“You!” Emperor Lintian choked with anger. He glanced at Man Yao, restrained himself from flaring up, then gave a dry cough and moved closer to Zongzheng Wuyou. Lowering his voice, he warned, “Wuyou, this concerns the dignity of the state and peace between two nations. It is no trifling matter. You must not be so willful! We have already ordered the wedding robes prepared. Go change at once. Today, here in this great hall, you will bow to Heaven and Earth and be wed.”
“When did I ever say I was going to marry?” Zongzheng Wuyou curled his lips coldly. “Don’t use peace between two nations to pressure me. From beginning to end, this matter was all decided by you people on your own. Did you think that so long as the person arrived, the marriage alliance would be settled, and I would have no choice but to marry her?” His wicked phoenix eyes were filled with ice, clearly saying: If I am unwilling, no one can do anything to me.
Emperor Lintian said angrily, “You! Don’t think that just because We favor you, you can act without law or restraint. Before matters of state, We will never indulge you. This marriage is already settled. Whether you agree or not, it must proceed! Men, escort Prince Li down to change.”
A squad of imperial guards entered the hall in response. The commander of the imperial guards, Xiang Wu, made an awkward gesture of invitation toward Zongzheng Wuyou.
Zongzheng Wuyou did not even look at him. He only sneered. “Does Your Majesty intend to use force? With just these men?” His contemptuous gaze seemed to regard no one present as worthy of notice. He added, “Even if you can force me to bow with this woman, will these men also assist with the bridal chamber? Or will you simply find someone to do it in my stead?”
Seeing his words grow more and more outrageous, Emperor Lintian was so furious his anger blazed to the heavens. “Insolence! You…”
“Your Majesty!” Man Yao truly could not listen any longer. Though she had never cared how others viewed her, some words were still exceedingly unpleasant to hear spoken to her face. She felt that although she was not the true Eldest Princess Rongle, she still had her own pride and dignity. How could she allow others to trample upon them at will?
“Your Majesty need not be angry,” she said slowly. “As the saying goes, a melon forced from the vine is never sweet. Since His Highness Prince Li has no intention of marrying Rongle, how could Rongle force him? Although Rongle is twenty and still unwed, and may be lacking in appearance, character, virtue, and conduct, I believe I have not yet fallen to the point where I must rely on my status to compel another to take me as his wife!”
Her tone was calm, gentle yet firm, neither servile nor overbearing, and not the slightest trace of grievance could be heard.
Emperor Lintian was slightly surprised. Zongzheng Wuyou’s gaze upon her grew sharper and more appraising, as though he wished to see through whatever trick she intended to play. Man Yao could not help but smile mockingly. Zongzheng Wuyou surely did not believe there existed any woman who, after seeing him, would not want to marry into Prince Li’s residence. Yet she, of all people, did not. The closer a person stood to the center of power, the less she wished to approach. Rather than that, she might as well take advantage of this excellent chance—Zongzheng Wuyou’s refusal of the marriage—to fight for a period of freedom. If, in the future, she must marry in such a manner, she at least hoped to be the one to choose.
Zongzheng Wuyou narrowed his phoenix eyes, his gaze so sharp it seemed it would slice open her body and peer into her heart. Man Yao did not evade it, but looked back steadily.
Zongzheng Wuyou could not see Man Yao’s face clearly, but her posture was straight, her pride restrained, her gaze calm and open, without the slightest fear. It was indeed rare. His eyes stirred, and he suddenly wanted to lift the bead curtain before her face and see whether the face behind it was also completely contrary to the rumors. But whether it was or not—what did that have to do with him?
“That is for the best!” Zongzheng Wuyou said with a smile. “Then I ask Your Majesty to choose another husband for Eldest Princess Rongle. Since this has nothing to do with me, I shall take my leave.” As he spoke, he made to depart, utterly disregarding imperial authority.
