Dai Han, the capital city of Shangdu was immersed in a biting cold.
The north wind whistled through the bare branches, pouring down flakes of snow onto the tiled roof of the Shangguan General's mansion. In the Drunken Jade Pavilion, the most remote and cold courtyard in the mansion, the silence was almost the same as the weather outside.
In the room, there was only a small charcoal stove burning faintly, a young woman wearing a light blue double-breasted shirt, loosely wrapped in an old rabbit fur cloak, was sitting quietly in front of the chessboard.
She was Shangguan Wan, the fourth young lady of the General's mansion, a "second daughter" born by a concubine. Her mother died early, she grew up like a shadow in this luxurious mansion, docile, quiet, and almost forgotten by everyone.
"Miss," Ah Jin's close maid trembled as she brought a cup of hot tea, her voice filled with concern, "Don't sit here, the wind is blowing. Our charcoal stove... the best charcoal has been taken away, this charcoal isn't warm enough."
Shangguan Wan didn't raise her head, her slender fingers, pale from the cold, slowly picked up a white chess piece, and put it down. "It's a little cold, your mind will be clearer."
Ah Jin looked at the chess board with sorrow. Her young lady was always strange like this. She didn't like playing chess, calligraphy, or painting like other young ladies, and even less so, she didn't like embroidery. She only liked reading books and playing chess with herself. A game of chess, she could sit from morning to night.
"Miss, look," A Can pointed out the window, "There's another banquet in the main courtyard. I heard that Eldest Miss (Shangguan Yao) just received a precious coral hairpin from the Minister of Revenue's wife. The whole mansion is gathered there..."
Shangguan Wan smiled faintly. "That's Eldest Sister's good fortune, we don't need to envy her."
She, Shangguan Wan, had been in hiding for sixteen years. She knew clearly that in this General's mansion, being smart was not a blessing. Being content and patient was the way to live. She was like this white chess piece, surrounded on all sides, only able to find the smallest gap to survive.
At this moment, the old wooden door of the Drunken Jade Pavilion was pushed open with a "creak".
An old wet nurse (m ma) wearing a thick brocade robe, with a haughty expression, walked in, carrying a cold breath. It was Zhang m ma, the confidant of the General's wife, Shangguan Wan's real mother, Chen.
"Fourth Miss," she didn't even bother to bow, her voice was shrill, "The Master and Madam have summoned you to the Main Hall. Hurry up."
A Can hurriedly blocked in front of Shangguan Wan, "Young lady, young lady is..."
"Shut up!" Zhang the old lady glared. "A lowly maid dares to interfere? The Master calls, Fourth Miss dares to delay?"
Shangguan Wan calmly
stood up, lightly brushed the folds of her clothes. She reached out to fix the simple hairpin on her hair, bowed her head, and said in a low voice, "Please lead the way."
Zhang Ma coldly snorted, turned around, and walked away.
Ah Jin anxiously picked up her cloak, "Miss, there's definitely nothing good. Madam has never called someone out of nowhere..."
"It's fine." Shangguan Wan replied, her eyes still as calm as the surface of an autumn lake. "When soldiers come, the generals block them, when water comes, the earth blocks them. Let's go."
The main hall of Shangguan Mansion was the complete opposite of the Drunken Jade Pavilion.
The scent of fine incense lingered, and the bronze fireplace with silver inlays gave off a warm glow.
Shangguan General's family, Shangguan Bo, a dignified middle-aged man, was sitting in the main seat, frowning. Beside him, his mother, Chen Shi, was continuously wiping away her tears.
Below, the eldest young lady, Shangguan Yao, the capital's number one beauty, was kneeling on the ground, sobbing.
"Father! Mother! I won't marry! I'd rather die than marry a disgraced Crown Prince!"
Shangguan Wan heard this as soon as she entered. She quietly walked to a hidden corner, lowered her head, and tried to make her existence as inconspicuous as possible.
Her heart ached again.
The disgraced Crown Prince.
She knew who Shangguan Yao was talking about. The current Crown Prince, Li Chengyin.
This Crown Prince was once the pride of the Emperor, both literary and martial. But three years ago, his mother, the Empress, suddenly passed away. He left the court to mourn. When he returned, everything had changed.
The Second Prince Li Chenghao, born from the favor of the Imperial Noble Consort, had already attracted most of the power in the court. Even Shangguan Xiangjia, her father, had secretly leaned towards the Second Prince.
The current Crown Prince Li Cheng Yin is now just a name. It is said that his personality has become strange and cruel, and he is no longer favored by the Emperor. Marrying him would be like stepping onto a sinking ship.
Madam Chen sobbed: "Master! The imperial edict just issued said that he wanted a daughter of the Shangguan family to marry the Eastern Palace. Yao'er is the legitimate daughter, our pearl, how could... how could we push her to her death?"
