“Didn’t he choose a single one?”
Inside Jiuhua Palace, Consort Zhao—usually dignified and composed—lost control for the first time, knocking over the lacquered jewelry box on her dressing table.
She spun around abruptly, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger as she glared at the messenger. Through clenched teeth, she said, “Say that again.”
The maid dared not argue. Kneeling on the ground with her forehead pressed to the floor, she carefully repeated,
“The King of the Northern Desert said, ‘Neither of the two ladies suits my ideal of a virtuous wife. I have heard there is a Fifth Princess—why have I not seen her?’”
Consort Zhao could no longer contain herself. With a sweep of her arm, she sent hairpins and bronze mirrors crashing to the floor. In the flickering candlelight, her lovely face twisted with fury.
“That man is outrageously arrogant!”
She had thought the political marriage was already settled. Who would have expected that not only did he reject those two girls, he had instead set his sights on her own daughter?
If—if he truly took a liking to her…
Consort Zhao shut her eyes tightly. Absolutely not! She had to think of something—anything!
What she didn’t know was that Tuoba Xiao had asked about the Fifth Princess precisely because she had deliberately avoided him. Recalling that someone had once called out “Elder Sister” that day, he began to suspect that the person he was looking for might be this very Fifth Princess—and so he wanted to see her with his own eyes.
Since the marriage candidate had yet to be decided, Tuoba Xiao remained in the capital. He disliked staying cooped up indoors, but the Emperor of Liang did not trust him wandering freely. Thus, he assigned Zhu Cheng, Vice Minister of Ceremonies, to accompany him as a guide—though in truth, it was to keep an eye on him.
Zhu Cheng was mild and pliant, yet he had been given such a difficult task. Though inwardly miserable, he still had to serve the Northern King well, racking his brains to find the best food and entertainment in the capital.
On a drizzly day, he brought Tuoba Xiao to the most famous wine house in the Golden Market.
Tuoba Xiao went upstairs and sat by the window.
Just as he had in the Taiji Hall before, he sat with his legs stretched out carelessly. Zhu Cheng pretended not to notice. What had happened in the Taiji Hall had already spread throughout the court—he valued his head too much to risk offending this man.
When the wine was served, Moduolou eagerly broke the seal and drank straight from the jar without bothering with a cup.
“These Liang people aren’t much good at fighting, but their wine is excellent. If only we had brewers like this on the steppe… or better yet, we could just take Chang’an.”
He thought it, but catching sight of the Liang officials nearby, he restrained himself slightly.
Tuoba Xiao only took a few casual sips, uninterested.
His gaze fell on the porcelain bottle in his hand. It was a gift from that Han woman. The medicinal powder had already been used by his subordinates—and its effects had been remarkable—but he had kept the bottle.
The white porcelain was smaller than his palm, smooth and flawless, its surface as pure as jade or snow—clearly crafted with exceptional skill.
She probably looked something like this bottle.
That had been the closest she had ever been to him—just an arm’s length away.
He should have lifted that obstructing veil then and there!
He imagined she would have shut her eyes in fright. Or perhaps she would have stared at him like a startled deer. Or even frowned at his rudeness.
No matter which, he found it all amusing.
His fingers tightened, his thumb rubbing absently over the smooth surface of the bottle.
He glanced out the window—and suddenly froze.
His hawk-like eyes narrowed sharply, flashing with intensity.
He thought he saw her!
Across three streets, he spotted a young woman holding an umbrella on a bridge.
The fine rain blurred his vision, and from such a distance even his keen eyesight could not make her out clearly. All he could see was a slender figure in pale blue beneath the paper umbrella.
Yet he had an inexplicable certainty.
It was her.
His gaze locked onto her like a net. But within a few breaths, she disappeared at the far end of the arch bridge.
Tuoba Xiao sprang to his feet, knocking over the table with his knee without noticing. Without a word, he strode downstairs, seized the reins from an attendant, and mounted his horse in one swift motion.
The others barely had time to react before hurrying after him.
