Across 300 Years, I Love You

I will marry him

28 March 1747

[Yongqi's POV]

Today is the night before the 3rd Princess, Hejing of First Rank's wedding. She is Mother Empress's birth daughter and the first Princess to survive into adulthood. K'anggan and I have been tasked to keep her company for her last night in the palace while Mother Empress took care of the final preparations for the big day.

For the 100th time, 3rd sister thumbed through her favourite collection of poems written by Du Fu, the poet saint, legend of the entire Chinese history.

"Palace beauties have turned into yellow dust,

And what's more, scattered are their powders and paints.

Where once they awaited a glorious golden chariot,

Now, of those things, only the stone horse remains." she recited as she flips to a random page of the book.

"3rd sister!" I exclaimed. "It's your wedding, not a funeral."

"Yes, indeed. How can I feel joy?" she closed the book and reopened it to another random page. "You are still young, Yongqi."

I looked at K'anggan as he maintained his silence. Memories of her wedding announcement flooded my head.

"By the will of heaven and the will of the Emperor." Head Eunuch Feng paused for a second before continuing.

Hejing was with the Empress having tea at the Everlasting Spring Pavilion when the Imperial Edict came for her. Jittering, she took deep breaths to maintain her composure to get onto her knees to receive the edict. In her mind, she knew very well, nothing good would come out of this announcement. She had just turned 16 a couple of months ago and the Emperor has hinted of searching for a suitable marriage candidate to be her prince consort.

"What is supposed to come, will come for you." the Empress held her hands with hopes to lend her some strength and support to face the unknown.

"Let's kneel together." she squeezed Hejing's hands.

"General Septeng Balijur has proven to be a honest and loyal man, worthy of my trust and consideration. Born of the Korchin subclan of the Borjigin with Korchin females holding Empress titles with the Emperors precedent, direct royal descendants of the great Genghis Khan. I hereby betroth my 3rd Princess, Hejing of First Rank, born of the Empress to General Septeng Balijur of the Korchin Borjigit Clan of Mongolia."

At this point of the announcement, Hejing had already turned a pale shade of white.

"Gurun Princess Hejing*,receive your edict" Head Eunuch Feng ended his announcement to hand over the scroll to her.

With jittery hands and raspy breaths, she took the scroll with her hands above her head. "Thank you, Father Emperor." with that, she fainted.

For the weeks following the announcement, Hejing fell very ill. Septeng may have the rank of a General with the great Qing now. But he has grown up with a golden spoon where everything is handed to him without the need to fight hard for it. He had more privileges than any other aristocrats as his family holds the highest power and influence in Mongolia. The Emperor has shown him great favor, treating him like his own son.

In front of everyone, Septeng is an honest, dependable person. However, deep in her heart, she knew that Septeng is an arrogant prick - that side of him he almost revealed accidentally to her but she was too quick for him to hide.

"You will one day be mine." he taunted her with a wink.

She shivered at the memory of the last sentence he said to her.