The grand wedding feast stretched long into the night. Laughter and music filled the imperial hall as nobles, generals, and high-ranking officials toasted to the emperor's new consort. Gold and crimson lanterns bathed the room in a warm glow, the scent of roasted meats, fragrant wines, and spiced lotus buns lingering in the air.
Rui, however, tasted none of it.
Seated beside Li Yuan at the high dais, he was the center of attention. Every noble who approached feigned admiration, but he could feel the scrutiny beneath their polite words. Some envied him. Others despised him.
He was the silver-haired prince of a conquered kingdom—an outsider in their grand empire.
Li Yuan, of course, reveled in it. He sat at ease, draped in regal crimson and gold, his golden eyes glinting with amusement each time Rui stiffened under the weight of expectation. He was enjoying this, Rui realized. The warlord-king took pleasure in watching him endure, in seeing him struggle beneath the polished mask of imperial duty.
Rui clenched his fists beneath the table.
This was a battle of a different kind, one fought not with swords, but with silence and endurance. And he would not lose.
A voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Your Majesty."
A nobleman stepped forward, bowing with impeccable grace. He was tall and slender, with fox-like eyes that glimmered with cunning. His robes, though finely embroidered, bore no military insignia—he was a politician, not a warrior.
"Minister Zhang," Li Yuan greeted, raising a brow. "You have something to say?"
Zhang offered a practiced smile. "Merely a curiosity, Your Majesty." His gaze flickered to Rui. "It is rare to see a consort chosen from a conquered kingdom. A fascinating decision, indeed."
The words were polite, but Rui heard the challenge beneath them.
Li Yuan chuckled, lifting his wine cup lazily. "It is a rare thing to find both beauty and spirit in a single person. Would you not agree, Minister Zhang?"
A few nobles chuckled under their breath, while others exchanged wary glances. Li Yuan's words were teasing, but they carried a warning.
Rui, however, was not content to remain silent.
He met Zhang's gaze directly. "It is rare, indeed. But it is even rarer for a kingdom to fall so swiftly, is it not?"
The hall grew quiet.
A bold statement. A dangerous one.
Zhang's eyes sharpened. "Indeed," he murmured, bowing once more. "May Your Majesty and His Highness find great fortune in this union."
Rui did not miss the veiled implication.
He had power, yes—but only as long as Li Yuan wished it.
The conversation moved on, but the tension lingered. Rui sat stiffly, aware of Li Yuan's gaze on him. When he finally turned to meet it, he was met with something unexpected—approval.
Li Yuan leaned closer, voice low. "You do not let yourself be trampled. I like that."
Rui scoffed. "I am not here to entertain you."
The emperor's smirk deepened. "No? Then why are you here, Rui?"
A muscle in Rui's jaw tensed. Because you took everything from me.
Because I have no choice.
But he did not say it.
Instead, he turned his gaze forward, ignoring the way Li Yuan studied him like a puzzle yet to be solved.
Later That Night
The ceremonial feast ended with a procession of silk-clad dancers, their sleeves flowing like waves in the candlelight. Rui barely paid attention as he was led from the grand hall to the inner palace, where his new chambers awaited.
Or rather—their chambers.
The realization hit him as the doors shut behind him, the sound echoing through the quiet room. The space was grand, with carved wooden screens, golden lanterns, and a massive bed draped in red silk. A symbol of union.
Rui inhaled slowly. He had expected this. And yet, standing here now, the weight of it pressed against his chest.
"Does it displease you?"
Li Yuan's voice came from behind him, smooth and unhurried. Rui turned, watching as the emperor untied the heavy outer layer of his robes, leaving only the dark silk beneath. The sight was almost disarming—less a warlord, more a man.
"I expected it," Rui replied evenly.
Li Yuan studied him. "You do not fear me."
Rui held his gaze. "Should I?"
A slow smile. "Most do."
Rui stepped forward, closing the space between them. He was not reckless—he knew Li Yuan was stronger, both in cultivation and power. But he also knew that if he showed weakness, he would be seen as nothing more than an ornament.
And he refused to be that.
He reached out, his fingers ghosting over the edge of Li Yuan's robe. The emperor's gaze darkened, surprise flickering across his features.
"I am your consort, am I not?" Rui murmured. "What do you expect of me?"
Li Yuan chuckled, catching Rui's wrist before he could move further. His grip was firm, but not cruel. "You play a dangerous game."
Rui smirked. "And you enjoy it."
Silence stretched between them, charged and unspoken. Li Yuan's thumb brushed against the inside of Rui's wrist, feeling the faint pulse beneath. It was steady. Unyielding.
Then, with a low sigh, Li Yuan released him.
"I do not intend to force you," he said, stepping back. "Whatever else happens between us… will happen in time."
Rui blinked, caught off guard. He had expected arrogance, a claim of ownership. Not patience.
Li Yuan poured himself a cup of wine, taking a slow sip. "You are bound to me by duty. But how you choose to exist within that duty—that is your decision."
Rui's breath hitched.
Another game. Another test.
But for the first time since he had arrived in this foreign palace, he felt something unfamiliar.
Not fear. Not hatred.
Control.
Perhaps he could navigate this fate. Perhaps he could carve a place for himself not as a prisoner, but as something more.
Li Yuan tilted his head. "You are thinking something dangerous."
Rui smirked. "Perhaps."
Li Yuan chuckled, raising his cup. "Good."
As Rui turned toward the window, gazing at the moonlit city beyond, he knew one thing for certain.
This was not surrender.
This was the beginning of his next move.