Extra 2 Part 1

Wuqiu lay to the north of Great Qi, a nomadic nation caught between Great Qi and Huayue. The Huayue people were known for their bloodlust and brutality. Not only did they invade Great Qi and slaughter innocents, they frequently harassed Wuqiu as well, seeking to annex the small neighboring state and expand their territory.

The enemy of one’s enemy is a friend. Bu Nian had long considered forming an alliance with Wuqiu to jointly strike Huayue. Unfortunately, the envoys he had sent returned with disappointing news. The king of Wuqiu, old and timid, trembled at the very mention of Huayue. He no longer had the dignity of a sovereign, reduced instead to a coward who bent before Huayue’s tyranny.

The idea of an alliance had been shelved repeatedly. Later, domestic turmoil broke out in Great Qi, and Bu Nian had to spend considerable effort purging all the traitors and corrupt officials. Only after restoring order and eliminating internal threats did Great Qi enter a time of peace and prosperity. With the internal crisis resolved, only external enemies remained.

Perhaps the time had finally come. The old king of Wuqiu had recently died of old age. Even heaven seemed to be lending Bu Nian a helping hand.

The new king of Wuqiu, grandson of the late monarch, was only in his twenties. He was vigorous, ambitious, and burning with fighting spirit. Unlike his grandfather, he showed no fear of Huayue and refused to endure foreign oppression. The first thing he did after ascending the throne was send a delegation to Great Qi, bearing rich gifts and fine steeds, to propose an alliance.

But words alone were not enough to seal the alliance. The envoys also sought a political marriage, requesting a Great Qi princess to become their king’s bride.

Wuqiu was a remote land far from Great Qi. The journey was long, the people lived on cattle and sheep, dwelled in tents, and used felt for walls. Their customs were crude, their etiquette lacking. It was no place a noble princess of imperial blood could possibly endure. Once news of the Wuqiu delegation’s marriage proposal spread, all the noble families in the capital with unmarried daughters rushed to find husbands for them, eager to seal engagements. Fear swept through every household.

The young emperor of Great Qi was only twelve years old this year. He was too young to have an empress, let alone a daughter to offer in marriage. The late emperor had indeed left behind several princesses, but they had all been married off at the beginning of his reign to secure the loyalty of the feudal lords. Now, they were all mothers already.

The young ladies of the capital were all good daughters. To send any of them into such a harsh land was something the young emperor couldn’t bring himself to do. Unable to make a decision, he passed the unenviable task to Prime Minister Lu.

Having served for decades, Prime Minister Lu had long since developed an unshakable fortitude. As the emperor’s right hand, he understood that it was his duty to share the burdens of the throne. Without complaint, he took on the bitter assignment.

He had invitations sent to each household under the name of the Prime Minister’s wife, inviting the noble ladies of the capital to the Prime Minister’s residence to admire the spring blossoms. Guests were to select the most beautiful and flourishing of the dozens of peony bushes in his garden, and crown it the “King of Flowers.”

Originally, the invitations were only meant for officials with daughters, but somehow, perhaps due to a mistake along the way, even the Grand General’s estate inexplicably received one.

Lian Ai held the invitation, puzzled, his brows slightly furrowed. “A flower-viewing banquet is usually attended by women. Why invite me?”

The servant from the Prime Minister’s estate was a muddle-headed fool, and after delivering the invitation, didn’t bother to explain anything. He only muttered, “It’s for your household’s lady,” before hurrying off.

The doorman figured that in the General’s estate, there was only one person who could be called “lady of the house.” Without thinking much, he passed the invitation to Lian Ai.

“This… this servant isn’t sure either. That’s what the boy from the Prime Minister’s estate said. He insisted that Young Master must attend.”

The envoys from Wuqiu had to be properly received. To show respect, Bu Nian personally escorted them around the capital in recent days, allowing them to witness the wealth and strength of Great Qi. He had been so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, even spending the nights at the guest compound. It had already been several days since he last returned home.

Unable to find anyone to consult, Lian Ai could only sigh as he looked at the invitation. The event was set for the next day. Left with no choice, he asked Fen Zi to help him prepare and resolved to attend the flower-viewing banquet as scheduled.

On the following day, dressed in formal attire of soft lake blue and bringing a gift, Lian Ai arrived at the Prime Minister’s estate. A pearl-draped forehead ornament hung delicately between his brows, enhancing his refined and elegant appearance. He handed the invitation to the gatekeeper, who stared at it for quite some time, visibly confused.

It was clearly an invitation for the noblewomen of the city, so why had a man come?

