By late October, winter had already arrived.
Cold rain drifted down from a leaden sky, thin and persistent.
And winter, naturally, was the very best season for soaking in hot springs.
A heavily guarded carriage rolled slowly into Xi'an, heading straight for the back courtyard of the fertilizer shop. Inside sat Gao Yiye, wrapped in fine robes, her expression relaxed and faintly amused.
In the courtyard, Dao Xuan Tianzun stood waiting—birdcage in hand.
Gao Yiye glanced him over, eyes dancing. "Oh my. This Dao Xuan Tianzun statue doesn't seem as finely crafted as the one at Xiaolangdi."
Li Daoxuan laughed. "That was a later upgrade. This one's just the prototype."
She circled him once, nodding thoughtfully. "The build's identical, though. I even tailored a new set of knight's robes for you on the way here."
As she spoke, she stepped closer, helping him change clothes with practiced ease. The new outfit was exquisitely made—handsome, sharp, and youthful, reminiscent of the finest martial heroes of legend. If Yang Kang at the martial contest were reborn at his peak, this would be it.
Unquestionably the most handsome version.
Li Daoxuan examined himself in the mirror, clearly pleased. "Yiye, your tailoring grows better every time."
Before she could reply, the shop outside suddenly erupted in noise.
Voices overlapped. Footsteps crowded the street.
Gao Yiye raised an eyebrow. "What's happening out there?"
Li Daoxuan chuckled. "Today's the grand opening of the hot spring resort. I never told them where it was. They've grown impatient and want to follow us there—check in on the very first day."
Gao Yiye laughed brightly. "Then I arrived just in time. Perfect—hot springs await!"
"Then let's go."
Li Daoxuan carried his birdcage, took his wife's hand, and walked out together.
The street outside was packed solid—wealthy merchants, minor officials, servants, guards—filling the road from end to end.
Notably absent from the crush was Zhu Cunji, heir to the Prince of Qin. His carriage waited on a separate street. As heir to the most powerful princely domain in the realm, he didn't jostle with merchants.
He would go.
But with dignity.
This was his quiet separation from the ordinary rich.
"Li Yuanwai, please lead the way!"
"My whole family is here—wives, children, elders!"
"I'm planning to compose poems this time!"
Li Daoxuan and Gao Yiye boarded their carriage.
It was specially reinforced, with rubber-wrapped wheels and eight powerful horses. This wasn't ostentation—it was necessity. Without such measures, an ordinary carriage would have collapsed under Li Daoxuan's weight.
Still, to onlookers, it looked undeniably extravagant.
This Li Yuanwai's style really is excessive, some merchants muttered inwardly. But… not our concern.
Soon, an enormous procession formed—carriages, attendants, guards—stretching far down the road like a moving city.
They left Xi'an and traveled east for dozens of li.
Li Daoxuan said nothing about the destination. The dignitaries, disciplined and curious, asked no questions, simply following along.
Eventually, Wu Shen frowned slightly. "This road… isn't this near the Huaqing Palace ruins? We came here on a spring outing earlier this year."
Shi Kefa nodded, memories surfacing. "Yes. Huaqing Palace. Back then, it was nothing but broken walls and weeds. Thinking of the splendor of Han and Tang, and comparing it to today…" He sighed deeply.
At the rear of the procession, Zhu Cunji spoke quietly to his consort. "We're nearing Huaqing Palace. Could Li Yuanwai's resort possibly be there? It's a ruin—nothing could be built there."
His consort whispered, uneasy. "Could this be a joke? So many people traveling so far…"
Zhu Cunji frowned. "Li Yuanwai may lack refinement, but he isn't frivolous. Still—if we pass the ruins and he doesn't reveal the destination, we turn back. It wouldn't be safe to go farther."
Before he finished speaking, shouts erupted from the front.
"Huaqing Palace!"
"It's rebuilt!"
Zhu Cunji's eyes widened. "What?!"
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa froze. "What did you say?"
The procession surged forward. Rounding a stand of trees, the view opened—and everyone fell silent.
Ahead stood a vast architectural complex: black tiles, red pillars, carved balustrades, soaring eaves. Rain misted through the air, giving the buildings an ethereal, almost unreal beauty.
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa were stunned. "This spring… this was still wasteland."
Zhu Cunji lifted his carriage curtain and stared.
"The Huaqing Palace ruins… turned into this?"
His own Qinwang Mansion was magnificent—but he lived there daily, long numb to it. This, however, was new. Fresh. Radiant.
Without hesitation, he mounted his horse and galloped forward, drawing level with Li Daoxuan's carriage.
"Li Yuanwai," he asked cautiously, "isn't this… a bit beyond your station?"
"Not at all," Li Daoxuan laughed. "It only resembles a palace. In truth, it's merely an inn—just a particularly beautiful one. No imperial yellow. No dragons. No phoenixes. Nothing of the sort."
Zhu Cunji finally exhaled.
He had truly been worried. As a prince, even sitting on the wrong chair could invite disaster. If he accidentally touched anything resembling imperial regalia, the Embroidered Uniform Guard might knock on his door the next day.
At the entrance, attendants took Zhu Cunji's horse and guided the party inside.
Outside had already been impressive.
Inside… it was breathtaking.
Palace-like buildings rose amid gardens. Towers and pavilions alternated with flowing corridors. Covered bridges curved through drifting rain and steam, mist curling like silk ribbons.
It was a living painting.
And Huaqing Palace—long dead—had been reborn.