How could Emperor Lintian maintain his dignity at that? He rebuked in a low voice, “Who allowed you to leave? This matter has not yet been decided. Stay here properly.” With that, he turned and ascended the vermilion steps. Supported by Eunuch Chen, he sat back upon the dragon throne and asked Man Yao, “If the Princess agrees, We shall immediately have someone draw up a list of all young, talented men among the imperial clan and nobility who have not yet taken wives, for the Princess to choose from. What does the Princess think?”
Man Yao did not answer at once. Instead, she looked around. When her gaze fell on the Ninth Prince, his handsome face lost color and terror appeared in his eyes; he shrank backward as though afraid she would take a fancy to him. Man Yao could not help finding it amusing. Looking again at Zongzheng Wuyou, she saw he had already adopted an air of detached indifference, watching coldly from the sidelines. She could not help raising an eyebrow, then turned her eyes to Emperor Lintian and said, “Your Majesty, for the sake of peace between our two nations, this matter is not impossible. However… all under Heaven know that Rongle came on this marriage alliance to wed Prince Li as his consort, and His Highness Prince Li is the man personally chosen by my imperial brother. Now that Rongle has already arrived in your esteemed nation, yet has been abandoned before the marriage has even taken place… Rongle is merely a woman, and it matters little if others gossip about me. I only worry… if this matter spreads, our Qiyun will lose all face. As the ruler of a nation, where then will my imperial brother’s majesty remain? I fear that from this day forth, the state of Qiyun will become the laughingstock of the world because of Rongle. Then even ten thousand deaths would not be enough for Rongle to atone for her crime!”
Her voice and expression were moving, each word sonorous. In both feeling and reason, there was no room for rebuttal. After Emperor Lintian heard her, his expression tightened and his brows locked deeply together. The civil and military officials looked at one another, all of them deeply worried.
Zongzheng Wuyou’s eyes, which had originally drifted shut, abruptly lifted. His gaze was fierce and pressing, as though he wished to see her clearly and thoroughly through the bead curtain. He slowly opened his mouth, his tone laced with contempt. “In that case, Princess… are you determined to cling to me?”
Man Yao raised her head and smiled faintly. “Not necessarily.”
Zongzheng Wuyou arched a phoenix eye, the smile at the corner of his mouth cold. “Then what do you want?”
Man Yao curled her lips and did not answer, but walked toward him.
Zongzheng Wuyou watched the woman slowly approach him, his brows tightly furrowed, clearly expressing his displeasure. When she drew near to the chair-couch, his wicked eyes suddenly turned extraordinarily cold, and a thread of killing intent shot forth.
Man Yao halted instinctively. It seemed the rumors that he disliked women coming close to him were true. She smiled and looked into his wicked, arrogant eyes, her voice clear and elegant as celestial music. “I have heard that while His Highness Prince Li stood in court, a single stratagem of yours repelled the enemy and determined victory from a thousand li away. Such talent and wisdom are rare in this age, and Rongle has long admired you deeply. Today, seeing Your Highness’s heavenly bearing, my admiration has only grown! But Rongle knows that in appearance and talent, there is not a single thing about me worthy of matching Your Highness. Thus, I dare not indulge in many foolish hopes. It is only that, for the sake of peace between our two nations, I still hope Your Highness can give Rongle one chance, that we may come to understand one another. If, after half a year, Your Highness still has not the slightest interest in me, then Rongle will willingly marry another, without a word of complaint.”
Her tone sounded very sincere, as though every word came from the heart.
Zongzheng Wuyou narrowed his eyes at her. He had seen many women look at him before. Yet the woman before him, who spoke of admiration, had calculation in her eyes, and expectation—but not the slightest trace of infatuation or love. Since she did not like him, what purpose did she have in saying these words? Why did she want to set an agreement of half a year? Whatever her reason, what did it have to do with him? With a flick of his robe, he stood before Man Yao, the motion smooth and graceful as flowing clouds and running water. He lowered his eyes to look at her; from his lofty position, he gave her an extremely powerful sense of oppression. Her body instantly stiffened, every nerve drawn taut, but her eyes still looked at him without moving. She saw him curl his lips in a mocking smile. “You want to make me agree within half a year to take you as my wife? You are simply indulging in a fool’s dream!”