Shangguan Bo slammed his hand on the table. "Foolish! This is an imperial edict! To disobey the edict is a crime of exterminating the entire family! Do you think I want to?"
Shangguan Yao cried even more miserably: "Father, I heard that the Second Prince... he... he has feelings for me. Why would the Emperor... hu hu..."
"Shut up!" Shangguan Bo was angry. "The Second Prince's matter is another matter! Now it's the Crown Prince!"
The main hall fell silent. Madam Chen and Shangguan Yao could only cry. Obviously, no one wanted to marry.
At this moment, Shangguan Bo's sharp gaze swept across the room. He saw several other concubines trembling, too timid, too ordinary. Finally, his gaze stopped on Shangguan Wan, who was standing silently like a statue in the corner.
Her silence, in this situation, suddenly became very useful.
Madam Chen also immediately understood. She wiped her tears, as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw. "Master... Our General's Mansion... is not the only young lady Dao Er."
Shangguan Dao also abruptly stood up, looking towards Wan Er, her eyes both disdainful and joyful. "That's right, father! Fourth younger sister is also of marriageable age!"
All eyes turned towards Shangguan Wan.
Shangguan Bo narrowed his eyes.
This fourth daughter, he had almost forgotten her existence. Her appearance was only of the delicate type, not as dazzling as Dao Nhi. Her personality was too quiet, not useful in communication.
But at this time, marrying a concubine daughter to that fallen Crown Prince... was a perfect move.
While not offending the Emperor.
While keeping the legitimate daughter Dao Nhi for the Second Prince.
While being able to probe the situation of the Eastern Palace.
A sacrificial pawn, but able to achieve three goals.
Shang Guan Wan knew, the moment her father's gaze stopped, her fate had been decided. She slowly walked to the middle of the hall, kneeling down.
Her whole body trembled, her voice also trembled, carrying the extreme fear that a sixteen year old girl should have.
"Father... Father... I... I'm scared..."
Shangguan Bo saw her expression and felt even more satisfied. A coward, easy to control.
"Shangguan Wan." His voice was cold and majestic, without a trace of emotion. "I am the daughter of the Shangguan family. Now that His Majesty has bestowed his grace, he has chosen me to marry into the Eastern Palace as the Crown Princess. This is my honor, and also my responsibility."
"No... Father... I..." Wan'er raised her head, her eyes filled with tears, her face filled with panic.
"You are not allowed to say 'No'!" Madam Chen shouted. "Being able to marry the Crown Prince is the blessing of your cultivation from your previous life. Why don't you thank your father?"
Shangguan Wan bowed her head to the ground, her shoulders trembling violently. She kowtowed three times, the sound of her forehead hitting the cold stone floor was clearly audible.
"Your daughter... Shangguan Wan... thank you father... for arranging it."
"Good." Shangguan Bo nodded with satisfaction. "Someone, take the Fourth Miss back to the courtyard. From today on, without my order, you are not allowed to leave the Drunken Jade Pavilion. Wait for an auspicious day to get married."
When Shangguan Wan was helped out of the Main Hall by the crying A Jin, her eyes were still swollen, she still maintained her weak and panicked appearance.
But when the Main Hall door slammed shut, separating the warmth and the falseness inside, the cold wind from the corridor outside immediately rushed in.
Shangguan Wan's trembling disappeared.
The eyes that were filled with tears just now were now dry and deep.
She pulled her hand out of A Jin's hand, standing up straight. Her thin back suddenly became strangely strong.
"Miss... hu hu... why is life so miserable..." A Jin sobbed.
Shangguan Wan looked up at the gray sky, the snow began to fall heavier.
"Miserable?" She smiled faintly. "From the small cage of the General's Mansion, jump into the larger cage of the Eastern Palace. What's the difference?"
She returned to the Drunken Jade Pavilion. The charcoal stove was almost out. The room was as cold as ice.
She went straight to the chessboard. The chess game was between herself and the white piece, the white piece was being besieged, almost no way out.
She picked up a black chess piece and placed it in a difficult position.
"Miss... you..." Ah Jin didn't understand.
"I'm not willing to be a sacrificial piece." Shangguan Wan said, her voice as cold as snow. "Crown Prince Li Cheng Yin... a dragon whose fins were broken. I really want to see, in the end, you are a real dragon, or just a worm in name only."
She picked up the white chess piece and placed it in a gap, creating a completely new chess position.
"Ah Jin, go to the Library Pavilion. Find all the records of the late Empress, and all the memorials related to the Crown Prince in the past three years."
"Search...search for what?"
Shangguan Wan looked at the chessboard, her eyes sharp.
"To know, my future husband, is he trying to flip the chessboard, or is he willing to be a puppet."
That night, snow fell all over Shangdu. No one knew that the abandoned chess piece of the General's Mansion was the only one who could see through the political chessboard of the entire dynasty.