Chapter Nine: First Arrival in the Land of Shadows

Early the next morning, they set off once again. Yet throughout the journey, Rong Jiu found herself unable to speak with Mo Ningshu, for each time she tried to approach him, her brothers would drag her away under various pretexts.

Though she seethed with frustration, the sight of their innocent faces feigning pitiable helplessness made her curse her own lack of resolve. She was powerless against good looks—she had always been so.

Thus, the first stirrings of affection in Rong Jiu’s heart were snuffed out mercilessly by her brothers before they could blossom. Though she felt unwilling to let go, remembering her duty as a bride sent for peace made her quietly choose to relinquish her feelings.

She could only blame fate for their lack of connection. Though her heart felt hollow, it hardly mattered; they were never meant to cross paths, and aside from their differing statuses, Rong Jiu bore the great responsibility of her diplomatic marriage. No matter how she wished otherwise, there could be no outcome between them.

Perhaps one day she would thank her brothers for their interference.

Mo Ningshu, for his part, was unsettled by Rong Jiu's sudden distance. Sometimes he would steal glances at her, lost in thought, but at that time, he did not truly understand what “liking” someone meant.

After more than a month’s journey, Rong Jiu and her entourage finally arrived at the capital of Youzhou—Jingan City.

The moment she stepped through the city gates, the bustling streets left Rong Jiu in awe. Youzhou was indeed a great nation, far more lively than Xining.

Crowded thoroughfares were lined with all manner of goods, most of which she had never seen before. The busy pedestrians paid little attention to their extravagant convoy, and had her brothers not kept watch outside the carriage, she feared she might have snuck out to explore.

The monarch of Youzhou had been thoughtful, constructing a mansion for them in the architectural style of Xining. After a brief rest, they were to enter the palace for an audience.

The palace of Youzhou was several times larger and far more magnificent than that of Xining. As Rong Jiu rode in her sedan chair, she could not resist peeking out from behind the curtain, though each time she was met with Rong Le’s stern glare and withdrew sheepishly.

Fine, she thought, I won’t look—why the glare?

Of course, she only dared voice these complaints inwardly.

Lounging comfortably on the soft couch, her head propped up by one hand, Rong Jiu’s mood grew increasingly anxious as they approached the palace. Her heart thumped wildly, and her other hand nervously twisted a lock of hair at her chest. Her thoughts had long since wandered.

What kind of person would the Third Prince be? A Mu had told her he was cold as ice, the most handsome man in Youzhou, and never approached women—could he possibly dislike women? No, impossible, that was simply because he had not met her. Would he be as wooden and awkward as Mo Ningshu? At this thought, Rong Jiu shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel such notions.

Damn it, she realized, she had thought of Mo Ningshu again!

The sedan chair was carried with utmost steadiness, not a hint of jostling. The journey from the palace gates to the Hall of Supreme Harmony took half an hour—by modern measures, nearly an hour. Perhaps after so much bumping along, the sudden tranquility lulled Rong Jiu into sleep.

Within the grand hall paved with flawless white jade, Youzhou’s monarch Song Mian stood with his deputy at his side. On the floor knelt three or five trembling servants, their foreheads pressed tightly to the ground, hardly daring to breathe.

“Where on earth is the Third Prince?”

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. We went to the Third Prince’s residence early this morning, but his servants said he hadn’t returned all night and they had no idea where he went.”

The lead servant spoke, his voice quivering with fear.

“Worthless!” Song Mian shouted in fury.

The princess from Xining was about to arrive, and the Third Prince was missing at such a crucial moment. How was he to explain this to the Xining envoys? The marriage alliance concerned the fate of both nations—it could not be neglected.

“Your Majesty, please calm yourself. If word gets out that the Third Prince failed to return last night, it would not reflect well. There isn’t enough time to search for him now. Perhaps Your Majesty should announce that the Third Prince has caught a slight chill and is unable to receive guests, and summon the eldest prince to greet Princess Jiu instead.”

The speaker was Grand Eunuch Ji, Song Mian’s trusted attendant. Though over seventy, he had served two monarchs and was renowned for his wisdom. Song Mian held him in high regard.

“Do as Eunuch Ji suggests. If you botch this again, you’ll answer with your heads!”

Song Mian knew his son well—this sudden disappearance was nothing but dissatisfaction with the arranged marriage and a deliberate act of defiance. He blamed himself for spoiling him too much. With the princess arriving and her intended nowhere to be found, he had no choice but to have his eldest son handle the reception.

Rong Jiu was awakened by A Mu.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, gathered herself, and, with A Mu’s assistance, stepped out of the sedan chair.

“When you enter, don’t speak out of turn. If the monarch asks you something, answer directly. Do you understand?” Rong Le carefully tucked stray locks of hair behind Rong Jiu’s ear, offering a few more reminders.

“All right, all right, I know,” Rong Jiu replied, sticking out her tongue quietly. Her eldest brother was as nagging as her mother, she thought.

“Good,” Rong Le nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Rong Xian. While Rong Jiu was mischievous, she was generally obedient. Rong Xian, however, was less reliable. “And you—don’t speak out of turn, either.”

“Fine. Got it!” Rong Xian touched his nose and answered, aware of proper decorum.

