A few days later, the news reached Hua.
At the Great Hall of Hua Palace, the Emperor sat upon the Golden Dragon Throne. His face was an unreadable mask of age and power. Below him, the court was gathered in full. General Shen stood among the high-ranking officials, his expression as steady as a mountain, while Shen Han stood near the front, positioned beside her wife, the Crown Princess Lian Yue.
The news of the Tughril decree had just been read aloud by a messenger. The silence that followed was broken by Shen Han, who stepped forward, his eyes bright with an excitement he couldn't hide.
"Your Majesty," Shen Han said, his voice ringing through the hall. "Now that the Khan has dissolved the marriage, Princess Lian Zhi is no longer tied to the traitor Kabil. She is a daughter of Hua, who has been cleared of all crimes. I propose that we send an envoy to Tughril immediately to bring her home where she belongs."
