Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“A marriage alliance with the Yan Region. Have you truly thought this through?”

It was the coldest stretch of winter, snow whirling beneath the eaves. Yet inside the golden hall, it was as warm as spring.

I knelt on the floor and bowed low.

“Ziyou lost his father young and has drifted from place to place ever since. I was born in the Yan Region and speak the Hu tongue. I am willing to relieve Your Majesty’s worries.”

The emperor helped me up with both hands.

“Ziyou, is this because the Crown Princess has recently become betrothed?”

Just half a month ago, Her Highness the Crown Princess had been betrothed to the legitimate son of the Duke of Meng.

In the past, everyone had assumed Zhao Xizhen would marry me. Now, I had become the most awkward person in the palace.

I was silent for a moment, then gently shook my head.

“Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with her. I only wish to do my duty.”

I was an adopted son, raised in the palace for many years.

The people respected me, and the emperor’s grace had been vast.

I had always been the best candidate for a marriage alliance.

Moreover, the Princess of Western Xia had already declared that she was willing to offer Yanzhou as her dowry, asking only to marry a noble son of the Celestial Empire.

And I was, in fact, from Yanzhou.

The emperor was silent for a long while before he nodded and agreed.

“The marriage alliance will be set for after New Year’s Eve.”

It was already the twelfth lunar month. Only one month remained.

I accepted the gilded imperial edict.

“There is only one more thing. I ask Your Majesty to help me keep the marriage alliance from the Crown Princess.”

The emperor sighed softly.

“If you leave, she will surely be heartbroken. We will not tell her for now, but she will find out sooner or later.”

I lowered my head, the corners of my lips twisting bitterly.

“Then let it be as late as possible. A marriage alliance is a matter of great importance. I only wish to avoid any unnecessary mistakes.”

Beside the koi pond in the imperial garden stood a plum grove connected to a covered walkway.

The sons of noble families had gathered there, standing in little groups of two or three as they played pitch-pot in the snow.

I was walking through the covered corridor, followed closely by five or six palace attendants. In their hands, they carried vermilion lacquer trays laden with gold and silver ornaments.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess’s marriage has already been decided, but Commandery Prince Pingyuan is still favored as ever.”

“Who knows? Perhaps in the future, he’ll enter the Eastern Palace and become a Secondary Consort.”

Just then, an arrow brushed past my ear and struck one of the attendants right in the hair bun.

The lacquer tray slipped from their hands and crashed to the ground.

Gold and silver jewelry scattered everywhere, and one jade pendant shattered into pieces.

The attendant picked up the wooden arrow from the ground. Bamboo leaves were carved into its tail, delicate and refined.

My gaze lingered on it briefly.

A retainer from the Meng residence snatched it away.

“This was specially made by Her Highness the Crown Princess for our young master.”

I was the one who had taught the Crown Princess to carve marks into her belongings.

When I took her south to flee disaster, everything along the road had been in utter chaos. I taught her to carve crude fish patterns into the bottom of her bowl.

When I came back to myself, the side of my face burned with pain.

I reached up to touch it. When I lowered my hand, my fingertips were stained with a faint trace of blood.

“Commandery Prince, your face…”

Meng Zhu’an hurried over. Seeing the mess of shattered pieces on the ground, he immediately tried to take off his own jade pendant and give it to me.

“Brother Ziyou, I’m sorry. I’ll compensate you with this.”

I refused.

That had been His Majesty’s reward for my marriage alliance.

When I brought it to the Yan Region in the future, every item would have to match the gift list. It was better for something to be missing than for the records to become confused.

But Meng Zhu’an would not take it back.

In the pushing and pulling, the jade pendant was flung into the pond with a crisp splash.

“Brother Ziyou, that was a gift from Her Highness. I was willing to give it to you. Even if you didn’t want it, you shouldn’t have thrown it into the water!”

His expression suddenly changed, and he seized my sleeve, refusing to let go.

I glanced at him. “You threw it yourself.” Then I coldly pushed him away.

I had only taken half a step when I ran straight into Her Highness the Crown Princess. I froze for a moment, then bowed to her.

I did not know how long Zhao Xizhen had been standing there.

She lifted her eyes to me, her gaze icy as she enunciated each word. “Go down and pick it up.”

The koi pond was not even as deep as a person’s height.

But it was winter, bitterly cold, and snow was falling. One could imagine how freezing the water would be.

The noble sons crowded beneath the corridor, all of them turning their gazes toward us.

Meng Zhu’an said softly, “Why don’t we forget it? It’s so cold. Don’t make things difficult for the Commandery Prince.”

Zhao Xizhen considerately placed her hand warmer into his palm.

“Ziyou, you’re very good in the water. This little matter should be easy for you, shouldn’t it?”

I had once jumped into a river to save someone.

I stared at her for a long while. “All right.”

In any case, I was about to leave soon.

I rolled up the hem of my robe around my legs and clutched it tightly in my arms, then waded into the pond.

The water was bone-piercingly cold.

I bent over and moved forward, reaching down to the bottom until I felt the icy jade bracelet.

I scrambled back onto the bank in a sorry state, shivering all over. Then I grabbed Meng Zhu’an’s hand and stuffed the jade pendant into it.

“Here. Take it back.”

“It’s so cold.” Meng Zhu’an made as if to pull his hand away, though he did not use much force.

Zhao Xizhen frowned, pulled him toward her, and shoved me away.

Before I could steady myself, I stumbled several steps and fell backward into the water.

“Commandery Prince!”

The chill seeped into my bones.

The brilliantly colored koi scattered in panic like a shattered, multicolored dream.

Through the rippling surface of the water, I vaguely saw Zhao Xizhen’s face.

Just like the year we first met.