In the village of Qingxu, the sun shone bright over the dusty lanes. The air was warm and dry. Outside the small courtyard, Yan Qing swept the dirt, sending little clouds of dust into the air. From the kitchen, Jia Yu was busy cooking, while, Grandma stepped outside, carrying a clay pot "The weather is good today," she said. "A perfect day to sell grain. You two should hurry—there's a lot to sell."
She threw the pot's contents for the chickens,they quickly scattered to peck at the scrabs. Yan Qing muttered, "Yes, Grandma," keeping his eyes on the ground, while Jia Yu called back a quiet, "Alright."
Soon, they all sat at the table for breakfast. Jia Yu served the bowls, steam rising from the millet porridge. Both she and Yan Qing avoided looking at each other. For weeks, he had been distant, answering her questions with "nothing" or hurrying to finish his work. Today felt no different.
Grandma looked between them, raising an eyebrow. "I've been watching you two. Are you fighting?"
"No!" they said together, almost too quickly.
They continued eating in silence, stealing quick glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Grandma smiled at their awkwardness.
After breakfast, they carried baskets of corn to the village market. The square was crowded with people, the air filled with the noise of vendors calling out their wares. Stalls were packed with vegetables, jars of pickles, and cloth. Yan Qing laid out their corn and began calling out prices, exchanging coins with customers.
Jia Yu helped him at first, handing out corn, but the crowd quickly pushed her aside. She turned to find him but got lost in the sea of people. Shouts from vendors, the rumble of carts, and children running through the stalls made it impossible to hear anything. She called his name, but it was swallowed by the noise.
She took a few steps down a crowded lane, trying to find him, but every direction looked the same. Her heart raced. She was lost, and the market felt overwhelming.
Jia Yu pushed through the crowd, hands trembling as she scanned every face. "Yan Qing… where are you?" she muttered under her breath. The noise of the market pressed in on her—merchants shouting, carts rattling over stones, children laughing and shouting. Her chest tightened with panic. You promised… you promised you'd always come for me… she whispered, her eyes darting in every direction.
Her vision blurred as she nearly stumbled over a crate. Tears she had been holding back pricked at her eyes. She spun in place, calling his name again, her voice cracking.
A soft tap on her shoulder made her jump. "My princess…" a weak, trembling voice whispered.
Jia Yu turned and her eyes fell on Meilin, her personal maid.
"My lady… I thought… I thought you were dead," Meilin stammered, sobbing as she wrapped her arms around Jia Yu. Jia Yu clung to her, letting herself shake and cry into the familiar embrace, relief and grief mingling in waves.
After the cry and the long, desperate hug, they finally loosened their grip on each other.
Meilin took her to a less noise place.
"What brought you here, my lady?" She asked as her gaze kept scanning, worried, restless all over her body
"You look… so strained," she murmured, still studying her.
Jai Yu's eyes glistened as she took in a shaky breath. "After Hei Xiezhi conquered our kingdom… they took me to the House of Pleasure." Her voice faltered, the words tasting bitter in her mouth. "I stayed there until… Yan Qing broke in to rescue me."
Meilin froze mid-movement, her eyes narrowing. The warmth in her face faded, replaced by a sharp, protective edge. "Did they—" She cut herself off, but her tone was cold and quick. "Did they defile you?"
Jai Yu shook her head immediately. "No. Yan Qing saved me."
Meilin frowned, confused. "Yan Qing?" She searched Jai Yu's face, as though the name might unlock a memory. "Who is that? I can't remember anyone with such a name when we were still together."
Jai Yu lowered her head, a faint flush creeping over her cheeks.
She was about to say explained when she sighted him. "That is he" she pointed. I know him meilin exclaimed.
"He is… his the fourth son of Emperor Taizong, from the kingdom of Lingxia," she said sharply.
Jai Yu was about to run after him when meilin dragged her back. "Did he do anything to you "? Meilin asked looking straight into her eyes.
"Nothing," Jai Yu replied, irritation flashing in her voice. "I told you—he saved me."
Mei Lian glanced around, then took Jai Yu's hand, pulling her toward a quiet corner away from the clowd, ignoring her protest.
"Jai," she began, lowering her voice, "there's something I think you should know about Yan Qing."
Jai Yu frowned. "What is it?" She asked in a sharp tone. Where are eye were searching for him.
"He's close to you… for revenge." She said.
Jai Yu stared at her, trying to make sense of the words. "Revenge? What are you talking about?" She asked completely forgetting about Yan Qing.
Meilin's voice dropped to almost a whisper. "It was your father—the Emperor—who betrayed his father."
"My father?" Jai Yu's voice trembled with confusion.
"Yes, my lady," Mei Lian said gently, her fingers tightening around Jai Yu's hand. "The day the Empress took you and your siblings to her home village for the lantern festival, your father had already made secret marriage plans—with the only daughter of a powerful ally. Emperor Taizong, not knowing of your father's betrayal or his alliance with the Black Scorpion, he fall for the trap. He was busy preparing for his only daughter's wedding… to your brother. When black scorpion attack them. The back scorpion and his men has already surrounded them when one of his officers told him his friend betrayer." Jai Yu was completely lose of words.
Meilin drew in a shaky breath before continuing.
"Shortly after our kingdom was conquered, I heard rumors that only the fourth son survived. And he swore… he swore to bring our kingdom to ruin, and destroy everything your father has ever loved."