Pearl falls

"While 'Shunhua' comes from the Book of Songs and is fitting for the princess's beauty, the hibiscus blooming in the morning and fading in the evening is clearly inauspicious. While 'Yongxi' evokes the bright sunshine of spring, it sounds too heavy. 'Yunrong,' on the other hand, comes from a famous line by the poet Li Bai, and is light and moving, matching the princess's age. In my opinion, it is the most suitable," Fu Qinxiang said slowly. Yunrong, Yunrong, ultimately drifted away like fleeting clouds, she thought to herself. In truth, born at this time, any honorific title or posthumous name was the best irony for the court.

"That makes sense, then let's make it a decision." The Emperor's voice drifted from the hall. He, of course, never overthought things; if one's thoughts are not in one's own hands for a long time, one's ability to make decisions will naturally be eroded. "But I heard that Liu Chunhua was the one who was rejected and driven out of the hall that day? My dear minister, you chose her, so what makes you so confident that she can win over the Khan of the Sands?" The Emperor held the registers for proposing titles in his hand, slightly puzzled. "My dear minister, you would never make such a mistake. Why don't you tell me your thoughts?"

Fu Qinxiang raised her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but although the princess was not chosen that day, according to Liu Guanhua, she devoted herself to practice after returning home, and now she is poised, elegant, and well-mannered. Moreover, among the high-ranking officials in the court, the Liu family has the best family background, and choosing a woman from the Liu family can be considered a testament to the strength of the Great Zhao. Most men in the Shajie tribes prefer the most dignified women among the Han people, and the princess is the most suitable." Fu Qinxiang was very satisfied with her choice. The emperor then pressed, "But she is still a young lady. If she were to commit suicide, wouldn't that be a disgrace to the Great Zhao?" Fu Qinxiang smiled and said, "No, she and Liu Guanhua have been close since childhood, and her heart will be firmly tied to her brother." Tang Yao was sitting opposite her, near the emperor, and her eyes were filled with resentment upon hearing this. No wonder everyone feared Fu Qinxiang; it turned out that she was skilled at orchestrating events—one link after another, one life after another, effortlessly manipulating the entire court. This marriage alliance between the princess and her brother was, in fact, a way to put both siblings in a very tight spot.

Just then, Liu Chunhua entered the hall. Each step she took was on a scarlet carpet; she had already changed into the shackle-like wedding dress the other party had designated, and the clatter of her jade pendants sounded like the scraping of a slowly tortured body, sending chills down one's spine. Fu Qinxiang admired her masterpiece, showing no pity whatsoever. She knew she had a way to ensure Liu Chunhua's safe escape, which was also her bargaining chip to make Liu Guanhua completely obedient to her.

Seeing Liu Chunhua arrive alone, Fu Qinxiang gestured to the palace maids on either side to assist her. Once she knelt, the Emperor unfurled the golden book and said, "You, Liu, are born into a noble family, possessing exquisite beauty. I hereby bestow upon you the title of 'Princess Yunrong,' and send you to pacify the borderlands." With these words, Liu Chunhua, her eyes brimming with tears, bowed her head to receive the crown. Supported by two palace maids, she rose and walked out of the hall. The Emperor looked at the beautiful young woman and thought that since he had such a rare beauty, it would be better to send her to a foreign land for peace and quiet. Thinking this, he couldn't help but glance at Tang Yao, who was quietly watching the princess leave, tears welling in her eyes as well. The Emperor secretly rejoiced that his most beloved concubine was more beautiful than any woman in the world; it wasn't a complete loss. Looking at Tang Yao's trembling eyelashes, he felt even more satisfied. Fu Qinxiang noticed the Emperor's gaze and rose to take her leave. The Emperor had only recently ascended the throne and showed no intention of establishing an Empress. Every few days, he would choose one of the beauties presented by Fu Qinxiang to sleep with, making him completely subservient to her. Recently, he had found a new favorite and abandoned his other concubines, a move stemming from both rebellion against Fu Qinxiang and long-suppressed resentment. It's hard to imagine what kind of love Tang Yao received. Fu Qinxiang, having never been loved and being cold-hearted, naturally had no idea, only secretly rejoicing that she didn't suffer such troubles.

