In the Crown Prince's palace, the silence groaned under the weight of anticipation. Di Lan was restless, pacing back and forth with his eyes fixed on the entrance. As soon as Queen Li Yan appeared in her majestic presence, his heart raced. He stood before her, a rare spark of hope flickering in his eyes.
Your Majesty.
he said, struggling to keep his voice steady.
Do you bring me joyful news?
The Queen looked at him, but quickly averted her gaze, avoiding the confidence in his eyes. She spoke in a mysterious, dignified tone:
The girl you chose has succeeded. The one whose painting you personally sealed.
Di Lan tried to feign indifference, but a faint smirk of triumph touched the corner of his lips.
Is it the same girl I had in mind?
He asked.
The Queen walked past him quickly, as if escaping the truth she alone held. Without looking back, she replied in a firm voice:
She is the one YOU chose.
She meant the "painting," while he was drowning in thoughts of Mei Fa. He had no idea that the Red Seal he had pressed with his own hand was the very lock that bound him to Ju Ri in an inescapable destiny.
A Swing Under the Light of Delusion
The Crown Prince turned toward his palace, a wide, triumphant smile plastered on his face. As he passed the shrubbery, a thought struck him:
Why not go to the garden now? I'll pick the strongest tree and have the servants install a swing tonight. I will make her dream come true the moment we are wed.
He entered the royal garden, searching for the perfect spot, but stopped in his tracks. There was Ju Ri, sitting on the grass with her usual lack of formality, her bare feet dipped in the cool water. Hearing someone approach, she quickly pulled her feet back and tucked them under her long skirt.
Oh, it's you
she said, her voice a mix of surprise and annoyance.
What do you want?
Her sharp words didn't dampen his mood. Instead, he replied with a beaming smile:
I am far too happy today to argue with you. Your toxic words would only ruin the joy I refuse to lose.
Ju Ri looked away, her heart racing. She had never seen him look this happy before. "Happy?" she whispered in disbelief and confusion. She didn't realize he was happy because he thought he had escaped her, while he was actually planning to build the very swing she had painted.
The Swing of Memories
Ju Ri hurried out of the garden, struggling to hide the blush that betrayed her flustered heart. He didn't look back his eyes were fixed on the trees, searching for the one strong enough to hold his new dreams. She found his sudden indifference strange but convinced herself he was simply shy, leaving with a faint, unfamiliar sense of happiness.
Days passed in a blur of wedding preparations. Whenever she could, Ju Ri slipped away to the garden, hoping to catch a glimpse of her "future husband", but his duties kept him away. One day, she returned to their old spot and froze in disbelief.
There was Di Lan, standing with his servants before the most beautiful swing she had ever seen. It was fastened to the very tree that had witnessed their childhood antics. Memories flooded back her constant complaining, his endless patience, and the rare, precious sound of their shared laughter.
Ju Ri smiled to herself, but the moment his gaze met hers, she quickly pulled back into her mask of indifference. She hesitated; should she go to him? But Di Lan looked away coldly and turned back to his servants. Her desire to approach vanished. She left the garden with a light step, happy that the swing of her dreams was finally real, unaware that the man who built it believed he had gifted it to someone else.
The Last Night Before the Storm
That night, sleep eluded Ju Ri. She lay awake, replaying the scene of Di Lan's cold gaze. Was it shyness? Or was he keeping the swing as a grand surprise for their wedding night? With a mix of vulnerability and pride, she decided she wouldn't go back to the garden until he himself called for her.
A few days later, her mother arrived at the palace. The moment Ju Ri saw her, she felt like a lost soul who had finally found home. She clung to her mother's embrace, craving the warmth the palace walls had frozen out of her. The Queen, though her aunt, had treated her with a cold formality perhaps to hide their true connection, or to harden her for the throne.
They spent the entire night talking, sharing whispers and tears. This was Ju Ri's final night in her own quarters. Tomorrow, the wedding drums would sound, and she would move to the Crown Princess's palace to begin a life with a man she believed "loved" her art, while he awaited an "entirely different woman" in his mind.
Before the Mirror Shatters
Her mother was overflowing with advice, reminding her of her duties as Crown Princess and the weight of the throne. But Ju Ri was in another world, smiling shyly, barely hearing half of what was said. The intimate atmosphere was broken by the herald's loud announcement:
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince requests an audience with the Queen's sister!
