"THE PRINCESS IS DEAD!"

Han Ruo’s gaze snapped toward the carriage at that heartbreaking scream, sharp as lightning cutting through a storm.

He didn’t want to believe it.
He couldn’t.
But when his eyes locked onto the delicate body slumped out of the carriage window—an arrow lodged deep in the princess’s skull—the truth shattered every fragile hope left within him.

Time slowed.
Seconds stretched into centuries.
The red silk curtains around the carriage whipped violently in the wind; the metallic scent of blood mixed with dust and clung to the air like a curse.
Everything felt like a dream fading into darkness.

He had failed.
As a protector, as a soldier, as a man of honor—he had failed.
He hadn’t protected her. And now, both he and his entire family would pay the price for this unforgivable disgrace.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the assassins slipping away like shadows retreating with the night. Some had been captured, but they bit their tongues clean through before uttering a single word, drowning in their own blood. Their silence took every answer with them.

Then Han Ruo saw him—
A figure escaping with steady, confident strides.
Different from the others.
The leader.

If he killed that man, the one who gave the order would never learn the princess was dead. It would buy the general precious time—time he desperately needed to protect his family.

He raised his bow.
His breath grew shallow, pulse pounding in his ears.
His fingers pulled the string back; his eyes locked on the target.
The arrowhead glinted—cold, merciless, final.

Just as he released his breath, a figure stepped directly into his line of fire.

Han Ruo froze.

A slender woman stood before him, arms spread wide. Fear and desperation trembled in her voice.

“You can’t kill him.”

His brows drew together in fury. When he recognized her face, the anger sharpened.
A palace servant.
One who owed her loyalty to the very princess lying dead beside them.

Yet she was protecting their enemy.

So she was part of this betrayal too.

The blood in his veins heated, simmering into rage. His jaw tightened, eyes blazing.

He pulled the bowstring again—this time aiming straight at her heart.

“If you’re protecting them, then you belong to them,” he said coldly.

Her face tensed, fear and helplessness flickering in her eyes. But she stood her ground.

Just as he prepared to release the arrow, another voice broke the tension.

“Stop! The Princess—he didn’t kill the Princess!”

A second young woman stumbled forward, panic written across her pale face. She moved in front of the servant, shielding her with trembling arms.

Ruo’s eyes narrowed.

What had she just said?

“It’s fine, Bürke,” the woman murmured softly. “The soldier won’t kill me.”

She gently pushed Bürke aside. There was elegance in her movements, but also something sharp—dangerous. Her gaze locked onto Han Ruo’s with a cold, piercing intensity.

Even though her complexion was pale, there was no fear in her eyes. She stood before a general, unflinching, challenging him with every breath she took.

In that moment, Han Ruo knew his life would never be the same.

“I—” the woman began, hesitation flickering in her voice. She steadied herself and continued,
“I am the princess you came to escort for the marriage alliance.”

She gestured toward the lifeless body hanging from the carriage.

“She was already dead before the journey even began.”

Chen Bo rushed to Han Ruo’s side instantly.
“Why didn’t you tell us?!” he demanded, voice raw with fury and grief. Blood from the fallen soldiers still stained the dirt around them.

The woman inhaled shakily, clearly shaken—but then she lifted her chin, gathering her resolve.

“Because I knew someone would attack. And I didn’t know who I could trust, Commander Bo. And you can’t claim you weren’t expecting an ambush either.”

Chen Bo stepped forward with anger blazing in his eyes, but Han Ruo silenced him with the slightest motion of his hand.

The general studied the woman with a look that bordered on amusement and disdain.

“You wanted news of the princess’s death to spread,” he said, voice edged with warning. “You wanted them to attack today.”

She didn’t flinch.

“I knew whoever opposed this marriage would strike the moment they believed an opportunity had opened. And I’m certain the General expected this as well.”

Chen Bo bristled, but once again Han Ruo lifted a hand to stop him. Leaning in slightly, he asked with quiet curiosity,

“Then how were you so certain the General was not the one who arranged this ambush, Princess?”

His gaze stayed locked on hers, searching for any tremor or lie.

The woman remained silent for a long moment. Then she met his eyes with steady calm and answered,

“The answer is simple. If the General harms me before the marriage, it would be seen as a direct insult to the Emperor—and he would earn the Emperor’s wrath.
But if something happens to me after the marriage… the alliance is sealed. My life no longer holds political value.”

Her logic was razor-sharp.
Han Ruo couldn’t help but admire the clarity of her mind.

“You see the game clearly,” he murmured, almost impressed. “Most men couldn’t make such a calculation.”

“How dare you speak to the Princess that way!” the servant snapped. Her voice was small but sharp as stone. “She is not merely a princess—she is to be the General’s bride. Show some respect when you address her!”

The air thickened instantly.
Tension hummed like a sword drawn halfway from its sheath.

When Han Ruo looked back at the princess, her fists were clenched. Despite helping them avoid disaster moments ago, she now looked as if she might faint.

Chen Bo stepped toward the servant, towering over her, though she held her head high, refusing to back down.

“My soldiers answer to me,” he growled. “And no one stands closer to our general than I do. You should show us respect.”

The girl said nothing—but the fire in her eyes was defiant and unyielding.

The princess cleared her throat, trying to calm the brewing storm.

“We should continue our journey. Even if they believe I’m dead… the alliance doesn’t hold until the wedding is completed.”

Her face twisted slightly at the word wedding.

Han Ruo exhaled, the reality settling heavy on his shoulders.
She was right. Enemies lurked not only in the plains but within the empire itself.

“We leave now,” Ruo ordered, lowering his bow. Without looking at her, he added, “The city won’t be safe the longer we delay.”

He noticed the princess studying him as she headed toward the carriage with her servant. Her behavior puzzled him. Her words even more so.

He would uncover her true intentions.
One way or another.