The guards, acting on Fu Qinxiang's orders, carried the note as they moved through the procession. The dragon and sun-and-moon flags held high were vibrant and eye-catching, but the phoenix and luan flags were somewhat faded, with loose threads from hastily sewn overnight showing through the wind. The people on both sides knelt and shouted "Long live the princess!" but their hoarse voices, mixed with dust, revealed an unspoken sorrow. When the guards arrived on horseback, they handed the note to the sedan chair guards on either side and watched as the princess reached out to receive it before reining in their horses and returning to the golden steps to join Fu Qinxiang. The procession moved quickly, and as the crowd gradually dispersed, the guards joked, "I'm actually looking forward to seeing Shuangyue in her bridal sedan chair." Fu Qinxiang smiled and replied, "Me in a bridal sedan chair? I'm afraid they'll have to use a dragon throne to pick me up." The guards raised an eyebrow, inhaled, and said nothing more.

Bloodstains from the fight still lingered on the main road of Shajiesai. The setting sun cast its light on the broken flags and rusted halberds, adding to the desolate atmosphere. Liu Chunhua lowered the curtain, temporarily numbing herself. She recalled her days in her boudoir, where though the sky was only four corners, it felt freer than the vast grasslands.

—————

"Drink this sheep's blood, and you'll be my woman, Sarenmandula's woman." The Khan jokingly pulled Liu Chunhua into his arms, pressing the golden cup tightly against her lips. Smelling the strong, metallic odor, Liu Chunhua instinctively flinched, but the Khan grabbed her neck, pried open her teeth, and poured the blood-wine down her throat. The warm liquid flowed down her chin, feeling like a hot knife slowly searching for the best spot to cut through her flesh. Liu Chunhua glared at the Khan with a fierce look she'd never used before, wiping the blood from her lips with the sleeve of her wedding dress, holding back her tears. Seeing Liu Chunhua's anger, the Khan grabbed her wrist tightly and kissed it. Liu Chunhua narrowed her eyes in disgust, but remembering the note Fu Qinxiang had given her, she gritted her teeth and forced a gentle smile.

Only then did Liu Chunhua notice the richly dressed boy staring at her with burning eyes not far away. She pointed at him, and the Khan turned around, then burst into laughter, "Good eye! That's my eldest son! Don't worry, after I die, he will be—no, you will be his!" With that, the people in the yurt laughed mockingly. The boy blushed and drank some wine. Liu Chunhua felt nauseous, only managing a forced smile and nod. She was a princess, yet not the Khan's first wife, and according to custom, succession followed father to son—it was utterly shameful.

“You know, not long ago we had a Han Chinese general escape,” the Khan said, observing Liu Chunhua’s expression. “We chased him to a place called Banrihua, and even encountered some Xinjiang people, but we couldn’t find that barbarian.” Liu Chunhua wasn’t usually interested in fighting, but she had recently heard Liu Guanhua mention the Satai cavalry’s expedition, and she figured that the Han Chinese general was probably Zhao Peiming. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but listen up. The Khan said with satisfaction, “You saved that barbarian’s life! If you hadn’t come, we would have certainly not let him off! We had no intention of invading your Great Zhao; it was you who started the war to seize our territory.” From the book, Liu Chunhua knew that the Shajie Sai got its name because its years of warfare had caused desertification of the grasslands. They must also be exhausted, and their victory this time was somewhat lucky. Thinking of this, Liu Chunhua felt that this couldn’t continue indefinitely. Although she could keep them occupied for a few years, what would happen when she grew old and her beauty faded, and many more women would have to sacrifice their youth? We must find a way to truly put them at ease in order to prevent the potential threat of Shajie Sai being forced to expand its territory and invade Dazhao in the future.

