The imperial court of Heaven Battling State was dismissed, yet the weight of its decision lingered like a storm cloud that refused to disperse. Ministers left in orderly lines, their faces composed, but inside each man's heart churned with unrest. The princess who had led them through countless wars, who had spilled blood for the empire since her youth, was now to be reduced to a bargaining chip.
The emperor remained seated long after the chamber emptied. The throne beneath him felt heavier than it had in years, the golden hall colder despite the summer sun blazing outside. His gaze, once piercing enough to silence armies, now softened as he thought of the girl who lay unconscious in her chambers. Hongchen… my child. For the empire I must betray you. For the empire I must break my own heart.
He dismissed all servants and summoned one man alone—Marshal Liang, a veteran whose hair had gone white on the battlefield.
"You stood beside me when I was young," the emperor said, his voice low, heavy. "Tell me, old friend… have I wronged my daughter?"
Marshal Liang knelt, bowing so deeply his forehead touched the floor. "Your majesty, the princess has given her very soul to the empire. She has carried burdens no child should bear. Her loyalty is beyond question."
The emperor's hand tightened on the armrest of his throne. "And yet the court turns against her. Even her own brothers conspire to see her cast away. If I shield her, they will brand me a tyrant who protects family over country. If I yield, I betray her heart. Tell me, Marshal, what should I do?"
The old general trembled, unable to answer. He had faced countless battles, but never had he seen his emperor so torn. At last, with difficulty, he said, "Perhaps… the princess herself must choose, your majesty. For if you decide for her, you strip her of the last freedom she has left."
The emperor closed his eyes. "Choose…?" A bitter smile curved his lips. "If only she were awake to do so."
---
That night, the palace of the first prince glittered with light. Wine flowed like rivers, silk-robed courtiers laughed, and musicians played gentle tunes. Yet beneath the merriment lay ambition sharp as steel.
"Congratulations, your highness," a minister toasted, raising his cup. "When the princess departs, none shall overshadow your brilliance. The court, the army, the people—all will turn their eyes to you."
The first prince smiled faintly, masking the triumph burning within him. Ever since childhood, he had lived in his sister's shadow. No matter how hard he trained, no matter what feat he achieved, her name was sung louder, her victories brighter. Soldiers revered her as though she were the spirit of war itself. Now, at last, fate had given him a chance to eclipse her.
Yet as the laughter echoed, an unfamiliar unease pricked at his heart. For all his resentment, she was still his sister—the only one among them who had truly fought, truly bled for the empire. Forcing her into marriage… was this truly victory? He silenced the thought with another cup of wine, convincing himself that the throne demanded cruelty.
---
In the eastern palace, the princess's chambers were dim and silent save for the faint crackle of incense. Tie Hongchen lay motionless on her bed, her long lashes casting shadows on pale cheeks. The physicians had assured the emperor her wounds were not fatal, yet her unconsciousness weighed heavily.
Her ladies-in-waiting knelt in prayer at her bedside, whispering pleas to the heavens for her recovery. But none dared to speak of the rumors that now stained her name. Affair with an enemy… withholding strength for a man… The whispers spread like wildfire beyond the palace walls, staining the very image of the once-untouchable war goddess.
---
Far across the mountains, in Qin's capital, a different storm brewed.
Tai Jian rested upon a jade bed, his face as pale as moonlight, breath shallow but steady. His mother, the empress of Qin, never left his side, clutching his hand as though her warmth could anchor him to life. The emperor of Qin stood watchful at the foot of the bed, his expression unreadable, yet his eyes betrayed a storm of fury.
The court was in uproar. For years, their youth had been an unbreakable shield at the border, a genius unmatched since the founding of Qin. To see him wounded so gravely—brought back unconscious—shook the confidence of the nation.
The ministers filled the morning court with clamor.
"Your majesty, Heaven Battling State may exploit this weakness. We must strengthen defenses immediately!"
"Send spies to their court. If they seek peace, weigh it. If they seek deceit, crush them!"
"Tai Jian's condition is dire. If he awakens, it will take months for him to recover fully. Qin cannot appear vulnerable!"
The emperor of Qin raised his hand, silencing them all. "Prepare both for war and for peace. If they extend a hand, we shall consider it. If they bare their fangs, we will break them. But remember this—Qin bows to no one."
His words thundered through the hall, and yet, deep in his chest, he wondered. What will you choose, Heaven Battling Emperor? To offer us your daughter… or your army?
---
Three days later, the answer arrived.
An envoy from Heaven Battling State, clad in crimson robes, entered Qin's capital under heavy guard. The streets buzzed with whispers as citizens watched the procession. Never before had such an emissary walked their roads without the clash of blades following behind.
In Qin's grand audience hall, the envoy bowed deeply. His voice rang with solemnity:
"By order of His Majesty, the Emperor of Heaven Battling State, we come to propose a marriage alliance. The princess, Tie Hongchen, is offered in marriage to the young lord of Qin, Tai Jian."
The words struck the hall like thunder. Ministers gasped, some nearly rising from their seats. The empress's hand tightened around her veil, while the emperor's face remained unreadable, carved from stone.
Murmurs swept the hall:
"A marriage? Between enemies?"
"Or between legends… the War Goddess and the Young Genius."
"Is this peace, or a hidden blade in silk?"
The emperor of Qin rose, his gaze sharp as a sword. "A marriage alliance… Peace written not in treaties, but sealed with the blood of my son and their daughter. But tell me, envoy—does your emperor offer this willingly, or does he cast away his own flesh under pressure?"
The envoy lowered his head. "Your majesty, this is a decision made by the court of Heaven Battling State and sanctioned by the emperor himself."
The emperor of Qin said nothing more, but his eyes flickered coldly. So… they sacrifice their jewel to preserve their crumbling throne. Very well. If it is a pawn they send, Qin shall decide how that pawn is played.
And thus, the fate of two nations began to turn—not upon the edge of a blade, but upon the bond of a marriage that neither bride nor groom had yet agreed to.
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