Although he had grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the New Year celebrations, he was once again awakened by the commotion caused by the employees.
A few days had passed since Zhao Hua had whipped him, and the five-mile herb had worked wonders. The wounds on his back had healed quickly and without further inflammation.
For the first time since he had made the room his own, brushes, papers, and maps were scattered everywhere. He had tried on his own to glean new knowledge from old books, but in vain. Although he had found some maps that also showed the corrupted qi meridians, the maps had revealed nothing more to him.
He now managed to keep the fire talisman burning for a few minutes, but he had used up his last talismans in the process. Until Zhao Yuan and Zhao Yuehao asked him again to draw some and brought new paper, he was stuck.
Footsteps could be heard on his stairs, and Tian Liu Yan had to suppress an angry snort. Why had people been so persistent in ignoring his privacy lately? To his surprise, there was a knock at the door. When no one entered after a few seconds and there was another knock, he sat up. He looked skeptically at the door.
"Who is it?"
The door opened, and a young woman entered. Liu Yan eyed her skeptically. The woman blushed and quickly placed the package for him next to him.
"Miss Hua told me to bring this to you, Your Highness. A messenger from the emperor is on his way, and you are expected in the main hall," she said in a trembling voice.
Liu Yan narrowed his eyes. The young woman was new here and apparently didn't know the rules yet. He just nodded and then waved her out. The young woman curtsied before leaving and closing the door behind her.
Zhao Xu had apparently hired some new servants for the New Year celebrations and preparations. He pulled the package toward him. So far, in the short year he had spent here, he had only received new clothes once, and that was when he had moved in.
He untied the ribbon, which had been carelessly knotted, and unfolded the robe made of several layers of white and light blue silk. They were the colors of the royal family. He snorted.
"What a farce." Even his father and brothers didn't care how he was doing, let alone whether he had something to wear.
The attire served only to put on a little show for visitors from outside. Although everyone knew what was going on behind closed doors.
Nevertheless, he slipped the thin white robe with the black bamboo print off his shoulders and put on the new clothes. He stowed the old ones under a loose board in his room as a precaution. At least now he had a change of clothes ready.
Then he combed his long, silky black hair and tied it back a little so he wouldn't look too unkempt.
Depending on how satisfied Hua was with him today, he might escape the whip once again. When he was done, he left his room and walked as inconspicuously as possible among the servants.
Unconsciously, he looked around for a familiar face, but he couldn't find one. When he realized that this was weighing on his mind more than he wanted to admit, his expression hardened, and he shielded his innermost feelings even further.
The whole family had already gathered in the great hall. Zhao Hua pulled him to her side with a look that did not bode well.
Zhao Jisheng stood behind his desk, where he received visitors. His mother sat next to him, his daughters stood to his left and right, and now Liu Yan herself was there too. Further away stood the two concubines, Dali and Chuzhi. The senior employees who personally took care of the family's affairs had also lined up.
It was unusually quiet, so Liu Yan instinctively flinched when the emperor's messenger was announced. The main gate was opened, and a tall man in the royal family's guard uniform entered. He was led straight from the gate through the courtyard to the main hall.
He bowed to the head of the family and let his gaze wander over those present. When he saw Liu Yan, his gaze lingered on him briefly, scrutinizing him. He was still alive; that was all that mattered and all his father needed to know.
Liu Yan moved to the background and watched the greeting ceremony and the effusive praise on both sides from there.
"The emperor greets you, esteemed Zhao Jisheng!"
"What brings you to me, Fu Gongzi?" Jisheng got straight to the point and offered the young man a seat. Only when he sat down did everyone else sit down as well.
Liu Yan was the last to crouch in a corner.
Fu Gongzi accepted the tea bowl and toasted the head of the family before drinking. Then he put the bowl down again. It must be big news if the whole family had to gather. "The emperor has thought long and hard about how he can repay the favor you have done him," the young man began, and his gaze slid unmistakably to Tian Liu Yan.
But Tian Liu Yan entirely ignored the messenger and devoted himself to the tea and the food that had been provided.
Even if Zhao Hua would beat him for it, today he would have a full stomach and no hunger. Zhao Jisheng followed the messenger's gaze.
"It is the duty of the Zhao to share the emperor's burden and help him rule the country. There is no need to repay a favor," he replied. Fu Gongzi raised his hand.
"Listen first, esteemed Zhao Jisheng," he said, pulling out a scroll bearing the imperial seal.
"The Zhao family was promised a marriage with the imperial family and the emperor's youngest son. However, after the birth of Tian Liu Yan, the emperor could no longer fulfill this promise, as his son was born as a curse and a burden on the imperial family. Zhao Jisheng and his eldest daughter, Zhao Hua."
He turned to the eldest lady and bowed politely. Zhao Hua returned the greeting obediently.
"The fact that she nevertheless fulfilled her duty and sacrificed herself to keep the promise of both families deeply moved the emperor," Fu Gongzi said solemnly.
Tian Liu Yan almost choked on the nuts he was nibbling on. What a great sacrifice it must have been for Hua. Having to beat him every day, making sure he was as uncomfortable as possible. Getting nothing to eat and being constantly despised by everyone. The burden must have been overwhelming.
