After disguising herself for so many years, in the end, the royal family had still set their sights on her. Hua Liangjun couldn’t deny that he was angry—how could he not be? But more than anger, he felt helpless. The current Empress was truly ruthless.
Their personal grudges had to involve the Hua family’s most treasured daughter—it was an outrageous abuse of power. Yet there was no way to resist, and the injustice burned in Hua Liangjun’s chest.
“If I had known, I should have listened to my wife back then and retired quietly!” Hua Liangjun roared.
Now he regretted not heeding his wife’s advice years ago. But it was too late to say anything.
Li Xiangmei watched her husband’s frustration and helplessness and eventually softened. Though she had been slightly angry with him earlier, she knew it wasn’t his fault—after all, one cannot defy the Emperor’s orders.
Besides, his decision not to resign was also forced by circumstances. The two countries were at war, and resigning in the midst of battle would have been considered desertion.
The Hua family had been loyal for generations; it could not all fall apart in his hands. So, he had gone to war without hesitation, and in the same year, when he returned victorious, their daughter Hua Miao Miao was born.
From then on, General Hua’s love for his wife had guided him down the path of a devoted father.
As Hua Miao Miao grew more beautiful with each passing year, their worries also grew. They knew it was not necessarily a good thing.
According to the etiquette of the Mingyue Kingdom, their daughter was destined for a royal marriage. Yet, aware of the cold and merciless nature of royal families throughout history, Hua Liangjun and Li Xiangmei did not want their daughter trapped in the inner palace.
So they devised a plan to make her appear unattractive, hoping to avoid the royal marriage. But fate had other plans—the Empress was so cunning and vicious that their scheme had completely backfired.
Now, with the Emperor’s decree issued and the wedding set for the day after tomorrow, it was clear there was no turning back. Whether the Hua family agreed or not, they had to comply with court protocol.
Li Xiangmei stood up and retrieved a pair of dragon-and-phoenix bracelets from the sandalwood cabinet.
This had been her own dowry, and now it was meant for Hua Miao Miao.
These were treasured heirlooms of the Li family—the most valuable dowry she could offer. Seeing his wife’s mix of worry and sadness, Hua Liangjun felt a deep pang of heartache.
Even as a high-ranking general with military power, he could only obey the Emperor’s decree. This was the helplessness and sorrow of serving the court: no matter his rank or power, he had no authority against imperial orders.
Thinking of his precious daughter being married off to that good-for-nothing, the fury of a general surged within him.
Yet, fortunately, their daughter was skilled in martial arts. Ordinary men would not be a match for her, and he hoped the Third Prince would not be able to harm her.
With that thought, Hua Liangjun approached his wife and said, “Madam, don’t worry. Miao Miao is not easily bullied. With her martial skills, no one can hurt her.”
Li Xiangmei nodded softly. “It’s not that I fear for her safety, husband. I just can’t bear to part with her.”
Parents, especially when marrying off their daughters, could never help but feel reluctant. Their sadness was natural.
Because imperial orders could not be defied, the Hua household had no choice but to prepare the wedding according to ritual.
On the royal side, preparations for the Third Prince’s formal investiture were already underway. Even if he was being forced into this marriage, the rites for crowning the princess must be meticulously observed.
Xiao Jinyan, the Third Prince, observed the bustling servants without any visible expression.
This was nothing more than another form of humiliation from the Empress, and he refused to take it to heart.
Besides, the Hua daughter was famously unattractive—there was really nothing to celebrate.
Ling Feng stood beside him, anxious as he observed his master’s stoic face. Though he had grown up alongside Xiao Jinyan, he always sensed that when his master showed no expression, something was amiss.
Being forced into marriage was one thing, but to be forced to marry such an ugly woman was infuriating—the Empress’s intentions were obvious: to disgust him.
Xiao Jinyan sat leisurely in the Grand Tutor’s chair, sipping tea. Over the years, he had mastered concealing both his emotions and his strength. Yet the Empress would not relent.
This was a clear test. He knew he had to play along—and see it through. All he hoped was that the general’s daughter would be reasonable.
From the intelligence he had gathered, the Hua family had no ties to the Empress. Thus, this marriage was both a test and a way to irritate him.
If he were to die, the law demanded that his consort die with him, allowing the Empress to achieve two goals at once: eliminate him and neutralize the independent Hua family.
General Hua commanded northern troops—his strength was formidable. That posed a threat to the Empress. Since he refused to side with her, she would leave him no room.
Xiao Jinyan understood that the Empress’s actions were solely for her son’s future ascension to the throne. Only by concealing his strength could he hope to counter her.
According to the spies’ reports, the Hua daughter, though hideously ugly, was an exceptional martial artist, kind-hearted, filial, and of excellent temperament.
“Thinking about it this way… maybe this marriage isn’t so bad after all,” Xiao Jinyan muttered unexpectedly, leaving Ling Feng dumbfounded.
Ling Feng stared at him, awaiting instructions, but was puzzled by the faint, almost imperceptible smile on his master’s lips.
It was an odd, unsettling smile. Ling Feng felt a chill run down his spine—what was Xiao Jinyan thinking?
Ever since being poisoned and blinded, Xiao Jinyan’s moods had been unpredictable. Later, after being cured, he feigned blindness again, leaving even Ling Feng confused.
Meanwhile, the Hua household was nearly finished with preparations. Li Xiangmei was instructing Hua Miao Miao on royal customs, etiquette, and the protocols for the wedding day.
While Hua Miao Miao had grasped the basic rules, the investiture of a princess was complicated. The explanations were so dense that her head felt ready to explode.
After years as a special forces operative, she had faced countless missions and learned a wealth of knowledge. She had never been afraid.
Yet learning these courtly rules was almost mentally exhausting—so intricate, so overwhelming that her brain felt fried.
Hua Miao Miao internally cursed these ancient people. They lived unbearably rigid lives! So many rules—they were practically frying her brain like a CPU.
Still, thinking about marrying the poor Third Prince ignited a sense of justice within her.
She wasn’t just becoming a princess; she was going there to act as his bodyguard, swearing to protect him. As long as he lived, so would she and the Hua family. If he died… they all would perish.