Before marching to the Longlin Empire, his thoughts on the battlefield were different than the thoughts he had now. The battlefield which was already fallen behind them, the cries of war had faded into silence, replaced by the rhythm of the marching hooves beneath the cold morning wind. Above the sky, the black and gold dragon banner moved steadily against the sky, untouched by the bloodshed it has early witnessed.
Flashback
Yechen was quiet and still watching the dragon banner rising to the sky, billowing as the wind was heavy. While he was staring at the flag, 'the war had finally ended.' The thought passed quietly through Yechen's mind as now his gaze turned towards the distant horizon beyond the battlefield, victory felt strangely unfamiliar after days of strategy and bloodshed. His thoughts remained upon the battlefield itself, after the Sheqiu's retreat. At that moment, the faint voices of Wang Lin and Huang Lixian behind him passed through his mind, "…and you are complaining too elegantly about missing a marriage, in the middle of the battle…" Huang Lixian saying after Wang Lin, "…Some losses… are very much personal than other losses…" after hearing the word 'Marriage' the word settled unexpectedly within his mind. 'Yeah. I am going to get married soon, I literally forget about it. Now that the war is over I have watch out for what the Crown Princess of Fengyu is planning.' A faint pause followed his thought, 'now that this has already reached at this point, the war delayed that matter… but for only temporarily. If we begin to march back now, we will arrive at the time of the wedding ceremony before it gets completed.' His gaze slightly lowered calm yet distant, 'Yu Shayue' the name settled in his mind like a little familiarity.
'Only reputation, only spoken whispers in the courts and political discussions about her, the empire's trusted Crown Princess, who is composed, intelligent and difficult to read but not for me. The woman chosen for a marriage alliance between empires, yet neither did reject it. 'No emotions surfaced in his thoughts. 'Only curiosity sharpened by quiet calculations, now that the battlefield has already revealed itself, now… another one awaits.' The corner of his lips slightly curved faintly—not warmth, not amusement but something quieter. 'Since this marriage cannot be avoided… then let see for myself what kind of woman dares to remain so calm amidst a court filled with unrest, the woman who is chosen to be on my side.' The wind swept past once more carrying the dragon banner high above him, and it was the first time since the war began—Lin Yechen allowed his thoughts to linger not on any conquest but on the woman waiting for him in the Longlin Empire for their wedding. He said calmly, with a smirk on his face. "Return to Longlin Empire, we march today till we arrive in Longlin Empire for the… grand wedding."
Present
Upon the sky the wind strike with force, but they didn't stop marching and headed for the Longlin Empire without stopping. The dragon banner still waving in the sky, the dragon banner was still and did not waver.
Late spring had arrived gently in the Fengyu Empire, carrying final traces of blooming peach blossoms before the summer's arrival. Warm winds drifted through the Fengyue Manor, stirring crimson ribbons and ceremonial silks suspending beneath the carved eaves, while throughout the capital the preparations for the Imperial wedding unfolded without pause. Today was the biggest day, the day of the marriage, not simply marriage but it was marriage alliance between Fengyu and Longlin Empires. Within the inner palace residence, servants moved carefully through the chamber carrying trays of golden ornaments and embroidered accessories. The atmosphere should have been joyous but it was something as unspoken tension that none would dared voice openly before the Crown Princess herself.
In the chamber, before the golden mirror sat Yu Shayue, her reflection remained calm in the soft morning light spilling through the lattice windows, behind her Ying and Mei Yi were adjusting the ceremonial wedding robes prepared upon the embroidered stand nearby, ensuring every layer rested perfectly according to imperial custom. Today was the day she would leave the Fengyu Empire, the day her title would be change, no longer merely the Crown Princess of the Fengyu but the future Crown Princess of the Longlin Empire. The thought settled quietly in her mind, 'The day I leave this place behind… the day I step into another empire not as a guest or not as their enemy but as their own person now, I know, I don't know what awaits me in that empire, would it be good or bad, but I won't expect anything from them.' Her gaze slightly lowered towards her own reflection, 'And from this day onwards… no one will dare to decide my path expect for myself.' Having a little peace was for only for few seconds. Outside the chamber doors, faint whispers drifted carelessly, maybe too carelessly through the corridor. "They say the Crown Prince has still not returned from the battlefield, so even on the wedding day, the Crown Princess may have to stand all alone and entering the empire alone without her husband, not even caring for her reputation." The other servant said, "I heard the Crown Prince of the Longlin Empire is ruthless beyond the reason, cold-blooded and emotionless, and now Her Highness must marry into such an empire…poor her…" the voices continued in hushed tones, unaware that every word had already reached in the chamber like mocking.
