Wei Yuan, Seventh Prince of the Great Yue Dynasty, sighed as he stared at the imperial edict in his hand. He’d traveled through time to gain this new identity, but it had brought him nothing but trouble.
Just then, a woman in a flowing green dress entered the hall, her figure graceful.
Seeing his troubled expression, she offered a comforting word. "Yuan’er, the Beihan isn’t as dangerous as you think. Besides, being far from the capital might be a blessing for you."
Her voice was gentle, as soothing as a spring breeze.
Wei Yuan looked up, and the sight of her was enough to chase away his anxieties.
Her name was Su Wanqing. She had once been his mother’s maid, but his mother had treated her like a sister, and so Wei Yuan had always called her Madam Su.
After his mother’s death when he was ten, it was Su Wanqing who had raised him.
He hadn't been in this world long before the memories of his life on Azure Star returned, though they were of little use.
Unlike the protagonists of the novels he used to read, he wasn’t a one-man industrial revolution. Beyond some common knowledge, he knew nothing of science or engineering, and the classical poetry he’d crammed for exams in high school was long forgotten. In that regard, he was no different from anyone born in this era.
He was especially clueless about politics, but he knew one thing with absolute certainty: stay out of the struggle for the throne. Get involved, and you’d never even see the blade that killed you.
His mother had come from the aristocratic Su Family of the Jiangnan, so he wasn't entirely without backing if he chose to compete. People had tried to tempt him into vying for that ultimate prize, but he was keenly aware of his own limitations.
The life he lived now, with every need provided for, wasn't bad at all. He had no desire to risk it.
It was just a shame he was about to be sent to the harsh, cold lands of the Beihan.
Perhaps it was because he seemed so incompetent, interested only in a life of leisure, that his father, the Emperor of the Great Yue Dynasty, had used his coming of age as a pretext. He was to marry Qin Shiyue and then depart to govern Hanguang City.
In the past, countless men would have coveted a marriage with Qin Shiyue, the most talented young woman in the capital.
But things were different now. Her family had ties to a rebellious clan. Although the Qin Family had used a Dragon Pardon Talisman to save their own necks, their status had plummeted.
Anyone with a shred of political sense knew that marrying Qin Shiyue meant forfeiting any chance of becoming Eastern Palace Heir.
Wei Yuan didn’t care about the throne, but he worried that the Qin Family’s treasonous connections might one day shatter his comfortable life.
Worried or not, it was a marriage decreed by his father the Emperor. He had no choice but to accept.
A small smile touched Wei Yuan’s lips. "Madam Su, if I go to Hanguang City, won’t you be lonely here in the capital all by yourself?"
Beyond being his mother's former maid, Su Wanqing held a more significant role. As a member of the Su Family, she represented their interests at his side.
Once Wei Yuan married Qin Shiyue and left for Hanguang City, he would be completely out of the running for the throne. The Su Family would cease to invest in him, and Su Wanqing would almost certainly leave.
She was a Spirit Master Realm master—a level of power few in the entire Great Yue Dynasty possessed. The Su Family would never allow an expert of her caliber to follow a useless prince into exile.
Su Wanqing’s smile was serene. "If you go to Hanguang City, I will follow."
Wei Yuan was stunned.
"You're sure, Madam Su? You'd really come with me to Hanguang City?"
"Of course," she answered, her smile unwavering. "I promised your mother I would protect you for life."
She tilted her head, a playful glint in her eye. "Why do you ask? Are you planning to cast your old auntie aside now that you have a wife?"
"How could I?" Wei Yuan said quickly. "I'd be thrilled if you came to Hanguang City, Madam Su. I doubt I could sleep a wink without you there."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered on her.
Su Wanqing was twenty-eight this year, yet her grace was timeless.
She wore pale blue Mist-Woven Robe that seemed to shimmer around her flawless form. The delicate white of her skin was warmed by a faint blush, her features pretty and fine. Her eyes were like crystal-clear springs, and a gentle smile played on her lips, serene and tender.
Her dark hair was swept up into a lofty style, with a few fragrant strands cascading over her shoulders like threads of willow in a breeze. A single dark pearl on her Flowing Mist-Woven Pin gleamed against the lustrous black, and the pale blue of her robes only served to accentuate the endless charm of her exquisite figure.
Wei Yuan’s feelings for Su Wanqing were complicated, but one thing was certain: he wanted her. The thought of her leaving him was unbearable.
Su Wanqing’s expression softened with affection. "Enough of your teasing. Go and prepare for your wedding."
The Jingyuan Residence was a hive of activity, festooned with red silk and glowing lanterns.
Today was Wei Yuan’s wedding day, and it seemed nearly every official in the capital, whether friend or foe, had come to attend.
Once the banquet was over, Wei Yuan made his way to the bridal chamber, his heart pounding with anticipation.
Over the past few days, he had made peace with his situation. Whatever crimes Qin Shiyue's family had committed, she was his wife now. There was no point dwelling on it.
In fact, just thinking about the rumors of her legendary beauty was enough to make him giddy with excitement.
Unlike Su Wanqing, whose special status placed her just out of reach, Qin Shiyue was now his. She was his princess, his wife, someone he could truly hold.
He stepped into the bridal chamber, and his eyes locked onto the wedding bed.
A figure in a bright red bridal gown sat there, her face hidden behind a veil. Though he couldn’t see her features, her elegant silhouette alone was enough to stir his heart.
Two maids, both stunning in their own right, stood on either side of her. In his past life, Wei Yuan thought, he’d have been lucky to marry a woman as beautiful as one of these attendants.
Heart racing, Wei Yuan approached the bed. He took a jade stick from a maid’s outstretched hand and gently, carefully, lifted the veil.
The face revealed beneath it was breathtaking.
Qin Shiyue looked like a fairy descended to the mortal realm, an incarnation of the Fairy of the Jade Lake. Wei Yuan was utterly mesmerized.
A blush crept up Qin Shiyue's cheeks. "My lord," she said, her voice shy, "it is time for the nuptial wine…"
But seeing her bashful expression, Wei Yuan couldn't restrain himself any longer. He swept her into his arms, forgoing the ceremony.
The two maids started to remind him of the ritual, but seeing the nuptial rites had already begun, they simply stepped back quietly, ready to serve.
After what felt like an eternity, Wei Yuan lay on the bed, holding Qin Shiyue in his arms, utterly content.
This, he thought, this is the life I’ve always wanted.
It was in that moment of perfect peace that an unfamiliar woman's voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining your first wife and activating the Imperial Lineage Prosperity System!]
[The newlywed gift pack has been issued, would you like to claim it?]