He rode to the stone bridge and scanned every direction—but the young woman was nowhere to be found.
With so many buildings and people around, she had vanished without a trace.
Zhu Cheng and Moduolou caught up on horseback and found him standing on the bridge.
“My lord, what is it?”
Tuoba Xiao did not answer. Instead, he lifted his head and looked over the city of Chang’an.
In the steady drizzle, gripping the white porcelain bottle in his palm, his sharp gaze burned with determination:
“As long as you are in Chang’an, no matter where you are—I will find you.”
Jiang Congyan had gone out today to discuss a “cooperation.”
She had already chosen her partner: Huan Jun, the seventh son of the Huan family.
Huan Jun, courtesy name Hengzhi, was from Hedong. His grandfather, Huan Yu, served as Minister of the Imperial Treasury. At twenty years old, he was still unmarried.
The Ministry of the Imperial Treasury oversaw royal industries and was close to the emperor. Moreover, no one in the Huan family served in the military. If she married him, the Emperor of Liang would likely not be suspicious.
But that was not the main reason.
Jiang Congyan chose him because he already had someone he loved—and they could not be together.
Huan Jun had been betrothed in his youth to Miss Lu of the Lu family. But four years ago, the Lu family was punished after Lu Xun failed in suppressing a rebellion. Though Lu Xun died in battle, the emperor showed leniency—demoting only his branch to commoner status. The men were exiled, and the women were sent into servitude.
The divide between noble and commoner was insurmountable—let alone someone reduced to a servant.
The Huan family forbade the marriage, intending to arrange another match. But Huan Jun loved Miss Lu and refused. He secretly removed her servant status and settled her in a small residence, visiting her often.
Though they loved each other, they could not be together. She urged him to leave her, but he refused.
As time passed, his family pressured him more and more, eventually forcing him to marry another woman. The marriage was loveless; his wife later died in depression.
Years later, after Tuoba Xiao’s sudden death and the fall of Chang’an, Huan Jun rose to power amid chaos, becoming one of the most influential ministers of the late Liang dynasty—yet leaving behind a tragic legacy.
But now, he was merely a minor official whose biggest problem was resisting his family’s pressure to marry.
“So, Your Highness means that we should enter into a marriage in name only?” Huan Jun asked, surprised.
They sat across from each other in a quiet teahouse, mist from the tea curling between them.
He had not expected that this princess—who had only returned to the capital two years ago—knew about his private affairs.
Jiang Congyan met his gaze calmly.
“Are you willing? I will not interfere with your personal matters. After three to five years, once we have both achieved our goals, we can part ways.”
Huan Jun was tempted.
Given his current situation, this arrangement would benefit them both.
After a moment’s thought, he said firmly:
“As you wish.”
Since hearing that Tuoba Xiao wanted to see her, the Fifth Princess had been living in constant fear, crying day and night.
“Why does that barbarian insist on seeing me? Has he heard something?”
In Jiuhua Palace, Consort Zhao raged repeatedly, terrifying the servants.
The Princess Consort of Prince Chu came to visit upon hearing the news.
When she entered, Consort Zhao had just smashed another set of porcelain.
“Leave!” Consort Zhao snapped, dismissing the servants.
The Princess Consort stepped closer. “Elder Sister is troubled by the Northern King?”
Consort Zhao sneered but said nothing.
Unbothered, the Princess Consort smiled slyly. “Must it really be a princess who marries him? Aside from the Fifth Princess, there are other royal daughters… especially my stepdaughter.”
She leaned in, her voice dripping with calculation.
“She is the granddaughter of the late Crown Prince and of direct imperial blood. With her status—and her beauty—would the Northern King not be captivated at first sight?”
Consort Zhao’s eyes narrowed, interest flickering.
“You make a good point.”
The two began plotting how to make Tuoba Xiao fall for Jiang Congyan at first glance.
Outside the hall, a finely dressed young woman had been standing there for quite some time.
Only after the voices inside faded did she turn and run away in haste.