Mei Yi's expression darkened immediately, her hands froze mid motion before she turned sharply toward the doors, "these servants truly possess remarkable courage, to speak so recklessly behind Her Highness's back on the very day of the wedding, do they have a death wish or something such rudeness in her highness mansion…?" she said with clenched teeth. Ying's expression remained far more calmer than before, which only made it worse and colder, "The palace discipline has weakened so much, perhaps they have forgotten the consequences of such an careless speech." She said quietly while adjusting the sleeve of the wedding robe with measured precision. Mei Yi immediately stepped forward and said, "Then let us remind them, what they had done." Her sleeves swayed sharply as she moved forward the entrance, "I will personally shut their mouths." Ying followed behind her without any hesitation, she said coldly, "Words spoken once cannot be reclaimed, but tongues… can still be taught to restraint." Just as they about to go outside the chambers doors, Shayue finally spoke, "No need." Her voice was calm as always, both the women stopped instantly, Mei Yi immediately turned her head towards Shayue, "Your Highness, how can there be no need for this matter? They are openly saying humiliated words towards you… and the Longlin Empire… your future!" Shayue's gaze remained upon the mirror, "They are merely speaking of something, what they believe to be true." A faint silence settled in the room, 'The Crown Prince is cold, ruthless, emotionless.' None of it was unfamiliar to her, yet before Mei Yi could continue to protesting—another servant's voice sounded from outside.
"I heard the Longlin Empire values warfare more than loyalty, and now our Crown Princess must spend the rest of her life beside a man like him who abandoned her on his own wedding for a battle, how pitiful…" the chamber fell silent, the servant continued to speak recklessly, the whispers did not ceased, "I also heard that the Crown Prince of Longlin spends more time on the battlefield rather than in his own palace, and now too, when the marriage had barely begun, and yet he was already absent from the preparation because of the war." A servant covered her mouth lightly, feigning concern, "What if he continues to march for the wars in every few months after the marriage? Then our Highness may spend her entire life waiting for him all alone within the palace, and what knows, what types of in-laws she has…" another servant sighed dramatically, the servant leaned closer, her voice dropping lower, "And what if he dies on one of the battlefield one day?" mocking pity surfaced, "Heaven forbid… that would mean, our Crown Princess would become a widow at young age, before even becoming a proper Empress… how unfortunate." Another servant shook her head slowly and said, "Or perhaps even worse, what if she enters the Longlin Empire… and loses her life there instead? The Crown Prince is cold-blooded, what if he turns against her someday? That alliance is meant to preserve peace between empires, but who know what truly behind those palace walls?" a servant laughed faintly under her breath, "Imagine traveling to another empire for her marriage life so far just to only die within that empire…"
Inside the chamber—the atmosphere changed instantly, Mei Yi's expression started to darkened completely, that even Ying's gaze sharpened with hostility. "That is enough, I will personally drag them before the palace guards." Mei Yi said coldly unable to hide her anger. Ying's voice was quieter and far colder, "Loose tongues are dangerous within the imperial palace, perhaps they have forgotten their place entirely." She said evenly. But before they could move, Shayue had already risen, gracefully, her expression completely remained calm and that to, too calm. Yet beneath that calmness something colder had already surfaced, 'widow. Killed by her own husband.' The words lingered faintly in her thoughts, not because they wounded her—but because they crossed the line that shouldn't be crossed within an imperial palace. A faint smirk appeared on her lips, cold and sharp. Then the chamber doors opened with a sudden forceful sound, the heavy thud echoed through the corridor, every servant froze on spot, the color drained instantly from their faces the moment they saw her standing there on the doorway. None of them dare to move, they did not expected the Crown Princess herself to appear, and the certainly not after hearing every word of their conversation.
To Be Continued...