Ye Jiao appeared today in the uniform of a Military Marquis — a cerulean robe with a round collar, perfectly tailored to her shoulders. A leather belt cinched tightly at her waist accentuated her slender figure and upright posture. She wore no winter cloak; her short lambskin boots stirred the dust as she strode forward, then dropped to her knees from afar to request an audience.
"Your humble servant beseeches an audience with His Majesty and wishes to see His Highness, the Prince of Chu."
The Emperor set down the jade vessel used in divine rites and gave a slight nod."Granted."
Even before the word had fully left his lips, Ye Jiao had already dashed forward, catching the coughing Prince Li Ce in her arms. She knelt on one knee, one hand gently patting his back, the other offering a silk handkerchief to his lips.
Li Ce took the handkerchief and wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth, then looked up at her with a faint smile."Jiao Jiao."
That smile was forced, brimming with the pain he tried to suppress — he couldn't bear to let her worry.
"I heard the eaves collapsed," Ye Jiao said, her eyes locked on his, filled with fury and heartache. "Those eaves—"
They had been tampered with — the timber replaced. Now that His Majesty was present, she must report this treachery. Those who committed such crimes must be brought to justice.
Li Ce gripped the hem of her robe tightly, pulling downward to interrupt her."The eaves were a test from the divine. Did you see the omen? In the heavens?"
Their gazes met. Li Ce slowly shook his head.No — not now. It wasn't the time to speak of this.
The sudden celestial sign had greatly pleased the Emperor and astonished the foreign envoys. Heaven's blessing upon Tang — a force no less powerful than military might. The eaves had already been declared sacred. To expose Li Zhang or anyone else now would be a slap in the face to the Emperor himself, a blow to the dignity of the empire.
Before national honor, his pain and injustice were of no consequence.
Ye Jiao bit her lip hard, drawing blood. She steadied Li Ce, her chest rising and falling in fury, but finally swallowed her rage."Come. I'll take you to be treated."
Li Ce nodded slowly and bowed to the Emperor."The ceremony is not yet over, but your son is unwell. I humbly request leave."
The Emperor nodded with concern.
The beam had struck Li Ce's shoulder; the external injury wasn't severe, but the coughing of blood suggested deeper trauma. Ye Jiao's face bore not only worry but quiet wrath.
The Emperor furrowed his brow. What was this girl angry about? He hadn't even scolded her for neglecting him — she had begged for an audience, only to tend solely to her beloved. Was she blaming him for not protecting his son?
As they were about to leave, the Emperor suddenly spoke, his voice deep."Is that all you ask for — merely to withdraw? You supervised the construction of the Circular Mound Altar with merit, and you caught the falling eaves, sparing the court officials from disaster. I can reward you — speak. Would you enter the Secretariat to aid in governance, or do you desire ten thousand taels of gold to renovate the Prince of Chu's manor?"
Li Ce, who had just stood up, dropped to his knees once more.
The Emperor's words left the royal sons and courtiers shaken.
They did not envy the gold. What shook them to the core was that single phrase — "the Secretariat."
Once located in the Chancellery, now moved to the Central Secretariat, this was where the Chancellor presided, the hub of political decision-making.
Throughout history, any prince granted a seat at its table had a limitless future.
Until now, only the Prince of Jin, Li Zhang, had occasionally been allowed in — not even formally.
The Emperor clearly intended to entrust Li Ce with great responsibility.
Should he choose the Secretariat, he would become the only prince capable of rivaling Li Zhang — and the court would rally behind him. His influence would surge.
From today forth, he would no longer be the abandoned prince, cast into obscurity at birth — a living ghost in a royal tomb.
Yet Li Ce, kneeling on the ground, his face alight with restrained emotion, said instead:"Father Emperor, I wish to ask for your imperial blessing — to be wed."
Power and wealth — he wanted none of it.
He only wanted Ye Jiao.To marry her on the first day of the new year, on an auspicious dawn.
She was too precious. If another were to take her from him, he would live in regret forever.
The Emperor looked to his sides, momentarily stunned, then sighed and scolded lightly,"Useless."
But around them, many princes and ministers breathed sighs of relief.
Useless — good.
If he wasn't ambitious, he wouldn't compete — and thus could be spared.
Only Li Zhang's expression remained unchanged. His gaze rested on Ye Jiao's flushed face, her unwavering attention on Li Ce, never sparing a thought for anyone else.
They truly were — deeply, irrevocably in love.
The Emperor thought the same. Though he had scolded Li Ce, his voice softened."Very well. Let the Ministry of Rites and the Bureau of Astronomy choose an auspicious date. The decree shall be delivered to the Duke of Anguo's residence. You shall be wed."
Li Ce bowed in gratitude. The other princes came forward to offer congratulations — all but one.
Prince Zhao, Li Jing, brushed the dust off his robe irritably and strode forward, blocking Li Ce's path.
"Fifth Brother, step aside."
Li Ce coughed weakly, leaning on Ye Jiao, every step a strain.
Li Jing didn't budge. He turned around, crouched down, and patted his own back."You fool. Moving around is the worst thing for internal injuries. I'll carry you."
Though his words were rough, his tone was full of care.
"Alright," Li Ce murmured. He slowly lowered himself onto his brother's back.
Li Jing rose steadily, arms securing Li Ce's legs, but after a few steps, he grumbled,"How are you so heavy? Aren't you supposed to be thin?"
"It's all thanks to Fifth Brother's cooking," Li Ce replied. "The meals at the Zhao Prince's manor suit me well."
Li Jing was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he muttered,"You've got to show some ambition. You're getting married soon — you can't keep leeching off me. What, you expect me to feed your wife and raise your kids too? Keep dreaming — dream your sweet little dreams in the broad daylight!"
He kept mumbling as he climbed into the carriage, carefully laying the half-conscious Li Ce onto the cushions. Then he cursed,"Shameless thunderstruck Li Chen! It's his fault for knocking me over — or you wouldn't have been hurt!"
He had been slow that day, drowsy, and Li Chen had shoved him, causing him to fall and be crushed beneath. He didn't know about the eaves, but it was their crash against the pillar that triggered the collapse.
In a daze, Li Ce gripped his brother's hand."Fifth Brother… enough. Don't speak of it."
They were still too close to the altar — walls had ears. He couldn't let Li Jing be dragged into this.
"Yes," Ye Jiao said, steadying Li Ce and instructing the coachman to depart. Then she turned to Li Jing,"Cursing does no good. Some people… only find silence underground."
Li Jing's face blanched at her words, instinctively clutching his protective talisman, then realizing she hadn't meant him. He exhaled in relief."You two must marry at the Prince of Chu's manor. That's non-negotiable."
Just hearing her speak gave him chills. Even if he could afford to keep them, his nerves couldn't take it.
Thus concluded the grand annual ceremony of ancestral and heavenly worship.
The Emperor, escorted by his grand procession, returned to the palace. Though reluctant, he had indulged himself enough for the day.
It would be pleasant to recount all that he had seen and heard to the Empress and make her envious for once.
Ten miles from the Circular Mound, atop a sparse hill, Taoist Wang Qianshan leaned against a rock, basking in the sunlight.
Beside him sat the stupefied Young Marquis Lin Jing, utterly dumbfounded.
Wang Qianshan idly picked at a flea, and only after some time did Lin Jing dare to speak in a trembling voice,"Was that… was that smoke of divine omen?"
Smoke of omen? Impossible. Such smoke would linger in the sky, indicating divine will.
But what Wang Qianshan had released into the heavens… was a cloud of three colors.
It looked more like…