Xue Liulan watched the murderous look on Murong Jin's face and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Here on the palace grounds, with just the two of them, he could finally drop the "proper prince" act.
"Xue Liulan, what is the meaning of this?" she demanded.
"The meaning is, I intend to marry you," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Moonlight and blossom-shadows—perfect for romance. Shame the beauty before him was poised for a brawl.
Murong Jin's eyes narrowed. Anyone who knew her knew that was a sign. She was about to get angry. Very angry.
Before Xue Liulan could react, his arm was twisted behind his back and he was slammed against a tree trunk.
"Hey! What are you doing?" he yelped, not even trying to resist the hold. "Trying to murder your husband?"
"Shut up," she hissed. "Go back to the throne hall right now and tell the Emperor you don't want to marry me. Tell him to take back the decree."
The Emperor himself had said he wouldn't force Xue Liulan. It was their only way out. Her reputation might take a hit, but she didn't have time to worry about that now.
"You're so violent," he said, his voice still laced with amusement despite the pain in his arm. "If I call this off, no one will ever marry you."
"That's not your problem." Murong Jin applied more pressure. In the moonlight, she could see his features twist in pain.
"Don't tell me you're already promised to that Zuo Xunxiao," he gasped. "Am I breaking up a secret romance?"
"I told you to shut up." She kicked the back of his knee, and a satisfying grunt escaped him. "Are you going to do it or not?"
"Of course not. If I did, I'd be betraying your father's good intentions."
Her grip faltered. "What did you say?"
"I said," he began, and in that split second of her hesitation, he twisted free. He leaned against the tree, rubbing his shoulder. "Marrying you was your father's idea. Gods, your grip is strong."
Murong Jin stared at him, her mind reeled. "What do you mean, my father's idea?" Was he talking about the old promise between her father and the late Empress?
"I mean Murong Yan sent me a letter," he said, shooting her an annoyed look. "Begging me to do this. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't marry a woman as fierce as you if you were the last woman in the kingdom."
Her eyes narrowed in thought. She held out her hand. "Proof."
"I don't have it on me," he said, still rubbing his shoulder. Suddenly, his hand shot out, grabbing her outstretched wrist. He yanked her forward, pulling her hard against his chest.
She was caught completely off guard. Her head collided solidly with his shoulder.
"You—" she began, fury boiling in her throat, but his voice was suddenly in her ear, low and full of a strange tenderness.
"Don't worry," he murmured. "It was love at first sight. I'll take good care of you from now on."
For a moment, Murong Jin froze, too shocked to even struggle.
In a distant corridor, a fist slammed into a wooden pillar.
A dull thud.
Zuo Xunxiao turned away. He couldn't watch another second.
By the time Murong Jin recovered from Xue Liulan's bizarre display, he had already released her. They stood facing each other, a faint blush still coloring her cheeks.
"See?" he smirked. "You can look like a woman when you try."
"I..." She was speechless. "I've been out too long. I should go back."
"I dragged you out here in front of everyone. The Emperor won't blame you for being late," he said, his smile easy. His eyes, reflecting the moonlight, were surprisingly clear. "But seriously. I'm curious. What exactly is there between you and Zuo Xunxiao?"
"What deal?"
"I know he's like your father's right-hand man. Practically raised him like a son. The Zuo family is a good military family. A perfect match for you, one might say."
She stood silently until he finished. "That is none of your concern."
"There's that line again. Before today, it wasn't. But now, you're my intended bride. Don't I have the right to know about my future wife's relationships with other men?"
"Stop it." Murong Jin pointed a finger at his chest. "I am not your wife."
"A general should know better than to go back on her word. You're the one who said marriage is decided by parents."
She forced the anger down. On the surface, a general had to be a placid lake, no matter the storm within. That was basic training.
"If this is truly my father's will, I will not defy it," she said, her voice even. "But right now, I have only your word. I hope you're not making baseless claims and ruining my reputation."
Xue Liulan's eyes glinted with amusement. "Alright. Tomorrow, at the Chengyue Residence. I'll bring you the proof. How about that?"
