"The long overdue victory has finally been in our hands!!" Drums beat in the background. A soldier announced. His chin held high in pride.

The busy market flocked with crowds stopped. People soon started to flock to the wooden platform made at the centre. The soldier stood proud, in his red attire. 

"In honour of our Undefeatable War General who brought this great victory, the king had announced the Heavenly princess to be betrothed to him on the next full moon." The soldier continued, as whispers of the crowd filled the air.

"The heavenly princess? The one who might take over the crown?" 

"Isn't the War General already married? Will the princess be his concubine?" 

"Don't be absurd, the heavenly princess is the most beautiful woman of our land, there is no one to rival her. The War General will prolly become her consort husband."

The murmurs grew as the news spread around. A young man wearing a conical hat leaned on one of the walls, intently watching the chaos and upheaval around the news. The man walked away as the commotion grew wilder.

Passing through the busy market, the man soon reached the meadow where solitude occupies. The willow tree rested by the river's bank passing through it. The man sat by it, taking out bamboo slips, ink, and brush. 

With a gentle hand, the man dipped his brush in the ink mixture he created. His brush tip grazed on the bamboo slips creating characters, and soon the flow of words formed…

 In the sovereign land of Shengxi, peace and prosperity reside. In the darkness, the strongest prevails. The land where eternal dusk exists, the strongest dwells. Among the strongest, there was a myth, a legend: the Undefeatable War General, Li Zhiqiang, the one who can conquer any battle. 

No one knows much of the origin, other than he was trained specifically under the previous general. Some say he was a spawn of the devil and a human mother and he was a half-demon who battles to feel the urge of evilness inside of him. Most of all the infamous one was his blade. The blade was rumoured to be made from thousands of young children's blood and bones. But the secret of his winning was still left tucked far away.

"Li Zhiqiang! How could you do this to me?!" A woman's high-pitched voice echoed through the courtyard.

"I am your wife, I gave birth to your son. Did you not think once before agreeing to marry her?" The woman's yelling continued. The noise of objects being shattered echoed together with it. 

Behind the closed door of the room, a man in a black robe stood tall. His hazel eyes watched the woman yelling and crying. The room had been turned upside down with broken pieces of vases and other furniture. 

The woman, dressed in a light green hanfu, walked back to Li Zhiqiang. Her clothes and hair were dishevelled. Her eyes had turned swollen and red from tears that rolled down her cheeks. 

Her hands grabbed into his collar, "Tell me you are not marrying her." A pleading voice questioned him. With tears slipping through her soft face, Feng Meixin rested her head on her husband's chest. A silent plea of hope.

Li Zhiqiang sighed, wrapping his arms around her. "Feng Meixin, the marriage has been fixed. You would still be my wife, no one is going to take your place." In a calm tone, he spoke, seeing her breaking down. 

Feng Meixin didn't say any further. Her hope had no place in her husband's greed for power. She let down the final tears, hugging him for one last time. 

The day of the wedding arrived faster than expected. The Li residence was soon adorned in red and gold decoration. The lively atmosphere with halls filled with joyous laughter and chants. 

Feng Meixin quietly sat by the pavilion in the front yard. Blankly, watching the passerby entering the house or leaving. The upturned face on the joyous occasion was strange to her. Her phoenix eyes glanced up at the gloomy sky.

With everything delightful, the only thing that matched her was the sky. The clouds collided into a giant grey mess hiding the clear sky. She wondered if everyone was always this happy when their husband married another woman. 

Feng Meixin had known him for fourteen years, he was a pupil of her father. The young Li Zhiqiqang was a quiet and reserved one. Only doing what his master asked him to and when his master asked him to marry her, he complied. 

For seventeen-year-old Feng Meixin, it was the most joyous day. Marrying the love of her life. To become the wife he needed, she learned everything. In the seven years of their marriage, Li Zhiqiang spent most of his time on the battlefield. During those times it was her managing the estate and any court affair, his commands were required. 

"Why is the first wife sitting here all alone instead of rejoicing in your husband's second marriage?" A sneaky remark passed to her ear from behind. 

Feng Meixin's face turned sour at the familiar voice. She tried to keep a straight face while getting up from her place and bowing," Your Royal Highness."

Wang Qiang snarled at her polite bowing. He leaned closer to her. His hands brushing her soft cheeks," What a waste of beauty! Lihua is not a match to yours." His gaze remained fixed on her.

Feng Meixin withdrew from his touch," Your Highness, I am a married woman." With a polite voice, she refused.

Wang Qiang scoffed at her refusal, "Just in name, you are already replaced by him. If you don't believe it, look around." He pointed at the people dancing and enjoying just a little far away from them.

Feng Meixin's face tightened seeing the flower sedan and her husband riding the house side by side to it. In the red attire of intricate silk work, he looked majestic. The way he smiled as people danced and had fun was the last straw.

"What did I say? He never deserved you, Feng Meixin." Wang Qiang whispered in her ears from behind. His chest touched her back. Feng Meixin remained glued, her jaw tightened the more she saw her husband with his new wife.

With a cold snarl, she turned her head to face him. Between him and her just inches of distance, "Then who deserved me?" 

"Someone who knows your worth," His hands cupped her cheeks slowly, the distance closing. "Someone worthy of you. Someone who can make you a queen like you deserve." Wang Qiang continued, his lips grazing hers.

"Are you going to make me one then?" Feng Meixin spoke, not pulling away from his touch.

"When did I not want to?"