Another sleepless night for Xiao Zhi. She could already notice dark circles forming under her eyes when she saw her reflection in the mirror. No longer the glowing face of a celebrity, but her old, overworked self staring back.
Her mind kept replaying Ruhan's face. The flawless, impossibly handsome, yet marked by that calm, cunning smirk that made her stomach twist.
By morning, she couldn't stand lying in bed anymore. She had to see her mother.
She moved quickly through the quiet corridors. Her heart was pounding with each step. When she reached Consort Ling's quarters, she froze.
Ruhan was already there.
He stood close to her mother, speaking softly. Consort Ling listened with polite grace, and something about it felt wrong to Xiao Zhi.
He got here first. What the hell?
"Please…" Consort Ling's voice trembled. "Do not take my Lian Zhi. My daughter must stay here with me."
Xiao Zhi's thoughts jolted. What?! Mama isn't supposed to talk to him yet, not like this!
"Consort Ling, I understand your concern. But this is the Emperor's wish. There is nothing I can do."
"But there must be other ways to keep peace than marriage!" her mother pleaded.
"I am in no position to suggest otherwise. Forgive me." Ruhan offered a shallow, dismissive bow.
Then, without turning, his gaze flicked toward the hallway, straight at Xiao Zhi. His lips curved into that knowing smile she hated the most.
He knew she was there.
Xiao Zhi stepped out, fists clenched. "Envoy Ruhan. What a strange sight to find you here."
Ruhan turned fully toward her, as if he were expecting her. "I was merely extending my greetings. We spoke too little at the banquet. I wished to ensure the Consort's comfort and safety before your journey."
Something twisted sharply inside her. She wanted to drag her mother away, but Ruhan's calmness pinned her in place.
After a pause, he lifted his head toward Consort Ling. "We should finalize the wedding preparations soon, Consort Ling. Time is precious."
He took a step, then stopped, glancing back over his shoulder.
"I heard bad weather is coming. Traveling anywhere in this climate would be… unwise."
And there it was, that thin, cunning smile again.
Xiao Zhi froze. He knows. He knows about our plan to move Mama. But how?
Only when he was gone did Xiao Zhi rush forward. "Mother! Are you all right?"
Consort Ling gave her a soft, worried look. "Xiao Zhi… calm yourself. I will speak to the Emperor. Do not fret."
"No! Don't talk to the Emperor." Xiao Zhi shook her head, desperate. "I'll handle it. You don't have to worry."
Her mother's eyes widened. "Xiao Zhi, you cannot carry this alone. Let me help."
Xiao Zhi gritted her teeth. "Trust me, Mother. I have a plan."
A lie. She had no plan.
"At worst, I'll go to Tughril. But I won't suffer. I promise."
Consort Ling's lips trembled, but she nodded slowly. "As long as you are happy."
***
Later, Xiao Zhi found Shen Han waiting in her garden. The moment he saw her face, his lips softened into a rare smile, but it faded the second he saw the panic in her eyes.
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I… I saw Ruhan." She paced restlessly. "He was in Mother's quarters. Calm, polite. But I think he knows. He knows about our plan to move her! How did he find out?"
Shen Han's jaw tightened. "He may be clever, but we still have one week. Your mother will not be touched while I'm here."
"One week?" Her voice cracked. "He's already one step ahead! He's calm, calculating, like he knows every move we're going to make. I feel powerless!"
Shen Han stepped closer, "You are not powerless. You are the princess. And I will not let anyone send you to that barbaric prince. No envoy, no decree will stop me from protecting you, or your mother."
Xiao Zhi froze, something tightening painfully in her chest. The intensity in his eyes told her this wasn't just duty for him.
"I… I can't fail, Shen Han. I can't."
Shen Han's voice softened. "You won't fail. I won't let you. And I… I cannot lose you either. Not to him. Not to anyone." The words came out almost like a confession.
She knew Shen Han was doing this out of love. But she was not the same Princess Lian Zhi. She felt her chest tighten over guilt. She forced herself to look away.
"One week. That's all we have to protect Mother and stop him. That's what matters."
Shen Han gave a small nod. "Exactly. One week. We move carefully, strike carefully. Trust me."
Xiao Zhi exhaled, trying to steady her racing heart. "Right… every step matters."
"What about our plan to move my mother away?"
"We have to postpone that plan. If what you think about Ruhan is right, that would be too risky to proceed."
That night, they sat together, running through plans and counter-plans. Nothing was perfect. Every path felt like a trap.
Xiao Zhi finally slumped, groaning. "This is going to be the hardest week of my life."
***
Shen Han closed the chamber door behind him as he bid the princess good night. Her words echoed in his mind. She wasn't the timid girl she once was. She spoke of strategies and risks with a sharpness that unsettled him and moved him at the same time.
As he walked down the corridor, a voice stopped him.
"General Shen."
He turned. Princess Lian Yue stood under the lantern light, hands folded gracefully, her eyes gleaming with something sharper.
"Your Highness," Shen Han greeted, lowering his head in a formal bow.
She glanced toward Lian Zhi's chambers. "It is very improper for a man to linger so late in a betrothed lady's rooms."
"I was only fulfilling my duty." Shen Han straightened, meeting her gaze with a calm face. "Her safety comes first. Nothing more."
Her lips curved faintly. "Duty, yes. And if Princess Lian Zhi is married away, what then becomes of your loyalty?"
Shen Han's jaw tightened.
Lian Yue tilted her chin, her eyes gleaming dangerously. "Perhaps you shouldn't worry. If Father agrees, your loyalty may yet find a new place."
"…Your Highness?" He was confused by her words.
Her smile widened. "I will ask Father to grant me in marriage to you."
The words struck like an enemy's blade. "Princess, that is—"
"Logical," she cut in, smiling sweetly. "You are the empire's honored general. I am a princess. Together, we would be a perfect match. More fitting than clinging to someone promised to another country."
"I am grateful for your regard. But my heart has long chosen. Please, do not speak of this again."
Lian Yue's smile faltered for a second, then returned, bright and chilling. "So certain, General? We shall see. When Father hears my request, your heart may have no say in the matter."
She swept past him with a clear, satisfied expression.
Shen Han stood alone in the corridor as she disappeared, hands clenched behind his back. He wasn't afraid of a blade, but the laws of the Emperor were a cage he couldn't simply fight his way out of. If the Emperor decreed a marriage between him and Lian Yue, his sword would be useless.