Chapter CXI - The Imperial Picnic
The Emperor announced the picnic with great enthusiasm.
Which immediately made Prince Rui suspicious.
Very suspicious.
—
Because emperors did not become enthusiastic about picnics.
Not naturally.
Not without hidden motives.
—
Unfortunately—
everyone else agreed immediately.
—
The Crown Prince agreed.
Lady Shen agreed.
The Empress Dowager's former attendants somehow agreed.
Even General Han agreed.
A deeply concerning development.
—
Prince Rui spent approximately three seconds considering refusal.
Then Shen Li smiled.
And the matter ended.
Immediately.
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
—
The imperial picnic took place beside Mirror Lake.
A beautiful place.
Peaceful.
Scenic.
Filled with blooming flowers and drifting willow branches.
And apparently—
filled with conspirators.
—
Because the moment Prince Rui arrived—
he noticed something alarming.
—
Families.
Everywhere.
—
Children running across the grass.
Parents laughing.
Grandparents smiling.
The entire lakeside appeared suspiciously designed to communicate a message.
—
Prince Rui narrowed his eyes.
Dangerously.
—
The Emperor immediately looked away.
Far too quickly.
—
Interesting.
Very interesting.
—
Shen Li spent the morning walking with her mother along the lake.
Talking.
Laughing.
Recovering lost years.
The simple joy of it made everything else seem distant.
Smaller somehow.
—
Lady Shen seemed happier than Shen Li had seen her in years.
Lighter.
Freer.
At peace.
—
Then unexpectedly—
they stopped beside an old plum tree near the water.
—
Lady Shen smiled softly.
Then:
"Your father proposed to me here."
—
Shen Li blinked.
—
"Here?"
—
Lady Shen nodded.
—
"Terribly."
—
Silence.
—
Then:
"He fell into the lake."
—
Absolute silence.
—
Then Shen Li laughed so hard she nearly joined him retroactively.
—
Because her father had always been remembered as dignified.
Respected.
Wise.
—
Apparently history omitted important details.
—
Lady Shen smiled.
Dangerously.
The smile of someone possessing embarrassing stories.
—
Then:
"Prince Rui reminds me of him."
—
Shen Li froze.
—
Interesting.
Very interesting.
—
"How?"
—
Lady Shen looked toward the distant shoreline.
Where Prince Rui stood speaking with the Emperor.
Or attempting to.
The Emperor appeared busy introducing him to approximately seventeen families.
A horrifying sight.
—
Then Lady Shen answered.
—
"They both look serious."
"They both frighten people."
—
Fair.
Very fair.
—
Then:
"And both become completely unreasonable when they love someone."
—
Shen Li suddenly found the lake fascinating.
Very fascinating.
—
Meanwhile—
Prince Rui was suffering.
—
Not physically.
Emotionally.
—
Because every conversation somehow became:
"Your Highness, have you considered—"
Or:
"When you eventually have children—"
Or:
"A son would certainly inherit—"
—
Prince Rui briefly considered returning to the northern frontier.
—
A reasonable response.
A very reasonable response.
—
Then salvation arrived.
Temporarily.
—
A little girl no older than five approached him.
Carrying a flower crown.
—
The entire gathering immediately went silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
Interested.
Very interested.
—
Then the child looked up.
Completely fearless.
—
"You're Prince Rui."
—
Silence.
—
Prince Rui nodded.
—
"Yes."
—
Then:
"You look lonely."
—
The entire imperial family stopped breathing.
—
Because children possessed terrifying powers.
—
Then before anyone could react—
the little girl placed the flower crown onto Prince Rui's head.
—
Absolute silence.
—
The Crown Prince nearly collapsed.
The Emperor looked ready to explode from suppressed laughter.
General Han walked away immediately.
For survival purposes.
—
Prince Rui stood motionless.
Wearing flowers.
—
History would never recover.
—
Then Shen Li arrived.
Saw everything.
And laughed.
—
Not politely.
Not discreetly.
—
Actually laughed.
—
Prince Rui looked at her.
Then at the flower crown.
Then back at her.
—
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
—
Later that afternoon—
as the picnic drew toward its end—
Prince Rui and Shen Li escaped to a quiet section of shoreline.
Finally.
At last.
Peace.
—
The lake reflected the setting sun.
Golden light danced across the water.
Birds drifted overhead.
The world felt calm.
Safe.
Whole.
—
Then Shen Li quietly took his hand.
—
"Your Highness."
—
Prince Rui looked toward her.
—
"Yes?"
—
She smiled.
Warmly.
Softly.
—
"You looked good with flowers."
—
Silence.
—
Then Prince Rui sighed.
The sigh of a man betrayed by destiny itself.
—
"This prince regrets surviving the conspiracy."
—
The laughter that followed echoed across the lake.
Bright.
Happy.
Alive.
—
And for perhaps the first time since the story began—
there was no danger waiting around the corner.
No hidden enemy.
No approaching storm.
—
Only family.
Only peace.
Only spring.