Da Zhao’s customs were open. Princesses, unlike ordinary women, were by general consensus entitled to be spirited and free. The customs of the foreign peoples were only more open still — when a man and woman took a fancy to each other, one could walk into the other’s tent.

Princess Baohua’s dance had carried the atmosphere to its peak. Her public teasing of the young general had been an inspired stroke of brilliance, dissolving the earlier tension and antagonism as if it had never been.

When the dance concluded and the dancers withdrew like a receding wave, the Emperor laughingly waved Xie Yuzhang over. “My Baohua, come to Father.”

Xie Yuzhang smiled and sat at the Emperor’s side, attending him just as Li Gu attended Li Ming.

The Emperor smiled toward Chancellor Zhang. “My daughter has also grown up.” She had even learned to tease handsome young men.

Xie Yuzhang held the jade vessel and smiled as she poured wine for the Emperor. In her past life the Emperor had not called her to sit beside him, but he had said these same words. At that time she had known nothing of what was about to come and had been full of happiness.

And sure enough, once the Emperor had made that hinting remark, an elderly, powerfully-built man with a salt-and-pepper beard rose from the envoy’s seats — the lead envoy, the man who had helped negotiate this arrangement already decided upon in advance. Formalities still had to be observed before the assembled guests.

Xie Yuzhang looked up. She recognized this old man — Abuha, the Great National Preceptor whom Ashina Khan trusted implicitly, the Great Shaman of the tribe. She also remembered he was the lead envoy of this delegation — the very man who had brought her to the frontier beyond.

But she did not remember that Xia’erdan had also been among the delegation.

She could not remember much more than that. From Yunjing to beyond the frontier, the entire journey — she had buried herself in the cart, a wreck of grief, mourning what she saw as the end of her life. For the her of that time, “the distant marriage” was already the ending. She had not known then that life’s hardships had barely begun.

Throughout that journey she had been listless and dull, not falling ill but lacking the energy to deal with anyone. All external matters had been handled by Lin Fei on her behalf. As for who had been in the delegation — she had no memory whatsoever.

“Esteemed Emperor of Great Zhao.” Abuha smiled and raised his cup toward the Emperor. “I have come representing the most valiant Khan on the steppe, bearing wishes of friendship and goodwill. Today, seeing Great Zhao has such a beautiful princess, I am reminded of a saying from our steppe — the most beautiful girl should be wed to the most valiant man. On our steppe, there is no man more valiant than Ashina Khan. And this beautiful princess — I hear she is the daughter of the Empress herself, the most honored of all the princesses. Your Majesty, I have come with sincere wishes for peace. Please allow me to humbly seek this beautiful and noble princess in marriage for our valiant and wise Khan.”

Preceptor Abuha regularly presided over various ceremonies on the steppe. His official language was quite serviceable, but it had a drawn-out, ecclesiastical quality that made him sound rather theatrical. He was a good match for the court attendant at the hall entrance whose job it was to announce arrivals in that specially projected voice.

At these words, the foreign guests’ expressions did not change. The senior Da Zhao officials positioned at the front similarly showed no reaction — clearly all had known in advance. It was the younger attendants beside them who mostly showed expressions of astonishment. One particularly young one nearly leapt to his feet and was firmly pressed down by his own grandfather.

Xie Yuzhang glanced up calmly, her gaze moving to Li Ming’s table.

She saw Li Gu’s expression change.

His eyes also moved toward her. Xie Yuzhang lowered her gaze and avoided that look.

Though the matter had been decided in private long since, the Emperor did not immediately agree in front of everyone. He and the Mobei Khaganate’s preceptor exchanged a few rounds — along the lines of “my daughter is still young,” “she is my precious jewel and I cannot bear to let her go,” and so on.

Abuha responded with promises — not lacking in somewhat exaggerated praise for Ashina Khan.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Ashina Khan was an old man of an age that could have made him Xie Yuzhang’s grandfather.

Li Gu pressed his lips together, having now understood why Li Ming had said Princess Baohua was “beyond reach” and “what a pity.” He must have sought her hand and then learned the inside story in advance.

Li Gu’s hands on his knees curled into fists. Looking up at Xie Yuzhang — still as carved jade at the Emperor’s side above — a place inside him ached and choked, as though blocked by something.

A small person. He was a small, insignificant person.

Li Gu had never understood this with more depth than he did now.

In Hexi he commanded five thousand Flying Tiger soldiers and could cut down gods and annihilate Buddhas — his name alone made the foreign peoples of the steppe and desert tremble. He seemed, in some small way, to have some power. But here in this grand and magnificent hall, he understood to his very bones how powerless and lowly he truly was.

Li Gu’s fists rested on his knees, knuckles white with force — and then he heard a sweet, clear voice say, “I am willing.”

Li Gu’s head snapped up.

Xie Yuzhang had given the Emperor and the Preceptor sufficient time for their performance. When the moment felt right, she set down the jade vessel, raised her head, and called out in a bright, clear voice, “Imperial Father, your daughter is willing.”

