61. The final sentence: "Take care."

In the morning, at the Xiangxi Pavilion of the Prince Jun Manor.

The Xiangxi Pavilion was the residence of Consort Xiang. It was planted with the Four Gentlemen—plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos, and chrysanthemums—which showed that Consort Xiang was a person of exceptional elegance, or in modern terms, possessed a refined, bohemian sophistication. Zhao Chengxian had not set foot in the courtyards of his three secondary consorts for over two years. Seeing him approach, Consort Xiang's personal maid hurried forward with great joy, greeting him with a deep curtsy—her bow being somewhat lower than those customary among secondary consorts—and said with a smile, "Greetings, Your Highness!" Zhao Chengxian signaled for her to rise, while she thought to herself: See? Our Consort Xiang still holds the most important place in the Prince's heart! They were all well aware that the Prince had not visited any of the secondary consorts' courtyards alone over the past two years. At first, they had assumed he fell ill, but it was only after the fire in the imperial palace that everyone understood the reason stemmed from a single woman. Although her mistress was someone who looked past worldly matters, she still felt a sense of grievance on her mistress's behalf.

Zhao Chengxian walked straight inside. As soon as he entered the Xiangxi Pavilion, a faint, refreshing fragrance greeted him, one that possessed a soothing quality, instantly calming the mind. Consort Xiang was sitting quietly by a round table, reading a book. Zhao Chengxian walked in and asked with a smile, "What are you reading?" Consort Xiang hurriedly put down her book, stood up, and curtsied to him. Zhao Chengxian seated himself opposite her.

Zhao Chengxian picked up the book on the table and glanced at it; it turned out to be the *Classic of Poetry*. He understood that Consort Xiang was a talented woman with a deep love for poetry and literature. Consort Xiang smiled and said softly, "Your concubine is merely finding some books to pass the time!" She did not particularly wish for Zhao Chengxian to visit her; she was one of the rare consorts who never plotted to vie for favor. She only wished to quietly accompany her books and poetry, passing her life in such a manner.

Zhao Chengxian pondered for a moment before asking, "Do you wish to remain in the Prince Jun Manor?" His words startled Consort Xiang. She stared at him fixedly, and Zhao Chengxian smiled as he explained, "All along, I have known that your entry into the Prince Jun Manor was not of your own free will. It was simply that I did not understand your feelings at the time, and thus never considered allowing you to leave the manor. Now, I understand what a profound regret it is not to be able to stay with the person you love. If you still wish to leave the manor now, I will certainly grant your wish!" Only by truly comprehending what affection meant could one have such an epiphany. It was Yue'er who had taught Zhao Chengxian the true meaning of love.

Consort Xiang was utterly astonished by these words. It took her quite a while to recover, and looking at the serene and composed Zhao Chengxian, she said with deep emotion, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your gracious fulfillment of my wish. This concubine has always longed to leave the manor and live a quiet, ordinary life!" She had never expected Zhao Chengxian to consider things from her perspective; she was deeply touched. Although she had never dared to dream of growing old together with the person in her heart after leaving the Prince Jun Manor, this was the freedom she had yearned for in her dreams. No matter what, she had to grasp this opportunity she had waited nearly four years for.

Zhao Chengxian looked at Consort Xiang with a troubled expression and asked, "You know that a formal letter of divorce requires a valid reason. What reason would you like to use?" This presented a dilemma for Zhao Chengxian. Since entering the Prince Jun Manor, Consort Xiang had never committed any overstepping transgressions; they would simply have to fabricate an excuse.

Consort Xiang smiled and said, "It does not matter, any reason will do!" As long as she could regain her freedom, nothing else mattered. After a moment of thought, she said, "Your Highness, rest assured, this concubine will tell her family that it was entirely her own fault, and I guarantee they will not come to the Prince Jun Manor to cause trouble!" Since the Prince was considering her feelings, she certainly could not allow the Prince and the Prince Jun Manor to suffer any public censure. In truth, both of them shared one lingering apprehension: the Elder Princess Consort. The Elder Princess Consort would certainly never consent to the Prince divorcing a consort. They had no choice but to act first and report later.

Having made up his decision, Zhao Chengxian smiled with a sense of release and said, "Go and fetch the Four Treasures of the Study." Consort Xiang happily went to retrieve them. She ground the ink for Zhao Chengxian—this would be the last time she ground ink for him. Over the past four years, although there had been no romantic love between them, there was certainly a degree of familial attachment. Realizing this was their final meeting brought a tinge of sadness, yet there was an overwhelming sense of relief and liberation. Zhao Chengxian wrote: *Zhang, the consort of Prince Jun Zhao Chengxian, due to excessive chatter which has caused her husband endless annoyance, is hereby cast out of the Prince Jun Manor. From this day forward, her marriage or remarriage shall be entirely her own concern!* He inscribed his name and the date, pressed his seal upon it, and solemnly handed it to Consort Xiang—no, it should be Zhang Xiang. With a smile, he said, "From this moment on, you are free. Go and pursue your own happiness, and my blessings go with you!" He purposely avoided mentioning the person residing in Zhang Xiang's heart so as not to cause her any embarrassment, offering her only a sincere blessing.

Zhang Xiang also smiled and replied, "Once again, I thank Your Highness for your grace. Your Highness, you must find happiness as well!" This could be considered a peaceful parting between them, though strictly speaking, their relationship could not even be called a breakup, as there had never been any romantic love between the two.

Zhao Chengxian departed the Xiangxi Pavilion with a smile. Both of them knew what lay ahead, but neither would likely harbor any regrets. Upon discovering they had parted ways, the Elder Princess Consort was furious and refused to speak to Zhao Chengxian for several days. However, matters had reached this point and could not be altered; she had no choice but to accept it. Consort Yu and Consort Qin, on the other hand, were somewhat pleased, considering there was one less rival vying for the position of primary princess consort, unaware that the position of primary consort would never fall to them in any case.

With Consort Xiang's matter resolved, what clues would emerge regarding the case? How would the mystery be unraveled? Please continue reading the next chapter!