On the border of Lian Region, one of the three great regions,

    The sun blazed amidst the smoke of burning war debris. Two armies clashed fiercely, the corpses of soldiers piled as far as the eye could see. Those who survived were either unscathed or maimed but still fought relentlessly. Dozens of war horses, wounded, twitched in agony before dying.

    The battle had now raged into its second month. Severed heads of soldiers, kicked about by the horses, scattered like stones. Each soldier, soaked in blood, was indistinguishable, fighting in a life-sacrificing frenzy. The stench of rotten blood mixed with the smell of burnt flesh became a familiar scent. Above, the sky flashed brilliantly between the clouds, like dragons streaking across, while gusts of wind whipped up the dust, pelting every face.

    The fields, filled with corpses, should have been golden rice fields. Though the war had persisted for decades, it continued unabated. Any region that could not adapt was swallowed up, smaller regions erased from history. Thus, only three great regions remained: Yan, Li, and Lian, fiercely contesting for dominance.

    Yan Shen, the grand prince of Yan region, listened intently to the sound of animal horns, his sharp, bloodshot eyes watching over tens of thousands of soldiers standing in serene ranks. Their warhorses stomped, turning the dry, cracked earth to dust. He held the upper hand, pushing Lian’s forces back to a mere third of their original strength, conquering more than a dozen frontier towns, now just one stronghold away from reaching Lian Wang’s bedroom.

    But he must cease the battle by his father’s command.

    “Ah... Your Highness, may you be joyous and well,”

    Three rotund nobles knelt before the grand commander, each well-fed and untroubled, their skin fair and delicate compared to the rough, fierce-eyed front-line soldiers bearing scars both old and new. All stood silent like statues. These three court nobles bowed their heads meekly, but even these formidable guards paled in comparison to the imposing figure seated on a throne upholstered with tiger skin before them.

    The soles of the high-ranking young man pressed upon the tiger's head, his arm resting on the armchair, his finger pointing and touching his face with a daring and forceful demeanor, exuding an intense aura of aggression.

    "Is old Lian Wang truly offering his princess to me, and that will settle everything?"

    "Ah... Indeed, Your Highness. Lian Wang and His Majesty have agreed on this matter. Thus, I bring the royal decree to present to you."

    "Ridiculous!" Yan Shen abruptly stood up, pointing angrily, "Can Lian Wang’s daughter compensate for the lives of the tens of thousands he slaughtered?! He dares to invade our borders and plunder our people. How many of my soldiers have I lost in quelling him? Has he atoned for his crimes?!"

    "Speak!!"

    "Ah... Your Highness..." Those who lacked courage trembled, while the battle-hardened soldiers stood as still as statues. Only the three plump nobles cowered back.

    "My Prince, please, don’t be harsh. Lian Wang explained that these were the unauthorized actions of a frontier general. Thus, to demonstrate his sincerity, Lian Wang agreed to sign a treaty to ally with us, supporting us with troops, money, and supplies to jointly overthrow Li Region."

    Yan Shen slammed his teacup to the ground with a chilling expression, implying a warning.

    "Get lost! I’ve spent more time on the battlefield than at negotiation tables. A vile man like Lian Wang, I do not want his daughter joining my family!"

    His voice was as rough as the clouds forming overhead. The sky began to roar ominously, and soon the field would be a messy quagmire, adding to the annoyance of hearing the enemy’s arguments through the mouth of a noble who fed on the people’s taxes, fueling his heart with vengeful fire.

    "I understand the prince’s frustrations, and I am as outraged on behalf of the people as anyone. But as the ancients said, making distant alliances to strike nearby remains a good strategy. Lian Wang has no male heirs, only the young Princess Wen Cheng. If you accept her, you could influence Lian without losing a single soldier."

    The young man gripped his sword tightly at his side, grinding his teeth, but the most senior of the three nobles still tried to persuade him.

    "This is a royal decree from His Majesty. Please respect His Majesty’s decision."

    The prince’s heart desired to crush Lian Region utterly. With a single command, his troops under the Tiger banner would fight to the death. He knew that old Lian Wang had secretly negotiated with Li Region to bring their armies close to another border, forcing him to divert his attention. And if his forces faltered for a moment, that treacherous old man would surely strike from behind.

    His sharp eyes, like a hawk's, furiously observed the enemy’s banners across the field.

    Just a bit more... just a little more and he would crush them completely. But old Lian Wang was more cunning than expected. Seeing his impending defeat, he quickly sent envoys to negotiate, clearly trying to stall for time.

    Yan Shen was well aware that waging war against the Lian Region this time had cost him many soldiers and consumed substantial supplies. Advancing deep into Lian’s territory had its pros and cons. If he could not settle the account within the allotted time, Li Region might seize the opportunity.

    Lian Wang’s offer was full of deceit. Accepting it was like giving an axe to a woodsman to clear a forest. He would not be surprised if the Princess of Lian Region drew a knife against him to aid her father.

    "We are fighting a war on two fronts. If we linger here, Li Region might stab us in the back, and Lian Wang might change his mind and ally with Li Region. We will be at a disadvantage. My Prince, please make a decision."

    "His Majesty has ordered the prince to accept the peace offer and cooperate with Lian Wang to annihilate Li Region completely. You must accept the marriage to Princess of Lian Region."

    "Please make your decision quickly, Your Highness."

    Yan Shen clenched his fist, swallowing his curses, knowing that today's decision would haunt him for life. He was already engaged to a nobleman's daughter, whose wealth and soldiers were crucial for the war effort. Her father's free cities would be vital for securing a strategic victory for the Yan Region. He needed her soldiers.

    "The prince has no right to refuse. The marriage ceremony will take place as soon as Princess Wen Cheng arrives at Jian Yang[1]."

    The pressure from the nobles intensified Yan Shen's fierce expression. The atmosphere grew heavy, the sky as dark as if ink-stained, with thunder intermittently roaring.

    "Your Highness," a noble stepped forward and knelt, holding the royal decree above his head.

    Dark clouds gathered thickly in the sky, weighing down everything. Thunder clapped loudly, and lightning flashed across the clouds. The wind slowly picked up, sweeping dust into the air and violently shaking the trees as if a giant hand was pulling them. Rain began to pour down like holes had been punched in the sky, the cold seeping through armor to the bone, but it did not wash away the rage in his heart.

    Another thunderous roar... It was a long moment before the commander unclenched his hand from his sword.

    "I accept the command," he declared with a resolute face and eyes. "I will take Princess Wen Cheng of Lian Region as my wife and fulfill my duties as the Prince of Yan Region." His firm hand removed a jade ring and stamped it on the decree before flinging it back at the bearer.

    "May the gods protect Yan Region. Bring her to face the hell that awaits her from me."

[1] The capital of Yan Region