Ruhan came to visit Xiao Zhi the following morning. The sun was already high, spilling soft light across the stone floors.
He bowed slightly, his voice calm as always. "Princess, how are you feeling today?"
Xiao Zhi nodded. "Better, I think. Just… curious."
"Well, maybe your curiosity will be answered soon," Ruhan said as he stepped aside, gesturing for her to follow. "Allow me to give you a tour of the palace."
Xiao Zhi hesitated briefly before accepting his invitation and let him lead the way.
They walked through the corridors together. The palace was grand and imposing, yet it carried an air of mystery. Ever since she had arrived, Xiao Zhi couldn't quite make sense of anything. Everything seemed different from what she had imagined, and every turn of events seemed to become even more puzzling.
"I'm surprised," she admitted softly, "Tughril Palace isn't what I thought it would be. I imagined something harsh and empty, but it feels… alive, in a quiet, strange way."
Ruhan's lips curved faintly. "The palace carries the weight of its history. It may seem distant at first, but you will find its warmth over time."
They passed through a quiet gallery lined with paintings of past Khans. Xiao Zhi slowed, stopping before a large portrait of the current Great Khan. His figure was imposing, and his mask of gold and iron gleamed even in the painted light.
"The Khan.." She started, "...why does he wear a mask?" she asked, curious.
Ruhan's gaze softened. "When he was a child, a fire broke out in his chambers. His mother saved him, but she died in the flames. The fire left scars on his face and on his heart. The mask hides what remains."
"He's worn it since he was a child?" Xiao Zhi frowned. "That's… heartbreaking."
Ruhan nodded slowly. "He rarely speaks of it, but it shaped the man he became."
After a pause, Xiao Zhi glanced at him again. "And the Khatun Dowager? She seems… intimidating."
"She is," Ruhan said carefully. "She is the Khan's stepmother, the Grand Prince's mother. The Khan's birth mother was a lower-ranking consort, which is why the brothers differ so much in appearance and temperament."
"I see…" Xiao Zhi murmured. "And the Grand Prince? What is he like?"
Before Ruhan could open his mouth to answer, a sound of laughter echoed from a nearby corridor.
A group of women appeared, their silken skirts whispering across the floor. Concubines of the Grand Prince, Xiao Zhi guessed. Their faces were painted, their gazes sharp and assessing.
"Well, well," one of them said mockingly. "So isn't this the princess from Hua?"
Another tilted her head with a thin smile. "Prettier than I expected. Though pretty things rarely last long here. The Grand Prince has… demanding tastes." The others giggled behind their sleeves.
Xiao Zhi forced a polite smile but gripped Ruhan's arm tightly.
One woman stepped forward, pretending to adjust the sleeve of Xiao Zhi's dress. She brushed a finger against her face. "Smooth skin, as expected from a Hua princess." Xiao Zhi winced at the touch but dared not move. Then the woman reached for her hairpiece and "accidentally" pricked her cheek.
"Oh dear," the woman said sweetly, showing no remorse. "How clumsy of me."
Ruhan stepped forward immediately. "That's enough. I was only showing the Princess around."
The lead woman raised an eyebrow. "Then let us show her instead. Surely we are better than a servant to escort an honorable guest."
"I am under direct instruction from the Khan," Ruhan replied evenly. "The Princess is my responsibility."
The woman's smile turned cold. "Do you not trust us, eunuch?" She shoved him lightly in the chest.
Ruhan staggered back a step but remained calm.
Another stepped closer. "For a eunuch, you are rather handsome." Her hand lifted to his jaw, then suddenly slapped him across the face. "But you should still know your place!" The sharp sound echoed through the hall.
Xiao Zhi gasped. "Stop it! That's enough!" she cried, stepping forward.
Ruhan subtly moved to block her without touching her. "It's all right, Princess," he murmured.
Then she understood. Here in Tughril, Ruhan was not the powerful envoy she had known in Hua. He was a servant. A eunuch. Bound by rules that stripped him of power and pride.
The leading concubine smirked. "Careful, little princess. You are not in Hua. Here, you learn your place."
Ruhan lifted his gaze slightly. "And what of yours?" he said quietly. "You dare touch the woman who is to become the princess consort?"
The woman stiffened. "Watch your tongue. Disrespect me again, and I will tell the Grand Prince you disobey his concubines. I doubt he would like that. Let's see if you can still speak after that."
Before Xiao Zhi could reply, a voice cut through the tension.
"Is that so?"
The concubines froze.
Kabil stepped from the corridor's end, hands clasped behind his back. His tone was calm, almost amused, but his eyes were sharp. "Tell me, what exactly would I not like?"
The women dropped to their knees. "Your Highness—"
He walked past them without looking, stopping before Xiao Zhi. His expression softened. "Princess Lian Zhi, are you hurt?"
She shook her head. "No… I'm fine."
Kabil turned to the concubines. "Did I not say she is my guest? You dare raise your hands against her?" His voice remained gentle, but the air grew cold. "If this happens again, none of you will walk these halls again."
"Y-Yes, Your Highness," they stammered, trembling.
He offered his hand to Xiao Zhi. "Come. I will take you back to your chambers. It is not wise to wander these halls alone."
Xiao Zhi hesitated, glancing at Ruhan. He bowed, expression unreadable.
"Your Highness," Ruhan said quietly. "Forgive me. I should have kept her from trouble."
Kabil did not look at him. "You may leave."
Ruhan stepped aside as they walked past, calm but with a shadow in his eyes. He lingered alone in the corridor, the echo of laughter and humiliation still heavy. His gaze sharpened. He exhaled slowly, regaining composure, and disappeared down the hall in silence.