The imperial banquet was about to begin. Members of the royal family and court officials took their seats one after another, while noblewomen arrived in splendid attire, bringing along their unmarried daughters.
This was no ordinary gathering—it concerned the selection of the Crown Prince’s consort. Every young lady present was dressed in lavish silks and adorned with glittering jewels, each striving to present her finest self. Winning the favor of the Empress or the Crown Prince would bring honor to their entire family.
"His Majesty the Emperor arrives! Her Majesty the Empress arrives—" A sharp, drawn-out announcement from the palace eunuch silenced the murmurs in the grand hall. The assembled guests rose in unison, bowing deeply and proclaiming, "Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Jingyou wore a narrow-sleeved dragon robe, his imposing presence radiating authority. Beside him, the Empress was resplendent in a crimson gown embroidered with golden clouds and dragon motifs, her phoenix crown studded with countless pearls and gemstones, making her appear almost divine in her elegance.
"His Majesty is so strikingly handsome, and the Empress is breathtakingly beautiful—no wonder the Crown Prince is so dashing..."
The Crown Prince: "..."
He glanced sideways at the young girl beside him, who was staring wide-eyed at the approaching imperial couple. While everyone else held their breath, not daring even to think disrespectfully, her mind buzzed with admiration.
The Crown Prince’s brow furrowed slightly, but his gaze inadvertently lingered on the delicate, translucent skin behind her ear, so fair it almost dazzled him.
He snapped out of his daze and averted his eyes with practiced indifference.
Yun Kui then noticed King Moshan and Princess Qionghua of Xiliang, who had traveled far to celebrate the Empress’s birthday.
King Moshan was dark-skinned, broad-shouldered, and heavily bearded, with several braided strands hanging from his chin. His breathing was noticeably louder than most, earning a silent scoff from Yun Kui.
"The Crown Prince is much better-looking. Hehe, one more glance... just one more..."
The Crown Prince: "..."
Though siblings, King Moshan and Princess Qionghua bore little resemblance. The princess wore a striking red riding outfit, her sharp brows and upturned eyes accentuating her spirited demeanor. Her sun-kissed skin and amber eyes gleamed with vitality, while silver ornaments and vibrant gemstones jingled with her every move, making her as radiant as a blooming gesang flower.
As the banquet commenced, the officials raised their cups in celebration. King Moshan presented an exceedingly rare five-colored jade screen as a birthday gift to the Empress, a gesture of Xiliang’s goodwill.
Music swelled, and dancers glided into the hall. Princess Qionghua then performed a passionate Western Region dance, earning waves of admiration from the guests.
But as she swayed her hips to the rhythm, the princess gradually made her way toward the Crown Prince, holding a luminous glass cup filled with wine, which she boldly offered to his lips.
Yun Kui gaped at the dramatic scene, even scooting back slightly to give the princess more room.
True to rumors, the Crown Prince remained unmoved by the beauty before him, as cold and unyielding as a statue of ice.
"They say the people of Xiliang are unrestrained—now I see it’s true! I wonder if the Crown Prince will be swayed..."
"If Princess Qionghua stays in Dazhao, merely making her a concubine would be an insult. But how could a foreign princess ever become the future queen?"
"Go on! Just kiss him already!"
The Crown Prince listened impassively to the surrounding whispers until one particularly bold thought cut through the noise. His temple twitched, and he shut his eyes briefly in irritation.
Leaving now would be discourteous, so he clenched his cup, forcing himself to ignore the princess’s overpowering perfume.
Princess Qionghua had heard tales of the Crown Prince’s indifference to women, but she hadn’t expected him to be as unresponsive as a temple Buddha. Frustrated, she plucked a cherry from her cup with her lips and slowly brought it to his.
Still, the Crown Prince didn’t react. Defeated, the princess bit down on the cherry and swallowed it whole.
Yun Kui was still watching the spectacle when, suddenly, Princess Qionghua’s eyes bulged. Her face turned red as she clutched her throat, coughing violently.
Those nearby quickly noticed something was wrong. King Moshan shot to his feet and rushed forward. "Qionghua!"
Emperor Jingyou immediately ordered his chief eunuch, Fu Geng, "Fetch the imperial physician!"
As the crowd assumed the princess had fallen ill or been poisoned, the Crown Prince realized the truth—but before he could act, Yun Kui sprang up, wrapping her arms around the princess from behind and delivering firm thrusts to her abdomen.
Princess Xuanhe and others watched in horror. King Moshan, unaware of what was happening, moved to yank the audacious girl away—but just as he reached out, a hand intercepted his, gripping his wrist with such force that pain immobilized him.
The king snarled, "What is the meaning of this, Crown Prince?"
