Chapter 2

Timid and delicate, yet she caught his eye

On the day the capital of the Shu Kingdom surrendered completely to Great Qi, the sky was overcast, and the autumn wind blew bleak and chill.

The fragrance of osmanthus had not yet faded from the city, but none of its former gentle ease remained. Only the silence and oppression of defeat lingered. Doors stood tightly shut along the streets. The long avenues, once bustling and prosperous, now held only the steady, measured clatter of hooves, each beat trampling the last vestiges of Shu's resolve.

Du Yizhen followed behind the other women, her gaze lowered as she walked slowly after the imperial guards.

She wore a plain white dress and no makeup, her dark hair gathered simply and secured with a single white jade hairpin. Hers should have been the most inconspicuous attire among the captives, yet her luminous skin, gentle features, and lowered lashes that trembled without cease made her look like a little white creature that had strayed into the cold autumn with nowhere to hide. Her timid appearance was all the more striking.

Soft sobs and stifled sighs surrounded her. The women of the high officials' households were all frightened and uneasy. Some could not resist secretly wiping away tears; others stood rigid, trembling all over. Only Du Yizhen cried in silence. Afraid of inviting trouble, she did not dare make a sound even as she wept, merely letting the gathering moisture redden the corners of her eyes.

The fleeting glimpse she had caught in the street earlier-of Zhao Xuan, Great Qi's crown prince, clad in black armor and radiating a chilling presence-had already carved itself deep into her heart.

He was a man who had truly walked out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. His eyes held the cold stillness of someone long accustomed to slaughter, and a forbidding killing aura surrounded him. Such a cold, iron-blooded ruler surely despised women's tears and weakness above all.

She dared not cry, make a fuss, or overstep in the slightest. She could only clutch her cuffs tightly, suppress all the fear and panic in her heart, and obediently follow the procession.

They were settled in an elegant residence in the south of the city. The courtyard was quiet, its pavilions intact. Though it could not compare with the refinement and splendor of the chancellor's estate, it was at least secure and respectable. Imperial guards stood watch outside, neither mistreating them nor indulging them, striking precisely the right balance.

Once they had entered and settled in, the women from the various households gathered in small groups, quietly discussing what fortune or disaster lay ahead. Unease filled every heart; no one knew what fate awaited her.

Qinghe stayed close beside Du Yizhen and whispered anxiously, "Miss, I've heard that Great Qi's crown prince has never shown any interest in women. He's cold and heartless above all else. Countless noble ladies at court have fallen for him, yet he pays them no heed. People like us from the fallen Shu Kingdom must be even less likely to catch his eye... how are we going to get through the days ahead?"

Du Yizhen sat on a stone stool beneath the covered walkway, gazing at the leaves drifting down in the courtyard, and sighed softly.

"Knowing our place and behaving ourselves is our best way forward."

Her father and elder brothers had doted on her since childhood. Gentle and delicate by nature, she knew nothing of political intrigue or worldly maneuvering, and had never harbored the slightest wish to harm anyone. Her kingdom had fallen and her family was ruined; that could no longer be changed. Now she had nothing. All she could do was mind her words and actions, live quietly, stay out of trouble, and keep herself safe.

Yet deep in her heart, a fear she could barely restrain still lingered.

Everyone said Zhao Xuan was decisive in matters of bloodshed, stern and impartial. He never showed a soft hand when dealing with prisoners of war, much less any leniency or gentleness toward people from an enemy kingdom.

Toward evening, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

An attendant's respectful announcement rang out: "His Highness the Crown Prince is inspecting the residence. All ladies are to make themselves presentable at once and remain where they are to await him."

That brief announcement instantly silenced the entire courtyard.

Those who had been whispering immediately fell quiet. They rose and lowered their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly. The taut atmosphere pressed down on them until they could scarcely draw breath.

Du Yizhen's heart clenched. Her fingers instantly tightened around her skirt, and her heartbeat abruptly lost its rhythm.

