Regardless of what others might have thought, Emperor Xuanwu was thoroughly pleased.
So much so that when he had the envoy from Wa Kingdom dragged aside—so they would not block the line of other nations presenting tribute—his tone held an unusual lightness.
Naturally, the envoys from the countries that followed were not exactly overjoyed by this shift in mood.
No one had expected that this seemingly warm and amiable Crown Princess of Tian Sheng would turn out to be the most unyielding heir in the dynasty's long history when it came to foreign provocation.
If the matter had nothing to do with them, these envoys might not have minded.
After all, she had clearly stated that Tian Sheng, as a great empire, harbored no intent of invading others unprovoked.
However…
They had all been neighbors for many years. Friction, both large and small, was inevitable.
Especially nations like Annan. Their past transgressions mirrored those of the Wa Kingdom—sending agents disguised as pirates to raid Tian Sheng's coastal regions. Plundering, burning, and killing… They had engaged in such acts for years without facing any serious consequences.
But now Tian Sheng had suddenly struck against the Wa Kingdom.
What if they were next?
One by one, the envoys from smaller nations who had once wronged Tian Sheng found their hearts gripped by dread, as though a sword had been silently suspended above their heads.
In stark contrast, Emperor Xuanwu was in excellent spirits.
After receiving tributes from all the foreign envoys, he turned expectantly toward the gifts from his royal children.
As was customary, the order of presentation followed their age. With the absence of the Eldest Prince this year, it began with the Third Prince.
His offering was a long scroll of scripture, a handwritten blessing he had copied himself. While that alone was noteworthy, the true significance lay in what had happened afterward.
During its consecration at the temple, countless commoners who had visited the sacred grounds had traced over the characters, one stroke at a time, each hoping to add their own prayer to the blessing.
Though the script might lack polish, its sincerity was plain to see.
At this point, Emperor Xuanwu lacked for neither public nor private wealth. Such a heartfelt gesture, so rare and earnest, clearly delighted him.
He motioned to Li Dehai to take the scroll and spoke with generosity in his voice.
"The Third has shown true thoughtfulness. He shall be rewarded."
"Your Son thanks Father Emperor!"
The Third Prince immediately bowed to receive the imperial grace.
"May Your Son ask… might I choose my reward myself?"
"You wish to choose it yourself?"
Emperor Xuanwu arched a brow. As though recalling something, he let out a knowing chuckle.
"Very well. Speak. What is it you desire?"
The Third Prince lowered his head, but his voice was steady.
"Your Son has long admired the eldest young lady of the Tang family. I beg Father Emperor to bestow a marriage decree."
His words sent a ripple through Linde Hall.
The Third Prince was now eighteen, the proper age to take a main wife. With his royal status and, curiously, an empty inner court with not even a single concubine, the capital's noble families had spent the past year vying to wed their daughters to him.
Yet he had rejected all proposals, citing disinterest in marriage.
Now, unexpectedly, he had requested an imperial marriage. But his chosen bride… was Tang Xinhua, a woman who had previously been divorced?
Those whose proposals had been declined bristled with indignation.
Others, with no stake in the matter, simply turned their eyes toward the calm, graceful young woman seated beside Tang Yuanlin.
Even Yun Shu, upon hearing the Third Prince's request, instinctively glanced toward Tang Xinhua.
She saw her elder cousin quietly lowering her gaze. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but there was no trace of surprise.
Yun Shu gave a soft, amused tsk.
"So he really did win her over."
"Win over whom? Lady Tang?"
Yun Chuhuan, seated beside her, had sharp ears and caught the muttered words. His eyes went wide.
"Why would he need to win her over? Did she take something of his and run away?"
Yun Shu blinked. "What?"
She picked up Yun Chuhuan's chopsticks and shoved a braised lion's head meatball into his mouth.
"Be good. Eat."
"Mmmph!"
No matter what others thought of the match between the Third Prince and Tang Xinhua, what mattered was that both were willing, and Emperor Xuanwu had granted the marriage decree.
From that moment on, no one could speak against it.
The Third Prince accepted the decree with joy, his face alight with satisfaction. Yun Chuhuan, having finally swallowed the enormous meatball, looked on with barely concealed envy.
"How wonderful. Third Royal Brother is getting married."
He turned to Yun Shu with a glint in his eye.
"Fifth Sister, should I lend him some of the charming lines I've been preparing?"
Yun Shu looked at him, utterly baffled.
"You should keep those for yourself."
She spoke on behalf of Tang Xinhua, voice firm.
"Don't you remember? The classic line of a domineering prince is 'If it is not mine alone, I would rather not have it at all.' Believe me, those lines only sound impressive when few people use them. Once everyone starts, they become trite."
"You make a fair point."
The words struck him like a bell.
Yun Chuhuan solemnly nodded.
"Then I shall refrain."
"Good."
She approved without hesitation.
After all, if their cousin fled in the middle of her wedding night because of a cringe-worthy line, wouldn't the Third Prince be heartbroken?
…
Once the Third Prince had presented his gift, it was the Fourth Prince's turn.
And after him, it should have been Yun Shu's moment.
Especially with the mysterious tribute she had announced through the Capital Weekly, one said to carry "era-defining significance."
All eyes turned to her in anticipation.
But then, to everyone's surprise, Li Dehai's high-pitched voice rang out, announcing the Sixth Prince.
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Even Yun Chuhuan looked utterly confused.
"Why is it suddenly my turn?"
Half a chicken wing still in his mouth, he blinked blankly.
"Fifth Sister, where's your gift?"
"My offering is rather large and not suited for display inside Linde Hall. So it was moved to the end of the sequence."
Knowing that Yun Chuhuan wasn't the only one with this question, Yun Shu raised her voice slightly, ensuring everyone could hear.
"Once you are finished, we will move outside the hall."
"Outside again?"
Yun Chuhuan immediately thought of last year's firework display.
Could this year's gift be something similar?
Curiosity stirred in his chest like a restless cat. He hastily sent for his gift, rushed through his ceremonial words, and practically bolted for the door.
At last, the imperial children and their entourages stepped outside.
"Fifth Sister, where should we look today?"
Yun Chuhuan could barely contain himself. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he rubbed his hands together with excitement.
"Are we looking toward the sky again?"
"Today…"
Yun Shu extended a single finger and slowly pointed toward the empty stone-paved road on the left side of Linde Hall.
"That direction will do."
"This side?"