The carriage rocked gently over the paved stone road, its wheels creaking in rhythm with the steady clatter of horse hooves. Inside, the atmosphere was warm, filled with the soft fragrance of Tie Hongchen's perfumed robes and the faint brush of Tai Jian's voice as he leaned close to whisper something that made her cheeks turn faintly red.
Dong Ning sat rigidly across from them, her hands clutching at the curtain folds as though they were her only lifeline. Every stolen glance at the couple only deepened the sting in her heart. Tie Hongchen's laughter was like silver bells, and the way Tai Jian gazed at her, with eyes full of devotion, was unbearable.
She felt like an intruder—no, worse, a shadow—watching two people bask in warmth while she herself sat in cold isolation. Her chest tightened with bitterness. Why her? Why not me?
She pulled open the curtain again, staring at the road outside, though she barely registered the passing scenery. Her heart was a storm of jealousy and anger. She was jealous that Tie Hongchen, a foreign princess, had so easily captured Tai Jian's affection, while she—his cousin, someone who had been by his side since childhood—was left ignored. She was jealous that Tie Hongchen could lean against him without restraint, while she herself could only dream of such closeness.
But more than jealousy, anger consumed her. Anger that Tie Hongchen had seduced her cousin and stolen the man she loved.
"Cousin," Tai Jian's voice broke her thoughts, casual and unbothered. "You seem uncomfortable. Why don't you ride the horse with Xue Kai?"
The words struck like a blade. Dong Ning stiffened, her knuckles white on the curtain. To him, her discomfort was nothing more than an inconvenience. His gaze had not even shifted from the woman beside him, his entire world revolving around Tie Hongchen.
Tie Hongchen, wise to the undercurrents, lowered her gaze. She could sense Dong Ning's turmoil, but Tai Jian… Tai Jian was oblivious. Or perhaps, worse, he simply didn't care.
Dong Ning forced a breath through her teeth. "Stop the carriage," she ordered sharply.
The coach slowed, and she turned her gaze on Tai Jian. Her eyes burned with suppressed tears as she hissed, "Cousin, I am leaving."
"Mm." Tai Jian only nodded, his voice light, as if she were speaking about something as trivial as the weather. He didn't even look at her—his eyes remained fixed on the woman he called wife.
That indifference shattered the last of her composure. She stepped down from the carriage, her back ramrod straight, her silence screaming of wounded pride. Tie Hongchen watched her leave, pity glimmering in her eyes.
"Why don't you give her a chance?" Tie Hongchen asked gently after a long pause. "Even if you were to take her as a concubine, Xue Kai wouldn't be dissatisfied."
Tai Jian smiled, but his smile was soft and unyielding. "Even if he doesn't show dissatisfaction, what about me? How could I sleep peacefully knowing I've taken my brother's woman?"
Tie Hongchen was struck speechless. He was right. Even a fool could see the way Xue Kai's eyes followed Dong Ning. Tai Jian's refusal wasn't out of stubbornness—it was out of loyalty. He treated Xue Kai as a brother. What would the soldiers say if he betrayed that bond? What would his generals think?
She lowered her lashes, troubled. "I fear it won't be up to you, my lord. The empress has always supported the first prince. If she uses Dong Ning as a weapon against you…" Her voice softened, weighed with concern. "You've locked yourself in your palace for two years, never involving yourself in state affairs since your brother was made regent. How could they not test your stance now?"
Her words carried truth, bitter as it was.
Tie Hongchen's own life was proof of the cruelty of tradition. In the empire, women were tools—political pawns with no true say in their fate. But she had refused that role. She had learned to read, to calculate, to debate. She had surpassed scholars in wit and generals in strategy. She had earned the title of War God, the first woman in the Heaven Battling State to do so.
And yet, here she was, her worth still questioned because of her gender.
Tai Jian studied her quietly, his hand tightening over hers. Though he was stronger than her, he knew her cultivation was only a step behind his own. Yet his pride as a man, as a husband, would never allow her to bleed on the battlefield again. Protecting her was his duty.
Before more could be said, Xue Kai's voice rang out from outside. "We've arrived."
The carriage slowed to a stop before the towering gates of the empress dowager's palace.
Tai Jian was the first to step down. He moved with the ease of a warrior, his figure tall and commanding. Then, in a gesture that melted hearts, he stood at the carriage door like a guard, offering his hand to Tie Hongchen.
Her slender fingers slipped into his palm, and she descended gracefully. The guards around them could not help but stare. He was handsome, with sharp brows and a refined, sturdy frame. She was radiant, elegant as a goddess. Together, they were a vision—a pair that seemed carved by heaven itself.
Dong Ning, standing to the side, bit her lip until blood welled. Tie Hongchen's beauty, Tai Jian's devotion… every display of affection was a dagger twisting in her chest.
The three walked forward. Dong Ning led stiffly, while Tai Jian and Tie Hongchen strolled at their own pace, hand in hand. Tai Jian would lean close, whispering into his wife's ear, sometimes pointing to the sweeping halls or ancient courtyards as if he were showing her the palace anew.
The palace of the empress dowager was vast, its courtyards blooming with flowers, a serene fragrance drifting in the air. The soft rustle of leaves and the distant sound of a zither made the place feel otherworldly.
A maid stepped forward and bowed. "Your highness, princess, her majesty is waiting for you in the courtyard." She greeted Tai Jian and Dong Ning—but her eyes slid past Tie Hongchen without acknowledgment.
Tai Jian's expression darkened instantly.
"What about Princess Hongchen?" he asked coldly.
The maid smiled politely, though her eyes held arrogance. "Her majesty only invited his highness and Princess Ning."
Tai Jian's jaw tightened. His voice was soft, but it carried a dangerous chill. "It seems I've been in seclusion for too long. So long, in fact, that you all think you can forget who I am. If grandmother does not welcome us, then we will leave."
He turned as if to depart, his grip on Tie Hongchen's hand firm.
"Your highness, please!" The maid paled, panic flashing in her eyes. "Do not make things difficult for us—please, understand…"
Tie Hongchen opened her mouth to plead with him, but one look from Tai Jian—cold and unyielding—froze the words in her throat.
Dong Ning, watching this, finally intervened. "Aunt Chen, let them both enter. If grandmother learns you barred them, she will be furious."
The maid hesitated, then bowed stiffly. "…Very well."
With that, the path opened. Tai Jian walked forward, still holding Tie Hongchen's hand, his posture proud and protective. To the watching servants, it was a display of arrogance, of a man who placed his wife above all others.
Dong Ning followed behind, her heart heavy with resentment. Not only had she been forced to plead for Tie Hongchen's entry, but the couple had not even shown gratitude. They had simply walked on, hand in hand, as though she were nothing but dust trailing in their wake.
Inside, the courtyard spread like a hidden world. A small lake shimmered beneath the afternoon sun, lotus flowers swaying gently on its surface. By the water's edge sat the empress dowager herself.
She was clothed in flowing silks of deep jade, her hair pinned with gold, her face aged yet dignified. Though she sipped tea leisurely, her presence carried a weight that silenced the courtyard.
A maid at her side raised a finger to her lips, signaling the trio to remain quiet. None dared disturb her.
The minutes dragged, the air thick with tension, before at last the empress dowager set her cup down and turned.
Her gaze swept over them—calm, sharp, and knowing.