One by one, guests rose from their seats to present wedding gifts—a parade of valuable offerings meant to curry favor or appease sovereign power. Xia Jingshi turned away from the spectacle, lifting his jade-inlaid cup to study the amber wine within. His smile was measured, distant.
Not one gift held genuine congratulations. Not even he possessed the joy expected of a bridegroom.
Royal marriages were political theater, nothing more.
Feng Xiyang noticed his withdrawal. She stole glances at him while pretending to sip her wine, watching his expression remain as faint as morning mist, his eyes cold as winter stars. Though he sat beside her, his heart dwelt elsewhere—as if this wedding banquet concerned him not at all.
The joy that had buoyed her for days began to sink. They were husband and wife now, yet she still couldn't claim his attention. Whatever warmth lived in his eyes, none of it fell upon her.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, Xia Jingshi turned. Feng Xiyang had no time to look away—her hurt laid bare beneath his clear scrutiny.
"Are you unwell?" His voice softened as he reached for her cup. "The wine is strong. Don't drink too much."
That gentleness pierced the gathering darkness in her heart like sudden sunlight. Feng Xiyang's smile blazed forth as she reclaimed the cup from his hand. Rising slowly, she faced the assembled crowd, commanding every eye.
Her lashes swept upward in graceful arcs, her bearing radiant with dignity. Silence descended like a held breath.
"Today, my husband has gifted me a beautiful phoenix crown." Her voice carried through the hall, trembling slightly with emotion. "I wish to give him something in return, but I don't know what would please him. So I can only offer myself—wholeheartedly, completely. From this day forward, I will be a devoted wife, sharing his burdens and his triumphs, his sorrows and his joys. Heaven and earth bear witness. All present bear witness!"
She drained the cup in one swift motion. As jade met table with a decisive clink, color bloomed across her cheeks—whether from wine or passion, who could say? Her eyes sparkled like stars reflected in dark water.
The silence deepened. Somewhere, a wine cup toppled, its contents dripping steadily to the floor. No servant moved to clean it.
Feng Suige turned, staring at his youngest sister with something approaching wonder. Was this truly Xiyang—the spoiled favorite who mere days ago had wheedled precious ornaments from him under the guise of wedding preparations? The girl's shyness had been replaced by something fiercer: an undisguised hunger for love.
Confusion flickered across Xia Jingshi's features. Four years prior, an imperial messenger had brought word that Princess Xiyang would marry no one but him. He'd dismissed it as political maneuvering. But now, hearing her declare such devotion before the entire court, he wondered what crucial moment he had missed.
Ling Xueying had heard Fu Yixiao's accounts of Feng Xiyang's unusual behavior, yet still gaped at her companion. Yixiao returned a look that said you'll grow accustomed to it. Then her gaze drifted to the slender figure in green upon the dais, and regret stirred. If Feng Xiyang weren't Susha's princess, if she weren't entangled in these murky political waters, perhaps they could have been friends—traveling together, laughing under sun and moon.
Into the stunned silence, Feng Qishan's voice fell like a stone into still water. "Such sincerity—among all my daughters, only Xiyang possesses this quality. Xia Jingshi, you must not fail her."
At her father's words, Feng Xiyang's boldness finally cracked, revealing the shy maiden beneath. She sat quickly. The officials who'd watched her grow burst into warm laughter at this sudden show of modesty.
Xia Jingshi's lips curved slightly. "May our affection endure long—what need for honeyed words?"
"Good!" Feng Qishan's laughter boomed through the hall. "Then I can rest easy. Xiyang, you're a married woman now. Set aside your willful ways. Learn steadiness. When your father isn't beside you, you must make your own decisions. Ah, but it's difficult to let go..."
Feng Xiyang nodded obediently at first, but his wistful sigh brought tears to her eyes. She fought them back, pouting. "Father, today is my wedding day. Don't speak of sad things."
Seeing moisture gather on her lashes, Feng Qishan swallowed his melancholy, masking it by raising his cup in a distant toast to Xia Jingshi.
A voice cut through the tender moment—measured in volume but sharp in intent. "Strange that we see only our own gifts. Did the representatives from Jinxiu Kingdom arrive empty-handed?"
