That morning, Ruhan wore his royal black robes. Today, he was Kazrail, the Khan, whether he wanted to be or not. Reluctantly, he made his way toward the main hall where endless bureaucratic documents and tedious decisions awaited him. Normally, he despised this part of ruling, but today he needed the distraction.
Princess Lian Zhi had haunted his thoughts the entire night. The image of her smiling, laughing, walking beside Kabil kept replaying behind his eyes, refusing to let him sleep. And the sharp, ugly pang in his chest, one he refused to name, would not fade.
So today, he needed to be the Khan.
The ruthless ruler of a barbaric land, as the outside nations called him.
The man who did not bend, did not break, did not feel. He needed to focus on his plan, his purpose.
He was only a few steps from the great hall doors when a guard intercepted him.
"Your Majesty," the guard bowed deeply.
"What is it?" Ruhan asked, instantly uneasy. This was one of the Dowager Khatun's men.
"Forgive the interruption, but the Khatun Dowager has summoned you to her quarters. She says the matter is urgent."
"Summon?" Ruhan's eyes hardened. "How dare she summon me?"
The word summon implied he was beneath her, an intentional insult.
"Forgive my choice of wording, Your Majesty," the guard said, feigning fear. Ruhan knew he was only pretending. This was exactly the Dowager's style.
Ruhan exhaled through his nose, irritation simmering. He brushed past the guard. "Fine. Take me to her."
When he arrived at the Dowager's quarters, she was already waiting in the center of the courtyard, with Kabil standing beside her. Ruhan's curiosity sharpened.
"Well, well. What a lovely morning sight," he said dryly. "A harmonious view of a mother and her son."
"Glad you could join us, Kazrail," the Dowager answered smoothly.
Ruhan's expression darkened. She had called him by his name, not his title. A calculated move.
"Of course, Mother. What pleasure do I owe, being summoned this early while I am supposed to be tending to state affairs?"
A small smirk formed on the corner of the Dowager's lips as Ruhan emphasized the word. "Kabil wished to discuss the wedding," she replied. "As you know, the day is approaching. Two days from now."
"Oh? His wedding affairs?" Ruhan lifted an eyebrow. "You pulled me away from state matters for that?"
"My wedding is important," Kabil retorted, lifting his chin. "And you were the one who bestowed the princess on me as a peace offering to Hua. So yes, it is a state affair."
Ruhan smiled lazily. "Very well. What is it?"
The Dowager poured tea calmly. "I understand you've been busy with court duties, so you may not have heard the rumors."
"What rumors?" he asked.
"The people are unhappy with the Hua princess. They do not trust Hua yet. Some are opposing this wedding."
Ruhan smirked, already sensing where this was going. "And?"
"I have a plan to convince the people that the Hua princess is here to serve Tughril."
"Go on," Ruhan said coldly. "I'm listening."
"We will have a bride parade throughout the city. We will show how dedicated the Princess of Hua is to Tughril, and her commitment to serving the country."
"A bride parade?"
"Yes."
"And how exactly will a parade help?" Ruhan asked, pretending interest.
"Princess Lian Zhi will strip her royal attire and be paraded as a commoner," she said, pausing, lips curling. "Actually, as a servant."
"A what?"
"It is only symbolic," she said sweetly. "Nothing more."
"You want her to dress as a servant and be marched around the city?" Ruhan's voice rose with fury.
"Like I said, it is symbolic."
"Nonsense."
The word detonated like a bomb.
Before anyone could blink, Kabil stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. "Brother, listen, this is not meant to humiliate her."
Ruhan turned sharply. "You." His voice shook with barely contained rage. "You are willing to let your future wife be treated like livestock?"
"It's not like that!" Kabil snapped, though his voice trembled. "This is for the people's acceptance!"
"And you think stripping her dignity will win their hearts?" Ruhan took a menacing step closer.
