The doors of the Crown Prince's study closed with a soft thud. Inside, the atmosphere was quiet and calm, a faint scent of ink lingered in the air.
Lin Yechen walked to his desk and sat down slowly, his expression was unreadable. For a long moment, he said nothing. His gaze lowered slightly, lost in thought.
'She agreed…'
The words echoed in his mind and the princess of the Yu Empire… agreed so easily to a political marriage that to him… who had always threatened their Empire…
His fingers tapping against the table lightly, the silence did not last long until, the doors suddenly opened without a warning. A cheerful voice broke through the calm. "Your Highness!" Wang Lin rushed in, nearly tripping over the threshold before catching himself at the last moment.
"Ah—!"
He straightened himself quickly, pretending nothing happened. "I mean, Your Highness, we heard the news!" Behind him, Hao Lin entered the study more calmly and his steps measured, his expression carrying a faint knowing smile. "It seems the entire court is talking about it," he said smoothly. "The Yu Empire's Crown Princess… your future bride." Wang Lin leaned forward Lin Yechen slightly, unable to hide his curiosity. "Is she beautiful?"
A faint silence than Hao Lin glanced at him, amused. "You ask that first?" Wang Lin shrugged. "Well… it's important... if this is not what is used to ask… than what is used to ask?" For a moment—Lin Yechen said nothing. Then, very faintly Yechen said "…Perhaps."
Wang Lin's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh! So she is beautiful—."
Before he could finish—
Lin Yechen lifted his gaze and looked in his eyes in a silence. It was not anger. But the look in his eyes was enough to freeze the words in Wang Lin's throat. "…Do you have nothing better to do?" His voice was calm.
Wang Lin immediately stepped back. "No! I mean—yes! I mean –no, Your Highness!" Hao Lin let out a quiet chuckle, clearly entertained. Then, as if remembering something, his tone shifted slightly.
"Though… this is somewhat, surprising."
Lin Yechen's gaze flickered toward his direction, he asked him "what is surprising?" Hao Lin continued, "Not long ago, the Qiu Empire also proposed a marriage alliance." pause no one spoke… "They had also offered their Princess." Wang Lin blinked his eyes… "Oh, yes! I remember that—there were also rumors about how she is said to be very beautiful too!"
Hao Lin smiled faintly. "And yet… Your Highness rejected it without hesitation." Silence followed again… Lin Yechen leaned back on his chair slightly, his expression returning to indifference. "A useless alliance holds no value," he said calmly. "Beauty is irrelevant." He said again, "How can I marry someone so easily…" His voice lowered, "Without first understanding whether she is even worth keeping."
The room grew quieter and quieter… Even Wang Lin stopped moving. "And she is from the Yu Empire." His gaze began to slightly darken. "…If she is merely a pawn—then she will not last long enough." Silence,
Hao Lin's smile deepened slightly. "Then it seems, Your Highness… this marriage will not be simple." Lin Yechen did not respond, but a faint curve touched his lips almost cold and unseen
Just then—
The doors opened once more. A figure entered with calm and composed steps. Elegant and refined carrying an effortless noble aura, it was Huang Lixian—Duke of the Huang family.
He was Lin Yechen's closest ally and best friend. His gaze swept across the room before settling on Yechen. A faint smile appeared on his face… "It seems I arrived at an interesting moment." He said while idly swaying the fan in his hand.
Huang Lixian stepped inside with effortless grace, robes flowing lightly behind him. His presence was calm, yet carried the quiet authority of nobility. A faint, mischievous smile curved on his lips as his gaze swept across the room before settling on the man at the desk. "I heard… our great Crown Prince is finally marrying a princess."
The words hung in the air, light—almost teasing. Wang Lin immediately straightened, eyes lighting up. "Yes, to the Yu Empire!" Hao Lin folded his arms calmly, watching the exchange with quiet amusement. "Quiet an unexpected development," he added. Huang Lixian stepped closer, his tone, playful. "And here I thought Your Highness had no interest in marriage." after a quiet silence. Lin Yechen did not respond immediately, he remained seated gaze lowered slightly, fingers resting still against the table.
"I don't know what she is thinking," he said at last, his voice calm and unreadable, "I have never met her."