Zhao Hua and her father exchanged glances. Only Zhao Xu sat upright. She had sighed deeply only once so far, as if she knew what was coming.
As promising as marriage to the imperial family sounded, it also meant great pressure and obligations and an even closer bond with the imperial family.
So the emperor was simply trying to bind the minister of war and his influential family even closer to him. Since the first alliance had failed.
Liu Yan had also seen through the charade, and a warm, satisfied feeling filled him. You could call it schadenfreude.
As Fu Gongzi continued, he watched Zhao Huan's face closely while pretending to concentrate on his tea.
"That is why the emperor has decided to make your second daughter, Zhao Huan, the princess consort of the second prince, Tian Weiye.
I carry the corresponding decree with me," Fu Gongzi announced proudly.
Zhao Huan's usually sweet, friendly gaze briefly collapsed. Stunned disbelief and horror were reflected in her eyes. She struggled for words, and her shoulders trembled as if she wanted to jump up and throw the messenger out herself.
With Zhao Hua's engagement and upcoming wedding, which had to be held, her path was finally clear to find happiness with Li Wangxi.
Even though he was her father's adopted son, he was not her biological brother and was the pride of the imperial army. A marriage would only honor the bond between her and her father's deceased friend.
She searched restlessly for words that would not come, and Liu Yan inwardly enjoyed the schadenfreude of seeing her so distraught. The only one who looked obviously satisfied was Zhao Hua.
She grinned from ear to ear, hardly able to believe her luck. She had done everything to please Li Wangxi, yet failed every time. When her unfortunate fiancé moved in with her, she had been powerless to watch as her sister and brother grew closer, but now she hid her blissful grin behind her sleeve.
Now she was just as far from finding happiness with Li Wangxi as she was. The main hall had become suspiciously quiet. Everyone knew that Zhao Jisheng could not refuse the marriage.
"Well," he began. "This is very sudden," he replied.
"First, the wedding between Zhao Hua and Tian Lu Yan should be held before we worry about a second one," Grandmother Xu interjected. Huan turned to her gratefully. Her relief was written all over her face. Fu Gongzi nodded.
"The emperor has taken that into consideration, of course. First comes the New Year celebration, and the emperor sends his best wishes to the Zhao family and also congratulates your talented sons Yuan and Yuehao," Fu Gongzi said in a more conciliatory tone. He had probably realized that he had been too blunt.
"But since the third prince has been living with you for almost a year now, the emperor must urge you to get married. Otherwise, there will only be unpleasant talk. For both houses," he said cautiously.
Zhao Hua shot Liu Yan a venomous look. She certainly had no intention of marrying him, let alone consummating the marriage. The feeling was mutual.
However, it was highly unusual for an engaged couple to wait so long to get married. Soon the auspicious time would be over, and their union would no longer be blessed by the gods.
Liu Yan scratched at a spot on his table. Not that this union had ever been blessed or happy.
Zhao Jisheng dismissed the messenger as quickly as possible, and Liu Yan tried to slip out unseen with the crowd before Zhao Hua could take her anger out on him.
Huan, on the other hand, clung to her father, tears in her eyes.
"Father, please, don't let this happen," she pleaded. Then Liu Yan was out of earshot. He hid for a while in the desolate backyard and pensively built little snowmen out of thick flakes, stones, and sticks.
"Found you!" Liu Yan ignored the familiar voice and patted the snow down more firmly.
"And without a single red thread," he remarked cynically. Luo Xinxin crouched down next to him and looked at the small army of snowmen.
"Clever," she said quietly. Liu Yan didn't look at her. He didn't want to see her warm face, and it bothered him that he had been looking for it this morning.
"What?" he asked gruffly.
"That you're hiding here. Zhao Hua tore your whole room apart looking for you," she remarked. Liu Yan paused.
"I'll clean it up," he replied. Xinxin nodded and watched him for a while as he built mini snowman after mini snowman, handing him a branch or pebble here and there.
"Why aren't any of your snowmen smiling?" she asked involuntarily.
"What do they have to be happy about? As soon as they're discovered, they'll be trampled, and if not, they'll be buried under new snow, and eventually they'll break and melt in the sun. The life of a snowman is short and joyless," he replied. Xinxin frowned indignantly.
"That's not true. The snowmen I used to build lasted all winter, and they laughed incessantly and were happy. Even when they melted, they returned cheerfully to the cycle of the earth," she said.
Liu Yan sighed in annoyance.
"Good for them," he replied mockingly. He had lost interest in building his army of snowmen, who all stared at him grimly.
"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply.
"I was clearing the snow from the second young lady's courtyard when she suddenly disappeared into her chambers, crying bitterly, and ordered all the servants to leave," said Xinxin, conjuring a smile on the face of one snowman after another.
"And since I didn't want to help out in the kitchen or serve the first young lady, I had the same idea as you."
"To hide!"
"No, to build snowmen," she laughed.
Tian Liu Yan watched as his grumpy army turned into a pile of blissful snow and let them be.