"You're late." Doctor Lou grumpily said squinting at Tung Mei as she walked into his courtyard. He had been sitting here with a table full of food and wine for a while now.

"I walked...I needed to clear my head a bit." Tung Mei said, sitting down and dropping three jars of wine which were strung together by a rope on the ground, "I brought those for you, they're pretty good...made in the palace."

Doctor Lou squinted at her and picked one up, opened it and took a deep sniff, held it and then let it out with a nod, "Hmm, not bad...But these are just gifts. You still owe me my four i-"

"I was just being nice. If you don't want them, I'll take them back with me." Tung Mei offhandedly commented as she picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

Doctor Lou chuckled and put the jar back on the ground and picked up his own and filled her cup, "I know it's great but eat slowly...how is it?"

Tung Mei nodded and then downed her cup of wine, "The best."

Doctor Lou grinned and happily refilled her cup, "Since we've resolved things, you'll stay here now, right?"

"Can't." Tung Mei offhandedly responded as she leisurely continued to stuff her mouth. Doctor Lou pouted but before he could respond, Tung Mei added, "I'll visit often..."

Doctor Lou's good mood was restored and he continued happily watching Tung Mei eat and drink.

After Tung Mei had eaten her fill, the two leisurely drank and relaxed.

Doctor Lou laughed and happily said, "It's been too long since we've done this~" Then he looked at Tung Mei who was absentmindedly twirling her wine cup. He frowned and then asked, "What is wrong now?"

Tung Mei sighed and then said, "I've just been...re-thinking some things..."

"Ahh? Tou're finally maturing? It's too soon!" Doctor Lou exclaimed and then said, "I never thought I would see this day. My poor baby.." He paused and sniffed, but then he put on a "brave face, "...Nevertheless, we must toast to this!" Doctor Lou said and went to clink cups with Tung Mei.

When Tung Mei just glared at him. Doctor Lou stopped joking around and dropped his cup then seriously said, "Talk, Father will listen to you~"

Tung Mei let out a breath and sipped her wine and then finally said, "It seems I made some mistakes...the Xing jie I knew would never have bothered with such an event..."

Doctor Lou raised an eyebrow in surprise, "That's what's bothering you?"

Tung Mei pouted at the table, "I used to think that I knew Xing jie best...but I guess I was wrong."

Doctor Lou cleared his throat and then explained, "Weelll...It's not that you were wrong per se. It's simply that she has changed. They've all changed, even your "Yong ge" is different, isn't he?"

Tung Mei just knit her brows and did not respond and Doctor Lou simply continued, "The "Xing jie" you see now has lived a different life with different people so naturally she's different...even if she remains inherently the same at the core. Her coldness is still there but tempered down, she's overall more reasonable, easier to deal with, still stubborn, but less so...definitely an improvement." Doctor Lou nodded in approval stroking his long beard.

Tung Mei frowned at him, "Don't insult my Xing jie! She's perfect the way she is...You're the one who needs to change." Tung Mei mumbled the last line under her breath.

Doctor Lou then narrowed his eyes at her, "Hey, I'm your own father." Tung Mei simply picked up her cup and looked off to the side, pretending not to have heard him.

Doctor Lou pursed his lips and then went, "Bad influence. You should have just ignored her existence, you complicated things by trying to stick to her, no-..."

"You're the one who complicated everything by getting involved! Why did you go and talk to her? Before that everything was fine enough..." Tung Mei indignantly responded with a pout.

"You were the one who dropped my precious bracelet, I naturally had to talk to the thief - !"

"Lies! You could have just quietly gone to get it." Tung Mei pointed out, refilling her cup.

Doctor Lou blinked at her then swiped the jar from her hand and responded with a pout, "I was busy...and I also wanted to give the thief a chance to repent so I wouldn't end up punishing an innocent person. She was the one who was stubborn and unrepentant. I am perfectly justified!"

Doctor Lou then mumbled, "Moreover, I didn't know you were here so why would I have thought it was her? I wasn't planning on talking to her, she's too suspicious of everything. It's your fault!" Doctor Lou finished with a glare.

Tung Mei rolled her eyes and acquiesced to pacify him, "Yes, yes, my fault..." As she reached for the jar again. Doctor Lou seemed too busy with his thoughts to care and easily released it.

After a while, Doctor Lou finally said, "If I didn't get involved, they would have already died many times over, then what would be the point of this life? There may not be a second chance..." He finished with a heavy sigh.

