Luwen stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, awestruck by the grandeur display. Gold and red ribbons draped from the ceiling. Glowing paper lanterns hung above her. A red carpet led up to the stairs, and the statues of golden dragons flanked the dais where the lord would be seated.
She did a quick count in her mind. Six higher-ranked subordinates sat right by the aisle, behind their assigned dining tables. The lower-ranks sat behind them in neat rows. There must be more than a hundred of them in this hall.
A tense silence ensued. Lethal eyes, akin to a pack of hungry tigers, followed her every movement. Her presence did not impress the members of the Dai clan, and whispers followed.
"What is she doing here...?"
"How arrogant. Doesn't she feel shame at all for what her clan did?"
The whispers continued, each one sounding more harsher than the last.
The people wanted her out of this place.
She felt her confidence waning, but kept her chin up. Fortunately, she had selected a simple, yet elegant blue dress to wear along with light makeup. It gave her a modest look. If she had worn something more luscious with an air of arrogance belonging to the Xia clan, it would only set these people off.
Suddenly, she sensed someone approaching her from behind. A presence that had most people in the hall sat straighter in their seats, their eyes glowing with respect.
A calm voice, low enough for her to listen, spoke. "Why aren't you entering?"
"Because it wouldn't be wise for me to enter without my husband." She stepped behind him with a slight bow of respect. A gesture to show the rest of the Dai clan that she meant no harm or disrespect tonight. "After you, my lord."
Dai Yichen arched his brow, first at her words, but later at her outfit. He, too, wore a blue hanfu but in a darker shade. Accompanied with white sleeves, the front of his robe was woven with a silver moon and bamboo trees. He looked like the painting of a warrior shadowed by the night sky.
Luwen met his gaze, slightly amused. Our outfits matched unintentionally.
His lips pressed firmly together, giving away nothing of his current emotions. He turned and faced his audience, sauntering forward with an air of authority in the room as Luwen followed closely behind. All of his clansmen had already stood up, bowing respectfully to him as they headed for the dais.
But at the foot of the grand stairs, Luwen suddenly stopped.
The seating arrangement confused her. No one told her whether she was supposed to sit beside Dai Yichen on the dais or among the audience.
After all, she had never seen the matriarch share her throne with anyone during banquets or meetings. Not even her lovers. She would see it as a threat to her dominance, and it was punishable by death.
Luwen glanced up at Dai Yichen, who had stopped halfway up the stairs and was looking at her as well. "M-my lord," she said nervously while aware of countless eyes watching her. "Where should I sit?"
He gave her a strange look. "Up here with me. Come."
Her anxiety intensified. She followed him, taking her place right next to him. Now, all eyes in the hall could see her, and their hatred burned through her skull.
As a hostage princess, she felt powerless being put on display here. She felt like they held her responsible for the sins of her clan by punishing and shaming her.
Several maids brought in trays of delectable food dishes and served wine to every table. Dai Yichen raised his wine cup up high. "Tonight, we celebrate the end of the war," he announced. "We shall honor the dead for their sacrifice in keeping our clan safe and welcome a new beginning."
Loud cheers erupted while Luwen sat rigid. "I'm appointed as the new leader to replace my older brother, but I've much to learn. I wish to seek your guidance and support."
There was loud applause as he made a toast to his men. However, Luwen noticed something strange. As he spoke, half of the higher-rank subordinates looked unhappy. Not at her, but at their new lord.
Interesting.
This was something she would have to investigate in the future.
Dai Yichen's speech broke the tension in the hall. Soon enough, a chorus of laughter and vibrant chatter broke out. Several men and women were eating, drinking and moving around tables to exchange jokes and playful banters with one another.
With lesser attention fixated on the dais, Luwen felt as if she could breathe a little better. She picked up her spoon and settled for some warm abalone soup instead of feasting on the rest of the mouthwatering dishes. She had little appetite, especially when her enemies surrounded her, but it was best to fill her stomach a little instead of sitting idly.