The audience’s gaze shifted from the two main performers to Xie Yuzhang, who had been arranged to serve as background. Both the Da Zhao guests and the foreign ones looked up in surprise.

Xie Yuzhang stepped out from her seat, bowed deeply, and straightened.

“As a princess of Great Zhao, I have enjoyed all the wealth and splendor this dynasty has to offer. I have long been troubled that as a woman, I had no way to repay this. Today, having the opportunity to ease Imperial Father’s burdens — your daughter is filled with joy.”

Xie Yuzhang’s jade-pale face held a smile.

“Your daughter is willing to follow Princess Shanqi’s example — to offer this body in going to Mobei and joining the two families in alliance. Let Great Zhao and Mobei, from this day forth, be eternally bound as brothers, free from the sorrow of war.”

“My child…” The Emperor was deeply moved. His eyes shimmered with tears.

Chancellor Zhang rose, praising, “With a princess of Princess Baohua’s deep sense of righteousness and duty, this is a blessing for all of Great Zhao.”

“Imperial Father.” Xie Yuzhang looked up at the Emperor with a smile. “Imperial Father need not feel sorrow over losing this body. Since Baohua was born a princess, she ought to bear a princess’s responsibilities.”

In that other life, she had lain at her father’s feet and pleaded. He had said: you were born a princess, and should bear a princess’s responsibilities — then turned and left.

“Baohua only wishes that peace may reign across the four seas, and that all the people may live in safety and harmony.”

May the people of Yunjing and the people of Da Zhao suffer a little less in the warfare that was to come.

“May our Xie family be blessed, long-enduring, and protected from harm.”

May her younger sisters and the imperial clan — if they could be saved — live; if they must cling to survival by a thread, let them at least live long enough to meet again.

“Baohua has no other wish — only to pray that Heaven may protect our Great Zhao, and that this age of prosperity may endure forever.”

Princess Baohua Xie Yuzhang’s bowing figure burned itself into Li Gu’s vision, searing his eyes with pain.

In his ears rose the voices of all those gathered, crying out as one: “May Heaven protect our Great Zhao! May this age of prosperity endure forever!”

The image of a prosperous dynasty receiving tribute from all foreign lands — all of it in its full glory.

Li Gu’s memory of the banquet’s final moments was very hazy. He did not know how it ended, how it dispersed. When he returned to the Li residence in Zhuque Ward, he excused himself to Li Ming and walked away with long strides to his room.

This left Li Weifeng — who had been waiting up specially to hear about the excitement — entirely baffled. “What’s the matter with Eleventh?”

Li Ming was not bothered. He shook his head and said, “Princess Baohua is going to Mobei as a peace bride. He’s unhappy about it.”

Li Weifeng stared. “That Princess Baohua?”

Li Ming replied drily, “Who else would it be?”

“Who is she marrying?” Li Weifeng was shocked. “That old villain Ashina?”

Hearing that a girl as beautiful as a flower was to be married to that old wretch Ashina, Li Weifeng’s chest ached. He lamented, “Why does it have to be her!”

Li Ming also sighed. “That girl is something.” What a pity the best children were always born into other people’s families.

He glanced at Li Weifeng, who was still shaking his head and clucking his tongue.

“Go check on Eleventh.” He said. “Tell him not to get carried away with his thoughts.”

Li Weifeng’s face went red. “He’s not getting carried away.”

Both these boys were on their first trip out of the northwest, following him to broaden their horizons. First thing, they’d run into a girl like Princess Baohua. Of course they’d be moved. Young men with hot blood in their veins — it would be strange if they weren’t.

Perfectly normal.

Li Ming smiled to himself.

Zhaoxia Palace was very quiet. Lin Fei and Xie Yuzhang sat facing each other across the low table on the large bed-platform.

“So it’s completely settled,” Lin Fei murmured to herself.

“Wasn’t it already known?” Xie Yuzhang smiled.

The general situation had unfolded much the same as in her past life. Because Xie Yuzhang had not yet come of age, the Emperor and Preceptor Abuha had agreed that she would first be married over, and the marriage would only be consummated when she turned seventeen.

In Da Zhao, people were prosperous enough that not only noble families but many affluent commoners kept their daughters until seventeen or eighteen before marrying them off. Only the poorest households — unwilling or unable to raise a daughter — sent their girls away early, to be married or sold.

To win the hand of Da Zhao’s most honored legitimate princess was a merit surpassing every previous envoy’s. Abuha was extremely pleased with himself. The Khan had no shortage of women; he agreed to this small condition without hesitation.

In her past life the Emperor had made the same agreement with the Preceptor — and yet…

Lin Fei said softly, “It’s just — as long as it hadn’t been said aloud, there was still a hope in my heart. I always thought, maybe…”

“There is no ‘maybe.'” Xie Yuzhang swept away those bleak memories of her past life, leaned back against the cushion, turned her head and propped her cheek on her hand. “Those things that are plainly laid out and only officially announced at the last moment — they have already gone through who knows how many rounds of back-and-forth negotiation. Those so-called ‘coincidences’ are all arranged by people. Most of what gets called ‘bad luck’ is someone else’s plan working better than your own.”

