That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

In early winter, Guanzhong was hit by a blizzard that destroyed houses, froze livestock to death, and blocked roads, making it difficult to deliver relief supplies to the disaster area.

In December, the weather suddenly turned warm. Not only did the snow stop falling, but a dry and cold north wind picked up. The melting snow froze into solid ice, and the frozen soil was difficult to thaw.

With the spring planting season approaching, people have no land to cultivate, making their livelihoods increasingly difficult.

Such strange weather, with its sudden changes in temperature and alternating snow and freezing, is rare in ancient times. People throughout the court were in a state of panic. The court officials took the opportunity to launch an attack, and for several days they jointly submitted a memorial, claiming that the Imperial Concubine's exclusive favor in the harem had caused the unusual celestial phenomena, forcing Song Shuangning to ascend the altar to pray for snow.

The process of ascending the altar to pray for snow is complicated and rigorous, requiring three days of fasting and walking up the mountain to kowtow.

Xiao Yan naturally refused.

How could he not know the suffering of praying for snow?

There was a precedent during the reign of the Emperor's grandfather.

When the Emperor's grandfather fell ill, the court officials insisted that it was because the Emperor's grandmother's fate clashed with his, forcing the nearly sixty-year-old Empress Dowager to ascend the altar alone to pray for snow.

After the old man returned, he fell seriously ill and remained bedridden for half a year before his condition finally improved.

Now this group of people is resorting to their old tricks again, jointly submitting a memorial to force Ningning to go.

During the morning court session, the emperor flew into a rage!

Xiao Yan pointed at the trembling officials below the steps, suppressing his raging anger, and rebuked them: "Why should the Imperial Noble Consort need your criticism? The Noble Consort acts with propriety, and even if she occasionally goes astray, she will not tolerate outsiders making baseless accusations and malicious attacks!"

"I will absolutely not allow the Imperial Noble Consort to ascend the altar to pray for snow!"

The hall was deathly silent.

Xiao Yan slowly rose, flicked his wide sleeves, and uttered, "This matter is not to be discussed further."

After speaking, he didn't even look at the bowing officials below him, and turned to leave.

"Dismiss the court!" Li Fuquan shouted in a high-pitched voice, his fear barely concealed.

Song Shuangning was waiting in a side hall of the Qin Zheng Hall. Outside the window, the cold wind howled, swirling snowflakes that lashed against the windowpane.

Behind this turmoil were not only the old-fashioned officials in the court who disapproved of the emperor's exclusive favor and her control of the six palaces as an imperial concubine, but also the empress's maternal family who secretly fueled the flames.

She knew that Xiao Yan was protecting her.

If we can't discuss it today, what about tomorrow? What about the day after?

The court officials' impeachment memorials would be submitted one after another, and the people might be misled into kneeling outside the palace to plead for her, cursing her as a wicked concubine who brought disaster to the country and saying that the emperor disregarded the safety of the nation for her sake.

At that time, how should Xiao Yan conduct himself?

Song Shuangning looked out the window. The sky was overcast and the leaden clouds hung low, but there was no sign of snow falling.

This year seems to be a difficult problem that God has set for her.

If she wanted to secure her future position as empress, if she wanted to truly become a woman who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Yan, if she wanted to protect Yu Tuotuo for a lifetime of peace.

She could no longer simply be someone he protected behind her.

She had to go to this altar for praying for snow.

As Xiao Yan stepped into the side hall, he saw Song Shuangning standing by the brazier. The fierce look between his brows instantly dissipated, and he asked softly, "Why is Ningning here?"

Song Shuangning lifted her skirt and walked slowly forward, looking up at him with a firm tone: "Ayan, I've heard about it all, and I'm willing to go to the Prayer Altar."

"I refuse." Xiao Yan flicked his sleeves and turned to leave, seemingly unwilling to discuss the matter further.

Song Shuangning quickly caught up with him, grabbed his sleeve, and said urgently, "Why is Your Majesty unwilling? Your Majesty should know better than I what Your Majesty will face and what will happen in the future if I don't go!"

She didn't want Xiao Yan to become estranged from his ministers and lose the people's support because of her.

Xiao Yan had his back to her, his back ramrod straight, and his voice was deep and husky: "Ningning, be good."

He gazed at the misty sky outside the window and said slowly, "Even if the road ahead is bitterly cold, I will handle it well and protect you."

Song Shuangning walked around to stand in front of him, took his hands in hers, her eyes filled with tears yet her gaze was unwavering: "Your Majesty, I must go. If I don't go, they will never give in. I will definitely do well, and I will prove to everyone that I am someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Your Majesty and share the hardships!"

"If Your Majesty does not agree, I will kneel here forever." As she spoke, she was about to kneel down.

Xiao Yan supported her waist.

"Ningning, do you know how difficult this is? The wind on the mountaintop is as cold as a knife. You are weak and cannot withstand such bitter cold. I will absolutely not allow you to put yourself in such danger!"

"I know the road ahead is fraught with danger, and I know how much suffering I will endure, but I believe in myself and that I will return safely."

Xiao Yan pulled her closer, closed his eyes, and buried his face in the crook of her neck, his warm breath brushing against her skin, as if making a final concession.

After a moment, he slightly raised his chin, his lips brushing against her temple: "Okay, then I'll go with you."

*

Upon hearing that the Emperor intended to personally go to the Altar of Prayer for Snow, the entire court was in uproar and knelt down to remonstrate, saying that the Emperor was risking his life and disregarding the fate of the country.

