Chapter Four: Born of Humble Origins

Guli was not afraid of marriage itself; what she dreaded was marrying someone she did not care for. The thought of being sent far away, cut off from her father and mother, made the prospect all the more bleak and sorrowful.

Jasmine noticed the princess propping her chin on her hand, a rare melancholy clouding her delicate, fair features. Her long, curled lashes fluttered like butterflies, and she bit her red lips in distress. Seeing this, Jasmine could not help but chuckle softly.

“Don’t overthink it, Princess. Whether His Majesty agrees or not, it has little to do with you. Your future husband will surely be the most outstanding among thousands, handpicked with the utmost care.”

Given how much the Emperor and Empress doted on the princess, how could anyone but the rarest of men become the consort of Princess Danqing, beloved above all?

Guli sighed in frustration. “But isn’t the most outstanding man among thousands already favored by Jin’an?”

Jasmine burst out laughing. “Princess, General Chang’an may be admirable, but he comes from humble origins. By no means does he count as the most exceptional match in the realm.”

“Humble origins?”

This revelation genuinely surprised Guli.

“Yes,” Jasmine replied, recounting all she had learned. “It’s said his family produced only one scholar in generations. General Chang’an himself was merely a gate guard under Lord Jianguo, and it was only after he distinguished himself during the autumn hunt a few years ago that the Emperor took notice and entrusted him with command.”

Guli fell silent, her clear black-and-white eyes turning in thought.

The sweltering height of summer made hearts restless and impatient. As the Li Dynasty’s army drew ever closer to the capital, talk of General Chang’an grew louder in the palace. Wherever Princess Danqing went, she would overhear palace maids whispering in corners about the general’s impending return, praising his extraordinary presence and formidable reputation. They spoke of him as though he were a being meant only for the heavens, rarely glimpsed on earth.

The maids’ excited yet bashful expressions only piqued Danqing’s curiosity further, though she couldn’t help but scoff inwardly at their exaggerations. Could there really be a man in this world more exceptional than her father, the Emperor himself?

That day, Princess Danqing led her attendants to pay her respects to the Empress in the Fengyang Hall. Passing through the Imperial Garden, she caught a fleeting glimpse at a corner: a graceful figure in a green silk dress darted out of sight.

Danqing paused, realization dawning, and quickly followed.

Princess Jin’an had heard that General Chang’an was returning to the capital today, summoned by the Emperor for an audience. Eager for a chance to see him, she waited nervously behind a tiger-and-dragon stone statue at the foot of the Chengkun Hall steps, her fingers twisting anxiously at her chest. Even her maid, Ting’er, shared her tension.

Yet, after so many years, the chance to finally see the one she cherished was understandable.

“Princess, he’s coming!” Ting’er whispered urgently as footsteps approached.

At the reminder, Jin’an instinctively peeked out. Sure enough, General Chang’an was emerging from Chengkun Hall.

The sight of that deep blue-clad figure she had yearned for so long brought a sting to Jin’an’s nose.

He was strikingly handsome, his features sharply defined like a sculpture—high cheekbones, a straight nose reminiscent of distant blue mountains, and long eyes as clear as spring water. Yet the glint in those eyes hinted at a quiet power that commanded respect.

He walked with a steady, unhurried grace, exuding a calm and effortless elegance that was impossible to ignore.