The study went quieter, even Wang Lin stopped fidgeting, Wang Lin blinked, clearly confused. Then suddenly—
"Wait." He stepped forward slightly, frowning in deep thought. "Your Highness… you said 'perhaps' when I asked you if she was beautiful…" Hao Lin glanced at him, already sensing where this was going. He was annoyed by his constant asking about beauty. Wang Lin slightly pointed toward him, as if he had just discovered something shocking. "But you just said you've never met her!" he said again, "…So how do you know she's pretty?"
Silence returned to the study room, Huang Lixian pressed his lips together, clearly holding back his smile. Hao Lin simply looked away, amused. Lin Yechen slowly lifted his gaze. For a brief moment–Wang Lin felt like 'Oh I made a terrible mistake asking this.'
"…I said perhaps," Lin Yechen replied calmly.
Wang Lin froze in his position "…That's true." After a small pause he said again, "But that still means you thought about it!" Huang Lixian let out a quiet laugh, "Oh so now our Crown Prince thinks about his future wife as a beauty? That's an excellent observation." Hao Lin added smoothly but his tone somewhat teasing, "It seems even His Highness is not entirely uninterested."
Lin Yechen's expression remained unchanged. He was speechless by their constant questions, finally he said "…If she were not presentable," he said coolly, "The Yu Empire would not dare send her." Wang Lin nodded slowly. "…That makes sense." Then said, "…So she is pretty."
Silence—
Lin Yechen looked directly into his eyes. Wang Lin immediately stepped back and quickly said, "I said nothing!" Huang Lixian finally laughed openly. Even Hao Lin's lips curved slightly. Lin Yechen remained quiet. But for a brief moment—faint and almost invisible smile touched his lips.
"But now that she has agreed to marry me…I should marry her…" For a brief moment—something shifted as a subtle and dark "…I find myself looking forward to this marriage now."
Silence felt again, Wang Lin blinked his eyes again and again and in shock he said, "…She agreed?!" Hao Lin's eyes narrowed slightly as if interest flickering. "The Yu Empire's Crown Princess… accepted… willingly?" silence lingered after his words. Then–Wang Lin leaned slightly towards Hao Lin, lowering his voice… though not nearly enough. "…She agreed to marry him?" he said again, "Him!?" Hao Lin raised his eyebrow, glancing at Lin Yechen before replying calmly, "Perhaps the Yu Empire has different definition of courage." Wang Lin nodded seriously, "Or maybe she doesn't know yet."
Huang Lixian let out a soft laugh, fully entertained. "It does raise an important question." He looked directly at Lin Yechen, that familiar teasing smile returning. "How does a princess agree to marry a man known for being ruthless… and completely emotionless?"
Wang Lin immediately added, unable to hold back—"Exactly!" he added "Even the soldiers are afraid to breathe too loudly near him! But she agreed to him?" Wang Lin said pointing at Yechen, Hao Lin crossed his arms, his lips curving into a slight smile. "And yet… she accepted without hesitation?" he said again "Well this is interesting." For a moment, there was no response from Lin Yechen, he simply looked at them. Not sharply, not in anger too, but just enough—For Wang Lin to instantly straighten, he said with a slight serious panic tone "I-I was just stating facts!" he added quickly. Huang Lixian chuckled lightly "Facts, indeed."
He tilted his head slightly, swaying his fan, observing Yechen more closely. "But still… I am quiet curious, what kind of princess would willingly step into a place that had been threatening their clan for generations, while not being afraid of being killed here…and that to… marry a man like you?" Silence came once again Lin Yechen's gaze lowered slightly, thinking and figuring, "…One who is either foolish," he said calmly. "…or who is either dangerous." Lin Yechen slowly lifted his gaze, calm, composed, cold and unreadable, "To agree so easily…" he murmured softly, almost to himself with an evil smile in his eyes,
The study room went stilled, even Wang Lin didn't dare to joke this time. A faint, almost unreadable smile touched Yechen's lips—gone in an instant.
He stood than turned, robes shifted like shadows.
'Let her come.' His thoughts were quiet but dangerous, 'Let her enter my world…' His gaze began to slightly darken, '…and we shall see if she survives.'
To be continued...