The loyal soul cannot rest in peace; Fenghua is married off to a distant land.
The news of Lu Beichen and his wife Shen Anci's heroic sacrifice struck the Liang court like a heavy hammer. Amidst the nation's grief, an even harsher reality loomed: the northern frontier's morale was wavering due to the loss of their commander, and while the enemy army had also suffered heavy casualties, its arrogance remained undiminished, and it continued to lurk menacingly.
The atmosphere at court was heavy and tense. Urgent reports from the border poured in like snowflakes, all saying that the enemy was gathering and preparing to attack. The elite troops of the Great Liang had suffered heavy losses and would be unable to organize an effective counterattack in the short term. The pro-peace ministers began to gain the upper hand, believing that they should temporarily avoid confrontation and plan for the long term.
Emperor Zhao Huan sat on the dragon throne, his face haggard, his eyes bloodshot. He was both heartbroken by the death of his beloved general and worried about the difficulties facing the country. In the end, he made a difficult decision: to send a prince to the northern frontier to temporarily stabilize the morale of the army with the power of the imperial family, while simultaneously negotiating peace with the enemy country.
The one who took on this important task was the Fifth Prince, Prince Yi, Zhao Jinglan.
Zhao Jinglan's mother came from a military family, and he himself had practiced martial arts since childhood. He was resolute and courageous, and had always aspired to a military career. Without hesitation, he took on this hot potato and led an elite force to reinforce the northern frontier.
After arriving in the northern frontier, Prince Yi, relying on his royal status and ruthless methods, quickly reorganized the remaining troops, executed several generals who had undermined morale, and temporarily stabilized the defensive line. He personally donned armor and went into battle, sharing the hardships with his soldiers, which greatly boosted morale. Under his command, the Liang army barely withstood several probing attacks from the enemy.
However, the disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves was enormous. Daliang had just suffered a defeat, its national strength weakened, while the enemy had been plotting for a long time and was at the height of its military power. A prolonged stalemate would be extremely disadvantageous for Daliang. The enemy also recognized this, and after failing to gain much advantage in several small-scale conflicts, they proposed terms for peace talks.
The terms of the peace talks were extremely harsh and insulting.
The enemy state demanded that the Great Liang cede three border prefectures and pay a huge annual tribute. Most importantly, they demanded that the Great Liang emperor marry one of his own princesses to the enemy state as a peace treaty, in order to establish a lasting alliance and end the war.
When the news reached the capital, it shocked the court and the public! Ceding territory and paying reparations was already a disgrace, let alone sending a princess of noble birth to that harsh and desolate land for a political marriage? This was simply trampling on the dignity of the Great Liang!
In the imperial court, the pro-war faction was filled with righteous indignation, vowing never to suffer such humiliation. But the reality was that the national treasury was empty and the troops were exhausted; if war continued, the country risked destruction. The pro-peace faction, on the other hand, argued that sacrificing a princess could buy them a chance to recover and rebuild their strength for the future.
The emperor faced an unprecedentedly difficult choice. He had three princesses: his eldest daughter, Princess Fenghua (born to Consort Xian), had just come of age; his second and third daughters were both still minors. Of these, only Princess Fenghua was of marriageable age.
Inside Fenghua Palace, Zhao Yiru was struck dumb upon hearing the news.
Having grown up in the inner palace, pampered and favored, she never imagined her fate would be intertwined with the cold affairs of the state. To be married off to a foreign land, unable to speak the language, bound by different customs, with an uncertain future, and perhaps never being able to return to her homeland… Fear and despair instantly overwhelmed this fifteen-year-old girl. She knelt before the Consort Xian, tears streaming down her face: “Mother! I don’t want to go! I’d rather die!”
Consort Xian, holding her daughter, was also heartbroken, but she knew that this matter concerned the fate of the nation, and was beyond their control. She could only comfort her through tears, saying, "My child... this is your fate... for the sake of the Great Liang, for the sake of the people... I've wronged you..."
Ultimately, faced with the harsh reality, the emperor made a painful decision.
He issued an edict agreeing to the marriage alliance. He bestowed upon Princess Fenghua the title of "Princess Gulun Yong'an" and sent her to marry into the enemy country to end the war.
On the day the imperial edict was issued, the entire palace was shrouded in sorrow. Inside Prince Yi's residence, Zhao Jingyi, enraged, smashed his beloved inkstone and roared with red eyes, "Outrageous! This is too much! Are all the men of Great Liang dead? We have to rely on a girl to exchange for peace through a marriage alliance?!"
Qin Yuti held her daughter Nuannuan, her eyes also brimming with tears. She recalled Princess Fenghua's dignified and serene appearance on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, and her heart was filled with reluctance and helplessness. The country was in dire straits, yet a frail woman had to bear such a heavy price.
On the day of the wedding, the capital was shrouded in gloom.
There were no celebratory drums, only mournful horns. Princess Fenghua, dressed in a magnificent wedding gown and wearing a heavy pearl crown, with a pale face and empty eyes, bid farewell to her father and emperor amidst the heart-wrenching cries of Consort Xian, and boarded the carriage bound for a foreign land.
The convoy slowly drove out of the city gate and disappeared into the swirling yellow sand. On the city wall, the emperor gazed in the direction his daughter had gone, tears streaming down his face. Prince Yi, Zhao Jinglan, stood atop the frontier city wall, his fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms, and he swore a blood oath in his heart: The humiliation of today will be avenged in blood one day! He will surely crush the enemy nation and bring back his imperial sister!
Princess Fenghua's marriage to a distant land temporarily gave the Great Liang Dynasty a chance to breathe.
But this peace was bought with the blood of loyal generals and the tears of princesses; it was a heavy and humiliating victory.
The winds of the northern frontier remain biting, blowing across the cenotaphs of the fallen soldiers and stirring the hearts of every citizen of the Great Liang.
Inside Prince Yi's residence, Zhao Jingyi looked at his innocent and ignorant children in his arms and realized for the first time that as a member of the royal family, while enjoying honor, he also bore inescapable responsibilities and...helplessness.
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