By the time Wu Sanniang had traveled the long distance to the Yan Region, winter had already set in.

    The royal palace of Jian Yang was vibrantly decorated in auspicious red, buzzing with excitement in anticipation of the grand wedding ceremony—a union between two major Regions that considerably strained relations with the Li Region. Yet, compared to the burning anger of the eldest prince of Yan, everything else seemed like mere ashes.

    "The prince... the prince... you cannot go anywhere today. The bridal procession is nearly here."

    Liu Yu, a close officer to Prince Yan Shen, ran breathlessly, his face as if scalded by boiling water. He clung desperately to the high-status man's horse, refusing to let go. "If you do not participate in the ceremony, the Lian Region will take it as an insult to Princess Wen Cheng."

    "If you're so concerned about their honor, you go in my place."

    With that, the tall figure tightened the reins and spurred his horse fiercely. The steed, as if its sweat were blood, galloped away unrestrained. Liu Yu held his head in agony. By then, the distant sounds of drums and pipes suggested that in merely the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the Lian princess's procession would reach the city gates. If the Yan lacked a groom, Liu Yu’s head wouldn’t suffice to appease Yan Wang’s wrath.

    Liu Yu paced back and forth with a throbbing headache, searching for a solution, yet found none.

    "Don’t worry, Officer Liu. Big brother will surely return."

    "Princess," Liu Yu hurriedly knelt down and bowed as a woman, beautiful like a lotus, approached. She was Princess Yong An, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Yan Wang, her lovely face bright with excitement, curious whether her brother’s betrothed would agree to be her companion. She was even eager to see Princess Wen Cheng’s face, convinced her brother would be even more so.

    "But the prince does not favor this marriage."

    "Don’t fret. You go ahead and ensure the guards are in order, lead the bridal carriage to meet Princess Wen Cheng."

    "But, but..." Liu Yu hesitated. The bridal carriage procession required the groom to lead on horseback, but the prince was nowhere to be found. What was he to do? Princess Yong An simply smiled and walked away with her entourage. Her younger brothers concurred that the ceremony was doomed to fail, only Princess Yong An wagered that her elder brother would appear. Su Jian, her confidante, caught the princess’s meaningful look and felt an odd premonition.

    "Princess, the reception and ceremony are arranged at the grand palace."

    "I know, but allow me to take care of something first." The princess turned towards the bridal carriage departing from the palace gates to welcome Princess Wen Cheng. Yong An waved her fan signaling the procession to halt. Su Jian and the maids could not guess what the princess intended to do.

    .....................

    The young woman gazed up at the tall palace walls and gates. Though merely a temporary substitute, if she was not cautious... this place could become her graveyard.

    Father, Mother...

    Wu Sanniang felt nauseous, struggling to control her anxious mind and the creeping fear in her veins. She gathered her composure as she stepped down from the carriage, determined to embody the grace of Princess Wen Cheng, the princess from Lian who had traveled far to marry a man coveted by women across the lands, carrying her own dowry and receiving a substantial one in return.

    The atmosphere within Jian Yang was not as grand as one might expect. There were no blessings, no lanterns, nor the sound of firecrackers. The ceremony was held just for the sake of formality, but the townspeople of the capital flocked to see the procession at the palace gates, laughing and mocking the bride from the Lian Region as "Lian Wang’s war reparation."

    That day, Wu Sanniang truly understood the heartache of a monkey forced into chains to perform tricks for mere coins. She felt like curling up and crying her heart out.

    The soldiers tried to keep the crowd away from the palace gates, but the townspeople were relentless. Even after being given lucky eggs, they stayed to gaze at the high-status woman. They had been mired in a dreary war for so long that any form of entertainment was scarce, so watching Princess Wen Cheng was as amusing as watching a play.

    The sound of trumpets and gongs signaled the arrival of the bride. The Yan Region had prepared a beautifully decorated bridal carriage carried by eight men. Li Cuipin used a mirror to look inside the carriage to ensure there were no ghosts, as per tradition, before the bride was to board.

    The ceremony was swiftly conducted, which Wu Sanniang thought was just as well, as she felt increasingly faint and eager to escape. But Li Cuipin supported her onto the carriage, the heralds cried out, and Ping Ping, Jiu Meixiang, and the remaining maids lined up to follow the carriage.

    However, before the carriage could be lifted, the floor gave way. Everyone, especially Li Cuipin, was visibly upset since tradition forbids the bride from walking and there was concern, they wouldn't have time to switch carriages.

    The local shopkeepers couldn't help but burst into laughter, mocking the Lian delegation, but Wu Sanniang smiled, unfazed. "Let it be. You carry the carriage as usual, and I’ll just walk inside it. It doesn’t break any taboos."

    "Is that appropriate?"

    "Why not?"

    She then walked proudly inside the carriage as eight people carried it to the front of the grand hall. The nobles were astonished, and Yan Wang, the second prince, and the third prince all turned to look at Princess Yong An with a single glance!