"And what is the point of this life?" Tung Mei absentmindedly retorted as she decided to forgo the cup. She raised the jar to her lips to drink directly from it, but before she could even get s sip, Doctor Lou swiped the jar and squinted at her, "None of your business." Then he filled his cup and hugged the wine jar with an arm as he drank.

"Tch, stingy." Tung Mei pouted and instead of dragging the jar with him, she picked up one of the jars she brought with her, opened it and took a big gulp. Then she hugged it and let out a deep sigh.

The two sat quietly drinking and hugging their individual jars for a while. Then Tung Mei quietly asked, "Is it really impossible?"

Doctor Lou silently looked at her and then he dropped his jar in front of her, "There's no harm in trying..."

Tung Mei looked up at him, "But you said -"

"I know what I said!" Doctor Lou swiftly interjected and then he calmly said, "But there is no harm in trying for the impossible as long as you do not let it consume you. Moreover, you can never know what is truly impossible unless you try...So try until you can't try anymore or better yet, until you decide not to anymore. I, unfortunately, cannot make him fall in love with you but...Father will support you, anything you need!" Doctor Lou finished, reassuringly patting his chest for emphasis.

Tung Mei took a deep breath and resolutely nodded.

"Good, now drink!" Doctor Lou said nudging his jar closer to her, "Tomorrow we'll deal with that Yong character who is blind to true greatness!"

"You can't touch Yong ge." Tung Mei warned narrowing her eyes at him as she took the jar.

"Fine, fine...I won't do anything. Drink and forget the brat for now and just be happy seeing my beautiful face~" Doctor Lou finished with a wide grin that squished up his face, making him look abnormal.

Tung Mei snorted and then laughed as she raised the jar and drank.

Doctor Lou watched her with a doting smile and then he pulled another jar out of nowhere and happily proceeded to drink it as well.

****

"What is the urgent matter?" Prime minister Zhao asked with irritation as he walked into his receiving hall in the Zhao manor. He had been brooding in his study about the status of events, the disappointment his daughter had become and debating over what needed to be done to fix things. A servant then came over to inform him that the Minister of Rites had come to visit apologizing for the late time with the excuse that it was urgent.

The Minister of Rites immediately dropped his teacup, got up and bowed, "I thank Your Lordship for seeing me so late. I will get straight to the point. This matter concerns the Emperor's wedding - "

"You came to disturb my sleep because of that?" Prime minister Zhao cut in with a frown, his irritation heightening.

"Your Lordship, please don't misunderstand...It is an urgent matter, one that could incur the Emperor's wrath. I've tried but...there isn't anything I can do so I came to ask for Your Lordship's guidance..." The Minister of Rites said with a deep bow.

He had witnessed himself how much the Emperor cared about this smooth procession of this ceremony today. If the Emperor was willing to trample on his own mother over this matter, why would he hold back when it came to him?

Prime minister Zhao's ears perked up and he raised his eyebrows and asked, "The Emperor's wrath? Tell me what the issue is and we will proceed from there..." He said with "concern".

The Minister of Rites nodded and came closer to him and whispered some words to him. Prime minister Zhao's face immediately lit up, he drew back with raised eyebrows, "Truly?"

The Minister of Rites nodded with a worried frown, "I have verified it multiple times...I am not sure how to proceed...We all know what it means but the Emepror...may not take it lightly..."

Prime minister Zhao lightly snorted, but quickly corrected his expression to one of concern and said, "Don't worry, I will handle the Emperor, he is not an unreasonable person. You don't need to worry, just inform him as you would..."

"Ah? Just like that?" The Minister of Rites looked at Prime minister Zhao in shock, he had come here expecting some help but then he got this?

Prime minister Zhao raised his eyebrows and dignified said, "Of course, it naturally cannot be kept from the Emperor..."

The Minister of Rites looked conflicted and then cupped his hands and bowed, "I beseech Your Lordship to accompany me..."

"Oh, I'll be there. You should present the issue in Court. This way even if the Emperor is angry, you will not face any injustice because of this matter...I and the other officials will be there to assist you as well..."

The Minister of Rites knit his brows in thought and then bowed and thanked Prime minister Zhao and left. This ended up being a pointless effort, he was not even sure what he was expecting coming here.

As soon as Prime minister Zhao was alone in the hall, he laughed heartily. In a better mood than he had been in years. For once, he did not even have to do anything for things to fall into their correct places. He walked outside with a wide grin and stared at the starry night sky.

{...Heaven always paves a way for its own people...}