"Little sister…" Duan Jingyang had never felt useless as he was now. His gaze when looking at Duan Mu Yan was clearly filled with despair and sorrow, yet he was unable to help her.
"Brother, promised me you won't go looking for royal father about this… I have already accepted this as my fate..." She let out a small smile but in a sudden, she grimaced while grabbing onto her chest. The unprecedented feeling of squeezing and tightness from inside her chest had her suffocated. She took support from her brother who had seen her profusely sweating and too pale.
"Mu Yan?" Duan Jingyang got too worried of his sister's complexion and obvious feeling of discomfort. He was afraid that today's events had caused a considerable emotional breakdown to his sister, which took toll into her heart.
However, despite of all this happening, his sister showed significant strong-willed for a girl, and him as her elder brother, he would not show any sign of weakness either. He had to be strong, he had to support his mother and sister for the heavens. Duan Jingyang swore to himself that from this moment onwards, he would not be self-willed, and he would not be a coward.
"Brother... I'm... tired...," Duan Mu Yan seemed aged after the sudden attack of chest pain that she can't even bear to say more words. Duan Jingyang carefully supported her and with a great care ushering her to her palace, "Shh, enough talking now... I will send you back to your pavilion. Just you lean on big brother—" But she was stopped by Duan Mu Yan. "Brother..., Mother needs someone to take care of this place, and I am worried about them…" A trace of anxiety flashed through Duan Mu Yan's eyes. Duan Jingyang's thin lips slightly parted as his eyebrows knit together. He was about to rebut but think against it knowing how his sister could be headstrong. "Fine. But I need you to take rest for now. Don't exhaust yourself.Later, I will come visit again to help you figure things out on what should be done. I'm leaving…"
Duan Mu Yan smiled as she bade farewell to Duan Jingyang. And the moment her brother was out of sight, tears flowed freely down her face, venting the bitterness in her heart.
Xiao Wang Manor.
"In order to pay tribute to the outstanding achievements of the decorated General of the Mo Dynasty, the high and mighty Emperor of the Kingdom bestowed Third Princess Duan Mu Yan to the Prince Qi of General Xiao Manor as his side concubine. Please accept the edict and thank the Emperor..." A sharp voice read out the emperor's imperial edict. Although it was a recognition, it didn't bring any gratification, but rather a surprise to the House Xiao!
"Prince Qi! Quick, and accept the decree and thank the Emperor…" Eunuch Li, who held the imperial edict urged, his eyes filled with sympathy as he glanced at the kneeling, unmoving Xuan Jin Feng. Although no one openly talked about the special relationship between the Third Princess and Prince Ping, Xiao Yuxuan in public, the whole Palace and the General Manor was no ignorant of the friendship between the two. But now that the Emperor had betrothed the third princess to the brother of the Prince Ping, anyone would not feel comfortable either!
Despite Eunuch Li's urging, Xiao Jin Feng did not move!
"I say, Prince Qi, have you heard the imperial edict clearly? If you heard it properly then please accept the decree. If you did not, this old servant can read it out once more…" Eunuch Li also knew that Prince Qi's heart ached for his wife. In order to get a famous doctor to treat his wife's illness, he had traveled to nearly every places in all far mountains and seas.
Eunuch Li sighed inwardly. He didn't know what the Emperor was thinking when he made the decree. This edict did not just separated two destined lovers, but also made everyone from both families in awkward and chaotic situations.
"Eunuch Li, you might have read it wrongly! Please, read it again! " The cold voice was laced with anger, a chiselled handsome face as if made of stone lifted up. Under his brows, his eyes were as cold and black as owls, his nose was straight, and his lips were beautiful. He casually pursed his lips, showing off his deterrence and his domineering attitude!
Eunuch Li could not help but turn pale at these words. If the emperor were to hear such rebellious words, it would be difficult for him to prevent his whole family from being exterminated, even if he were to be defeated in battle!
