⋆﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏⋆
Morning arrived beautifully over the Guo'an Empire.
Golden sunlight spilled across the palace rooftops, turning the blue-glazed tiles into shimmering waves of light. The morning air remained pleasantly cool, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and freshly watered gardens throughout the imperial grounds.
The imperial gardens of Guo'an were breathtaking during spring.
Flowering peach trees stretched across winding stone pathways while colorful blossoms decorated every corner. Small streams flowed beneath elegant wooden bridges, their waters sparkling beneath the sunlight. Butterflies danced among clusters of flowers while birds sang cheerfully from the branches overhead.
It was peaceful.
Far more lively than the formal gardens of Tianzhou.
And for the first time since arriving in Guo'an, Princess Xiao Lihua found herself slowly becoming accustomed to her new surroundings.
Slowly.
Not completely.
But enough to breathe a little easier.
Lihua walked leisurely along one of the garden paths.
Beside her was her new personal maid, Lin Yue, who carried a small embroidered parasol above them to shield the princess from the morning sun.
The maid smiled warmly.
"Princess, the weather is especially beautiful today."
Lihua nodded.
"It is."
Her gaze wandered toward the distant gardens.
"The flowers here are different from Tianzhou."
Lin Yue brightened immediately.
"Ah, that's because Guo'an's climate is warmer."
She pointed toward a cluster of flowering trees.
"Those peach blossoms only bloom this beautifully in the southern regions."
Lihua observed them quietly.
The soft pink petals drifted gently through the air whenever the wind passed through.
"They're beautiful."
Lin Yue smiled proudly.
"I knew you would like them."
The two continued walking together peacefully.
For a while they simply enjoyed the scenery.
Then a thought suddenly surfaced within Lihua's mind.
She looked toward the maid.
"Lin Yue."
"Yes, Princess?"
Lihua hesitated briefly.
Then asked-
"Yesterday... Prince Mingze mentioned his younger brother."
Lin Yue blinked.
"Second Prince Yichen?"
Lihua nodded.
The maid immediately smiled knowingly.
"Oh."
A curious sparkle appeared in her eyes.
"You wish to know about His Highness?"
Lihua quickly looked away.
"I was merely curious."
The maid looked unconvinced.
But wisely chose not to tease her.
Instead, she began explaining.
"His name is Guo Yichen."
"The Second Prince of Guo'an."
Lihua listened carefully.
Lin Yue continued.
"His Highness is two years younger than Crown Prince Mingze."
"While the Crown Prince was studying governance, diplomacy, and politics, Second Prince Yichen entered military training when he was only fifteen."
Lihua looked surprised.
"That young?"
The maid nodded.
"Very young."
"He spent years training near the northern military camps."
Lihua found herself intrigued.
The maid continued happily.
"The two brothers are very close."
"The Crown Prince is gentle and patient."
"And the Second Prince..."
Lin Yue paused.
"...is not."
Lihua laughed softly.
The maid quickly added-
"At least that's what most people say."
"What do they say?"
Lin Yue lowered her voice dramatically.
"They say he's hot-headed."
Lihua blinked.
"They say he's strict."
Another blink.
"They say he's terrifying when angry."
Lihua stared.
Lin Yue nodded seriously.
"And some soldiers swear they've seen him break wooden training poles with his bare hands."
The princess couldn't help laughing.
"That sounds exaggerated."
The maid laughed too.
"It probably is."
Then her expression softened.
"Though everyone agrees he deeply cares for his family."
Lihua looked thoughtful.
"And what does he look like?"
Lin Yue smiled.
"Like the Crown Prince."
Lihua nodded.
Then the maid added-
"Only much scarier."
The princess laughed again.
Lin Yue giggled.
"But many palace maids think he's handsome."
Lihua immediately looked away.
The maid's grin widened.
"Oh?"
"Princess?"
"I was only asking."
"Of course."
Lin Yue clearly didn't believe her.
As they continued walking, the peaceful gardens gradually gave way to another area of the palace grounds.
Soon-
The sounds reached them.
Clang!
Clang!
The sharp ringing of weapons striking one another echoed through the air.
Shouts followed.
Footsteps.
Commands.
The atmosphere became noticeably livelier.
Lihua blinked.
"What's that?"
Lin Yue immediately recognized the sound.
"The training grounds."
The maid pointed ahead.
"Many soldiers practice there every morning."
Another metallic clash echoed loudly.
Lihua found herself curious.
The maid suddenly brightened.
"Oh!"
"What?"
Lin Yue smiled.
"The Second Prince often trains there."
Lihua paused.
"...Really?"
The maid nodded enthusiastically.
"He might be there right now."
For reasons she couldn't explain-
Lihua suddenly felt curious.
Very curious.
The maid immediately noticed.
"Would you like to see?"
After a moment-
The princess nodded.
The training grounds were enormous.
Far larger than anything Lihua had expected.
Rows of soldiers practiced with swords, spears, and bows across the vast field.
Training dummies stood scattered throughout the area while military instructors barked commands from every direction.
The atmosphere felt alive.
Powerful.
Disciplined.
Dust rose beneath moving feet while banners bearing the royal emblem fluttered proudly in the wind.
And then-
Lihua saw him.
Near the center of the training grounds.
A man stood holding a wooden practice sword.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Strong.
His dark hair was tied high behind him, revealing sharp features and focused eyes.
Unlike Crown Prince Mingze's refined elegance-
This man carried a completely different presence.
A warrior's presence.
His training robes revealed years of disciplined military training. Even standing still, he looked capable of commanding an army.
The soldiers around him treated him with obvious respect.
And yet-
As Lihua watched him quietly-
She noticed something unexpected.
Gentleness.
Not in his appearance.
But in the way he corrected younger soldiers.
The way he listened patiently when one asked a question.
The way he helped another stand after being knocked down during training.
It was subtle.
Hidden beneath his stern exterior.
But it was there.
Then suddenly-
The prince turned.
And their eyes met.
For a brief moment-
Everything seemed strangely quiet.
The sounds of sparring faded.
The voices around them blurred.
Even the wind felt distant.
Lihua stood beneath drifting peach blossoms.
Yichen stood beneath sunlight and fluttering military banners.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
They simply looked at one another.
The wind shifted gently.
Several peach blossom petals drifted between them.
And for some reason-
Lihua's heart skipped once.
Only once.
But enough for her to notice.
Meanwhile-
Yichen frowned slightly.
Not because he was displeased.
But because he recognized her immediately.
The Tianzhou Princess.
His brother's future bride.
And yet...
She looked nothing like he imagined.
The princess standing before him looked warm.
Gentle.
Beautiful.
Like spring itself.
For several seconds-
Neither looked away.
Then finally-
A soldier accidentally collided into Yichen.
"Your Highness!"
The moment shattered instantly.
The prince stepped back.
The princess blinked.
Reality returned.
And neither of them realized-
That this brief encounter would quietly change the course of both their lives.
⋆﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏⋆
(End of Chapter 24)