Tap...tap...tap...

feiyun sat on the wheelchair, while her fingers drummed the wooden arm rest.

"Imperial edict from the son of heaven! Receive! General Xue and his family, in honour to his heroic contribution in helping the war , is invited to the palace banquet in one week on the 8th, to celebrate the deterrence of northern Song. "

"We thank the emperor , may he live a thousand years!" From the corner of her eyes feiyun watched as everyone kowtowed before the imperial edict. A sneer formed on the corner of her smile and faded just as quickly. She wondered what kind of play she would be able to watch at the banquet.

The eunuch , handed the scroll to General Xue before leaving in a scurry.

" wife, I leave the preparation to you." General Xue spoke and walked behind Feiyun and pushed her back to her manor.

Concubine Qin bowed slightly, revealing a wicked smile " yes my lord, "

The twins Qi Qi and Zhen Zhen instantly flew to their mother's side, " mother, we should custom make our dress from miss Lu dressmaker shop!"

Concubine Qin smiled benevolently at her daughters, " of course. Only the best for my girls. You must catch the crown Prince's heart. Zhen Zhen especially you, the crown prince seem to take a liking to you."

Zhen Zhen could not help but blush after all only she knew what they were doing in secret.

🌟

Sitting in the dark room, lit by only one large white candle, Xing Tian Hou listened to the shadow that knelt Infront of him. His dark eyes watching the shadow with a sense of hostility, his cold aura pressing down against the shadow's that was looking down in respect.

"Ruyi what else?"

Under his pressure the shadow, Ruyi , felt cold sweat form on his forehead continued

" She is planning to announce a wedding for your highness."

"Leave." Tianhuo closed his eyes as the shadow disappeared. His fingers tapping the wooden table.

🌟

The day of the banquet arrived. From early dawn, the general manor was buzzing with activity.

QiQi and Zhen Zhen were both happily anticipating the banquet. QiQi dressed in a light blue dress that dragged along the back, with white cuff and clouds embroidered onto the train. Her face pat white with powder and lips tinted red. While Zhen Zhen wore a similar dress but was pink in colour and embroidered with flowers. Her face was also patted with makeup and a pink tint on the lips. The twins live up to their name of being the twin goddesses who can cause the downfall of cities.

Meanwhile in feiyun's quarters, Qin was helping feiyun with her dress, a white cheap dress with silver embroidery of cranes, her hair was done simply with a silver pin holding a portion of it up while the rest cascaded down, thick black waterfall with soft curls reaching down to the back of her knees.

"Feiyun, you look gorgeous, must you really wear the mask. " Qin smiled from behind Feiyun.

Feiyun simply smiled alittle as she stood up and walk to the wheelchair. Her legs had long been healed but she pretends to still be a crippled because she was willing to use this to her benefit. Her face too had been cured with the special blend of herbs that she made into a cream in the past, which she kept in the space dimension. As a assassin in the past life , she had countless of injury and through studying medicine she discovered this scar removal cream.

"With me like this, won't they feel that they have won? Why not let them play a little longer."

She covered her face with a half face mask, revealing only her precious lips that were plump and cherry Colored. The mask covered the upper part of her face, making her look even more aloof than before. Her deep black eyes a bottomless pit carried a sense of mysteriousness. Even with the mask covering so much of her face, one could still tell from just the small chin and lips that were she to take of the mask, she would indeed be a beauty.

As soon as she sat, Qin pushed her out the door and headed for the entrance. Where Concubine Xia and her daughters were waiting. Seeing her come out, they sneered behind their fans "what a disgrace, even with that dress you dared to show youself." QiQi threw out from behind her fan as she turned and got up the carriage followed by Zhen Zhen. Feiyun was pushed up the wooden ramp into her own carriage that had enough space for her wheelchair. General Xue rode his black stallion at the front of the group as they made their way to the palace.

🌟

"4th prince enters! " A flowery voice announced from the entrance of the banquet hall

As the guest and other ministers and officials heard this, they bowed, each felt fear , their backs turn cold.

The 4th prince Xing Tian Huo was known as the god of war. It was rumoured that he had reached the peak of martial King .

(Martial Ranks starts with copper, bronze, silver, gold, king, Saint, God. On the continent, the number of martial Gods could be counted on one hand, while kings and saints were less than a dozen. most talented genius people would reach a bottle neck of martial gold. Even in the imperial palace, the highest rank was gold peak. )

He was ruthless, emotionless and sadistic. Once, an official had looked at him straight in the eye and the next day was found dead in his room. Rumors spread that his deep blue eyes were a curse that would take the person's life.

As a man, he was tall, and muscular, his black hair was tied in a simple knot with a silver dragon pin holding it in place, with the rest flowing down behind him. Truly he looked like a devilishly handsome man out of a painting. Covered in black robes with a silver dragon curling on the each shoulder down the sleeves.

At the age of 24 he still had not a single wife or concubine. Although the emperor had tried bestowing him marriage , the bride's either commit suicide before their wedding due to fear or died mysteriously on the wedding day itself. Rumors spread that Tian Huo's eyes would curse the bride to death on the day of the wedding. With that , no one dared to climb his shoes in hope of using him to gain power.