Though he was usually carefree, he knew to mind his manners in a foreign land and would never embarrass Xining.

“Please wait here for a moment. I’ll announce your arrival,” Mo Ningshu stepped forward, casting a lingering glance at Rong Jiu before departing.

Rong Jiu feigned indifference, looking elsewhere, though she could not help but feel pleased when Mo Ningshu glanced her way.

Inside the solemn palace hall, the civil and military officials stood in neat rows on either side. Upon the golden throne carved with dragons, Song Mian, monarch of Youzhou, sat in a bright yellow imperial robe.

Song Mian was over fifty, yet age had left no mark on his face. His deep eyes were both passionate and cold, his presence exuding an irresistible aura of authority.

“Your subject Mo Ningshu greets Your Majesty!”

The previously quiet court became lively at Mo Ningshu’s arrival, for it meant that the princess from Xining—sent for the marriage alliance—had arrived.

Youzhou appeared strong on the surface, but aside from a prosperous treasury, its military was weak. Worse still, Mingyue, a powerful nation, watched hungrily from the sidelines. Now, only an alliance with Xining could restrain Mingyue.

“General Mo, please rise! You have endured much hardship!” Song Mian’s stern face softened, and he raised his hand in a gesture of support.

“Your Majesty flatters me. I have fulfilled my duty and safely escorted Princess Jiu of Xining here. The princes and princesses of Xining await outside the hall.”

“Excellent! Excellent! For your service, General Mo, I will see you properly rewarded. You must be tired—take some rest. Someone, bring in the princes and princesses of Xining!”

Mo Ningshu was a great general of Youzhou, admired by Song Mian for both his leadership and character. With this successful mission, Song Mian regarded him even more highly.

If Xining’s palace had amazed Rong Jiu, Youzhou’s palace utterly astonished her—it was like a refined version of the Forbidden City!

Despite her efforts to restrain her urge to exclaim aloud, her eyes wandered uncontrollably.

“Envoys of Xining greet Your Majesty!”

Though Xining was brave and martial, equal in strength to Youzhou, it had for generations acknowledged Youzhou’s supremacy in order to jointly restrain Mingyue and avoid unnecessary conflict.

“Please rise! You have come from afar. If my hospitality is lacking, please tell me—do not stand on ceremony,” Song Mian said with a smile.

“Your Majesty is too kind. I must thank you for the mansion you have granted us,” Rong Le replied, his refined face sincere and steady.

“It is my duty. Princess Jiu has not yet reached adulthood, and I promised the king of Xining she would stay in Youzhou for half a year to become familiar before the marriage.”

By rights, Rong Jiu should have been brought to Youzhou only after coming of age. But Mingyue’s ambitions had become ever clearer, and Song Mian, after much deliberation, decided to bring her early. In this way, whether she married the Third Prince or not, Mingyue would know that Youzhou and Xining stood united.

“Your Majesty is thoughtful.”

“Our nations have always been friendly—there’s no need for such formality. For the coming half year, treat Jingan as you would Xining, without undue restrictions,” Song Mian said, stroking his long beard, his smile obvious.

The two conversed easily, while Rong Jiu stood aside, bored. Just as she was about to find an excuse to slip away, Song Mian addressed her.

“Though Princess Jiu is not yet of age, her beauty is unrivaled in Youzhou.”

Rong Jiu was happy to hear such flattery. What girl did not like to be praised for her looks?

“With Your Majesty saying such things, I fear I shall never dare show my face again. Youzhou is vast and abundant—surely filled with beauties. Honestly, I sometimes feel inadequate myself,” Rong Jiu replied with a smile.

“Hahaha! Princess Jiu has a clever tongue—I am truly fond of her.”

Rong Jiu was never fond of conversation, especially with strangers, for she never knew what to say. With Song Mian’s words, she had no idea how to respond, so she simply kept smiling foolishly.

“Speaking of which, why have we not seen the Third Prince?” Rong Le, sensing Rong Jiu’s awkwardness, quickly changed the subject.

“The truth is, the Third Prince caught a chill these past days, so I have allowed him to rest in his residence. Once he recovers, he will surely come to apologize,” Song Mian replied with practiced ease, his authority undiminished. His lie was so smooth that no one could see through it.

But while he could deceive others, he could not fool Rong Le. After all, this man was to be his sister’s future husband, and Rong Le had already sent people to investigate—the Third Prince was not ill, merely unwilling to attend, dissatisfied with the marriage.

“Oh? That is unfortunate,” Rong Le remarked. Since Song Mian had said so, there was no point in exposing the truth. There were still six months, and his sister was not bound to marry the Third Prince. In Rong Le’s eyes, the Third Prince was blind and unworthy of his sister.

“Princess Jiu, as you are new to Youzhou, there are many wonderful sights to see. I shall have Ting’er take you out for some fun—would you like that?” Song Mian asked with a smile.

“Yes, yes!” Rong Jiu replied, delighted at the chance to go outside. She disliked these complicated social rituals.

“Haha, very well. Eunuch Ji, escort Princess Jiu,” Song Mian commanded, and Eunuch Ji stepped forward. “Princess Jiu, please follow this old servant.”