Petals of peach blossoms fluttered gently, drifting onto Ye Jiao's forehead. Soft and delicate, they glided over her smooth skin, brushing past Li Ce's lips before being carried away by the breeze like startled butterflies. The branch beneath her did not bear her full weight—for Li Ce's left hand was cradling her, drawing her closer, as if he wished to fuse her into his very bones. He drank deeply of her scent and breath, kissed her lips, her nose, her eyes, and her collar with insatiable longing.
The days leading up to the wedding felt interminably long—so long they stirred dread within him, fear that this moment of beauty might be no more than a dream. That he might awaken once again in the pitch-black tomb passage, shrouded in despair, utterly alone.
Ye Jiao's expression was a heady blend of intoxication and shyness. Realizing the force of Li Ce's fervor, she instinctively shrank back and whispered, "Sisi, you…"
"I want to…"
Li Ce's long lashes lowered, a flush rising to his cheeks. He cast Ye Jiao a gaze heavy with depth. He wanted. He had wanted for so long.
As a young man full of passion, it required all the strength he possessed to maintain restraint—to engage her with composure, to keep his voice calm with each gentle touch. It wasn't her fault she was so beguiling. If blame was to be placed, it lay with him—for surrendering so willingly to the warmth of her presence, helplessly enraptured.
"What do you want?" Ye Jiao teased, pushing him lightly. Her legs had gone weak; she collapsed sideways onto the petal-strewn hillside.
Li Ce took the opportunity to lie beside her, letting her rest her head on his arm, their knees entwined, eyes meeting.
"I want to marry you," he said, each word heavy with suppressed desire. "If only today were already the twenty-ninth of March."
March twenty-ninth—the day of their wedding.
"Still worried?" Ye Jiao asked softly. The flowering branch in her hand had long vanished; she grabbed a handful of petals and flung them toward the sky. Beneath the vast azure dome, the petals settled like snow upon their disheveled garments.
Fingers interlaced, Li Ce replied obliquely, yet with unmistakable intent: "You have my word."
You have my word. It was a promise, carrying the full weight of his strength.
News of Ye Jiao's father returning to the capital had already been dispatched with urgency to Jinzhou.
Ye Changgen, who was overseeing waterworks in Jinzhou, wrote two letters upon receiving the message.
One to his mother, wishing his father continued health and entrusting all family matters to her discretion.
The other to Ye Jiao, inquiring about the situation at the Ministry of War.
He had heard rumors of a fire at the Armament Bureau and was concerned—not just for his sister, but for the court as well. Some things he could not put in writing, but he asked Ye Jiao to pass his regards to Li Ce, and added:
"Your wedding is near. If there are matters that require you to leave the city, perhaps you should petition His Majesty to temporarily defer them."
Ye Jiao read the letter, perplexed. "What does Brother mean? What matter would require us to leave the city?"
Li Ce was equally puzzled, though he knew his brother-in-law was a man of careful thought. Ye Changgen must have discovered something in Jinzhou to prompt such a warning.
Sure enough, the next day brought an urgent dispatch from Jinzhou—eight hundred miles in haste.
The Prefect of Jinzhou, Zhou Ci, had reported that due to the water diversion project, violent clashes had broken out among local villagers, drawing in over ten thousand people. Among the weapons confiscated from the rioters, military arms from the Ministry of War were found.
This was no small matter. Zhou Ci, rather than conceal it, chose to risk embarrassment and report the unrest within his jurisdiction.
"What kind of weapons?" Crown Prince Li Zhang, acting as regent, asked sternly from beside the imperial desk.
Chancellor Fu Qian, standing below the dais, leafed through the memorial before passing it to the palace attendant to present to the prince.
"Crossbows."
Li Zhang's expression turned to ice. "Do we have solid proof?"
Fu Qian signaled. A guard brought forth the seized weapon from Jinzhou.
