His bright red wedding robes clung to his skin, scorching hot like a flame that could never be put out. Li Chen stood in the main hall of the prince’s residence, surrounded by deafening wedding music. The guests’ smiling faces swayed before his eyes, each one like a carefully painted mask. The air was thick with sandalwood incense, mixed with the scent of cosmetics and wine, making him a little dizzy. He stood there quietly, his gaze unfocused, letting the clamor around him swallow him whole. The capital’s fool, the Third Prince, was getting married today. It was unquestionably the biggest joke of the year.
Every gaze held the same things: pity, mockery, and the gleeful anticipation of a spectacle.
