Volume One, Chapter Three: Might as Well Be Dead

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In the Eternal Peace Palace’s bedchamber, Ning Yunshu fixed her gaze on the figure beside the bed, whose demeanor was serene and gentle to the bone, with delicate apricot eyes shimmering with tears.

“Sister is awake! Hurry and inform Mother Consort and Elder Brother.”

Ning Moxue instructed, tightly clasping Ning Yunshu’s hand.

Ning Yunshu gave a pale, bitter smile, struggling to shake off her hand, her eyes brimming with undisguised hatred. “Didn’t expect me to return alive, did you?”

At these words, Ning Moxue’s eyes reddened again. “Sister, for seven years I have hoped daily for your safe return. Now that you truly are back, I can hardly contain my joy…”

“Is that so? Is it joy, or guilt?” Ning Yunshu retorted deliberately, word by word.

Tears welled in Ning Moxue’s eyes, her lips moving silently for a long while without uttering a single word.

Seven years ago, Prince Rong sought to raise an army in rebellion, while the Xiongnu eyed them with predatory intent. Da Su was beset by internal and external troubles. To break the deadlock, some ministers proposed sending a princess to marry into the Xiongnu as a temporary measure to pacify them, thereby allowing focus on resolving internal strife.

This proposal won unanimous approval from the civil and military officials, but the question of which princess to send became a dilemma.

Princess Changle had just come of age a little over a month prior, while Princess Mingzhu still had three months to go. By age, Princess Changle was more suitable.

Others argued that Princess Changle was born of the virtuous Consort Xian, thus of higher status, whereas Princess Mingzhu’s mother was merely a common woman from Jiangnan, so by status, Princess Mingzhu would be more appropriate.

The Emperor found himself torn, reluctant to part with either, so he bestowed the title of Princess County to another—Princess Wangyou—and assigned her the duty of the marriage alliance.

But who could have foreseen the brutality of the Xiongnu? Knowing that Princess Wangyou was not the Emperor’s true daughter, they slaughtered her, sending her dismembered remains back to the imperial capital along an eight hundred li express route, threatening war should the marriage not be sincere.

Meanwhile, Prince Rong’s power grew stronger by the day. If the Emperor hesitated further, the realm would be at peril. Reluctantly, a lottery was proposed.

Inside a wooden box were two tokens: one intricately carved, the other blank. The one who drew the carved token would be sent for marriage.

The Emperor summoned the two princesses to the imperial study, accompanied by their mother consort Yu Pin, and Shen Yan, then a mid-ranking general betrothed to Ning Yunshu.

The Emperor was to announce the result, so after drawing, they placed their tokens face down on a tray.

Only by touch could one discern whether the token was carved or smooth. Ning Yunshu felt her token was smooth and saw Ning Moxue’s pale face; then she understood everything.

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