MARRIED TO A CRUEL CROWN PRINCE
I'm Ready to Get Married
Chapter 1: I am ready to get married
The city of Juyan was located at the Northwest end of the Han Kingdom. As territorial expansion by the Han empire began, many kingdoms accepted the rule of Han's great emperor, Han Wenji. His son Han Sheng Li campaigned since the age of 16 and now the last kingdom on his list is the city of Juyan.
In a tent house, Han Sheng Li could be seen in the middle. The name suits him because it defines his personality - Winner, strong, and cruel. He was preparing for a war against the Juyan kingdom, the last small kingdom on his campaign list.
Five assistants were helping him wear heavy metal armor on his upper body when General Wang Hao came there, who knelt down and put his hands together. "Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Juyan is ready to accept our sovereignty. Their king, Song Wai, doesn't want any war." Wang Hao told Sheng Li.
Sheng Li raised his right hand to stop the assistant who was helping him wearing armor. The servants stepped back as Sheng Li moved his index finger, thus gesturing for the servants to leave the tent.
Wang Hao was still kneeling, his head bowed in front of the Crown Prince, Han Sheng Li who turned to him and told him to get up. General Wang stood up and looked at Sheng Li's eyes which gave a murderous look.
Sheng Li raised his sword and looked at it. "I was expecting a bloody war. I wanted to kill him with my own hands, but he was too easy to continue."
Sheng Li grumbled with his cold voice which frightened General Wang because he thought that the crown prince still preferred war over accepting Juyan territory so easily.
Gathering all his courage General Wang said, "But it is not good if we choose the path of war." Sheng Li started laughing hearing that, which made General Wang frightened. Sheng Li stopped laughing and with a grim expression spoke, "Since when did General Han start thinking like this. Taking care of life? You are one of my favorite generals so I won't say anything to you."
General Wang apologized to the crown prince when General Xiao Zhan entered the tent. He also knelt down, put his hands together in front of Sheng Li, and showed the Crown Prince a Scroll that came from the Emperor. "Read," Xuan's command looked at his sword.
"I, Han Wenji, the emperor of the Han Empire, ordered the Crown Prince not to start a war against the king of Juyan.
The King of Juyan, Song Wai, has offered his daughter for a marriage alliance with us. I heard that the princess is famous for her beauty, intelligence, and kindness not only in Juyan kingdom but also in the whole Han Kingdom. I have agreed to this offer. You are the crown prince of the Han Kingdom so, I found the Princess of the city of Juyan suitable for you. She would become the crown princess of the Han empire and would become the future queen.
Take him to the Han imperial palace with respect. Your queen mother and I have sent some precious items to Juyan kingdom. You will go there and give all the gifts to them. The Han Kingdom is waiting for its Crown Son. Come home safely.
Your father
Emperor Han"
General Xiao finished reading the Royal decree, so he scrolled through it and stood up. The expression on the Crown Prince's face darkened. "My father approved of this marriage when he knew I loved someone else." Sheng Li muttered.
"I was told by our spies that king Juyan sent messengers to the Han Empire palace to give a message about the Marriage alliance to be saved from the deadly war against us. The princess was supposed to marry the first prince but King Song asked your hand for his daughter" General Xiao told Sheng Li.
"You found this now?" Sheng Li shouted at General Xiao who immediately lowered his gaze.
"Your Majesty, King Song had planned this before we even got here. The spy can't do anything about it" General Xiao explained.
"Kill the spy immediately. He failed to kill the envoy in his path so he was useless," Sheng Li ordered General Xiao who bowed and left the tent.
"Your Majesty must marry Princess Juyan" General Wang said. Sheng Li with an annoying face sat on the throne made for him. "This is the Emperor's imperial order, so I must fulfill it. Prepare horses. We will soon be leaving for the Juyan imperial palace." Sheng Li ordered. General Wang bowed in front of the crown prince and left the tent.
After a while, the Crown Prince walked out of the tent. The white horse was bought there. Sheng Li jumped on it while five more generals were behind him with a small group of soldiers consisting of 50 soldiers. There were several carts as well where the gifts from the Capital had been sent to King Juyan. Sheng Li started riding horses followed by the others towards the Juyan imperial palace.
In the room on the east side, Juyan's daughter, An Ying Lili was pacing back and forth. The name had a deep meaning that clearly showed its character. She was the peace-loving, kind, intelligent, and most beautiful woman in the great Han empire. She had been wearing a white Hanfu dress (which Han people used to wear in historical times) with a red flower pattern on it. "Miss, please sit down. It has not been confirmed that any kind of royal decree has come from Emperor Han," Ruyi's assistant pronounced.
Ruyi lowered her head as King Song Wai and his queen entered the room. "Leave us alone" Song Wai ordered. The servants left the room after hearing the king's orders. "Dad-mother," An Ying Lili uttered as she walked towards them.
"Heard you agreed to the marriage alliance. Really true?" An Ying Lili asked with a worried expression.
"An Lili, sit here," Song Wai told his daughter and told her to sit on the bed. "To save people, I have to do this. To save this kingdom, I have to do this. Most importantly, to save you, I have to do this. Don't you know what deadly rampage the crown prince has done in our country? neighboring kingdom? He killed not only the king and his sons, but also the women there. He doesn't spare anyone." Song Wai stated, as tears formed in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, then how do you expect him to save my son?" the queen complained and sat down next to her daughter. "He was a very cruel man. How will you survive there? Your Majesty, you should at least think of him not as a king but as a father." Song Wai's wife, Chou Mei, said in a desperate voice.
"The first prince wanted our daughter's hand as he had seen it once, but then I would never be able to see my daughter as a concubine. At least she will be the official wife of the Crown Prince. An Lili, you will think of me as a cruel father today, but that is all for you. The emperor himself assured me that they would take care of our daughter like their own. Moreover, the emperor himself wanted An Lili to marry the crown prince. This alliance will not save people from death but also give our daughter the respect she deserves" Song Wai said.
"The Crown Prince is cold and stone-hearted. Your Majesty, I can't let my daughter marry that madman," the queen expressed her concern.
"My queen, I would never have agreed to this if Emperor Han had not convinced me himself. Last month, I met him and talked about it. The emperor has given me his words and I trust him. Ying Lili will be happy there," Song Wai told his wife.
"Your Majesty, what if she's ki-" the queen stopped talking as she cried. An Ying Lili hugged her mother and said, "No one can touch your daughter. I trained in martial arts. I believe in my father, so don't cry." An Ying Lili comforted and reassured her mother at the same time. Pulling away from her, Ying Lili wiped the tears from her mother's cheeks.
"I am delighted that many lives will be saved because of this marriage alliance. I am willing to marry the Crown Prince," Ying Lili announced with a small smile on her lips. "When things can be settled peacefully then one must accept it" Ying Lili said.
Song Wai's eyes glazed over as she sacrificed her own daughter for all of this. But when Emperor Han gave him assurances about the princess and her people, he immediately agreed because, in the Crown Prince's last campaign, the palace women were transformed into slaves and prostitutes. Song Wai could not see her daughter, her queen, and other women turning into slaves so she thought the marriage alliance was the best choice.
"I'm proud of you, my son. I'm sorry I couldn't stop all this. I may be a cowardly King in everyone's eyes now, but that is the best way to escape the bloody war. I know as king. I should have stepped forward with a sword in my hand on the battlefield, but even if I did, I knew none of my men would survive. Many times it is better to see my people as free people than to be their slaves, "Song Wai stated.
