"The Queen's decree—arrives!"
The sharp cry of a eunuch pierced the morning calm of the Zi Ji Pavilion.
Consort Wan, supported by two maids, stepped outside.Seeing who had come, her expression flickered, though she said nothing. She walked into the courtyard and knelt with composed grace.
"Consort Wan receives the decree."
The maid holding the scroll, Xiaocui, glanced down at her, a mocking smile curving her lips.
"Well, well. You took a royal whipping just yesterday, and you're already out of bed? Seems I went easy on you."
It was supposed to be a joyful day—the day of martial soul awakenings—but Xiaocui's words drained the light from Consort Wan's face. She bit back her response. Causing trouble with the Queen's favored servant would only invite more of it.
But Xiaocui wasn't done.
"And where's the Fourteenth Prince? It's his awakening day, isn't it? Or is he hiding because he knows he's a useless waste?"
The eunuchs nearby snickered openly. Not one of them showed the slightest respect.
"You—!"
Consort Wan rarely grew angry, but hearing her son insulted made her blood boil.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Jiang Ruochén stepped out.
"Chen'er." A spark of joy lit Consort Wan's eyes.
The others turned too—and for a moment, the mockery died on their faces.
The man before them was not the same frail prince they'd known. His posture was straight, his gaze sharp and alive with light. The golden robe of a prince draped across his shoulders fit him for the first time.
He radiated calm authority.
"Was it you," Jiang Ruochén asked evenly, "who used the royal whip on my mother yesterday?"
Xiaocui blinked, then sneered. The change in him unsettled her, but only for a heartbeat. In her mind, he was still a powerless disgrace.
"Fourteenth Prince, I'm here to deliver the Queen's decree. You're to attend the awakening ceremony."
"I asked," he said, voice harder, "if it was you who struck my mother."
"Yes. I carried out Her Majesty's command. What, does the prince have an objection?"
Smack.
The slap cracked like thunder. Xiaocui flew sideways, landing hard on the tiles.
After the tempering of the Nine Dragons Codex, Jiang Ruochén was no cultivator yet, but his strength was far from ordinary. Half her face swelled instantly; blood traced her lip.
"You… you dare strike me?" she gasped, clutching her cheek.
"I am a prince," Jiang Ruochén said coldly. "You—a servant—dare insult me and my mother. Tell me, why shouldn't I?"
"You're venting your anger at the Queen's orders! I'll report this to Her Majesty herself!"
Smack.
The other cheek burst red. She staggered, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Mind your tongue," Jiang Ruochén said, voice low and sharp. "I struck you for your insolence, not for the Queen's doing. Keep twisting words, and I'll report you to the Ancestral Office."
The mention of the royal Ancestral Office silenced her instantly. She was the Queen's confidant, yes—but still only a maid. If a prince accused her of misconduct, she wouldn't survive it.
"Give it here." Jiang Ruochén snatched the decree from her trembling hands and turned to Consort Wan.
"Mother, let's go. It's time for the awakening ceremony. I'll give you a surprise today."
He guided her away, ignoring Xiaocui's hateful glare.
"Fourteenth Prince!" she screamed after them. "You'll regret this! I swear you and your mother will pay!"
Snow had begun to fall when they stepped beyond the courtyard walls—broad, feathery flakes drifting down from a pale sky. Within moments, the crimson roofs and marble halls of the royal palace lay sheathed in white.
"Chen'er, that was reckless," Consort Wan said softly as they walked through the snow. "I can bear a little humiliation. But striking Xiaocui… the Queen will never let that go."
Her tone scolded, but warmth glimmered beneath it. She knew he'd acted for her. And for the first time in years, he'd stood tall as a prince should.
"Mother," Jiang Ruochén said, "I told you. From today on, no one will dare make you suffer again. Every insult—every slight—I'll repay, one by one. As for the Queen… don't worry. I'll handle her."
Consort Wan's eyes softened. She hadn't felt this proud in over a decade.
Before long, they reached the Heavenly Altar of Martial Souls, overseen by the Royal Observatory.
The awakening ceremony was the grandest event in the kingdom. Each year, noble sons and commoners alike gathered here, hoping to awaken a martial soul and step into power. The King himself presided, offering sacrifices to the heavens before the ceremony began.
By the time Jiang Ruochén and Consort Wan arrived, the crowd had already filled the square—thousands gathered to witness the ritual.
Those chosen for awakening stood in a cordoned-off area nearest the altar, separated from the spectators.
"Mother, I'll go," Jiang Ruochén said quietly.
She nodded, though worry shadowed her eyes. "Chen'er, don't force it. Let things flow naturally."
He smiled, calm and confident. "You'll see. I'll bring you a surprise today."
With that, he turned and walked toward the altar.
Behind him, Consort Wan whispered, "Chen'er… your mother believes in you."
The snow kept falling, white against red, as the ceremony began.