"...Khan, you are mighty! If I had a plan that could spare you all from war and bring you plenty of food and clothing, would you be interested in hearing it?" Liu Chunhua had come from Da Zhao to marry a foreign ruler, so she was considered to be marrying down and therefore did not need to refer to herself as a servant or slave, nor did the two need to change their address to each other as husband and wife. Sarenmandula had been very satisfied with Liu Chunhua since he met her, only finding her slow to speak. Now, of course, he was happy to oblige, so he had everyone stop drinking and listen attentively to Liu Chunhua's words. Liu Chunhua looked around and gave a slight bow, saying, "There are ways to deal with the sand that blocks the way. The 'Shazhou Tujing,' a local gazetteer from Dunhuang in the Tang Dynasty, records the practice of using 'reed ropes' and 'strange willow fences' to block sand and protect roads. Why not use this method?" The Khan, somewhat annoyed, said, "To be honest, Princess, what do we men know about weaving reed ropes? Let alone fences." He turned to his brothers and looked at each other, then chuckled, "We'll probably have to break those damn things, hahaha."

Liu Chunhua, however, hadn't expected this reason, and instead felt much more relaxed, saying, "This isn't difficult. I'm skilled at weaving. Let's rest tonight, and I'll personally teach you the weaving techniques tomorrow, how about that?" Sarenmandula was naturally overjoyed. He boasted to the surrounding brothers about his wife's intelligence and wisdom, then dismissed everyone, leaving only him and Liu Chunhua in the tent. Seeing that everyone had left, Liu Chunhua suggested going for a walk outside, and Sarenmandula thought for a moment and nodded.

Stepping outside the tent, Liu Chunhua was overwhelmed by the vastness of the grasslands she had never seen before. She was utterly exhausted. Her brother had held her hand tightly, weeping and repenting, and they hadn't even seen each other one last time. Yet, this seemingly painful mark had been more brutally washed away by Sarenmandula. From inside the sedan chair, she had seen the man riding a horse and shooting arrows, more valiant than the corrupt officials in the court. Hearing the Khan's footsteps behind her, Liu Chunhua felt a strange sense of relief. But the thought that she might never return home brought a lump to her throat, and tears welled up—her brother was part of Fu Qinxiang's faction, yet she had always felt Fu Qinxiang was untrustworthy, and Fu Qinxiang's promises to her brother were like empty words. The Khan embraced her from behind with restraint, but his inexperience caused her to cry out in pain. "Missing home? Give me a child, and you can leave," the Khan's voice was low and deep, yet powerful. Liu Chunhua angrily broke free and ran across the grassland. In the distance, some people pretended to capture her, but she shouted, "Who dares to stop me!" Those people didn't dare to make a move, but when the princess shouted, they had no choice but to move a few steps to make a show of grabbing her.

Sarenmandula watched the shadow, heavy with the weight of jewels, and a fire ignited in his heart—he hadn't seen a girl like this in a long time, a girl so full of life, running. Nomadic people are always thrilled to see living creatures running, and Sarenmandula was no exception; he saw Liu Chunhua as half prey. Liu Chunhua, who rarely walked, naturally became exhausted after running for a short while. She collapsed to the ground, weeping bitterly. She didn't want to bear a child for a man she didn't love, nor did she want to force herself to love him with his supposed brilliance and prowess. She was only sixteen; she just wanted to go home.

Hearing Princess Yunrong's heart-wrenching cries, Sarenmandula felt a pang of pity. He thought the Great Zhao was utterly cowardly, willing to exchange a woman for peace. The armor and weapons he had captured from the recently fought army were already rusty, not even a fraction as tough as dried beef. This army had only managed to charge into the heart of the desert thanks to the soldiers' unwavering will. The Great Zhao had previously supplied him with grain and gold and silver; now, launching a war, it was likely a sign of its declining power. Thinking of this, Sarenmandula decided it would be better to find a good opportunity, once his new wife's desertification control efforts had stabilized, to form another army and attack the Great Zhao capital. He could also do a good deed, sending the princess back to her homeland to reunite with her family, and perhaps even secure a throne for himself.