Xiao Yan coldly retorted, "Back then, my grandmother was nearly sixty years old, yet she was still able to ascend the altar alone to pray for snow. Now, I am in my prime, accompanying the Imperial Noble Consort on a trip, and you all have so many excuses?"

He stated that sending the Imperial Noble Consort to pray for snow was his biggest concession.

The night before the snowfall prayer, Song Shuangning carried Yu Tuotuo to Consort Shaohui's bedchamber.

She took Consort Shaohui's hand and told her her worst-case scenario: "This journey is fraught with danger. If I don't come back, please take care of Yu Tuotuo for me. I don't ask that he achieve great things or hold a high position in the future. I only wish that he grows up safely and peacefully, and lives a carefree life."

Yu Tuotuo seemed to sense her mother's unusual behavior. She blinked her big, wet eyes, looked at Song Shuangning, then at Consort Shaohui, and suddenly burst into tears.

"Mother Ash~ Hug~"

Her small hands gripped Song Shuangning's sleeve tightly, refusing to let go.

……

On the day of the ceremony, at the Snow Prayer Altar atop a mountain on the outskirts of Beijing, a biting wind whistled past, carrying shards of ice that felt like knives cutting into your face.

Song Shuangning, dressed in plain white mourning robes, stood tall and straight; Xiao Yan, having removed his dragon robe and wearing only dark blue casual clothes, stood beside her.

Knowing the bitter cold of the mountain peak, Song Shuangning secretly ordered someone to sew thick fox fur linings into the inner layers of her and Xiao Yan's cloaks. These linings not only blocked the wind but also retained warmth, so that even if they stood in the cold wind for a long time, they would always be wrapped in warmth.

She also hid the silver fox fur hand warmer in the sleeve of her cloak.

Song Shuangning walked steadily, her skirt fluttering in the cold wind, while Xiao Yan stayed by her side the whole time, shielding her from the biting wind.

When they reached a steep slope halfway up the mountain, the road surface was as slippery as a mirror. Song Shuangning slipped and her body tilted sharply to the side, about to fall on the sharp icicles.

Xiao Yan reacted quickly, pulling her firmly into his arms while his knees slammed heavily against the ice, letting out a muffled groan.

Song Shuangning quickly supported his knees: "Ayan, how are you?"

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "It's alright, take your time."

As they went further up, the wind became stronger, whipping up ice pellets that stung their faces. Song Shuangning staggered and almost tripped, so Xiao Yan simply took her hand and intertwined their fingers.

As night fell, the mountaintop grew even colder, with the biting wind almost penetrating through one's clothes and freezing to the bone.

The two sat down on the bluestone slabs on the altar. Xiao Yan wrapped her tightly in his cloak, rested his chin on the top of her head, and asked in a low voice, "Are you cold? If you can't stand it, I'll take you down the mountain immediately."

Song Shuangning shook her head, snuggled closer to him, and whispered, "With A-Yan here, I'm not cold."

The two reminisced about the past.

Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Ningning, to be honest, the way you look at me is always so blatant. Did you fall for my face first?"

Song Shuangning nestled in his arms, looked up and met his smiling eyes, then laughed defiantly, "Wasn't the Emperor initially interested in me because I was beautiful?"

Xiao Yan lowered his head and brushed his nose against her forehead.

The two exchanged a smile and whispered in unison, "Yes."

It was her stunning beauty at first sight that drew our hearts closer and our feelings gradually took root.

He stopped smiling and ran his fingertips across her eyebrows and eyes.

Xiao Yan's tone was exceptionally earnest: "I love your good and your bad. Your bright and radiant side, your dark and broken side, as long as it's you, I love you."

These words of love touched her heart deeply.

Song Shuangning smiled, pursing her lips.

*

The civil and military officials and common people below the altar watched from afar, many waiting to see her fail halfway and find fault with her.

But three days passed, and Song Shuangning never wavered in the slightest.

Xiao Yan stayed by her side the whole time, fasting, worshipping, and praying with her.

At dawn on the third day, as the east turned a pale white, she and Xiao Yan finished reciting the last eulogy side by side, their foreheads touching, and they solemnly kowtowed.

A sliver of light suddenly appeared on the horizon, and fine snowflakes began to fall softly.

At first, it was just a few scattered snowflakes, but in an instant, it turned into a heavy snowfall, swirling and covering the two people on the altar and the entire mountaintop.

"The snow is falling! The snow is falling!" The people below the altar cheered first, their voices echoing through the mountains and fields for a long time.

Xiao Yan raised his hand and carefully brushed away the snowflakes from Song Shuangning's hair and eyebrows, his eyes surging with tenderness and pride.

All the words I wanted to say ultimately boiled down to one sentence: "Ningning, you've worked hard."

Song Shuangning looked up at the snow falling all around her, her eyes slightly red, and tiptoed to gently kiss the corner of his lips.

Xiao Yan lowered his head and covered her cold lips with his own, gently stroking them, transferring his warmth to her.

Snowflakes fell softly, wetting their eyelashes and melting between their touching lips.

Only when her lips felt warm did Xiao Yan slowly pull away, his forehead touching hers.

Her eyes held the swirling snow and the shadow of her alone.

Amidst the wind and snow, the figures of the emperor and empress, leaning on each other, stood quietly atop the Altar of Prayer for Snow, becoming the most moving picture in the world.