Tradition

"That looks pretty, Your Highness," gushed Howin. "The prince is a generous giver. I assume that you would be wearing that in the party tonight?"

Tianshi Xue's attention shifted. "What? What party?"

"Another one of your wedding parties, Princess?" Howin looked confused. "We're going to be celebrating for a whole week, Your Highness. It's tradition."

She blinked. "Right, right…"

Normal citizens of Heping do not celebrate for a whole week when they get married. Weddings would only last a whole day and then the couple would be left alone to celebrate the first few days of their marriage together.

But you would not be able to say the same for the royals. As part of their marriage came their duty to always do what was best for their lands, they would have to celebrate with the people. Celebrating for the next seven days after the marriage would mean that they would have blissful and happy mornings and nights for the rest of their lives together.

"What's going to happen tonight?" Tianshi Xue asked Howin as she and the other servants started piling the gifts to be taken to her new room.

"Over the next few days, Your Highness, high officials from all over the land will come and visit you and the prince. It'd be best if you will have afternoon naps so you would be able to stay up until late entertaining them."

The parties sounded like a pain in the ass. "Of course. But I don't really feel like sleeping. Is there anything else I could do?"

Howin suddenly looked worried. "Princess, are you okay? Did you hit your head again?"

She shook her head. "Why?"

"It's just strange that you're asking me what you're supposed to do."

"Ah!" she recovered with a smile. "My mind is all over the place lately. I couldn't even decide what I want to do in my spare time. Would you recommend something?"

"Hm, you always go to the library," said Howin like she was still unsure. Her entire face screamed 'THE PRINCESS REALLY HAS AMNESIA'. "Maybe later, you would like to walk in the garden?"

Tianshi Xue almost snorted. Being a royal sure was boring. The princess probably had too much time in her hands. She must've went out of her mind thinking about what things she could do in this humongous palace.

Reading had to be the last resort of all, right?

There couldn't be that too little to do in this place that she would grab a book and stay still for the next hour or so. Being stagnant was not something that Tianshi Xue particularly enjoyed.

"Walking in the garden sounds great!" she beamed. "Will you walk with me?"

"Of course, Princess," Howin smiled back but there was still doubt in her eyes. "I'd be honored."

**

Prince Qui made his way outside the palace and into the building where most of the meetings with the emperor happens. On the west corner of the inside of the palace grounds, you would be able to find the military base.

He had been in this place more than he had been in the palace. For him, this was the real definition of home. Everyone here was busy. You could not be in the base with two unmoving feet. That much was considered to be a sin.

Every morning, soldiers were given a list of tasks that they have to work on. When they finish that, they have to look for another thing to do.

Soldiers straightened and saluted to him as he passed, all of whom the prince nodded to.

What he liked most in this place was that—as much as possible—he was not considered to be a prince. He was considered as for what he really was. A general.

"I'm here," he said when he entered the room. The lot of the other generals were already in the room. "Are we waiting for someone else?"

"No, General Yang. You were the only one we are waiting for," said someone with slight disdain in it.

"Apologies, ladies and gentlemen," he said, looking around the room. "Something came up with the princess and I had to attend to her longer than I had planned."

"Ah, marriage," remarked one with an amused sigh. "How is it treating you, my prince?"

Yang Qui only gave a blank expression on the man before turning his attention to the huge map in the middle of the table. "What's the update?"

There were individual reports from the lower generals. Mainly, it was about the officials that would be visiting over the next few days. They were tightening their security everywhere. During the course of the wedding celebrations, Heping Empire had just become a hotspot for important people.

After those, Yang Qui dared ask. "Any word from Shanmai Empire?"

It was not that he didn't want to meet his in-laws. It was that he could not imagine that he would be in that kind of situation. Even then, that was the last thing on his mind.

The safety of the people, his family, and the emperor was at the top of his list. If the Shanmai Empire were to arrive here, there could be a lot of unforeseen circumstances that he would want to evade. Among those, starting a war from the inside of the palace.

"We still haven't heard from them, Your Highness," said one of the men from the right. "But we assume that they would be sending word soon. They would want to see the princess now that she's officially part of the royal family."

Yang Qui took a deep breath. Of course they wanted to see her. She had been but a child when they last caught sight of her. They would surely visit. So he had to plan starting now. "When the Lins arrive, I want them locked inside the walls of the palace, together with their army. We cannot let them mix with the people. It would be too much of a risk."

"Of course, General. We would relay that order to our troops."

Yang Qui gave more orders and reminders about the security for the next few days before he ended the meeting. He was about to come back to the palace when he thought that he wanted to take a couple of hours and try to sleep before another dreadful party tonight.

He looked up the position of the sun.

The garden should be empty by now.