    Princess Yong An just feigned ignorance.

    Li Cuipin and Ping Ping escorted the bride into the reception hall of Yan Wang. Everyone was curious because the bride clasped her hands up to her eyebrows, and her luxurious silk clothes concealed her face. But laughter erupted louder than before when Wu Sanniang lifted her face and the swan crown, which hid her features with strings of pearls, fell off. People saw her cheeks, blotched with red makeup like a comic opera actress, but Wu Sanniang pretended to be puzzled by the laughter.

    Li Cuipin had never thought the people of Yan would be so crude. An imperfect welcome was irritating enough, without the mockery and disrespect. But when she turned to look at Wu Sanniang, Li Cuipin was almost speechless, finally understanding why Wu Shi Huang was so frustrated with his daughter.

    "Welcome, sister-in-law, to Jian Yang."

    The second prince, Yan Shanqi, might not have been the most handsome, but his formidable presence as a tyrant of Yan, along with his large stature, exerted an unintended oppressive air. Wu Sanniang nearly faltered but managed to gracefully receive his polite greeting. The third prince, Yan Shijin, was handsome in a haughty and vain way. Both looked at Wu Sanniang uncertainly, not believing that Princess Wen Cheng, rumored to be as beautiful as moonlit jade, was just an ordinary-looking woman, possibly even simple-minded.

    Princess Yong An smiled slightly and then pretended to ask why the bride did not wait for a new carriage. Wu Sanniang replied,

    "Eighteen legs are faster than sixteen, my lady. The sooner I marry the prince, the better."

    Her naive response made many shake their heads. Yong An asked again, "Why is the princess's face painted so red?"

    Wu Sanniang replied shyly, "I have traveled far for this auspicious ceremony. Isn't it better to have plenty of red?"

    Everyone who heard this immediately thought that this princess must be simple-minded, but Yong An did not think so. This test was meant to reveal the bride's true nature. Yong An had expected Wen Cheng to be weeping or showing proud and haughty behavior, but this Wen Cheng was not like that.

    Wu Sanniang bowed without knowing who asked the question. When she glanced around to see who it was and her eyes met Princess Yong An, who was about her age, Wu Sanniang was stunned by her flawless beauty and understood what divine beauty was.

    Yong An also scrutinized Wu Sanniang and then pretended to recite a poem in praise,

    "A maiden of lowly years under the heavens, though she covers her radiant complexion... No paint can hide her dewy skin, her brows soft as feathered wings, any man who sees her would surely fall in love..."

    Wu Sanniang, caught up in the moment, impulsively continued the poem, "Seeking to savor the most exquisite peony on earth, it turns Dang Xi frowned[13], alas..."

    Princess Yong An, sharp and observant, two intelligent people locked eyes in understanding. Yong An squinted without saying a word, and Wu Sanniang quickly looked away, pretending to slump her shoulders ungracefully, hoping Princess Yong An wouldn't disrupt her feigned foolishness.

    "There's nothing to worry about, my brother is the easiest and gentlest man you'll ever meet."

    Easy and gentle? Wu Sanniang listened but was skeptical.

    "I heard this Shen Wang is fierce and brutal. I'm not sure he's the same person you describe."

    "It depends on you how you bring out my brother's side," Yong An replied with a slight smile, then leaned in to whisper, "I had no idea that the hands of a Lian princess would be as rough as those of a laborer."

    Startled but still smiling, Wu Sanniang replied awkwardly, "Embarrassing, really. It's been so cold on my journey here, no amount of scented oil could prevent my hands from chapping. Oh dear, I might need to seek your advice then."

    "I shall find you the finest skin treatments myself," Yong An offered graciously, formally welcoming Wu Sanniang into the royal household. The diplomatic ceremony proceeded slowly, and Wu Sanniang tried to calm her churning stomach as she glanced at the groom's empty place across the table.

    Good, she thought, sighing in relief.

    Not participating in this political wedding might be a good thing. She hoped that by playing the fool, she could reduce any suspicions from Yan's side. At least, she would only have to send back some kind of unhelpful news to Lian Region, perhaps saving her father's life. Her delicate frame scanned the surroundings; her anxiety grew as she observed that the princes seemed only interested in their wine, and Princess Yong An was preoccupied with her desserts, showing no concern for her missing brother.

    The siblings seemed to share a deep affection for one another, their laughter infectious. Even Wu Sanniang couldn't help but smile along, despite the haunting thought that one day she might have to harm them.

    Just then, she felt the presence of someone approaching from her left. Turning her head, her gaze met with muscular legs and a physique as sturdy as steel.

    He had arrived!

[13] Dang Xi frowned, a simple village woman, upon hearing that the beautiful Sai Xi appeared enchanting while clutching her chest due to a heart ailment, attempted to mimic her. However, Dang Xi's attempt turned out so bizarre that it sent people running away in fear.