Proud Swallow

Seven years have passed since Yan sent their princess to Great Chu. Before the Crown Prince's wedding, he personally asked the Emperor to take the princess as a secondary consort.

A mere princess from the barbarian kingdom of Yan could have been casually married off to a minister. Now the Crown Prince of a great nation wants to marry her, and the Emperor feels she isn't being treated unfairly.

But on the wedding day, the princess mysteriously fakes her death.

Faced with the furious Emperor, the Regent remains calm and unhurried, offering an explanation and taking all the blame upon himself on the Crown Prince's behalf.

The Crown Prince weeps bitterly: Uncle, you really are a wonderful uncle to me.

"Yan Jiao" certainly can't marry.

His real name is Yan Jiao, and he came to Great Chu to rescue the Crown Prince of Yan. Who knew that after seven years, he still wouldn't have found the Crown Prince's whereabouts, while the foolish heir to Chu had set his sights on him?

If the truth of his mission were exposed, the whole kingdom of Yan would suffer.

By some twist of fate, he seeks help from the Regent's residence.

The Regent of Great Chu sits at ease, leisurely waving his fan in a candlelit room. He studies him in the candlelight and asks, "Is the Crown Prince no good?"

The princess lowers his head, tears falling, and says nothing.

The Regent smiles. "If you don't want to marry the Crown Prince, why come to me?"

He studies the beauty in a moon-white robe by the candlelight. From seven years ago until now, he can hardly recognize the carefree, spirited boy who once climbed over a wall to pick green plums, then pointed at him and called him the Chu Tyrant.

The Regent gets it: "The Crown Prince is no good. I'm better."

At first, he only turned to the Regent in a moment of desperation to get himself out of trouble.

Who knew that just as Yan Jiao was preparing to cross the river and burn the bridge, the Regent would suddenly stop playing dumb?

Watching the Regent reclaim his power and visit the imperial study day after day, Yan Jiao regrets it too late.

A servant at the residence brings in a cartload of books and says respectfully, "Since Your Highness doesn't want to marry into the Eastern Palace, then study. Whenever you want to marry, you can have the books taken away."

Half a year later.

Yan Jiao can't take it anymore. He tosses the books aside, sweeps up his long sleeves, and runs straight to the imperial palace. It's just one Crown Prince! Let him make the Eastern Palace a living nightmare!

The Chu Crown Prince is shocked and overjoyed, beside himself with delight.

That night, the Regent quietly enters the Crown Prince's residence with a sword in hand.

Looking at the beauty in red beneath the candlelight, the Regent's sword glints faintly.

"I said whenever you want to marry, but I never said you had to marry the Crown Prince."

(They haven't changed pairings, just switched their roles around.)

Theme: Persevere, save people from danger, and ask for nothing in return.