Next to her, Dai Yichen kept pouring several cups of wine for himself. Every couple of minutes, she would sense him watching her from the corner of his eyes.
They shared a long moment of silence until he was the first one to speak up. "You're looking better."
"It is all because of your kindness, my lord. The medicine works well."
His handsome face remained stony, but it couldn't conceal the quick flash of surprise in his eyes. "You're acting awfully civil tonight."
She almost choked on her soup, remembering all the times she had behaved brazenly before him. "Anyone would be nervous in front of an enormous crowd."
Her last line drew in his curiosity. "I thought you would be used to attention by now. After all, you're the princess of your clan," he said, before his gaze lowered to the bowl of soup cradled in her hands. "And I was certain you would prefer wine over soup."
"Not tonight," she said bitterly. "I can't let myself be drunk here. You might kill me before I even know it. Or someone else might do the job for you."
She caught his frown and the way his body shifted so that he was facing her fully. Granting her with his entire attention. "That I might," he admitted, but it also sounded as if he was messing with her mind.
"However," he continued, "you have my word that no one, except for the food servers, shall step a foot on the stairs. I swear that no harm will come to you tonight."
He poured wine into an empty cup and pushed it towards her across the table.
Luwen blinked twice at him. She was stunned by the promise in his words, or even the fact that they were having such a long conversation. "Why? Didn't you wish for my death before?"
"Not now. Because, like you said, I need you as much as you need me."
So this was the reason why he began paying extra care to her health. "And what happens when we no longer need each other?"
There was a brief silence between them. "Then one of us dies," he said calmly.
Luwen knew how much he wanted to wage a war and decimate her entire clan. "We have a deal then," she nodded in a business-like manner, before accepting his cup of wine and drinking everything. "But for now, we're stuck with each other and I have a few questions. The people sitting in the front row... Who are they?"
Dai Yichen's piercing, graphite eyes wandered to the audience. "They're called the Elders," he explained. "They serve as the board members for the Council."
"The Council?"
He gave her another frown. "I may be the lord, but I need people like them to carry out different roles and manage the clan. Their opinions are taken into consideration before making any important decision. Does your clan not have one?"
She shook her head. "We have advisors in our clan, but often, they're more like informants. They hold little to no authority. The matriarch's words are the laws."
Dai Yichen swirled the wine in his cup thoughtfully. "Isn't she your mother?"
"What?"
"You've not called her mother once."
His incredible observant caught her off guard. Her body froze, and she found herself unable to find a proper response. What could she say when nothing would escape from his eyes?
The matriarch wasn't her mother, and she never would be. Not even if Luwen was posing as her fake daughter.
She would never, ever, call her mother.
Dai Yichen was still watching her, his eyes softening slightly. "It was a question I shouldn't have asked."
Luwen gnawed on her bottom lip and avoided his gaze. "I'm sorry, my lord. It's not a story that I can share tonight."
He didn't push her into saying anything more. Instead, he changed the subject of the conversation. "I need you to be dressed properly and ready tomorrow morning. We're heading out of the manor."
Luwen couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was a prisoner and would never expect herself to be granted permission to leave the clan residence. "Where are we going?"
"To a tavern. I've some business there."
"But why bring me along?" It took her a couple of seconds before her stomach sank with dreaded realization. "You wish for me to parade down the streets by your side? To assure your people that we're at peace and no longer at war?"
Dai Yichen's eyes widened by a fraction. He was, undeniably, impressed by her intelligence that it made him hesitate to speak truthfully. "Those aren't the choice of words I would use, but yes, that's the purpose of your trip."
Luwen sighed. "Fine," she said. "I'll go with you, but I wish to wear a veil."
To her, wearing a veil was to maintain the last shred of the princess's dignity, who wasn't a part of the war. Luwen didn't mind listening to their criticism, but she would protect the princess's face. She didn't deserve to be remembered as a murderer's daughter.
"Permission granted."
A/N: I've been reading all comments and it's making me really happy to know how invested you guys are into this story! 🥰 I'm really enjoying writing our main leads.