Before long, a tall, straight-backed figure walked slowly into the courtyard.

Zhao Xuan had removed the black armor he had worn into battle that day. Now he wore an ink-dark brocade robe cinched with a jade belt, his black hair bound high. His features were finely sculpted and cold, his face handsome yet utterly devoid of warmth. The lingering sunset fell upon him, making his bearing seem even more upright and distinguished. His innate imperial majesty left the air around him still and icy.

His steps were unhurried as his gaze swept lightly over the women standing with their heads bowed in the courtyard.

His eyes were cool and unruffled, indifferent and distant, as though the women before him, with their graceful figures and varied beauty, were merely ordinary grass and trees, incapable of stirring the slightest feeling in him.

Everyone kept her head lowered, not daring to look up and meet his eyes. Even their breathing grew faint, their hearts filled with awe and fear.

Only Du Yizhen, too flustered to think clearly, instinctively lifted her eyes a little, her peripheral vision hastily brushing over his stern profile.

For that one fleeting instant, their eyes met.

Zhao Xuan's deep black eyes settled directly on her. His gaze was sharp and still, filled with scrutiny and indifference, without a trace of warmth.

Du Yizhen's heart jolted violently. Frightened, she immediately lowered her head and drew her neck in slightly. Her long lashes trembled in panic, and the lingering redness at the corners of her eyes became even more apparent. She looked terrified to the utmost, yet stubbornly tried to remain composed, not daring to lose her decorum.

Everyone in the courtyard was frightened and uneasy, yet she alone was timid and delicate, her panic so plain and unguarded that it held not the slightest pretense.

Her tear-washed eyes were wet, her face fair and soft. With her plain clothes and unadorned features, she seemed clean enough to be untouched by dust, utterly unlike the other women in the courtyard with their studied deference and carefully feigned calm.

Zhao Xuan's gaze paused, lingering on her for a brief moment.

He had seen far too many women who deliberately sought his favor, affected weakness, and tried every means to please him. Noble ladies of the palace and daughters of distinguished families each had their own charms and calculations. Yet he had never seen anyone so untainted and timid, so transparent at a glance.

Timid, delicate, and soft, yet she still knew her limits and kept to her place.

The personal guard beside him noticed the pause in the crown prince's gaze and asked tentatively in a low voice, "Your Highness, is something amiss?"

Zhao Xuan withdrew his gaze, his expression as cold as ever and his tone betraying no emotion. He merely said, "They are to live here quietly and behave themselves. Private exchanges are forbidden, and no one may leave the residence without permission. See that they are properly settled. There is no need to mistreat them."

His voice was low and cool. The words were directed at no one in particular, yet everyone in the courtyard breathed a little easier.

It seemed this crown prince, rumored to be cold and merciless, was not a bloodthirsty tyrant after all.

After inspecting the courtyard briefly, Zhao Xuan lingered no further. He turned and left with his retinue.

Only when the footsteps had faded completely did the tense atmosphere in the courtyard slowly ease. Everyone quietly caught her breath, still shaken by lingering fear.

Qinghe took Du Yizhen's arm and whispered, "Miss, that was so frightening... did His Highness look at you several times just now?"

Du Yizhen slowly loosened her fingers, which had gone white from gripping so tightly. Her heart still trembled faintly as she shook her head and said softly, "It was only a routine inspection."

She had never dreamed of attaching herself to the powerful, much less dared hope for the crown prince's favor.

She was duckweed adrift in a troubled age, with no control over her own fate. All she wished for was peace year after year, and a quiet life.

But she did not know that her timid, flustered glance and her pure, gentle appearance had already slipped quietly into the aloof crown prince's heart.

Others feared him, dreaded him, revered him, and avoided him. Only this delicate noblewoman of the Shu Kingdom, timid yet pure, had become the first exception to slip quietly into his icy world.

From that moment on, the aloof, unfeeling crown prince quietly harbored a small, one-of-a-kind weakness deep within his heart.