Inside Western Liang’s luxurious carriage.

Princess Li Tianfu wore a thin veil over her face, revealing only a pair of charming, rippling eyes. She lay on her side languidly within the fragrant carriage, clutching in her hand a romance novel that Li Zhijie had collected for her from various kingdoms. She seemed preoccupied, reading quite absent-mindedly.

“Your Highness Princess, Jin Kingdom’s Crown Prince, and the God of Slaughter Young Marshal Bai, have all arrived. Prince Yan requests that Your Highness prepare yourself immediately and come over. If you’re late, Jin’s Crown Prince might take offense.” A Western Liang eunuch spoke in a thin, high voice outside the fragrant carriage to Li Tianfu.

Hearing these words, Li Tianfu immediately flew into a rage, angrily throwing down the romance novel in her hand. The book’s spine struck the pure gold auspicious beast incense burner placed on the wooden table, making a “clang” sound.

Several palace maids inside the fragrant carriage immediately knelt, not daring to speak, trembling all over.

Li Tianfu’s spoiled and furious voice came from inside the carriage: “Take offense?! I think Li Zhijie has truly been beaten by the Jin Kingdom until he’s lost his spine! I am Western Liang’s legitimate princess—even if I don’t show my face today, who can do anything to me? As soon as Jin’s Crown Prince arrives, he’s so eager to have me prepare myself and deliver myself to his door for his viewing! I think he’s forgotten how my Imperial Father died! I don’t know how my Imperial Sister could have chosen him for peace negotiations! He’s lost all face to foreign kingdoms!”

Western Liang’s legitimate princess had been cherished in the palms of the Emperor and Empress since childhood—a genuine daughter of heaven who had never suffered such grievances. Her eyes immediately reddened.

She was extremely unwilling to come for a marriage alliance, but Mother Empress had said that this time it was originally Western Liang and Nanyan conspiring to attack Jin first, only to be defeated by Great Jin despite their numerical advantage. If they didn’t cede territory, pay reparations, and arrange a marriage alliance, they would have to send hostages. Rather than send hostages, it was better for her to come for the marriage alliance.

Mother Empress also said that men conquer the world while women conquer men. As long as she could win the Jin Crown Prince’s favor, when the Crown Prince ascended the throne in the future and she bore a crown prince with Western Liang blood, the Jin Kingdom would essentially belong to Western Liang.

But why should she? She and Imperial Sister were born of the same mother, both legitimate daughters. Though she wasn’t as wise as Imperial Sister and couldn’t inherit the throne, at least she could be enfeoffed as a prince when Imperial Sister inherited the throne, right? Why should she have to come for a marriage alliance?!

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Li Tianfu simply huddled in the carriage, refusing to move, tears spinning in her eyes: “Go tell Li Zhijie that this Princess has fallen ill. If Jin’s Crown Prince wants to see me, he should personally come to this Princess for an audience!”

“Your Highness…” Lu Tianzhuo’s voice came from outside the carriage. “This slave knows this matter has greatly wronged Your Highness. It’s only right for Your Highness to lose your temper.”

Hearing Lu Tianzhuo’s voice, Li Tianfu hurriedly sat up, her slender white jade-like fingers lifting the carriage curtain. Seeing Lu Tianzhuo standing outside the carriage with his refined, handsome features like an elegant young gentleman, Li Tianfu’s already mist-filled bright black eyes began dropping large tears.

“Even if Your Highness is angry, you must endure it for the greater good…” Lu Tianzhuo looked up to see Li Tianfu crying heavily, her gaze looking at him with resentment. His heart ached slightly as he lowered his eyes and took out a neatly folded clean handkerchief from inside his chest garment, offering it to Li Tianfu with both hands.

Li Tianfu bit her lower lip and petulantly snatched the handkerchief, releasing her slender white hand that had been holding up the curtain, using the handkerchief to dab her tears.

Catching a faint whiff of Lu Tianzhuo’s clean magnolia-like fragrance on the handkerchief, Li Tianfu’s mood calmed considerably. She commanded the palace maids in the carriage with a stern face: “All of you get out! Lu Tianzhuo, you come in and make tea!”

