Chapter 802- GUARDS!
"Lady Suyin," the emperor said, presenting to the noblewoman. More applause.
"Shen Yue," the emperor said. The badge, the golden token, was presented. Shen Yue, her bright eyes, her flushed face, accepted. Her bow, the formal bow, was there. Her eyes, on Tianlong, the brief, stolen, heart-thumping glance, was there.
"Shen Ling," the emperor said. The badge, presented. Shen Ling, her round face, her shy expression, accepted. Her bow was there.
Finally, Shen Mu. The sword sovereign. The last in line. The young man, his simple dark robes, his plain blade at his side, stood. His face, the composed, controlled face, was there. His internal thoughts, the racing, calculating, ambitious thoughts, were there.
’This is it. The badge. The recognition. The first step. The first step toward building my reputation. The first step toward gathering allies. The first step toward crushing you, Tianlong.’
’This badge, this ceremony, this moment — it is the foundation. From here, I grow. I gain followers. I gain resources. I gain the power I need to open the Sword Domain. And then—’
Emperor Yun, his kind face, the smile, raised the badge. The golden token, the marker, was there. His hand, extending toward Shen Mu, was there.
"Shen Mu," the emperor began. "For your exceptional—"
"Wait."
The voice, the calm, soft, absolute voice, cut through the ceremony. Tianlong, his gold-crimson eyes, on the emperor, was there. His hand, raised, the minimal gesture, was there.
"Don’t give him that," he said.
The words, the three, devastating, ceremony-halting words, were there.
The crowd went silent. The emperor, his hand, frozen mid-extend, was there. The badge, the golden token, hung in the air.
Shen Mu, his jaw, the clenching, tightening, grinding jaw, was there. His teeth, the gritted, grinding teeth, were there. His eyes, the gold-flecked brown eyes, on Tianlong, held the fury. The burning, white-hot, barely contained fury.
’You bastard. You are going to humiliate me. In front of everyone. In front of my sisters. In front of the entire province. You are going to—’
He bit his lip. The blood, the small drop, was there. The restraint, the agonizing, soul-crushing restraint of a man who could not react, was there. If he reacted, if he showed his anger, if he revealed his true power — Tianlong would see. Would know. Would confirm.
"What?" a minister whispered. "Why?"
"What did the young man do?"
"Emperor Tianlong said not to give him the badge? Why?"
The whispers, the confused, scandalized whispers, spread.
Tianlong, his gold-crimson eyes, on the crowd, spoke. His voice, amplified, carried.
"He performed very well," Tianlong said. His voice was warm. Appreciative. The voice of a man who was, publicly, praising. "Protecting his sisters throughout the tournament. Fighting with skill and courage. Why not fulfill his wish instead?"
The words, the redirecting, trap-setting, seemingly benevolent words, were there.
"I have heard rumors," Tianlong continued. His voice was conversational. Light. The tone of a man sharing gossip. "That this young man has a crush. On a woman in this kingdom. Shouldn’t we grant his wish? Let him marry that woman?"
The words, the bomb, the absolute, devastating, world-ending bomb, was dropped.
The crowd erupted. The whispers, the gasps, the shocked, scandalized, delighted whispers, filled the square.
"A crush? He has a crush? On whom?"
"Emperor Tianlong wants to grant him a marriage? As a reward?"
"How generous! How kind! The Breeding Immortal is truly benevolent!"
Both sisters, Shen Yue and Shen Ling, turned. Their eyes, the widening, shocked, "since-when-did-you-have-a-crush" eyes, were on their brother. The expression, the sibling, "you-never-told-us" expression, was there.
"Brother?" Shen Yue said. Her voice, the confused, surprised voice, was there. "You have a crush? On whom?"
"Brother!" Shen Ling said. Her voice, the excited, sisterly, "tell-me-everything" voice, was there. "Who is she? You never—"
Shen Mu, his body, the trembling, frozen, trapped body, was there. His face, the pale, shocked, trapped face, was there. His eyes, on Tianlong, held the realization. The cold, horrible, impossible realization.
’He knows. He knows about Yuexin. He knows about the princess. He is setting me up. He is forcing me to say it. In front of everyone. In front of the emperor. In front of the guards.’
’If I say it, I am dead. A commoner asking to marry a princess — the punishment is execution. Or worse.’
’If I don’t say it, the "generous offer" becomes a "coward who refused." My reputation, the reputation I just built in the tournament, is destroyed.’
’It is a trap. Either way, I lose.’
His eyes, to the princess, went. Yuexin, her dark eyes, the widening, shocked, "what-is-happening" eyes, were there. Her face, the pale, confused, conflicted face, was there. Her internal thoughts, the racing, broken, overwhelmed thoughts, were there.
’He is... he is offering to let Brother Mu marry me? Why? He fucked me last night. He knows about Brother Mu. He knows about our alliance. Why would he... unless...’
’Unless he wants Brother Mu to say it. To expose himself. To be destroyed.’
’Or... unless he wants to see what Brother Mu will do. To test him. To measure him.’
Her cultivation, the new, the Divine Integration cultivation that pulsed in her dantian, was there. The warmth, the divine-seed warmth that still lingered in her womb, was there. The complexity, the impossible, unresolvable complexity of a woman who owed her power to one man and her loyalty to another, was there.
She blinked. "What?" she whispered. Her voice, the barely audible, shocked voice, was there.
Shen Mu, his gold-flecked brown eyes, on Tianlong, held the fury. The burning, white-hot, past-life-fueled fury. But also the calculation. The cold, strategic, "which-option-kills-me-less" calculation.
’If I say it — if I ask to marry the princess — the emperor will react. The guards will react. I will be arrested. Possibly executed. But... if I am arrested, Tianlong’s "generous offer" becomes a public scandal. The emperor’s rage, the guards’ violence — all of it, in front of everyone. The "benevolent" Breeding Immortal’s offer resulted in violence. That is... that is bad optics for Tianlong.’
’Or... maybe that is what he wants. Maybe he wants me to say it. To be arrested. To be removed from the board. To be tortured. To have my secrets extracted.’
’But if I don’t say it... I am a coward. My reputation is gone. My sisters, who just fought beside me, who look up to me — they will see their brother as a man who was too afraid to speak.’
’I have to say it. It is the only way to protect the princess. If I publicly declare my intention, the emperor cannot secretly execute her. The public declaration forces the issue. Forces the emperor to acknowledge the relationship. Forces the political machinery to engage.’
’And maybe... maybe this is the only chance. The only chance to publicly declare my love for Yuexin. Even if it kills me.’
His jaw, set. His eyes, on the emperor, were there.
"I want to marry the princess," he said. His voice was clear. Steady. The voice of a man who had made his choice. "Princess Yuexin."
The name, the spoken, public, irrevocable name, was there.
The square erupted.
"WHAT?"
"He wants to marry the princess?"
"A commoner? A stable master’s son? Asking to marry the princess?"
"Is he insane?"
"Guard! GUARDS!"