"Prince Qi! Are you questioning the Emperor?!" Eunuch Li was benevolent, and he had a good impression of Prince Qi. If it wasn't for this, he wouldn't have needed to speak so much!
"Jin Feng! Don't be rude! Quick, receive the decree and thank the Emperor! " Xiao Yin, the Duke of the manor, turned around and looked at his son, his eyes as sharp as ice!
"But…" Thinking about his wife, who had fainted and regained consciousness from time to time, how Xiao Jin Feng would be accept this edict!
"But what? You would not want the entire Xiao Residence to die for you, right? " Xiao Yin's voice was stern. How could he not know the difficulties of his elder son, Jin Feng, and how could he not understand Yuxuan's intentions? But the emperor's imperial edict was not something anyone could just brush off. It can only be accepted and be grateful.
No matter how unwilling Prince Qi was, he could not gamble the lives of more than a hundred people of Xiao manor! Helpless, Xiao Jin Feng took the imperial edict from Eunuch Li's hand. His heart, however, felt as if it was being burned by a raging fire. He had promised Shi Rou, his wife, his Queen that he would not take in a concubine in this lifetime, but now, how was he going to face Shi Rou?! And there was also Yuxuan. If he married Duan Mu Yan as his side wife, how would he be able to face his own younger brother!
The very next second after Eunuch Li left, Xiao Yin slowly rose. When his gaze landed on Xiao Jin Feng, a trace of guilt flashed across his eyes. He knew that this would be difficult for Jin Feng, and he turned to look at Yu Xuan who was still kneeling and not moving.
"Yu Xuan... We can only accept… " Xiao Yin had long since heard that his second son was very close with the third princess. However, he didn't understand why the emperor would bestow the third princess on his eldest son, and on top of that, to be a mere secondary concubine! In the Mo Dynasty, there had never been a case of a princess condescendingly marrying as concubine! Is the Emperor implying something?
Without an expression, Xiao Yuxuan's handsome face seemed to have been frozen. His eyes, which were as bright as meteorites, became empty, and his heart, a hollow echoing could be heard as he suddenly remembered the promise he made years ago...
"I, Xiao Yuxuan, will marry Duan Mu Yan in this life, and will only love Duan Mu Yan in this life! I will make Duan Mu Yan the happiest woman in the world!"
"Then I entrust you our happiness YuXuan…" Duan Mu Yan was beaming with contentment.
"Yes! We will be happy! I promise you that…"
Tears rolled down Xiao Yuxuan's face as he rushed out of the room.
Imperial Palace
The silence of the night was depressing, suffocating even, as if everything had become lifeless. In the vast imperial palace, various eunuchs roamed around at night to light lamps.
"This night is really strange… I've just finished lighting this one, and the time I turned around, it's gone! What the hell …" Perhaps it was a young eunuch who had just entered the palace, speaking without any restraint!
"Shut up! Brat, do you want to die! You dare imply there's a ghost in the palace? If word of this spreads to the steward, be careful of your ass blooming…" The older eunuch shouted in a low voice.
At this moment, a shadow flashed past. The lantern was extinguished and the young eunuch was about to shout out when the old eunuch covered his mouth!
"If you want to live longer, then don't meddle! Light your lamp..."
The whirling wind carried waves of chilliness that swept through the palace, blowing through the curtains and cooling the hearts of the people.
A lonely and elegant figure leaned against the window sill. Her eyelashes were like curtains, and her eyes were sparkling. Tears could be seen on her delicate face.
Tonight, the moon was clear and its entirety shone majestically in the vast horizon. Duan Mu Yan, who was unmoved of the sight, lifted her head to look at the eastern part of the sky. There she saw that lone star which was splendidly exhibiting its radiance amidst the overwhelming milky white moonlight—stubbornly shining with all of its vigour and elegance. Duan Mu Yan put out a bitter smile, how she wished she's a star...