Yun Kui had no time to explain. She repeated the motion until a cherry pit shot from Princess Qionghua’s throat, then finally stepped back, panting.
The princess gasped for air, tears streaming down her face. Yun Kui, equally shaken, wiped her brow and met the Crown Prince’s dark, fathomless gaze.
Only then did he release King Moshan, who immediately checked on his sister. "Qionghua, what happened?"
Still recovering, the princess wheezed, "I—I choked..."
Spotting the cherry pit on the floor, Yun Kui picked it up and presented it to the Emperor, Empress, and King Moshan. Summoning her courage, she explained, "Princess Qionghua accidentally inhaled the cherry pit. I remembered a method my mother once taught me and acted on impulse to help her."
Princess Qionghua, her eyes red, whispered, "It’s true... I ate too hastily. Brother, she saved me..."
King Moshan’s expression softened. He studied the delicate girl he’d nearly thrown aside, his gaze lingering with newfound respect. "My deepest thanks, young lady. I acted rashly earlier."
Yun Kui nodded, still shaken.
The king then bowed to Emperor Jingyou and the Empress. "I apologize for my outburst, Your Majesties, and to you, Crown Prince."
The Emperor waved a hand. "No need. Any brother would panic in such a moment."
In truth, Emperor Jingyou was relieved. Princess Qionghua was the Xiliang king’s beloved youngest daughter—had anything happened to her at this banquet, Dazhao would have faced serious repercussions.
Who would have thought the Marquis of Wuning’s scatterbrained daughter would be the one to save the day?
A short distance away, the Marquis and Marchioness Wuning had nearly fainted from fright when they saw their daughter’s reckless actions. At first, they feared she’d tripped the princess! Only after witnessing the cherry pit and hearing Yun Kui’s explanation did they exhale in relief.
The Empress regarded Yun Kui with admiration. "You acted swiftly and courageously, rendering a great service today."
"The Emperor and Her Majesty will reward you generously."
Yun Kui knew she shouldn't act smug at this moment and quickly lowered her head humbly. "It was merely my duty. I seek no reward."
(Though a reward would certainly be nice.)
The Crown Prince let out a derisive snort.
The Empress glanced at him in confusion. Had she not heard it herself, she might have thought the cold laugh came from someone else.
After a moment of consideration, Emperor Jingyou turned to King Moshan. "Princess Qionghua has had quite a fright. Perhaps she should retire to the side chamber to rest. The imperial physician will arrive shortly—it would be best to have him examine her pulse and ensure she is unharmed. What do you think?"
Princess Qionghua tugged at King Moshan’s sleeve and nodded.
Having failed to provoke the Crown Prince earlier, she had already made a fool of herself. Now, after nearly choking on a cherry pit, she had no desire to remain at the banquet and endure more gossip.
King Moshan, understanding his sister’s feelings, led her away.
But before leaving, his gaze lingered on the young girl who had saved her.
Her skin was as fair as snow, lips rosy and soft. She couldn’t have been more than fourteen or fifteen, with delicate limbs and a waist so slender it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand. Even among the most dazzling beauties at the banquet, she stood out effortlessly. He couldn’t help but wonder how intoxicating it would be to have her beneath him.
The Crown Prince overheard his thoughts, his eyes glinting with cold fury.
Yun Kui, too, shivered under King Moshan’s predatory gaze, like prey marked for the hunt. She cautiously returned to her seat.
With Princess Qionghua safe, the tension in the hall eased, and the banquet resumed with music and dance.
Princess Xuanhe leaned closer to Yun Kui. "You were amazing! How did you know she was choking on a cherry pit? And how did you know what to do?"
Yun Kui answered truthfully, "My mother knows a bit of medicine. She taught me these emergency methods. Once, someone in our household choked on fruit, and she did the same thing."
Princess Xuanhe gasped in admiration. "Incredible!"
Behind them, several noblewomen overheard their conversation and were reminded of the Marchioness Wuning’s background.
Back in the day, the Marquis of Wuning had been the most dashing and accomplished martial arts champion in the empire—every noble maiden’s dream, worthy even of a princess. Yet, to everyone’s shock, he had married a country girl, a mere physician’s daughter he’d encountered while suppressing bandits. Rumor had it he wed her out of gratitude for saving his life.
Many assumed the woman had forced his hand, but to their surprise, the couple remained devoted for over a decade. The Marquis took no concubines, kept no mistresses, and they had only one daughter. The Marchioness, once a rustic outsider, rose to become a second-rank noblewoman. Later, during a palace banquet, she even cured the Empress’s chronic headaches with some folk remedy, earning her favor.