Kabil clenched his jaw. "Tughril demands dominance. We don't kneel to Hua trash. But you wouldn't understand that, would you? How could you, when your mother was just a Hua woman smuggled into the palace? You carry their weakness in your veins."
The Dowager opened her mouth to intervene, but she was too slow.
Ruhan's iron gloves flew.
A loud crack echoed across the courtyard as the metal struck Kabil's face. His head jerked violently to the side. He staggered, gasping as a small, broken sound escaped him. His hand shot to his cheek as he winced, whimpering like a child scolded too harshly.
"Kazrail!" the Dowager hissed.
But Ruhan didn't look at her.
"Open your mouth about my mother again, and you won't live long enough to regret it. And don't you dare call yourself a man while you barter a woman's dignity to hide your own cowardice."
Kabil could only clutch his burning cheek, eyes watering with humiliation. He said nothing.
Ruhan turned, robes swirling like a storm. "This parade will not happen," he declared. "Over my dead body."
And he walked away.
***
Later that afternoon, Xiao Zhi was arranging the fresh flowers the gardeners had brought when she heard footsteps passing outside her courtyard. They weren't the heavy, disciplined steps of palace guards. These were uncertain, dragging, almost sulky.
She didn't think much of it until a figure lingered at the corridor corner.
"Prince Kabil?" she called softly.
He stiffened.
Then he turned toward her with the stiff, guilty slowness of someone who had not intended to be seen, yet very much had been lurking there.
"Oh… Princess Lian Zhi." He tried to sound casual, but his voice trembled with wounded pride.
She took one step toward him and froze.
"Prince Kabil… your face."
The right side of his cheek was swollen crimson, the pattern of an iron glove still visible. The sight made her gasp.
Kabil immediately ducked his head, as if ashamed to have been caught like this. "It's nothing," he muttered, even though it was very obviously something.
"What happened?" she asked, worried.
He sniffed, quiet and pitiful, like he didn't want to cry but almost did anyway. Not enough to be dramatic, but just enough to look tragically wronged.
"My brother, the Khan. He slapped me."
"What? Why would he?"
"He…" Kabil paused for dramatic effect. "He wanted us to do a bride parade, but I found it humiliating and disgraceful for you. So I refused. Then he slapped me."
"A bride parade?" Xiao Zhi frowned, unfamiliar with the term.
"Yes." Kabil sighed pitifully. "He thinks it's not enough that Hua sent you as my bride as a peace offering. He wants to show Tughril's dominance over this alliance. He wants you paraded around in servant clothes."
Xiao Zhi's eyes widened. "Like… a public display?"
Kabil nodded miserably, pressing his cheek. "The Khan said it's tradition. That you must show submission to Tughril. He doesn't care about your dignity at all. I tried… I really did… but I'm powerless against him."
Silence hung heavy between them.
Xiao Zhi felt her heart twist. A parade? Public humiliation?
She realized then just how dangerous the Khan was. He was ruthless, cold, cunning, and utterly unyielding. No one, not Kabil, not even the Khatun Dowager, could disobey him. No one could stand against him. His word was law, and disobedience came with immediate, brutal consequences.
But what did this parade even mean? It sounded terrifying, but also strangely simple. What was the worst that could happen? She was bound to suffer anyway. And it didn't really sound that bad, did it? Just parading around the city in servant clothes? That didn't seem so awful. So what about humiliation? It wasn't like she knew anyone here in this world anyway. And eventually… she would leave this world, right? Or at least that's what she had been trying to do.
She exhaled softly. "It's… okay."
Kabil looked up sharply. "What?"
"It's okay," she repeated, though her voice trembled. "If this parade will help the people accept me, if it keeps the peace, then I will do it."
"You will?" Kabil's shock was almost comical. He quickly masked it with concern. "Why would you? Princess Lian Zhi, this is degrading. I can't let you—"
Xiao Zhi smiled faintly. What was the worst that could happen?
"It's fine," she said softly.
Kabil stared at her, wide-eyed. Inside, though, he was smiling.