Chapter 6: Shadows in the Market
Morning sunlight spilled through the paper windows, golden and warm. Shen Yifan tied her sash quietly, her gaze steady in the mirror. After the storm the night before, the house was silent — but she knew better. Silence in the Shen residence only meant whispers had moved behind closed doors.
> "I need air," she murmured, slipping on a simple pale-blue robe and veil.
No attendants followed her; she preferred it that way. Today, she wanted to walk freely — to feel the world beyond walls and courtly deceit.
---
🌸 The Market
The streets of the capital were alive — vendors shouting, silk banners fluttering, children darting between stalls. The scent of roasted chestnuts and sweet buns filled the air.
Yifan paused before a stall of jade hairpins, brushing her fingers over one shaped like a raven's wing. Her chest tightened — a faint memory flickered, blades flashing in moonlight, her assassin name whispered in fear. Raven.
Her hand trembled briefly… then she set the hairpin down.
"Yifan?"
A familiar, mocking voice snapped the moment in half.
She turned.
Standing across the street were Shen Rou and Shen Lian, draped in fine silks, surrounded by two jeweled noble girls — their closest friends, known for sharp tongues and shallow hearts.
"Well, well," Shen Rou smirked. "I didn't know they let rejected fiancées roam freely in the capital."
Shen Lian giggled. "Maybe she's here to beg the merchants for scraps. You know, since she's no longer a prince's bride."
Their friends snickered behind their fans.
Yifan sighed softly. "Do you two ever tire of the sound of your own voices? Or do you need an audience to remember you exist?"
Shen Rou's smile froze. "You—!"
Yifan took a step forward, voice low but firm. "Mock me again, and you'll regret it. I tolerated your cruelty before, but I'm not the same girl anymore."
Shen Lian crossed her arms. "And what will you do? Hit us again?"
A shadow of a smirk touched Yifan's lips. "If you provoke me, maybe."
The friends gasped. "How rude!"
Before Shen Rou could retort, a calm voice cut through the tension.
"Lady Shen."
They turned — and froze.
Standing at the edge of the crowd, dressed in dark royal robes, silver hair glinting in the sunlight, was Crown Prince Li Wei. His grey eyes lingered on Yifan, unreadable but faintly amused.
"Your Highness!" Shen Rou curtsied quickly, her tone suddenly sweet. "We didn't see you there."
Li Wei's gaze drifted past her, settling on Yifan. "I did."
A faint flush touched Yifan's cheeks. "Your Highness…"
"You seem… troubled," he said, glancing briefly at her sisters. "Is everything all right?"
Yifan inclined her head. "Perfectly fine, Your Highness. I was merely… educating my sisters about manners."
Li Wei's lips curved slightly. "A noble task."
The sisters' faces burned, and they hurriedly excused themselves, dragging their friends away under the curious eyes of the crowd.
When they were gone, Yifan exhaled softly. "You didn't have to step in."
"Didn't I?" he asked. "You handled them well, but a prince shouldn't ignore injustice — even petty cruelty."
She looked up at him then, truly looked — and for a heartbeat, the bustling street faded, leaving only his calm, steady presence. Her heart gave a soft, unfamiliar flutter.
---
They walked together through the market, conversation light, almost comfortable. At a silk stall, she admired a length of white brocade embroidered with clouds.
The shopkeeper bowed. "Ten gold coins, my lady."
She hesitated. Before she could reach for her purse, Li Wei placed a pouch on the counter. "I'll take it."
Her eyes widened. "Your Highness—"
He smiled faintly. "Consider it a token. You helped me once — in your own way."
Yifan frowned softly. "I don't remember—"
"You will," he said quietly.
Before she could ask what he meant, a whisper of danger prickled her senses. Her breath stilled. The noise of the market seemed to dim. She turned sharply — just as a shadow leapt from a rooftop.
"Down!" she shouted.
An arrow sliced through the air. Li Wei caught her arm, pulling her close. Chaos erupted — merchants screaming, stalls overturning.
Black-clad figures poured from the alleys, blades flashing.
Assassins.
Yifan's instincts surged — her hand snatched a fallen staff, her body moving before thought. She spun low, sweeping a masked attacker's legs from beneath him. Another lunged — she twisted, disarmed him with brutal precision, the old reflexes of Raven blazing to life.
Li Wei drew his sword, fighting beside her — skilled, precise, but she was faster.
"Go!" he shouted. "Get to safety!"
She ignored him, eyes sharp. "Not without knowing who sent them!"
A glint — a second arrow fired from the rooftop. She turned too late.
Thwip.
Pain exploded in her leg.
She stumbled, clutching her thigh — blood seeping through the silk. Li Wei caught her before she fell.
"Yifan!" His voice was urgent, rougher than she'd ever heard. "Stay with me."
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself upright. "It's just a flesh wound."
But her vision blurred. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was Li Wei's face — furious, protective — and the silver crest on one attacker's wrist.
A raven's wing.
---
🕯️ The Shen Residence
When she opened her eyes again, she was back in her room. The scent of herbs filled the air. Her leg was bandaged, and Grandmother Shen sat nearby, murmuring prayers.
Shen Jun entered quietly, relief flashing across his face. "You're awake. You were attacked. The Crown Prince brought you back himself."
Yifan's fingers brushed the bandage. Her eyes darkened.
> "The shadows are moving again," she whispered. "And they know who I am."