He agreed so readily. It didn't seem like a lie. Her chest tightened. This was dangerous.
"Or perhaps you can't wait?" he added, his voice dropping to a low purr. "Want to come back to my residence tonight?"
"Xue Liulan, don't think I won't hurt you just because you're a prince," she bit out, before turning on her heel and stalking away.
Behind her, a strange, knowing smile spread across Xue Liulan's face. So, Murong Yan hadn't told his daughter the full story. He'd left Xue Liulan to be the villain. As if his reputation wasn't already in ruins.
Walking through the quiet palace grounds, Murong Jin's thoughts began to settle. She was no politician, but she wasn't a fool. She knew the game being played.
After the Murong Empress died, the Emperor ignored tradition. He made his Deng consort the new Empress.
That was when her father, Murong Yan, left the capital for the frontier. He hadn't returned in twenty years, not even to accept honors from the throne.
The Murongs had a duty: to place the son of the former Empress on that throne. Xue Liulan was a disappointment. It was their family's responsibility to forge him into a king.
"Ah, Young General! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."
A fawning voice startled her from her thoughts. She recognized him. Guo Shangzhong, the chief eunuch. The Emperor's shadow.
"Is something wrong, Lord Steward?" she asked, offering a polite smile. Guo Shangzhong was a eunuch, but his power was immense. The Emperor had created the Imperial Messengers for him, a post that controlled all communications in and out of the palace. Every minister's petition passed through his hands.
"The Emperor noticed your long absence and sent this servant to find you," Guo Shangzhong said with a deep, scraping bow.
"I see," Murong Jin managed a tight smile. "Then please, lead the way."
"Not at all, not at all." He scurried to walk just ahead of her. "Was the Fifth Prince not with you, General?"
"He..." Murong Jin hesitated, unsure how to answer. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from behind.
"I told you to wait for me! I turn around for one second to pick a flower and you vanish."
Xue Liulan appeared at her side, a playful pout on his lips. He reached up and gently tucked a fresh peach blossom behind her ear. He stepped back to admire his work. "What do you think, Eunuch Guo? Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Beautiful! A beauty to rival the blossom itself!" Guo Shangzhong gushed, then sighed dramatically. "A pity the General's armor doesn't quite match such a delicate flower."
"Hm," Xue Liulan nodded, stroking his chin in thought. A slow smile spread across his face. "You're right. Come, let's get you changed before we return to the hall."
"What?" Murong Jin had been so stunned by his sudden appearance she hadn't gotten a word in. She could only watch, frozen, as he performed this charade of a loving couple. Now he took her hand, and in front of Guo Shangzhong, she couldn't pull away without causing a scene.
Bitterness surged through her. This was her future husband.
"My mother had gowns stored in her old palace. I'm sure we can find one that fits," Xue Liulan said, already pulling her along. He called back over his shoulder, "Thank you, Eunuch Guo! We will be there shortly!"
"Of course, Your Highness!" Guo Shangzhong bowed again, then scurried away.
Once he was gone, the moonlight seemed to grow colder. They were alone again.
"Shameless," Murong Jin hissed, wrenching her hand from his and taking a step back.
"Say what you will," he replied, completely unfazed. "We have a lifetime ahead of us. Plenty of time for you to wear down my shamelessness." He gestured down the path. "Come. To my mother's palace. You need a change of clothes."
"This is fine. I only wear armor."
"You were a general. But now? You're my consort. The woman at my side must at least look the part, don't you think?"
"Stop flattering yourself, Xue Liulan. Even if this was my father's idea, you and I both know what he really wants from this."
"Oh?" Xue Liulan's smile was pure provocation. "And what is that?"
"A son like you is a disgrace to your mother's name," she said, her voice laced with the bitterness of a disappointed ally.
The smile faded from his lips.
For a moment, his gaze went distant, lost in a memory she couldn't see. A profound sadness seemed to envelop him, thin and sharp as winter frost.
It was a wall of sorrow no one could see through. Not even Murong Jin.