Chapter 3 Hostage for Thirteen Years
My father was a great general.
Hundreds of thousands of troops were under his command.
Back then our ancestor had fought alongside the founding emperor to open up new territory and was granted the title of異姓王.
The title had passed down through the generations to me.
When I was four years old.
The border was constantly harassed by foreign enemies.
My father was ordered to lead the army and hold the line. He guarded it for thirteen years.
He wanted to take me with him.
The Emperor refused and kept me in the capital.
In front of the entire court he swore an oath.
"General Cui guards the rivers and mountains for me and for the people. I will certainly take good care of Cui Qingyi."
"Whether Crown Prince or prince's consort—Cui Qingyi can have whichever she likes."
Yes.
Those exact words.
They hung over my head for thirteen years.
They also hung over the heads of the Emperor's three sons for thirteen years.
Everyone said whoever I married would become the Crown Prince.
The three princes believed it too.
No.
It was the three princes who believed it.
I pressed my lips together and stared at the jade pendant hanging against my chest.
The pendant was left to me by my mother.
The year she left, she told me, "When our Qingyi grows up and gets married, Mother will come back."
That year I was three.
Actually, I was quite looking forward to getting married.
I missed my mother.
I also missed my father.