Lin Fei looked at her steadily for a long moment.

Xie Yuzhang raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

Lin Fei said, with warmth in her voice, “Actually, my greatest worry has always been you, Your Highness. And yet, contrary to what I expected — you are calmer than even I am. Seeing you like this, I am at ease. From now on, whatever we face, we will face it together and find a way. There is nothing we cannot get through.”

“Together”?

Xie Yuzhang thought of her own arrangements and smiled.

“Let’s sleep early,” she said with a yawn. “Tomorrow I still have to go to Hanliang Hall to cry again.”

“Hmm?” Lin Fei was puzzled.

Xie Yuzhang’s pale fingers covered her lips. Her gaze was quietly thoughtful. “Of course — since the day will come when I must be far away and unable to attend to Imperial Father, I should spend as much time as possible now fulfilling my filial duties at his side… as the saying goes, isn’t it the crying child who gets the sweet?”

Lin Fei was first astonished, then pressed her lips together in a smile. Now that everything was settled, the earlier anxiety and dread fell away, replaced by a steadiness that settled into her heart.

She said, “Good!”

Xie Yuzhang did indeed go to Hanliang Hall to cry the next day.

The Emperor cried along with her.

This was truly something the Emperor was capable of. This particular Emperor was, by nature, given to sentimentality.

When Lin Fei heard about it, she was rather speechless. She only asked, “How did it go?”

“It worked,” Xie Yuzhang said. “Imperial Father promised me that my wedding trousseau will be prepared lavishly.”

Lin Fei quietly exhaled.

Before the two could discuss the matter in more detail, a palace maid came to report: “The Marchioness of the Xun Duchy has arrived.”

Xie Yuzhang sighed lightly, stood, and said, “Don’t keep Aunt by marriage waiting. I’ll go out to greet her.”

Xie Yuzhang went out to meet her. The Marchioness of the Xun Duchy was dressed in full formal attire appropriate to her rank, but her eyes were red. The moment she saw Xie Yuzhang, her tears came at once. “Your Highness!”

“Aunt.” Xie Yuzhang went to take her by the arm. “How is Grandmother?”

The Marchioness gripped her hand, tearfully saying, “She heard the news last night and fell ill.”

Xie Yuzhang was grieved. When her maternal grandmother had died, she had been beyond the frontier and unable to pay her final respects. It seemed now that this would happen again.

These things that even rebirth could not change — they brought her a particular kind of sorrow.

Aunt and niece walked in together arm in arm, the Marchioness weeping again and again. “Why does it have to be you.”

She thought of Princess Anle’s sudden retreat to a nunnery days earlier to pray for her mother. The business of Li Ming seeking a princess for his son’s hand — only the Emperor, Noble Consort Shu, Princess Anle, and Li Ming himself had known about it. The Xun Duchy household naturally assumed, just as Xie Yuzhang had, that Noble Consort Shu had arranged for Princess Anle to take refuge in the nunnery precisely to avoid being sent as a peace bride. They were naturally furious.

“When A’Shen brought back word from your side earlier, I still dared not believe it. I kept thinking — surely it couldn’t come to you, the legitimate princess born of the Empress herself. Then your uncle returned from the palace, and he didn’t sleep all night, kept saying he had let your mother down. I tried twice these past two days to send in my visiting card to enter the palace. Noble Consort Shu kept blocking it. She must have been afraid we would cause a scene before it was all settled.” She choked. “Last night His Majesty announced the matter in person, and Grandmother heard the news and collapsed from the shock right then and there.”

Xie Yuzhang shed tears. “This is all my fault for making Grandmother grieve.”

“Dear child, don’t say that.” The Marchioness held Xie Yuzhang close. She realized that the most heartbroken person in this moment ought to be Xie Yuzhang herself, and forced herself not to cry, turning instead to comfort her. “Your uncle also entered the palace. He went to see His Majesty. Your trousseau, your escort — he will certainly insist on having a hand in that. Everything you will need to establish yourself and live securely in the years ahead depends on these things. He will never allow the Court of the Imperial Clan to prepare them shabbily. You don’t need to be afraid. Whatever kind of place beyond the frontier may be, as long as we pack everything properly, no matter how hard things get, no one will let you suffer.”

Her blood uncle, as if of one mind with Xie Yuzhang, had also gone before the Emperor to weep — for the sister who had died too soon.

The Emperor — certainly had wept again with him too.

In her past life, when Xun Duke Yang Changyuan entered the palace to mourn the late Empress, the Emperor had given Xie Yuzhang nothing more than a few additional rolls of silk and bolts of cloth.

In this lifetime, after Yang Changyuan wept out this one scene — the number of guards to accompany Xie Yuzhang into the frontier beyond was raised from two hundred to five hundred men.