[Declaration: The Empress is of high moral standing, with a noble spirit and a penchant for aesthetics. She is pure in both mind and body, and she has never had, nor will she ever have, a male consort!]
In the Marquis of Zhendong's household, flowers bloomed in vivid splendor. Xia Chen flashed a brilliant smile.
He cared little for anything else—he only wanted to leave soon. Only by stepping out could he build his own foundation.
The household was fine, but it wasn't his to command. He could borrow its strength, not entrust everything to it.
This, Xia Chen understood clearly. The household belonged to all, not him alone.
His interests didn't represent the household's.
For now, though, he could leverage its resources and prestige to secure a comfortable post.
Why climb from the bottom when a shortcut existed?
Xia Chen had never been one to suffer needlessly.
As he followed Xia Qián to the Merit Hall to meet the clan elders, claim his merits, and engrave the true essence of the Shouyang Demon-Slaying Blade, far to the east of the palace, a grand yet understated mansion stood beside the central avenue.
Its vermilion gates towered, copper studs glinting with the patina of years, flanked by majestic stone lions.
Princess Yaoguang's Mansion!
The residence of the Second Princess, now in the bloom of her youth.
A year ago, she'd requested freedom to come and go from the palace. Just past this year's Spring Festival, she'd petitioned to move out—a breach of propriety.
By custom, even grown princesses remained in the palace until marrying their Imperial Sons-in-Law, only then relocating to their mansions.
No one knew what she'd said to sway the Emperor, but he'd granted her wish.
Soon, the court learned she'd been betrothed to the eldest son of the Marquis of Andong.
At that moment, in the front hall of the Princess's Mansion!
Three women and two men sat quietly below, their gazes drawn irresistibly to an imperial edict adorned with dragon motifs, casually set aside.
At the head sat a woman—skin like polished jade, brows like distant mountains, eyes twinkling like stars with a deep, serene calm.
Her delicate nose stood proud, her raven hair cascading like a waterfall, glossy and sleek against her ornate robes. Her face was exquisitely beautiful.
Her mere presence dimmed everyone else, man or woman alike.
The edict rested by her hand.
The Second Princess, titled Princess Yaoguang!
"Princess, I hear the eldest son of the Marquis of Andong is but a crippled physique. How could he be worthy of your golden self?"
Below, a woman broke the silence, her tone indignant.
"What's to be done?"
The Second Princess's eyes remained tranquil, betraying no joy or sorrow.
The woman in yellowish-green faltered, speechless. Indeed—what could be done? The marriage was decreed, proclaimed to the realm, irreversible.
"Why not send assassins to kill this Xia Chen? They say he's unfavored in the household. The Marquis of Andong has been on the Donghuang battlefield for fourteen years, sending a letter only once every three—an eldest son he clearly doesn't care for."
A man on the left spoke gravely, jealousy flickering in his eyes, a flash of heat crossing them as he glanced at the princess.
"Nonsense! Assassination is a vile tactic—not to be used lightly. If it worked cleanly, ending it once and for all, fine. But success or failure, it's a mess we couldn't contain!"
The young man at the left's head shook his head, rebuking sharply.
Huo Qiming, from the Imperial Academy, was a scholar but no pedant. If assassination could truly resolve things, he'd consider it—but success or failure would spark disaster.
Xu Jun's eyes flared with anger at Huo Qiming's reprimand, but seeing the princess, he swallowed it down.
Yaoguang listened silently, offering no interruption, though a hint of disappointment toward Xu Jun stirred in her depths.
Both Xu Jun and Huo Qiming were aides she'd recruited from the Imperial Academy this month. Clearly, Huo Qiming's intellect outshone Xu Jun's.
Assassination wasn't unthinkable, but targeting a Marquis's legitimate son was child's play.
If every problem could be solved with a blade, the world would've long descended into chaos.
The Marquis of Zhendong's household, though not the highest-ranked among martial nobles, produced generals aplenty. Xia Chutian, the Marquis, was hailed as the previous generation's war god of Dawu.
Thirty-six years ago, in the Battle of Huaiyang against Dafeng, war raged for three years.
In the end, Xia Chutian, as commander, led 200,000 troops to crush Dafeng's famed general Xiao Yue, storming into Dafeng's lands with unstoppable force, halting just thirty miles from their capital.
Had Daqing in the west and Donghuang's demons not pressed Dawu's borders, that war might not have extinguished Dafeng, but it could've claimed half their territory.
That battle made the Marquis's name resound across the realm. Afterward, he relinquished his military power, retreating into seclusion to pursue martial arts.
This act earned Emperor Wen's trust, showering the household with endless rewards.
The Second Princess understood well—Xia Chutian's retreat dispelled her father's suspicions, paving the way for the next generation.
Brothers Xia Qián and Xia Yuan rose in the military, earning illustrious merits, becoming leaders among martial heirs.
Twenty-one years ago, Xia Qián, inheriting the Marquis of Anwu title—one of the household's three marquises—shone brilliantly against the Nanman.
Like his father, he bided his time, relinquishing command to return to the capital and govern the household. Though absent from the world for years, who dared underestimate him?
Xia Yuan, inheriting the Marquis of Andong title, was summoned fourteen years ago to lead the Donghuang battlefield.
For thirteen years, he held steady—neither great triumphs nor grave errors—keeping the eastern frontier as firm as Mount Tai.
The court rejoiced yet sighed in relief. Xia Yuan stabilized the east—a feat in itself—but compared to his father and brother, he seemed less prodigious.
Then, a month ago, after thirteen years of lurking, Xia Yuan struck, slaying a Third-Rank great demon in one fell swoop, stunning the realm.
Three commanders from one house—how could it not shock the world, not stir royal unease?
Yet with the realm fractured—Dawu far from dominant—the household couldn't be suppressed, only courted.
In such a climate, how could they assassinate a Marquis's legitimate son?
"That Xia Chen, with his crippled physique, is no threat. It's just a marriage. Since it's set, there's no need to dwell on it. The Marquis of Zhendong's household is loyal and patriotic, contributing greatly to the nation. If I can ease my father's burdens, that's a good thing!"
The Second Princess smiled, brightening the entire hall instantly. Though she spoke thus, pride and disdain flickered deep in her eyes, carefully veiled.
She harbored a grand ambition, unspoken to any. Her odd behavior—refusing to be caged in the palace like other princesses—stemmed from this dream.
Who says a woman cannot be emperor? She, Yaoguang, would be the first in history!