Day of The Imperial Feast (3).

Upon Ling Yue's entrance, the Empress gasped slightly, taken aback like others in the Banquet Hall. The Emperor's composure remained, even as he voiced many's thoughts: "You have changed, Ling Yue."

Everyone silenced as they looked on in bewilderment.

Ling Yue smiled calmly: "If I can gain weight, then I can lose it."

Concubine Fu sat down as she laughed: "What a pleasant surprise! It seems like fortune has come to my nephew Ting Fu, to be able to wed such a beauty!"

Ting Fu's eyes gleamed with delight as he stared at Ling Yue's figure. The idea of marrying the Imbecile didn't seem so bad after all! She was disgusting to look at before, but now with such a beauty as his wife and her powerful clan as in-laws…

Ling Yue smiled dangerously: "About that marriage."

"I don't want to marry Ting Fu."

Gasps rang out as people stared at her in disbelief. Never in their lifetimes could they believe what they have just heard. The Imbecile, who fawned over Ting Fu, didn't want to marry him?!

"Ling Yue, don't you think highly of yourself! So what if you lost weight, you are still a Chi-less weakling!" Ting Fu shouted as he stood up with rage.

How dare she reject him! He was this Capital's prodigy, the perfect man in every Lady's dreams!

"Insolence!" Hong Yue roared as a wave of Chi flashed across the Hall, slamming Ting Fu against his seat. Ting Fu coughed out blood, his Chi level miniscule against Hong Yue's years of experience.

"Hong Yue!" An Fu also jumped out of his seat as he summoned his Chi, directing it at Ling Yue: "How dare you lay hands on my son! Pay your price with your daughter's life!"

Ling Yue smiled.

This An Fu, he couldn't defeat Hong Yue, so he purposely directed his Chi against her. How pitiful. Hong Yue wouldn't let him get anywhere near her.

If this An Fu really cared for his son, he wouldn't be putting up such an act. He would've rushed to Ting Fu's side and looked at his injuries.

People didn't see it, but she did. If Ting Fu wasn't the capital's prodigy, his father An Fu wouldn't even bother looking at him. An Fu was a man who only cared for things that benefitted him, including his son. His rage was over the fact that his precious pawn got damaged, not because he cared for Ting Fu. Ting Fu was but a tool for him to climb higher to power, to get the affection of the Emperor.

"He got what he deserved, An Fu." Hong Yue coolly said, his eyes like a predator's, not missing any of An Fu's actions. If An Fu dared used his Chi against LingYue, everyone knew that Hong Yue wouldn't just stand there.

"You...!" An Fu's eyes widened with anger as he saw Ling Yue's smug smile behind her father's back.

"Enough!" The Emperor shouted. "This is not a night for bloodshed; stop what you're doing at once! Physicians, take care of Ting Fu's wounds."

An Fu's fists tightened as he grinded his teeth: "The marriage won't be cancelled!" His booming voice and furious face would scare away any Lady, but Ling Yue just stood there, staring at him coolly.

Hong Yue snapped: "You have no say in this marriage contract! If Ling Yue didn't want it, then cancelled it shall be. A few days aback you walked up to my doors wanting to ruin this arrangement, and now you change your mind?

The Yue Clan isn't a place where you can do what you want, Ling Yue's will represents my will, and if she says the marriage is cancelled, then I have no reasons not to support her!"

Ling Yue's smile softened.

Hong Yue. Such a foolish father, yet this blind support for his daughter moved her in so many ways. She wanted to cancel the marriage, and cancel he did, without even thinking about the consequences of going against the Fu Clan, the Concubine Fu, and even the Emperor.

Here, standing beside this great father, she suddenly felt like a normal girl, small and fragile, worthy of a father's protection. She was alone no more; those dark, lonely days of her past life gone. She was now Ling Yue, and she had a father who cared for her. She was no longer all by herself.

Ling Yue suddenly felt a light shine upon the road ahead of her.

She had been traveling blindly all this time; now she had kinsmen she wanted to protect. She had the noisy Ming, the calm Shan, the serious Loan. Even the shadow guards who would trade their life for hers.

Ling Yue suddenly laughed.

Her laughter rang through the crevices of the Palace, clear like a silver bell's sound, melodic like the finest music.

"Well said, father." She said, a vibrant smile on her face, happiness coming from the depths of her heart: "I don't want to marry Ting Fu."

