A thunderclap couldn’t have been more shocking. Liu Yin’s mind buzzed as if struck by lightning. Instinctively, she pinched her own arm—hard. “Hiss—” A sharp sting shot through her, yanking her back to reality. Without hesitation, she scrambled off the couch, grabbed her mother, and hurried outside. Disbelief was written all over their faces.

By the time they rushed into the main hall, they were met with an even more astonishing sight—it was none other than Eunuch Wang, the emperor’s personal attendant, standing there with a calm smile. Liu Yin was still dazed when her mother pulled her down into a kneeling position. The entire household followed suit, dropping to their knees in unison.

Eunuch Wang unrolled the imperial decree with practiced ease and began reading in a solemn voice:

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

It has come to Our attention that Liu Yin, daughter of Minister Liu, is both virtuous and graceful, gentle and dignified. The Empress and Ourselves find her most pleasing. Thus, We bestow upon her the title of Crown Princess. The Ministry of Rites shall set the wedding date for the fifteenth of next month. So it is ordered.”

As his voice faded, Eunuch Wang presented the decree with a beaming smile. “Congratulations, Lady Liu. Please, accept the decree.”

The hall was dead silent, save for the sound of collective gasps. Every servant wore an expression of sheer astonishment. The young mistress… was really to become the Crown Princess? But wasn’t it said that His Highness had no fondness for the second miss?

Liu Yin swallowed hard, still in a daze as she numbly reached out for the imperial edict. Beside her, Madam Zhang finally snapped out of her shock. She shot a meaningful glance at Ping’er, who, catching on immediately, discreetly slipped a well-prepared pouch into Eunuch Wang’s hands.

Eunuch Wang accepted it with a smile—business as usual.

Eunuch Wang only smiled knowingly and said, “This servant doesn’t know the details, Madam. If you wish to learn more, you may ask Minister Liu when he returns. This matter was discussed in court today—no one understands it better than he does.”

Madam Zhang knew better than to expect anything useful from someone in the palace. These people were all old foxes, masters of saying much while revealing nothing. Without pressing further, she politely had someone escort Eunuch Wang out.

Meanwhile, Liu Yin slowly unrolled the imperial decree in her hands. She wasn’t highly literate, but by piecing together what she recognized, she could confirm it was exactly as Eunuch Wang had proclaimed. A bright red imperial seal marked the document, making it undeniable—this was real.

She could only imagine the storm that must have raged in court this morning. Blood must have been spilled—figuratively, if not literally. Her father must have clashed with the ministers in a fierce battle of wits and words, ultimately securing her position as Crown Princess.

“When your father returns, I’ll be getting some answers. How could such an important decree be issued without the slightest hint beforehand? This was far too sudden.”

Despite her words, Madam Zhang’s face could hardly contain her joy. Without wasting another moment, she ordered someone to find out if Minister Liu had returned.

The entire estate was steeped in an inescapable atmosphere of joy. Madam Zhang, brimming with delight, instructed the steward to distribute rewards to everyone. Meanwhile, Liu Yin retreated to her room, clutching the imperial decree. The more she thought about it, the more surreal it felt. She hadn’t done anything—yet she was about to become the Crown Princess? Did the Crown Prince not object to this?

Thinking was one thing, but when the day actually arrived, Liu Yin was utterly overwhelmed. She hadn’t even begun to prepare, and now she was getting married?

By all rational standards, the Crown Prince was an excellent match—powerful, influential, and undeniably handsome. A rare catch, really. But with his cold, distant nature? She was genuinely afraid she’d end up spending her entire life as a widow in all but name.

No, scratch that. Given how much he disliked her, a life of solitude was practically guaranteed.

By the time her father finally returned in the afternoon, the Ministry of Rites had also arrived with the betrothal gifts. Everything was arranged according to the highest standards befitting a Crown Princess, filling two entire rooms with treasures. Squatting in the doorway, Liu Yin stared at the dazzling display of gold, jade, and rare gems until her eyes nearly lost focus.

She had expected a bloodbath in court that morning—heated debates, fierce opposition—but according to her father, everything had gone surprisingly smoothly. Too smoothly. Of course, there was a catch: the emperor had also granted the Crown Prince a secondary consort, the daughter of Chancellor Lu.

Liu Yin scoffed. As if things would be that simple. She hadn’t even married in yet, and they were already setting up roadblocks for her? What was this—an early admission ticket to palace intrigue?

Her days of carefree singlehood… gone, just like that.

Unlike her growing sense of doom, the entire Liu household was basking in joy. Her father practically had a permanent smile plastered on his face. To keep up appearances, Liu Yin had no choice but to put on an expression of sheer delight, as if she couldn’t be happier.

But the whole situation had come out of nowhere, and it was too abrupt to ignore. The very next day, her mother took her into the palace to visit the Empress, likely to probe for more details about the Emperor and the Crown Prince’s true intentions.

When they arrived at Changchun Palace, they were greeted with warm smiles. Her aunt, the Empress, looked thoroughly pleased and immediately pulled her mother aside for casual conversation. Meanwhile, Liu Yin sat with the Sixth Princess, happily nibbling on pastries.

By this point, she had made peace with her fate. Fine, so she’d be a neglected wife—so what? At least she wouldn’t have to serve a husband. In fact, she might as well help the Crown Prince take in a few concubines herself—be the picture of a virtuous, selfless Crown Princess.

Let’s see anyone criticize her then.