“This young master, please wait a moment… this servant will go ask my lord and return shortly.” Unable to decide on his own, the gatekeeper hurried inside to seek instruction.

It was well known that this so-called flower-viewing banquet was never truly about flowers. It was a selection banquet held specifically for the Wuqiu envoy.

Since the Emperor could not bring himself to decide which noble family’s daughter should be sent for the alliance marriage, he had simply left it up to fate. Whoever the envoy chose would be the one. With the decision left to chance, no one could complain, nor could anyone defy the outcome.

When Prime Minister Lu heard that Lian Ai had arrived, his expression shifted slightly. He frowned and asked, “Why was someone from Bu Nian’s household invited? Who sent that invitation?”

Though not intimately familiar with the temperament of the Bu family, Prime Minister Lu had long-standing ties with both father and son. He understood enough to know that whatever good traits Bu Nian had, they surpassed even those of his father. But when it came to flaws, his father couldn’t even come close.

People said Bu Nian bore grudges and repaid them tenfold. It was enough to make anyone tremble. Even now, whenever officials brought up what happened to Gan Yan, it still drew sighs. While many believed he brought it on himself, the punishment was so brutal it chilled the heart. And it was said that what pushed Bu Nian to such fury, apart from long-standing resentment, was thanks in large part to that young master of the Helian family.

Bu Nian had turned Gan Yan into a living corpse for him. He had stormed the Fenglei Fort overnight and wiped out the rebels, all for him. That alone showed just how much he meant to Bu Nian.

Some people were untouchable. They were a man’s weakness, a buried thorn. Touch them, and you would invite the wrath of a beast that would tear you to pieces without mercy.

Prime Minister Lu sighed. “Enough. Let him in. See that he is well taken care of. Not even the slightest neglect.”

When Lian Ai was finally brought into the Prime Minister’s estate, he felt something was off. When the doorman first took his invitation, the man had clearly looked surprised and uncertain, saying he had to ask his master. It was obvious something had gone wrong with the delivery. Otherwise, why such confusion? And yet now, they were really letting him in. Had they decided to go along with the mistake?

The flower banquet may have been an excuse, but the flowers themselves were real. Spring was in full bloom. Pear blossoms, apricot blossoms, and peach blossoms had all opened at once. A single gust of wind sent white petals drifting like snow. It was almost too much to take in at once. Peonies, garden roses, and Chinese roses stood in brilliant color among the lower hedges. Walking through the garden, every step offered a different view. There was too much beauty to absorb at once.

Faced with such a scene, he set aside his suspicions for the moment and focused on enjoying the flowers.

He was, after all, a grown man. No matter how striking his features or how slim his frame, his appearance in the garden like this was bound to attract the attention of the ladies.

The wives of court officials weren’t particularly interested in flowers. What they truly enjoyed was mingling with one another, catching up on gossip from the capital over tea in the flower hall. As for the garden, it was filled with vibrant young ladies, each one blooming like a flower herself, trying to outshine the spring blossoms around them.

The first to spot Lian Ai was the daughter of Minister Liang. She was young, unafraid of strangers, and approached him with a fan covering her mouth, smiling brightly.

“Whose brother are you? Why are you here in the garden? Didn’t anyone tell you this is a flower-viewing banquet?”

Lian Ai smiled back at her. “I came because I received an invitation. If you don’t believe me, take a look.” As he spoke, he really did take out the invitation and handed it over for her to see.

Miss Liang glanced at it and found it was exactly the same as the one their household had received. Judging from the name on the invitation, this man was from the Grand General’s residence.

“You’re Grand General Bu’s bedslave?” she asked. She was still young and didn’t yet understand the subtleties of such matters. Whatever came to mind, she said aloud. If Madam Liang had heard her, she would have turned pale on the spot and hurried to cover her daughter’s mouth, likely locking her in her room for a year or two of reflection.

Lian Ai had been awarded honors by His Majesty for his role in saving the Emperor’s life. Not only was he frequently summoned into the palace to accompany the sovereign, he was also showered with trust and rewards. By now, he was far from an ordinary commoner, and his relationship with Bu Nian was no secret among the capital’s nobility. Still, no one dared refer to Lian Ai with such a demeaning term as “bedslave.”

Only this young Miss Liang, bold and fearless in her innocence, would say such a thing.

Lian Ai could tell she meant no harm, so he didn’t take it to heart. Smiling, he replied, “I’m not his bedslave. I’m the one he loves.”

Behind her round fan, Miss Liang’s mouth parted slightly in astonishment. She hadn’t expected someone to openly claim to be Bu Nian’s beloved, much less a delicately handsome man.