Hong Yue has never seen her smile so bright before; it blurred his eyes and stung his heart. He unconsciously smiled, just as brightly: "I know, my Ling-er, I know. I'll destroy this wretched marriage for you."

He turned to the Emperor, slightly bowing: "Emperor, you once asked me what I had wanted before, when I saved your life. I did not answer, because I had no desires. Now, that is different. I want Ling Yue's marriage to be hers to decide."

His will was explicit. This meant that neither the Emperor nor the Empress had the right to mingle with Ling Yue's marriage. They couldn't manipulate it to their will.

This was like a threat to the Emperor, but he could not go against Hong Yue's will, because Hong Yue had, indeed, saved the Emperor's life a few years aback, when assassins from the neighboring empire had ventured into a banquet planning to bring back the Emperor's head.

If the Emperor didn't agree to Hong Yue's request, the noblemen and officials of the court sitting below would think that he was a liar and an ungrateful person, breaking his promise of granting Hong Yue one wish should anything arise.

His court men would have doubts about him, and they would feel disloyal because their ruler was not thankful towards their contributions in court.

Ling Yue's eyes brightened. Her father wasn't a foolish person, he was actually very cunning.

The Emperor was evidently displeased, but he hid it well.

He sighed: "Very well, Hong Yue. The young one's marriage is hers to decide, and no one here will have the right to appoint it for her." He looked at An Fu: "If the young Ting Fu's talents are not enough to enter Ling Yue's sight, then this marriage is for naught. It shall be dismissed."

The underlying satire was clear. Every Lady in the Banquet Hall couldn't hide their laughter. Being able to marry the prodigy Ting Fu is every Lady's privilege, and here she was, the Imbecile, rejecting Ting Fu.

Even though the Fu Clan's prestige was below the Yue Clan's, Ling Yue's Lady title was disregarded by many because of her inability to practice Chi. The people of the capital all thought Ling Yue was climbing high, marrying the capital's prodigy.

And now, the high-climber, the Imbecile, was acting all high and mighty, rejecting Ting Fu. Who did she think she was; such unimaginable things coming from the Capital's worthless Imbecile!

Interest in many of the Princes' eyes dissipated.

They chided themselves at being blinded by Ling Yue's beauty, for a moment forgetting her title of "Imbecile" and her low standing in high society. Who would want to marry such a useless wife? Even her characteristics were known to be bad: she was shameless, unladylike, and arrogant.

Hong Yue's face fell as he heard the laughter behind him, all directed towards his precious daughter. Boiling rage crossed his eyes, as he struggled to hold himself back from hurting all these hypocritical noblemen.

A soft hand landed on his shoulder: "Don't worry about it, father." Hong Yue's heart jolted at the tender voice—how long it has been since Ling-er last spoke to him so softly.

"It matters not what others say. I know best my own capabilities. If I am not who they believe I am, then I have no reasons to be upset at baseless bickering."

Ling Yue huffed: "There's no controlling other's mouths, let them be. They shall trip over their own mockery, soon enough."

Hong Yue stared at his daughter. She was right.

Why did he have to feel anger? It didn't matter what people said. If she wasn't angry, then he had no reasons to react.

"You've grown, Ling-er." He proudly said as he hesitantly patted her head.

She didn't flinch, nor stared at him unfamiliarly.

She stood there smiling at him tenderly, almost eager to receive his touch.

Hong Yue thought he was dreaming—his daughter was accepting his affection and showing it back. At that moment, softness touched his heart; all those years of division between father and daughter melted away, as simply as that.

The blood connection was strong; in the end they had much regrets for each other. Maybe deep inside both Ling Yue and Hong Yue were frustrated at their relationship, but were never brave enough to fix it.

Hong Yue shook his head as he blinked, turning away, angry at himself for being such a teary wimp in front of his daughter.

Ling Yue melted as her features softened into an expression she herself has never worn before, even in her previous life.

Warmth filled her heart, to the point it should burst. She hasn't realized how empty it was before.

For the first time, she was glad she had died. She now found all these people because of that death.

There was no one to miss in her previous life. Regardless of her efforts to build relationships, people round her all saw her achievements. Those who have heard of the Devil's Hand, either were scared shitless or were kissing up to her for their own benefits.

They saw the Devil's Hand, never the woman who bore the title.

She used to be so lonely....

Not anymore though.