“Visiting the hometown you left behind long ago only to be met with good tidings and news of happy occasions has got to be one of the most uplifting feelings in the world.” - Old Al-Shan saying.

After she spent a couple days in Paradise with the rest of her family - Leila had missed her quite a bit, so had little Ilena, who started to hit a growth spurt and was growing rapidly - Cal went to the portal hub and left for Al-Shan to visit Xain as usual.

She arrived to find the Imperial city covered in snow. Winter had come early in Al-Shan as well it seemed, although the hustle and bustle of the town were mostly unaffected by the snowfall, the inhabitants long used to the cold weather and early winters.

Cal made her way to the Imperial Palace quietly, sipping on a hot, fatty soup of pork and vegetables in a disposable bamboo tube as she walked to help weather the cold, something many locals did as they walked, which led to brisk sales for the vendors selling their hot, warming foods and beverages by the roadside.

The Imperial Palace was quite a sight, all white due to the light covering of snow on it. As usual, Cal was allowed in immediately as apparently Xain had made it a point to always have a veteran in the gate guard rotation at all times just for the times when Cal came to visit.

“Oh, hi, Kun’er” said Cal when she spotted an acquaintance walking along the gardens. The garden of the Imperial Palace used to be a place where only either the Imperial Family or the gardeners tread, but Xain had long since altered that rule and allowed whoever felt like taking a stroll in the garden to do so. “Taking a stroll again?”

The middle-aged Huan woman she saw walking was one such person. She wore an official’s robes of office, and seemed to be enjoying the cold winter air as she walked around the garden and admired the views.

“Sàng Jiāngjún Ambervale,” replied the woman politely as she gave a bow. She was by no means a stranger to Cal, as she had been part of the loyalists from the second decade of the civil war, when she was but a young girl who helped do chores in their camps. “A pleasure to see that you chose to grace us with your presence once more.”

Xiang Lee-Kun was also quite gifted with intelligence, something they quickly noticed as the girl grew up, and never forgot anything she saw or read once. By the time she was fifteen Halmout had taken the girl under his wing as a disciple, and taught her everything he knew.

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Nowadays, Lee-Kun served as Halmout’s assistant, and was herself a relatively high ranked minister at court. Rumors were aplenty that the aged prime minister had planned to resign, and to have his protege take over as prime minister instead. That rumor had sparked quite a bit of discontent with the traditionalists as far as she knew, as a female prime minister, much less a Huan female one, was unheard of.

Naturally, as she had been with the loyalists from long ago, Lee-Kun was one of the staunchest supporters of Xain’s faction in court even while the court was divided. Cal noticed right away that the woman looked far happier and more relieved than she used to be just a year ago, though.

“There’s been good news of late I assume?” Cal asked as she walked alongside the woman, who fell into step next to her unbidden. “You look as if a great weight had been lifted off your shoulder. Hell, you look almost a decade younger compared to last year.”

“It is as you said, Sàng Jiāngjún,” replied Lee-Kun with a smile. “This one finds great relief from the news that High Magistrate Wang will never step foot on the imperial court ever again. Nor would most of his faction. On top of that, the Imperial Majesties were blessed with child yet again. How could this one not rejoice?”

“Oh. Those are indeed good news worth celebrating,” replied Cal with a widening smile. She had expected Xain to make his move against the traditionalists either this year or the next, so that news had not surprised her much. On the other hand, the news that he was getting another child was something new to her. Considering how she had not heard of it before she left on her journey, it must have been a more recent development. “I guess that’s one more thing to congratulate the kid for then.”

“His Imperial Majesty has been busy in his attempt to make life better for his people,” replied Lee-Kun politely. She was formerly a peasant, so she knew all too well just what the changes Xain pushed for would mean for the poorer people of the Empire, and was naturally all too willing to support his endeavors. “It pleases this one that his visions are slowly becoming reality.”

“It pleases me too, yeah,” replied Cal with a smile. Lee-Kun’s overly formal manner of speech was something they could never get her to compromise with, the woman almost as much a stickler as her mentor in some ways. “Anyway, nice seeing you. I’ll go in and greet the kid first.”

“The Imperial Majesties would surely rejoice over your visit, Sàng Jiāngjún.”

Cal made her way through the familiar halls and corridors of the Imperial Palace, occasionally greeting an old acquaintance, or returning the greeting of some young ministers - probably fresh from the Imperial exams that year - as she walked by. She made her way straight to the Empress’ wing of the palace, and saw a woman stand guard by the door, one of Mustafa’s girls if she recalled right.

The young woman bowed in respect when she noticed Cal and politely opened the door for her. Inside the room, she found Xain and Layla, as well as Ying Xiao and Farah. Ying Xiao was busy “escorting” Farah, who had started to actively walk all over the place now that she was one and a half. Her parents were laid down on the comfortable divan in the center of the room, with Xain gently caressing Layla’s belly, which had started to bulge in the early stages of pregnancy.

A genuine, relaxed smile formed on Cal’s lips as she saw the sight before her.