Winter in the north was far longer and harsher than in the south. But after several months of ice and snow, Xizhou finally welcomed the rejuvenating arrival of spring.
「In the blink of an eye, it was April.」
Seven months had passed since Yu Jiuqing had left with the army to quell the unrest in Da Qi.
That morning, Shen Qing made her usual visit to the Jingguo Academy, located near the Xizhou Government Office.
Qing'er, along with Zhu Yuan and Chen Ying who had later come to Xizhou to serve her, watched Shen Qing's large, protruding belly. They were so terrified they hardly dared to breathe, following their lady's every step with gazes that never left her for a second.