The words ignited a buzz of speculation. Xia Jingshi and Feng Xiyang frowned in unison, searching the crowd below.
The speaker wore a scholar's robe of ginger-yellow jacquard satin patterned with bats, but his bearing screamed military training. Now he fixed Xia Jingshi with an openly challenging stare.
Feng Xiyang's rebuke cracked like a whip. "Xun Xiang, if you wish to play the drunken fool, do so outside. Don't embarrass yourself here!"
The military official called Xun Xiang flushed at the public reprimand. But noticing King Feng Qishan's impassive expression, he found courage and rose to counter. "This humble official merely states facts. Doesn't Jinxiu Kingdom pride itself on abundant resources and population? Yet they hide like misers at this crucial moment—"
"General Xun." Feng Qishan interrupted Xiyang's gathering storm with perfect timing. "Guests deserve respect. Mind your manners."
Seeing the king intervene, Xun Xiang bit back his remaining words, though resentment smoldered as he resumed his seat. Feng Qishan glanced at Xia Jingshi's carefully blank expression before continuing. "The ancients spoke wisely: 'A thousand miles to gift a goose feather'—meaning sentiment matters, not expense. The gift lies in the heart's intent, not its weight. Watch your tongue."
Feng Suige's gaze darted between upper and lower seats, understanding dawning. His father was deliberately allowing Xun Xiang's provocations, though the purpose remained unclear. He held his silence, observing.
A thin man rose, bowing respectfully. "Your Majesty's wisdom illuminates all. We make no unreasonable demands, but Princess Xiyang's marriage affects the entire state. Can it truly be settled with just a golden crown?"
Ning Fei's patience snapped. "His Highness sent three batches of betrothal gifts to Susha during our journey. Moreover, upon bringing the Princess to Jinxiu, there will be a grand banquet where noble guests will offer congratulations. Do you plan to pack your bags and follow us there to present gifts a second time?"
The thin man stood speechless. Laughter erupted from the Jinxiu delegation while the Susha side broke into a clamor of defensive voices.
Feng Qishan tapped his golden vessel against the dragon table—a casual gesture that silenced the hall instantly. He surveyed the room with satisfaction before speaking gravely. "Enough squabbling. To argue red-faced over wedding gifts is beneath dignity."
Xiyang finally detected the ambiguity in his words. Seeing Xia Jingshi's continued silence, she feared rising anger and whispered urgently, "That Xun Xiang once sought my hand from Father, but was refused. Shortly after, I was betrothed to you, so he's always resented you. Don't lower yourself to his level."
Her frankness surprised a smile from Xia Jingshi. "What he says isn't without merit. I didn't consider thoroughly enough. I'll be more mindful in future. Why would I be angry?"
Xiyang snorted, glancing at him sideways. "How many times do you plan to marry?"
The words escaped before she could catch them. Seeing Xia Jingshi's amused expression, she blushed crimson and lowered her head. "I was joking. Xiyang won't object to you taking concubines."
Xia Jingshi's smile deepened, but he offered no reply.
While the couple whispered intimately on the dais—seemingly oblivious to watchful eyes—Xun Xiang's fury boiled over. He knelt among the seats and proclaimed loudly, "This subject has a matter to report to Your Majesty!"
Feng Qishan raised an eyebrow. "This is no court session, but speak freely."
"Yes." Xun Xiang shot a glance at Ning Fei before continuing. "This subject requests permission to escort the Princess to Jinxiu, and to bring 'heartfelt gifts' from myself and other officials to present at the grand banquet there."
The hall erupted in an uproar—waves of excited voices crashing against one another.
From her distant vantage point, Xueying studied Feng Qishan's expression and sneered. "He's deliberately showing favoritism, intentionally humiliating us."
Yixiao, already irritated, felt her mood darken further. "If this were an ordinary family, we could flip the table and storm out. But here, we can neither leave nor comfortably stay. Truly vexing."
Xiao Weiran, seated at their table, heard Yixiao's complaint and advised quietly, "Don't act rashly. We return tomorrow. We cannot afford mistakes."
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