It was an arm-drawn crossbow—range: two hundred thirty paces. Standard issue for the Tang military. Less than two feet in length, with mulberry wood arms, a bronze trigger mechanism fitted to the rear. Crafted with precision.
Compact and easy to carry, it could be drawn and fired using arm strength alone. In battle, these crossbows provided long-range support, complementing the fearsome modao sabers—the backbone of the Tang army's invincibility.
Li Zhang did not erupt in anger. Instead, he called out, "Summon Vice Minister Jiang."
Jiang Min of the Ministry of War stepped forward. He carefully examined the crossbow, running his fingers over it with great care, then affirmed, "This was indeed produced by the Ministry."
The court erupted into murmurs.
"How did the Ministry's weapons end up in rebel hands?"
"Is this how the armory is managed? Weapons go missing and no one notices?"
"There was a fire in the Armament Bureau not long ago, and now this? What do these officials do all day—practice target shooting with their eyes half shut?"
Though not a man of combat, Jiang Min excelled at verbal sparring.
"Then I must thank the Ministry of Works. If not for your waterworks causing chaos, the rebels might never have revealed their crossbows."
"And how can you be so sure the weapons went missing from our armory? Perhaps they were issued to regional forces and then lost. Unless, of course, you were standing lookout while the thieves made off with them?"
"And you," he pointed to another official, "said we turn a blind eye. Perhaps it's because your eyes are so small that even wide open, they still look shut?"
He argued with several people at once—turning the debate from incompetence to insults. The court descended into noisy discord. Even the normally quiet Liu Yan interjected, trying to mediate.
"Lord Chen, perhaps say no more—your eyes are actually quite large. Larger than mung beans, certainly."
Lord Chen, now angrier, began to stagger dramatically, pretending to faint.
Liu Yan quickly supported him, holding him rigid like a post, giving him no chance to fall. The court was chaotic enough—there was no room for more disorder. The official business must proceed.
At last, Li Zhang slammed the memorial onto the desk.
"Enough. The matter has yet to be fully investigated. I ask all ministers to remain calm."
The court fell silent. One official slipped his half-removed shoe back on. Another pulled his torn robe back into place, trying to conceal his underclothes.
Li Zhang turned to Li Ce. "Prince of Chu, what is your view on this matter?"
As Ye Jiao served as the Ministry's registrar, Li Zhang's direct question to Li Ce was a sign of trust—free of suspicion or avoidance.
Li Ce stepped forward and answered, "We must investigate thoroughly. Check the records of weapon distribution from the Ministry, and the stockpiles of Jinzhou's troops. Subtracting annual losses, the numbers must align precisely."
Li Zhang nodded slowly. "You shall take charge of this matter. And I fear you must journey to Jinzhou in person."
His tone was calm, but the command brooked no refusal.
Ordinarily, such decisions required consultation with the Emperor. But this time, Li Zhang made the call alone.
Li Ce's gaze shifted slightly. After a pause, he replied, "I obey Your Highness's decree."
There was still a month until the wedding. If he moved swiftly, he could return in time. Solving this matter would also help clear Ye Jiao of any suspicion and spare her from punishment.
Peace returned to the court, until an imperial censor raised his voice: "The Prince of Chu's betrothed manages the armory. Isn't it inappropriate for him to lead this investigation?"
Li Zhang looked at the man and nodded. "Then, Lord Lin, you shall accompany him—to supervise and verify. Should any misconduct arise, you may report it at once."
Lord Lin was stunned. What began as advice had suddenly become an assignment.
What was the weather like in Jinzhou, anyway? Those unruly folk had crossbows!
He glanced at Li Ce, quietly sizing him up. Could he even hide behind him if arrows came flying?
With spring in full bloom, more people were leaving the city each day. They ventured out to admire flowers, drink wine, even hunt wild game—often gone from dawn till dusk.
Standing by the city gate, Bai Xianyu watched as a modest carriage rolled past. He narrowed his eyes, feeling it looked oddly familiar…