“Dear sister-in-law, there’s no need to worry,” the Empress said solemnly. “Though His Majesty’s decision was indeed sudden, the position of Crown Princess was always going to fall to either Yin’er or Chancellor Lu’s daughter. Now that it has landed in Yin’er’s hands, this is undoubtedly the best outcome.”

The inner chamber was empty of attendants, leaving only the three of them. Seated across from the Empress on a soft couch, Madam Zhang frowned, her expression clouded with concern. “But… Your Majesty, you know Yin’er’s temperament. With the Emperor granting Lu Ruan the title of secondary consort, how could she possibly compete against her?”

Liu Yin nearly choked on her tea. Wiping her mouth, she interjected without hesitation, “Mother, you don’t need to worry about that. There’s no way I’d let anyone push me around. If she stays in her lane, fine. But if she dares to play tricks on me, I swear I won’t let her off easily!”

Madam Zhang shot her a reproachful glare, but the Empress merely chuckled. “Yin’er is absolutely right. Besides, she has me. How could I allow my own niece to be bullied? If Lu Ruan behaves herself, all will be well. But if she dares to scheme against Yin’er, I have plenty of ways to make sure she regrets it.”

At that, a sharp glint flashed through the Empress’s eyes. Liu Yin quickly nodded—after all, her biggest backer was none other than the reigning queen of palace intrigue. With such a powerful ally, what was there to fear?

Madam Zhang, however, remained uneasy. “But… the Crown Prince has never been fond of Yin’er. I fear that if he takes a liking to Lu Ruan, Your Majesty’s hands will be tied. If you interfere then, wouldn’t it risk straining your relationship with His Highness?”

The Empress took a slow sip of tea before setting the cup down with deliberate ease. Her tone was light but assured as she said, “You need not worry about that, dear sister-in-law. The Crown Prince has never shown much interest in women. In the past, I’ve even sent him concubines, yet he rejected them all. His Majesty’s sudden decision to arrange this marriage is likely due to this very concern—the royal bloodline must continue.

“As for Lu Ruan, I’ve seen her before. In terms of talent, she’s not even on par with Grand Tutor Shen’s daughter. In terms of beauty, Yin’er surpasses her as well. Why would the Crown Prince, of all people, suddenly become infatuated with her?”

Madam Zhang finally relaxed a little at the Empress’s words. Her greatest fear had always been that her daughter would be mistreated. The palace was nothing like their home—it was a place of rigid rules and hidden dangers. A single misstep could be used against her. And just as an empress could be dethroned, so too could a Crown Princess.

Just then, a voice interrupted their conversation.

“Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has come to pay his respects.”

Hong Xing had stepped in to deliver the announcement.

The Empress responded instantly. “Let him in.”

Liu Yin stiffened. A tall figure stepped through the doorway, his presence commanding yet distant. Dressed in an ink-black robe embroidered with gold four-clawed dragon motifs, he exuded an air of quiet authority. His features were striking—sharp brows, piercing eyes, and a face as chiseled as a sculpted blade. But his expression remained indifferent, cold, utterly devoid of any emotion befitting a man about to be wed.

Liu Yin averted her gaze. There was no doubt in her mind—he had been forced into this marriage just as much as she had.

Seeing him, the Empress’s expression softened into a gentle smile. “You’re busy with state affairs—you don’t need to come greet me every day. I have nothing urgent here.”

Qin Yan gave a slight nod. “Mother overthinks. This is simply my duty.”

At that, the Empress chuckled. “It’s thoughtful of you, but you should return to your work. Yin’er, why don’t you escort your cousin out?”

Liu Yin, caught off guard, nearly jumped. The Sixth Princess, seated beside her, gave her a firm nudge and widened her eyes in silent urging. Taking a deep breath, Liu Yin forced herself to follow after him.

Once outside the inner hall, she caught sight of Xiao Luzi, who wisely stepped aside without a word. Liu Yin glanced at the tall figure walking ahead of her, then darted a look around before suddenly blurting out, “Your Highness… why are you marrying me?”

The man didn’t stop, didn’t even turn his head. His expression remained as cold and distant as ever.

Liu Yin was used to this reaction by now. Dropping her gaze, she muttered to herself, “Forget it. It’s not like it makes a difference anyway.”

Before she could process what was happening, Liu Yin’s forehead smacked straight into a solid wall of muscle. Stumbling back a few steps, she blinked in shock at the man who had suddenly turned around.

“What fabric do you prefer?” His voice was deep and steady.

Liu Yin: “……”

What…?

She stared at him, utterly baffled.

Meeting her dazed expression, the man spoke again, his tone carrying the weight of quiet disapproval. “Is causing trouble the only thing you ever think about?”

Their eyes locked. Liu Yin took a deep breath, then quickly blinked up at him, launching into a hasty defense. “I—I’m perfectly well-behaved! You’re just biased against me!”

At this point, she once again eagerly tugged at the man’s sleeve, her face blushing with shyness as she lowered her head. “As long as I can marry Crown Prince gege, even if it means wearing coarse clothes and simple fabrics… I wouldn’t mind!”

She had long grown accustomed to speaking against her conscience.

Gazing at the sleeve she had pulled, her fair fingers seemed to shimmer with a soft glow under the sunlight. Qin Yan’s eyes flickered slightly, and he stared at her for a moment before remarking, “Smooth talker.”

With that, he turned and walked away without looking back. Liu Yin, left behind, pouted but didn’t chase after him. She had never encountered such a difficult man to please. If it weren’t for his power and status, with a personality like his, he would surely never find a wife.

^_^