"Your Highness is leaving?" Le Qing asked Zhaofeng beside her.
Zhaofeng remained silent. He hadn't expected Princess Changning to be from the future. What about General Yan?
"Zhaofeng, can't Princess Changning stay?" Le Qing felt a pang of regret. General Yan and the Princess had finally found their way to each other, only to face separation.
"Le Qing, the matters between the young general and Princess Changning are not for you and me to interfere with."
"But... my heart aches for our General Yan..."
"This is what the young general must face." Zhaofeng looked into the distance, assuming the young general had already accepted this fate.
Inside the great hall, Xue Zining sat amidst an array of talismans. The talismans now faintly emanated a glow, and she knew it was time.
Yan Zhao also knew she might be leaving. He slowly walked forward, knelt on one knee, and spoke each word slowly, "This subject respectfully bids farewell to Princess Changning."
Xue Zining shed tears. A strong light enveloped her entirely, and then she lost consciousness.
When she awoke, Xue Zining felt surrounded by darkness. She fumbled to her feet and seemed to hear someone calling her not far away, "A'ning, A'ning..."
The voice was too familiar; even across thousands of mountains and rivers, through past and present lives, she would recognize it.
"Yan Zhao..." she called out softly.
After a deafening roar, she felt something fall from above. She dodged to the side, and as more things fell, she felt a beam of light slowly slanting down from above.
A man in white descended from the heavens.
His robes fluttered, and his dark hair flew freely.
That clear and handsome face appeared before her, "Yan Zhao..."
"A'ning..."
Xue Jingyun's face lit up with joy. He landed and swept her into his arms, "A'ning..."
"Yan Zhao, I'm fine."
"A'ning, I thought..." Xue Jingyun trailed off.
He couldn't imagine the torment of a life without A'ning. He had called out her name repeatedly, listening for any sound of her.
Time after time, despair had given way to hope.
Eventually, he had become numb.
Heaven had eyes, and finally, he had found A'ning.
"Yan Zhao, don't be afraid, I'm here, A'ning is here..." She hugged him tightly as his body trembled. She knew he was afraid of losing her.
"A'ning, let's never be separated again," his deep, hoarse voice came from beside her ear.
"Okay, never again," Xue Zining replied.
Whatever lay within held no interest for her anymore. All she wanted now was to go back, to be with Yan Zhao and their children.
Sometimes, happiness was simply being together as a family.
Getting in had been difficult, but leaving was not. Xue Zining never encountered the child who called her sister again.
She knew that perhaps "he" had come to terms with it.
Emerging from the imperial tomb, Xue Zining and Xue Jingyun found an inn and thoroughly cleaned themselves.
That night, Xue Zining lay in Xue Jingyun's arms and said, "Yan Zhao, do you think Xingyue and Xingchen will not recognize us?"
"A'ning, you worry too much. Xingyue and Xingchen are our children. No child would disown their parents."
"But I don't feel like a good mother, abandoning them so young."
Xue Jingyun held her tighter. "A'ning, don't be afraid. This is all because of me. If I hadn't lost my memory, we wouldn't have been separated for so long."
"Okay," Xue Zining nodded.
Perhaps because it was Yan Zhao, she slept very peacefully that night.
When she awoke, the sky was bright, and Yan Zhao was no longer beside her.
She paused slightly, then quickly got out of bed and opened the door, only to see Yan Zhao holding a bowl of porridge.
She went forward and hugged him, burying her face in his chest, and whispered, "I thought you had left."
"A'ning, I won't leave. Never again."
"Okay."
"Come, drink the porridge first."
Xue Zining released Yan Zhao and was pulled by him to the table. He blew on the porridge to cool it and brought it to her lips.
Just as she opened her mouth, the door was suddenly pushed open, and two little bundles of joy rushed in, "Mama..."
Xue Zining blinked in surprise as the two little ones lunged towards her.
Before they could reach her, Yan Zhao scooped them up, one in each arm, "Don't disturb your mother's meal."
"Mama, I'm Xingyue, Xingyue!" Xue Xingyue waved her small arms and called out to Xue Zining.
"Xingyue, Xingchen, come here," Xue Zining opened her arms.
Xingyue jumped out of Yan Zhao's arms and threw herself into Xue Zining's embrace, "Mama, why did you leave for so long? I thought you didn't want Xingyue anymore."
"Silly child, how could Mama not want you?"
Xingyue mumbled with a pout, "But Ping'an said Mama didn't want me anymore."
Ping'an? Xue Zining thought for a moment, remembering that it seemed to be Xue Yan's child.
"No one will bully you again this time."
"That's right, I have parents now. If he bullies me, I'll let Daddy beat him up."
Xue Zining laughed, "Why not let Mama beat him up?"
Xingyue pouted, "Not at all. Mama is a woman, and Ping'an is a boy. Xingyue won't let Mama suffer a loss."
"Then Mama should be grateful to you?" Xue Zining smiled.
Xingyue chattered incessantly. Xue Zining looked at Xingchen, who had been standing there the entire time. She had always felt Xingchen was mature and composed; although only three years old, he felt like an adult.
"Xingchen, come here..." she called.
Xue Xingchen faltered, surprised that his mother would suddenly call him. He seemed a bit stunned.
"Xingchen, don't you miss Mama?"
Xue Xingchen trembled and quickly looked up, "Mama, I..."
Xue Zining walked over, holding Xingyue, and scooped up Xingchen, kissing him. "Don't pretend to be an adult at such a young age."
Xingchen froze as he was kissed.
"Does Xingchen not like Mama kissing you?"
Xingchen blinked and turned his face away, "Mama, you..."
"You are still a child, don't try to act like an adult. You are Mama's child, and you should just be a child right now."
Xingchen looked up at her and asked, "Really?"
"Of course. Has Mama ever lied to you?"
"No..."
"Then be a good child and don't think too much. Whatever happens, Mama will bear it for you."
After Xue Zining had coaxed the two little ones to sleep, she breathed a sigh of relief and asked Yan Zhao, "Did you send people to bring them here?"
Yan Zhao nodded, stepped forward, and embraced her. "A'ning, from now on, we will all be together, with Xingyue and Xingchen, forever inseparable."
The next morning, Xue Zining and Yan Zhao, with the two little ones, boarded a carriage.