The Sheng family’s prestige soared with the Marquis’s military achievements, and now, with the Marchioness’s medical prowess, even their seemingly unremarkable daughter had been chosen as a princess’s companion. And today, by sheer luck, she had saved the Western Liang princess.
People couldn’t help but marvel—it seemed fortune itself smiled upon this mother and daughter, showering them with blessings at every turn.
Yun Kui sipped her tea to steady her nerves, still shaken by the earlier ordeal.
Her gaze drifted to the Crown Prince’s icy profile beside her. Gathering her courage, she discreetly raised her cup toward him and whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, "Your Highness, thank you for earlier. I… I’d like to toast you..."
If not for his timely intervention, King Moshan might have crushed her tiny frame into paste.
Though the Crown Prince was tall and imposing, he seemed almost refined compared to King Moshan’s brutish bulk. Yet, in that moment, he had effortlessly subdued the hulking king.
Yun Kui still couldn’t believe it.
Though the Crown Prince remained indifferent, not even glancing her way, she couldn’t help but gush, "Your Highness, you’re truly remarkable."
(What is she whispering to His Highness?)
(The Crown Prince wouldn’t even drink Princess Qionghua’s toast—why would he accept hers?)
(Is she trying to seduce him?)
The murmurs reached the Crown Prince’s ears. Without a word, he set down his cup and turned slightly—only to meet the girl’s starry-eyed gaze.
"Straighten up," he ordered quietly.
Yun Kui pursed her lips and obediently replied, "Yes."
...
After the banquet, Yun Kui recounted the incident with Princess Qionghua to her parents on their way home.
Marchioness Wuning sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you acted so quickly. If we’d waited for the imperial physician, Princess Qionghua might have..."
The Marquis of Wuning wrapped an arm around his wife, beaming. "You taught her well. Our girl put her knowledge to good use and stepped up bravely. She’s a credit to us."
Yun Kui, unused to such praise, couldn’t suppress her grin. "I wonder what rewards the Emperor and Empress will give me. Gold? Silver? Jewelry? I said I didn’t want anything, but... I kind of do."
Marchioness Wuning tapped her daughter’s nose. "You little miser."
With the Empress’s birthday celebrations, the court was granted three days of rest.
But the very next morning, Sheng Yu was summoned to the palace. He returned grim-faced.
Marchioness Wuning’s eyelids had been twitching since last night, a foreboding she couldn’t shake. Seeing her husband’s expression, she hurried over. "What happened?"
Sheng Yu glanced at Yun Kui, who was nibbling on sweets nearby, and sighed. "King Moshan has requested Yun Kui’s hand in marriage."
"What?!" mother and daughter exclaimed in unison.
Marchioness Wuning paled. "What did His Majesty say? Is this settled? Why would King Moshan suddenly want Yun Kui?"
Yun Kui thought of the bear-like man from the banquet, his voice rough and domineering. Her fingers trembled, dropping the pastry.
Sheng Yu reassured them, "Don’t panic yet. Since His Majesty called me to discuss it, there’s still room to maneuver."
He looked at his daughter. "Perhaps it’s because you saved Princess Qionghua. King Moshan may have taken a liking to you."
Marchioness Wuning sighed. Who could have guessed that an act of kindness would bring such trouble?
Yun Kui clung to her mother’s arm, voice quivering. "Mother, I don’t want to marry him..."
Sheng Yu nodded. "King Moshan keeps a harem of concubines—no fit husband for you. His Majesty knows we cherish our only daughter. He won’t lightly send her to a foreign land, which is why he consulted me."
Marchioness Wuning pressed, "What was decided?"
"For now, His Majesty can delay by citing Yun Kui’s youth. But if King Moshan persists, we must act swiftly. The best course is to arrange her betrothal immediately—announce she’s already promised. That should dissuade him for good."
The Marchioness Wuning looked at her daughter with a heart full of reluctance. "But Yun Kui is still so young. We haven’t even begun considering potential matches for her. How can we find a suitable husband for her in such a short time? Families of equal status may not be willing to hastily arrange a betrothal either..."
The Marquis of Wuning could only reply, "In the coming days, I’ll see if any of my colleagues or subordinates have sons of marriageable age."
Yun Kui wiped her tears, her eyes red and swollen. "Father, I won’t marry an ugly man. He must be young, handsome, tall, and well-built—not rough and wild like King Moshan, nor too frail and bookish. It’d be best if he had your looks and stature..."
The Marquis of Wuning: "..."
Not to boast, but men of his striking appearance were indeed rare in the entire capital.
The Marchioness Wuning sighed inwardly. Her daughter had inherited her habit of judging people by their looks first. But with time so pressing, where could they find a young, handsome gentleman who was still unattached?