Outside the carriage, Lu Tianzhuo’s palms tightened as he nodded: “Yes!”

Li Tianfu looked at the palace maids kneeling throughout the carriage: “Why aren’t you going out?”

The palace maids immediately responded and respectfully withdrew from the carriage.

“Lord Lu, please…” Li Tianfu’s maid respectfully bowed to Lu Tianzhuo.

Everyone knew Lu Tianzhuo was a eunuch, so no one would think much of him being alone with the Princess inside the carriage.

Lu Tianzhuo lifted the hem of his robe and calmly boarded the carriage. After kneeling and bowing to Li Tianfu, he had someone bring water to wash his hands, then personally prepared tea for Li Tianfu.

Li Tianfu leaned against the round pillow, watching the refined and elegant Lu Tianzhuo gracefully lift the teapot from the small stove to warm the tea utensils, truly putting on the appearance of preparing tea for her. Li Tianfu could no longer restrain herself and rushed into Lu Tianzhuo’s embrace in three steps. Lu Tianzhuo was caught off guard, his back hitting the wooden panel, causing the tea utensils on the wooden table to clatter.

The palace maids outside the carriage all kept their heads down, pretending not to hear anything.

Inside the carriage, Li Tianfu wrapped her arms around Lu Tianzhuo’s neck and kissed him through the veil on her face, tears streaming like broken pearls.

Lu Tianzhuo’s throat rolled as he carefully grasped Li Tianfu’s shoulders, gently pushing her away. His deep eyes couldn’t hide his heartache as he lowered his voice: “Your Highness, this slave… this slave is a eunuch, unworthy of Your Highness! Your Highness should forget about this slave!”

“How can you ask me to forget?!” Li Tianfu’s voice choked as she imperiously tore at Lu Tianzhuo’s clothing. “When you taught me about love between men and women, why didn’t you say you were a eunuch?! Today, this Princess will have you!”

Lu Tianzhuo’s chest garment was torn open. He grasped Li Tianfu’s hands, his eyes reddening as he choked out: “Your Highness, this slave is a eunuch. Does Your Highness want to humiliate this slave so? This slave only wants Your Highness to have a real man as husband. Please, Your Highness… leave this slave some dignity.”

Though Li Tianfu had made this demand many times, in front of the woman he loved, how could Lu Tianzhuo let her see his mutilated body?

If he must hate, he only hated that he was no longer a man!

But if he hadn’t castrated himself and entered Western Liang’s imperial palace, how would he have met Li Tianfu?

Li Tianfu’s tear-filled eyes glared at Lu Tianzhuo, but as she stared… all the anger in them turned into a heart full of resentment.

“How can you be so heartless?!” Li Tianfu wept uncontrollably, her heart full of indignation. Her gaze fell on Lu Tianzhuo’s torn collar, and without thinking, she bit down on Lu Tianzhuo’s shoulder.

Lu Tianzhuo gasped in pain. Li Tianfu took the opportunity to free her hands and straddle Lu Tianzhuo, holding him tightly, biting until her mouth was full of the sweet, metallic taste of blood, but still refusing to let go.

Lu Tianzhuo’s nostrils flared. The pain in his shoulder couldn’t compare to the pain in his heart. He couldn’t help but raise his hand to gently embrace Li Tianfu’s slender waist, his warm palm softly stroking Li Tianfu’s trembling back, allowing her to bite and tear at him, trying to calm her emotions.

The fierce biting eventually turned into low whimpering. Li Tianfu’s crying sounded like a young beast’s full unwillingness and grief with no one to tell.

Inside the magnificent tent, drums and music played together, lights blazed brilliantly, and amid light songs and graceful dances, the Crown Prince and Li Zhijie raised their cups in toast.

Li Zhijie’s pair of peach blossom eyes never left Bai Qingyan during their conversation and laughter, which even the Crown Prince had noticed, inevitably feeling displeased.

Western Liang’s Prince Yan Li Zhijie had no principal consort yet. Could it be… he had taken a fancy to Bai Qingyan? If Bai Qingyan married into Western Liang, that would be no benefit to Great Jin—a point he understood his Imperial Father would certainly understand as well.