Two neighboring clans. A raging war. Amidst the threat of defeat, the matriarch proposes a truce by marrying her daughter to the enemy clan.
However, the princess suddenly dies before the marriage ceremony. The matriarch forces Luwen, an orphan, to...
Biyu blinked her eyes once, then twice, unable to believe that she had been forgiven so easily.
"Not anymore," she conceded, giving Luwen a smile, though faint, for the first time. "I can be your friend as long as you'll never break my trust in the future."
Luwen's lips curved into a reciprocating smile, but beneath her mask laid several chaotic emotions; fear, guilt, and shame.
Because soon, she would have to break that trust someday.
But at this moment, there was nothing else she could do except to assure Biyu.
She touched the older girl's arm gently. "Rest assured, Yerong is a close friend," she diverted the conversation to a lighter topic. "I won't be in your way. Honestly, I wish you would be more honest with each other."
"About what?"
Luwen blinked twice, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Your feelings," she said matter-of-factly. "Everyone can see you two have feelings for each other."
Biyu's expression broke into a flustered state, her cheeks mottled red in embarrassment. Her frantic voice rambled, eyes darting left and right for listening ears. "I-I do not know what you're talking about!"
Luwen chuckled. "I think I do. An outsider's perspective on a situation is often more rational than those directly involved. Tell me, what's stopping you from conveying your true feelings to him?"
The question baffled Biyu. She chewed on the bottom of her lip, hesitant.
"I don't think he likes me in that manner," she confessed. "We've known each other since we were children. He nags at me all the time, just like my parents. He takes too much interest in my matters and is overprotective."
"Do you dislike him for behaving like this?"
Biyu blinked once. "No... He's just...annoying."
Luwen sighed, pondering how two honest individuals in the Dai clan could deceive themselves about their feelings.
"Yerong is watching out for you," she pointed out, "but perhaps not in the most charming manner. You used to get jealous whenever he guarded me, but how about the times when you trained with other men? Does he not remind you of someone familiar?"
Biyu's lips parted in surprise, the wheels in her head still turning.
"M-me?" she squeaked when realization hit her.
Luwen offered a smile. "You're not so clueless after all."
Leaving Biyu to her own maelstrom of thoughts, Luwen stood up to greet the Lord Yue's daughters as they arrived at the pavilion, each carrying a musical instrument of their own. Yue Siying was the most excited, gesturing at Luwen to come closer.
"Sit next to me, Princess Xia. I've brought a spare zither for you to try your hands on. I hope you do not mind if it's a little old. It's still usable."
"I do not mind at all."
Unlike her warm hospitality, her two older sisters—Yue Siwen and Yue Siyun—were obnoxious and impertinent. They watched Luwen like predators with fox-like eyes, giggling among themselves, no doubt exchanging snarky remarks about her.
However, Luwen remained calm. Taking her place beside the demure Yue Siying, she smiled at the sisters as naturally as she could.
"First Princess and Second Princess, the flute and èrhú you have in your hands are exquisite."
"That goes without saying." Yue Siwen lifted the white jade flute and blew into the row of holes, letting out a couple of smooth beautiful chords. "As daughters of one of the most well-respected clan lords, we have received excellent teachings since we were young."
Yue Siyun joined in the conversation, her lips curling into a sly smile. She held her èrhú, a two-stringed black fiddle with a rosined stick. "Our Eldest Sister is right. Imagine the humiliation of not presenting ourselves well to the public. How can we set an example for all the young women living in our province?"
In a mocking tone, she smiled haughtily at Luwen. "Do you not know how to play any musical instrument to entertain your husband, Princess Xia?"
With devious eyes on her, Luwen's fingers clenched into a tight fist on her lap.
Biyu was right.
Because Luwen was acting as the matriarch's daughter, the Yue sisters were humiliating her.
And this was only the beginning.
It was a challenge, but her confidence remained steadfast. "Yes, Second Princess," she answered. "I do not know how to play an instrument, so I'm grateful to the Third Princess for offering to teach me."
Yue Siwen snickered while Yue Siyun's wicked smile widened. "Huh. It seems like some rumors are accurate. The matriarch taught you nothing at all."
The youngest, Yue Siying, spoke up suddenly and worriedly. "Big Sisters, I think those remarks are rather disrespectful to Princess Xia. She's our guest, and I invited her to play with us."
"Was I?" Yue Siyun raised her brows at her little sister, as if silently rebuking her for taking Luwen's side. "I'm sorry for sounding rude, Princess Xia. I simply sympathize with your childhood and wished you had a better one."
The muscle in Luwen's jaw locked, her teeth clenched together tightly. Silently, she reminded herself not to let those words of sarcasm crawl under her skin, because it was exactly what they wanted–to humiliate and lower her self-worth.
Wearing a composed expression, she addressed Yue Siyun fearlessly. Compared to the matriarch, these ladies's remarks were petty and insignificant. "Thank you for your concern. You spoke of becoming exemplary ladies, so you ought to embrace others with kindness. But...this seems like something you're still lacking in, Second Princess."
"Why you—"
"Enough, sisters!" Yue Siying intervened, shifting herself closer to Luwen's seat. "Let me apologize on their behalf, Princess Xia. Here, let me show you how to play a few chords on the zither. You can try to imitate me afterwards."
Silence ensued in the pavilion. Luwen could sense scathing glares from the other sisters, the tension building every minute when they were together. No matter how much they despised Luwen, it seemed like they weren't willing to leave their youngest sister alone with her.
Neither did she want to stay here in this pavilion with them, but she would seem like a pathetic weakling wanting to leave early without a proper reason.
Her fingers plucked the strings of the seven-stringed zither like how Yue Siying was showing, pretending to be curious about learning how to play the chords while she was deliberately adding pressure each time. With her amateur skills, the melody notes naturally grew chaotic and unpleasant to the ears, never improving, but it was what she wanted.
After a few minutes, there was a loud screech when one string broke. A sharp pain ran through her finger, and a drop of crimson blood trickled down her skin slowly.
Lifting her wound, she met the sisters with a false smile of regret.
"I apologize, fellow princesses. It seems I need to retire for the night."
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A/N: Thank you so much for being patience with me as I took a very much needed break from all the things happening in my life and stressing me out lately. Work is killing me, but I'm hoping to get back on track with this story as I miss my characters so much! ✨
What are some Asian Fantasy Romance stories (including published paperbacks) would you recommend others to read?
