Tan Xiu was sitting in her room on the ground holding her legs, while looking at the enclosed window in daze. After crying for hours, her tears have dried up.

  She knows that marriage alliance is normal and as a Princess she is not an exception but…. can't she decide her life partner? She was glad that her father always gave her choice to decide and told her that she is as important as any boy. Then why suddenly, her rights are being snatched away from her?

  She was thankful to her father that he didn't marry her at a young age like others just because she didn't want it. But….why now? How come things became like this?-

  Tan Jiahao was sitting on the bed in his chamber while looking at Tan Xiu's wooden toys from when she was young.

  He felt heavy hearted remembering the way she cried when he told her that she is marrying in two weeks. Just like, any other father he had also dreamed to give her the best but he was helpless seeing the way things turned out.

  He can't put hundreds of people's lives at risk just to give her happiness. This is the price she has to pay for being the Princess.

  His wife walked to him and saw him staring at Tan Xiu's toys like this. She sighed and sat on the bed and said, " I think you should tell her about the whole situation. I am sure she will definitely understand your actions after knowing everything. She is acting like this because she is unaware about the whole situation. I think you should tell her."

  Tan Jiahao looked at her and pursed his lips. The vulnerable condition of his reign is not known to everyone. Even among the ministers, only his confidants know about it. Tan Xiu was no exception.

  He sighed and said, " I don't want to tell her about it. I will rather be evil in her eyes than be weak. I don't want her to see as an incompetent father who failed to protect his family or daughter."

  " You're not. You're the best man and father I have seen in my whole life. Don't ever call yourself incompetent. I am sure Tan Xiu won't think that so." She placed her hand on his, and smiled.

  He smiled weakly and said, "Even so, I don't want to tell her. This way, she can at least blame me for everything and release her anger. But if I tell her the truth, she will feel guilty even to blame me. She will feel suffocated to the point that she will not feel anything. I don't want her to become like that. Crying is better than not and becoming lifeless. "

  His wife sighed helplessly seeing how much he cares about Tan Xiu. She was thankful to the heavens that she met such a man. She always wanted her daughter to get a man like her father but….her fate is different than hers. Who would have thought that things would become like this?-

  After a few days,

  Yuan Song who just came back to the city after completing his mission on the south border was shocked when he was summoned to the Imperial Palace.

  He felt uncomfortable thinking if the Emperor found out about him and Tan Xue. He wanted to tell him about their relationship personally and wanted to ask her hand for marriage himself. He knows how progressive and supportive the Emperor is, even if he already found out he won't kill him for that.

  Also, he might not be a prince, but his family was pretty influential in the country. His family is serving in the military and has been respected and rewarded by his majesty himself-

  Tan Jiahao was in his study when a guard came to inform him about Commander Yuan Song's arrival. He nodded and smiled mildly when Yuan Song entered. He bowed and greeted him respectfully.

  " I am glad that you came back from the mission safe and sound." Tan Jiahao said, urging him to sit opposite him and gesturing to the maid to pour tea for him.

  The latter politely accepted his kind actions and took a sip of it.

  " You must be wondering why I called you to see me when you just arrived from a mission, right?" Tan Jiahao asked.

  Yuan Song nodded.

  Tan Jiahao took a deep breath as his expressions turned solemn.

  He stared at him and started, "Yuan Song, you know how much I respected your father and he was my friend before the head in the military."

  Yuan Song nodded. When his father lost his life in a war, His Majesty told his mother to not worry and took care of his education and family. It was because of this, he got into the military and worked hard to protect his majesty and the country.

  " Just like your father, I treat you as my confidant and believe whatever I am going to tell you, is not going to get out of this room." He said with serious expressions.

  Yuan Song sat straight hearing his words. He nodded seriously and waited for him to continue.

  "Tan Xiu….she is getting married next week. I have arranged her marriage with the Emperor of the Yang Dynasty, Yang Hanying. Their family is going to arrive in three days and by the end of next week, she will get married to him." He said indifferently.

  "-_-"

  Yuan Song, who was listening to him seriously a while ago, was shocked. He stared at him with his widened eyes and couldn't believe if he heard it right.

  He was planning to ask Tan Xiu's hand in marriage but….he is finding out that she is getting married next week? To someone else?

  They didn't even get the time to spend with each other. The day she confessed to him and he kissed her, he went on a mission right after that. And when he came back, he was being told that she is getting married?

  In the previous year, he also admired Tan Xiu and unknowingly fell for her. However because of his indifferent personality, he never had the courage to confess. But things became right when she confessed her feelings to him.

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