Her mother stood up quickly, adjusting her attire with a mix of pride and nerves. She was about to meet a man who embodied three roles in one: the formidable Prince, her nephew, and her daughter's future husband. She stepped out into the courtyard with a wide smile, where Di Lan stood with his usual regal stature, servants standing behind him like unmoving shadows.
Inside, Ju Ri struggled against the urge to follow her mother. She tried to distract herself, but her heart was already outside. She wondered at herself how could the face she loathed just days ago become the one she now yearned to see? The swing was the reason; it had convinced her that Di Lan was a man hiding a great love behind a mask of coldness, and that he had chosen her, and only her, to fulfill her dreams.
The Shattered Dream
Ju Ri was lost in her rosy daydreams of swings and hidden love until a sound pierced her sanctuary like a blade a scream of terror from her mother, followed immediately by Di Lan's thunderous roar that shook the very walls.
Her blood ran cold. She sprang up and flung the double doors open, only to be met with a nightmare. Her mother was on the ground, her face etched with shock, while Di Lan stood over her like an erupting volcano, his eyes blazing with a fury that could burn the palace down.
He turned toward her abruptly. The moment his gaze locked onto hers, his expression hardened further. He pointed a trembling finger at her and choked out:
You...!
But he didn't finish. He swallowed his remaining words, spun around violently, and stormed out of the courtyard, his servants scrambling behind him in terror. Ju Ri stood frozen, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She rushed to her mother's side, helping her up.
What happened? What did that madman do to you?
Her mother's hand was reddened, but the shock in her eyes was far deeper. As Ju Ri guided her inside, her mother remained speechless, her tongue unable to describe the storm the Prince had unleashed when he realized his "bride" was not who he thought.
The Earthquake of Truth
Ju Ri swallowed her tears with a bitter lump in her throat. Was this the world of royals? Slavery disguised in crowns, and cruelty that spared no one? She wanted to cry until the fire in her chest died out, but she held back for her mother's sake. She didn't know what had triggered that storm, but she felt that something had broken forever.
Meanwhile, Di Lan staggered through the palace corridors, the ground feeling unstable beneath him. His rage wasn't just directed at Ju Ri; it was consuming him. How did he fall for this trap? He collapsed to his knees, heedless of the dirt or his wounded pride. His eunuch rushed to him in a panic, whispering:
My Lord, please stand up! If someone sees you, if the King finds out, it will be a disaster!
But Di Lan was deaf to everything. His mind screamed: "How did I choose HER? She can't even hold a brush! Did my mother deceive me? Did they hire an artist to paint for her?" He remembered her saying she didn't want to succeed but that someone was "helping" her.
He stood up abruptly, driven by a boiling fury, and headed for the Queen's palace. When he burst in, he froze. There sat his father, the King, sharing a lighthearted moment with the Queen, who was laughing as if she hadn't just committed a "crime" against her own son's future.
The Mystery of the Broken Embrace
In her quiet chamber, Ju Ri lay beside her mother, her mind a tangled forest of thoughts. The silence was heavy. She couldn't help but ask:
Mother, won't you tell me what happened? I need to understand, so I know how to face him tomorrow in my wedding robes.
Her mother sighed, her voice laced with confusion and hurt.
Believe me, child, I don't know what came over him! I tried to embrace him warmly, welcoming him as my own son, and suddenly, he pushed me away harshly. Do you think he did it because his status as Crown Prince forbids him from touching commoners?
Ju Ri frowned and whispered:
Did you say something to upset him?
Her mother replied quickly:
Not at all! He greeted me with a face beaming with joy. I remember asking him how he felt about the wedding tomorrow, and he seemed so happy. But the moment I embraced him and whispered, 'Please, take care of Ju Ri in the future,' his expression turned dark as if possessed. He threw me off and stormed out.
The words hit Ju Ri like a thunderbolt. Now she understood: He didn't know! He had been living in a beautiful delusion, and the name "Ju Ri" was the shock that shattered his dream. A lump formed in her throat while she thought the swing was a message of love, it was actually a "mistake" the Prince had made with his own hand.