Ruhan came to see Xiao Zhi the next morning.
"Princess Lian Zhi, it's me, Ruhan." He knocked on the door and waited for Xiao Zhi's voice to let him in.
"Come in."
He opened the door and bowed slightly before entering the room. "Princess, how are you feeling today?"
Xiao Zhi nodded. "Better, I think. Just… curious. The palace still feels strange to me. I haven't really seen much of it yet."
"Then perhaps your curiosity will be answered soon." He stepped aside, gesturing for her to follow. "Let me show you around the palace."
Xiao Zhi hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to follow him.
The Tughril palace was large and solid, impressive but hard to read. Since arriving, Xiao Zhi had felt unsettled. Nothing matched what she had imagined, and every turn of events seemed to become even more confusing.
Ruhan led her through a broad corridor that opened into an inner courtyard. There were no willows or curved bridges like those in Hua. Instead, stone paths cut through rows of dark pines and low shrubs with thick leaves.
"What grows here survives harsh weather," Ruhan explained. "The palace was built with the same idea."
They passed a shallow pool carved into the stone floor. Clear water lay still inside it, reflecting the sky above. There were fish inside, but not the bright koi Xiao Zhi was used to. Only dark, sturdy fish that swam slowly.
Xiao Zhi looked around again. It wasn't gentle like Hua's gardens, but it wasn't cold either. They were just... different.
They passed a quiet gallery lined with portraits of past Khans. Xiao Zhi slowed before a painting of the current Great Khan. Even in paint, his figure was imposing, and his mask of silver and iron gleamed in the painted light.
"The Khan," she started, "why does he wear a mask?"
Ruhan's gaze softened. "When he was a child, a fire broke out in his chambers. His mother saved him, but she died in the flames. The fire left scars on his face. The mask hides what remains."
"He's worn it since he was a child?" Xiao Zhi frowned. "That's… heartbreaking."
Ruhan nodded slowly. "He rarely speaks of it, but it shaped the man he became."
After a pause, Xiao Zhi glanced at him again. "And the Khatun Dowager? She seems… intimidating."
"She is," Ruhan took a brief pause before continuing. "She is the Khan's stepmother, the Grand Prince's mother. The Khan's birth mother was a lower-ranking consort, which is why the brothers differ so much in appearance and temperament."
"I see…" Xiao Zhi nodded in understanding. "And the Grand Prince Kabil? What is he like?"
Before Ruhan could answer, laughter rang out from a nearby corridor.
A group of women appeared, dressed in fitted robes and finely made skirts. Their bearing marked them as noblewomen of the palace, though Xiao Zhi couldn't tell exactly who they were.
Ruhan leaned closer. "Brace yourself," he murmured. "They are the Grand Prince's concubines."
Oh. He has concubines. Of course he does.
"Well, well," one of them said with a hint of mockery. "So this is the princess from Hua?"
Another tilted her head with a thin smile. "Prettier than I expected. Though pretty things rarely last long here. The Grand Prince has… demanding tastes." The others giggled behind their sleeves.
Xiao Zhi forced a polite smile but gripped Ruhan's arm tightly.
One woman stepped forward, pretending to adjust the sleeve of Xiao Zhi's dress. She brushed a finger against her face. "Smooth skin, as expected from a Hua princess." Xiao Zhi winced at the touch but dared not move. Then, the woman reached for her hairpiece and accidentally pricked Xiao Zhi's cheek with its sharp edge.
"Oh dear," the woman said sweetly, showing no remorse. "How clumsy of me."
Ruhan stepped forward immediately. "That's enough. I was showing the Princess around."
The lead woman raised an eyebrow. "Then let us show her instead. Surely we are better than a servant to escort an honorable guest."
"I am under direct instruction from the Khan," Ruhan replied, maintaining his composure. "The Princess is my responsibility."
The woman's smile turned cold. "Do you not trust us, eunuch?" She shoved him lightly in the chest.
Ruhan staggered back a step, but remained calm.
Another stepped closer. "For a eunuch, you are rather handsome." Her hand lifted to his jaw, then suddenly slapped him across the face. "But you should still know your place!" The sharp sound echoed through the hall.
Xiao Zhi gasped and instinctively took a step forward. "Stop it! That's enough!"
Ruhan shifted, placing himself like a shield between her and the concubines. "It's all right, Princess."
Then she understood. Here in Tughril, Ruhan was not the powerful envoy she had known in Hua. He was a servant. A eunuch. Bound by rules that stripped him of both power and pride.
The leading concubine smirked. "Careful, little princess. You are not in Hua. Here, you learn your place."
"And what of yours?" Ruhan lifted his gaze slightly. "You dare touch the woman who is to become the Princess Consort?"
The woman stiffened. "Watch your tongue. Disrespect me again, and I will tell the Grand Prince you disobey his concubines. I doubt he would like that. Let's see if you can still speak after that."
Before Ruhan could reply, a deep voice cut through the tension.
"Is that so?"
The concubines froze.
Kabil stepped from the corridor's end, hands clasped behind his back. His tone was calm, almost amused. "Tell me, what exactly would I not like?"
The women dropped to their knees. "Your Highness—"
He walked past them without looking, stopping before Xiao Zhi. His expression softened. "Princess Lian Zhi, are you hurt?"
She shook her head. "No… I'm fine."
Kabil turned to the concubines. "Did you not know she is my betrothed? You dare raise your hands against her?" His voice did not rise, yet the threat was unmistakable. "If this happens again, none of you will walk these halls again."
"Y–Yes, Your Highness," the woman stammered. The concubines' earlier confidence was gone as they bowed low, trembling.
Kabil then turned to Xiao Zhi and offered his hand. "Come. I'll take you back to your chambers. It isn't safe to wander alone."
Xiao Zhi glanced at Ruhan. Alone? she thought. I wasn't alone. Are eunuchs invisible in this palace?
Ruhan stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Your Highness," he said quietly. "Forgive me. I failed to keep her safe."
"You may leave," Kabil said as he dismissed him without a glance.
Ruhan withdrew at once. His expression remained composed, though his eyes darkened as he stepped aside. The echo of the women's laughter lingered behind him. He exhaled once, then disappeared down the hall.