He walked down the hall , his eyes locked onto his father emperor's since the moment he entered. He stopped In front of the dragon chair where his father sat , the empress to the right and the crown prince Roufeng to the left.

"Tian huo greets the emperor..."

Tian Huo had magnetizing voice, deep like the ocean but also cold as ice. Not a trace of emotion in his voice. He cupped his hands and bowed his head slightly but he did not kneel. This was him showing the emperor he could not bother to even give him face.

Seeing this, crown prince Xing Ruofeng frowned and spoke "ridiculous! 4th brother, after so long on the battlefield, is it you have forgotten how to show respect to father emperor!?"

The entire hall became quiet from this sentence.

Tian Huo's deep blue eyes traveled to his crown prince eyes, like a predator who have locked on to a pray. Crown prince Ruofeng felt his back cold with sweat and his palms sweaty. His breathing increased under the immense pressure exerted by Tian Huo but he pretended to be brave.

The tension rose and they felt like winter came to the banquet halls which was like spring before the 4th prince arrival.

Before Tian Huo could speak, another announcement was made

"General Xue and his family arrives !"

The tension eased a little and Tian Huo just turned and went to his place and sat lazily. Bringing the wine cup to his mouth. His eyes watched as the family swagger their way to the front.

"A family of ducks...what a joke." His eyes felt disgusted looking at the Xue family. The cold eyes then fell onto the girl in the back who sat in a wheelchair with a small smirk on her face.

His eyes widen slightly, " hmm... Interesting, a lioness in the family of ducks."

All the officials present were in awe at the beauty of the twins.

"Really pretty ah..."

"They could collapse cities with just a look, for sure."

"the one in the wheelchair must be the rumored daughter... aiya what a waste so pretty, but disfigured and crippled..."

Praises entered the ears of the twins as they felt proud in their hearts not letting their gentle demeanor fade. They had to uphold their gentle White lotus appearance. But they couldn't help but lift the corner of their mouth when they heard them speaking of feiyun.

"General Xue. Don't kneel, please rise. you have contributed a lot together with the 4th prince, Tian huo! With that i am very happy. Today's banquet is to celebrate this! Hahaha! " The emperor laughed and motioned to general to take a seat.

Feiyun watched the people around but felt a sharp piercing gaze on her. She turned her head slightly to see. But the feeling disappeared instantly. Her lips curled up a little. She never thought there would be someone of the same type as her here. But this person was stronger for sure. She reminded herself, she needed to be wary. No matter what there's always someone better than you.

After rounds of chit chat, groups of girls that came up to dance to lighten the festive atmosphere, feiyun scanned the surrounding trying to find the person who was looking at her. Her eyes fell on a devilishly handsome man.

His eyes were deep dark blue that you would mistaken to be black if you didn't observe hard enough. His face chiseled as if sculpted. Swordlike eyebrows and sharp nose with skin slightly tanned showing he's been out in the sun. Long black hair cascading down his shoulder as he sat lazily sipping on wine. 

Just as her eyes went back to his, she finally realise that he was watching her and their eyes made contact. This man... Was the same type as her. A lone lion- deadly. She immediately shifted her glance back to her plate and picked up a piece of meat putting it in her mouth.

Her gaze then turned towards the emperor, she wanted to see what kind of person he was. After all this was the first time meeting the emperor even for the Previous Feiyun. Just as she was observing, the empress slide her hand towards the emperor's inner thighs, and whispered something to his ears. She was a pretty woman and for her age managed to stay youthful , white and skin like jade, phoenix eyes and aura of regality.

After hearing her words, the emperor eyes widen and he stroke his beard and smiled mischievously for a moment before clearing his throat " 4th prince, in regards to the war you and general Xue have won for us, i plan to reward you heavily. 100 000 golden teals and also 4 estates in the capital and 5 shops on the main Street of the capital business district... Hmmm Zhen will also bestow marriage on 4th prince. "

After he said this, the whole court quieten down. A single hair pin dropping would be as loud as a air horn. The ministers cold sweat poured as they wonder who the next sacrifice would be while praying it is not their daughters.

"Hmmm ithink that general Xue's first born daughter would be good to make your wife. Although the rumors are that she is crippled and has a scar on her face, she is still of proper standing to be your wife. "

Hearing this, the 4th prince didn't speak a word and only glanced at the emperor and empress who were trying to press down their wicked smile.

Everyone had cold sweat on their forehead, would they see blood today? They knew this was not a reward but a punishment to take away the 4th Prince's power.

The empress wanted to stabilize the crown Prince's position and Tian Huo's achievements and power as the god of war was in the way. Should he marry a girl with good background, his fame and power would only rise. She needed to make sure his wife was a nobody that would drag him down.

General Xue was looking at the tension , he did not have a say in this. Even if he wanted to he could not afford to, anyways since the empress had cleared the way for him, he would not object. He just kneel waiting for the Prince's answer.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tian huo replied, " 8th day of next month." After that he stood up and walked off, a smirk hidden on his face.

Everyone was stunned. The devil prince actually accepted.

Feiyun couldn't be bothered about this at all. She wasn't afraid of the rumors, after all she was confident in her strengths. And there was something she was interested about him.