all nonsense."

"Your brother went out with his basket after school in the late afternoon. He said he's eleven years old and told me not to worry about him." Su's mother shrugged. "If I ask him any more questions, he just leaves without looking back. That's why I'm waiting for you two at the door. I can't control either of you."

Because it was already night, Su Yunxi was very worried about her younger brother. Although she had never given birth or raised a child, she already felt like a mother. She had witnessed her mother being betrayed by her father, experienced Qin Huai using her as a tool for many years, and seen the Crown Prince lingering among women. In her heart, she felt that men were just like that, and women seemed to be something that men could do without.

If she weren't indispensable, then such feelings would be cheap, and she wouldn't need them.

Su Yunxi wondered where Yunze had gone.

Su's mother hesitated before speaking, then said, "Xixi... your father came over two or three times this evening to ask if you had gone home yet..."

Su Yunxi was taken aback. "What does Father want with me?"

Mother Su said, "It's definitely not a good thing. You've been provoked by that bastard. He's full of schemes against you. If he comes looking for you again, no matter what he asks you to do, just ignore him."

Su Yunxi stepped out of the courtyard gate again to look for her younger brother, but as soon as she went out, she saw Su Yunze returning under the moonlight, carrying a large basket of wood on his back.

"Sister!"

Upon seeing Su Yunxi, Su Yunze quickened his pace and walked towards his elder sister, calling out to her from afar.

As her brother approached, Su Yunxi noticed that his basket was overflowing with timber. The protruding part of the basket was tightly bound with rope, and it contained at least sixty or seventy pounds of camphor and cypress wood. He was only a child weighing less than a hundred pounds, yet the weight of the basket bent his back. "You went to Laoya Mountain. It's more than ten miles away. How did you manage to carry all this timber back?"

Nearby, in Crow Mountain, there was plenty of wood for making incense. She used to often go looking for various fragrant woods, with Qin Huai and her brother accompanying her. However, they had been preoccupied with other matters recently and had to put it aside. Besides, she didn't want to revisit the place. The memories of the past were too happy and would only cause her pain in the present.