Two candles glowed dimly in the corner of the room as you sat on the floor, your hands folded in your lap. Soft blankets lay before you, as if hinting at what you would have to do that night with your new husband. He, in fact, sat across from you, removing his clothes—namely, a changpao and ma gua. His red eyes piercingly followed your every movement, ready to prevent any escape attempts you might make.

Even though you knew you wouldn't be able to.

"What are you sitting there for?" Blade grumbled, clenching his fists for a moment before relaxing his grip. "Come on, undress. Don't keep your husband waiting!"

Your days were doomed the moment the Emperor's beloved men opened the Great Wall to the Manchus, condemning China to a terrible captivity. People became practically their slaves, devoting all their energy to being useful soldiers and artisans, lest they incur the Manchus' wrath.

The Ming Dynasty fell, replaced by another, and the residents of your town, Suzhou, knew things would never be as they were before.

The Manchus occupied the highest positions in the empire's political and military hierarchy, becoming the main officials, traders, and military leaders. Some Chinese feudal lords and merchants also entered the Qing system of government, retaining certain privileges. Colonels and soldiers who were dissatisfied with their lot also joined the enemy.

Your father, who had previously served as a zhu gaochi, now had to submit to vile enemies to support the family, while your mother took care of the household, encouraging you to do the same. You also had a loved one who proposed to you on the eve of this chaos.

One day you were ready to marry your beloved, and the next, you watched his severed head roll across the wet ground, staining it a treacherous red.

And it was all for a reason.

As soon as the Manchus conquered China, you caught the attention of Jiang Jun, Blade. His name was tinged with the numerous battles he had fought over his years. Legends were written about him, sonatas were composed and played on guqins. People feared him, which gave him great authority in the conquests he had accomplished.

The most terrifying thing was that he seemed to have his eyes fixed on you.

When the "new emperor of China," Nurhaci, ascended the throne, founding the Qing Empire, he offered Blade, as his most eternal general, the choice of a wife or concubine. His choice fell on you. Although he knew that marriages between Manchus and Chinese women would be strictly prohibited, he didn't care.

The Emperor, of course, was displeased, but the dark-haired man managed to persuade him. His parents had long resisted his choice, but once their son announced he wanted the wedding as soon as possible, it forced them to change their minds. Although his mother was able to do so fairly quickly, accepting you as her own, his father was slower.

But your family was completely against it.

You were their only child, their girl, and Blade literally had to wrest an hour from their hands, who weren't ready to hand you over to the enemy. But they knew he had more power than they, so the traditional pre-wedding rites began.

First came the offering of light, along with gifts to the bride's sister-in-law.

Second, when the light learned the bride's name and conveyed it to the groom's family.

The third was fortune telling at the groom's ancestral temple.

The fourth was sending gifts to the bride's family as a sign of the marriage contract.

The fifth was choosing and announcing the lucky wedding date.

And it all concluded with the groom setting off to fetch the bride with a group of attendants.

During your wedding, there were many other traditions that did not bring you any sense of peace or satisfaction with the man you would consider your husband. Your marriage bed was prepared, decorated with lotus seeds, fruits, and so on.

Then came the moment of your wedding night. You tugged at the hem of your qipao while Blade looked at you expectantly, he was completely undressed.

"Well? Are you going to do something or do I have to force you?"