Man Yao lightly raised her brows and smiled. “Since Your Highness Prince Li is so confident, then why don’t we make a wager here and now? I wonder, Your Highness… do you dare?”
Zongzheng Wuyou snorted in laughter. “A goading tactic? With such petty tricks, you dare show off before me?”
The sunlight outside suddenly dimmed. The bright light that had fallen upon him now turned somewhat shadowed, setting off the wickedness in his eyes. He was like a cold, damp abyss, exuding a faint chill that seeped into one’s heart and bones before one even realized it.
Man Yao did her utmost to suppress the discomfort surging in her heart. She knew that making an agreement with Zongzheng Wuyou was no different from seeking a tiger’s skin, but she could not retreat. She needed to achieve this pact. Since she could not escape this political marriage, then at the very least she would fight for half a year of freedom, using that time to fulfill the long-cherished wish of her previous life. She could also seize this chance to choose a husband suited to her. Even without love, it would be enough if he could give her respect and not disturb her peace. Thinking this, she gathered her courage once more and smiled. “Consider it so. Could it be that Prince Li does not dare accept? So it turns out… the famous Prince Li, whose name shakes the Nine Provinces, is actually such a cowardly sort!”
Never had anyone dared speak to Zongzheng Wuyou in such a tone before, much less mock him as cowardly! The assembled ministers listened with their hearts trembling and secretly broke into a cold sweat on her behalf.
The corners of Zongzheng Wuyou’s thin lips lifted slightly. A gleam flashed through his wicked eyes, like the fires of hell being ignited. Yang Wei thought, Not good, and hurriedly called out to Emperor Lintian, “Your Majesty!”
Emperor Lintian frowned. Only then did he speak. “This matter shall be handled according to the Princess’s suggestion. The term shall be half a year. Wuyou, if after half a year you are still unwilling to marry the Princess, We will absolutely no longer force you! That is all. Court is dismissed.”
The Emperor decisively issued his imperial decree and rose. Eunuch Chen hastily called out, “Court dismissed.” At last, the breath the ministers had been holding in their chests was released. They hurriedly raised their hands to wipe away sweat, but before their hands could lift, they heard a sharp, piercing metallic ring.
Cold light suddenly appeared. Killing intent swept through the air.
A dazzling white light descended upon the woman in the center of the hall with unparalleled speed. It was so sudden.
For that instant, Man Yao seemed to smell death. Her entire being felt as though it had fallen into an icy cavern of hell. A fear that arose of its own accord climbed swiftly from the depths of her heart and spread rapidly through all her limbs and bones.
The surroundings were as silent as death. The entire hall lost all sound. There were only pairs of eyes opened wide by their owners, filled with disbelief.
Drawing the sword, swinging the sword, discarding the sword… Zongzheng Wuyou’s movements were so fast no one had time to react. By then, he had already left the hall, striding away with arrogant ease.
Dark-red blood dripped slowly from the woman’s fingertips onto the ground, blooming into crimson flowers of blood, covered by the torn silk drifting through the air. She did not scream, did not tremble, did not even react. She only stared out beyond the hall at the white figure that had already gone floating away. Zongzheng Wuyou had come with arrogance and left with flamboyant insolence, leaving her—stripped of her wedding robes, her ten fingers wounded—standing stiffly in place like a sculpture.
Fine fragments of red silk drifted slowly down before her eyes, brushing past the tip of her nose with a cold killing intent that had yet to dissipate. The color of blood danced throughout the great hall, like goose-feather snow whirling through winter, dyed a blood-soaked red.