Atropa Belladonna

~~~一~~~

"Who in our clan is ballsy enough to accept a job like that?" huffed the direct daughter of the clan leader as she flicked her weapon back, causing the blade to retract into the hilt before she placed it back into the holster hanging from her waistband.

"It's public knowledge that Crown Prince Long Zhang is engaged to the daughter of Bai Wang," she continued while reaching up to stretch out her arms and back, "They'd have to be brain dead to do something that stupid."

"It's still weird," the youngest muttered as she stood and brushed the dirt off of her robes, "Any other emperor would have a bounty on the heads of an assassin clan rather than have us praised and actually agree to have one marry any of his sons, much less the Crown Prince."

"That's true, but our current emperor is... not like the other emperors we've had in the past," the second eldest of the group commented, trying to find a way to describe their ruler's unique personality.

"Whatever, I'm going to go clean up just in case His Highness really does show up," the ravenette sighed before stalking back to her room.

After a quick bath to clean herself up and ease her muscles, the young woman dressed into a black and purple hanfu that allowed for free movement of all of her limbs and did half of her hair up in a high ponytail that was held by a single hairstick made of buffalo bone.

'I'm getting married in a year,' she thought while checking her appearance once more in a copper mirror, 'I'm going to become the Princess Consort and future empress of this empire.'

'Eugh, that is such a hassle,' the female internally groaned as she stood up and walked out to make her way over to her favorite spot in the garden, under her lone Wisteria tree surrounded by her plots of Deadly Nightshade, 'I would have to deal with so many women in the court trying to earn the favor of my husband.'

'Though with his demeanor, I doubt they would get anywhere,' she continued with a small chuckle as she leaned her head back against the tree bark, 'We've been engaged for over ten years and we're barely anything more than friends... close friends at most.'

"Young Mistress, you should head over to the main hall now," came the timid voice of one of the maids, "Crown Prince will be here shortly and your parents are already waiting there."

"Alright, I'll be going then," the ravenette mused as she stood up and began the familiar route to the main hall, the maid bowing in respect before going on her own way.

When she reached the main building of her clan's estate, the woman looked up to the plaque hanging above the open door that read 'Xīngkōng Hall' before entering to greet both of her parents.

"Bai Diān Qié greets Mother and Father," the female spoke with a practiced salute, earning a small scoff from her mother.

"Enough with the formalities, Qié-er, Crown Prince isn't here yet," Madam Bai called as she gestured for the empty table to her right, "Just sit down."

"Yes, yes," her daughter mused with a smirk as she straightened herself out and took her usual seat to the right of her mother.

"I'm glad you remembered about the prince coming today, Qié-er," Bai Wang said with a smile as he looked over at his daughter, "I thought you would have forgotten with all the jobs you had lined up."

"Oh, I did forget," the young woman chuckled, pulling sighs from both of her parents, "Kōngtóu had to remind me while I was training this morning."

"Qié-er, you're only nineteen years old, but you're already more forgetful than me," her mother teased as she fiddled with one of her jade bracelets.