Chapter 3 — Headless Bride

I suddenly felt anticipation - when Tran Hang learned that it was his own hand that cut off my head, cut my body into pieces and threw it into the moat... How long will that mask of love of yours still be able to act? That night, Tran Hang slept restlessly, constantly seeing my image in his dreams. It was me when we got engaged to him, hiding behind the screen and secretly looking at him. It was me the afternoon after we got married, nestled in his arms, hearing him say he wanted me to give him a child. It was me when he was busy reconnecting with Tham Tu, and I was quietly sad. Later, not sure what he dreamed about, he suddenly woke up with a start, breathing heavily. He took out the things I had left behind and stared at the letter for a long time. Finally, just one sentence:

“It's so confusing.”

9

Early the next morning, the guards in the palace informed Tran Hang of my whereabouts. It is said that last night I took the mother's jade token and left the East Gate, but at the gate there was no record of entering or exiting, so I must still be hanging around near the capital. After listening, Tran Hang seemed quite satisfied, and before leaving, he said one thing:

"There's a new pair of jade earrings at Tran Bao Cac, go buy them for your wife."

During the day, I followed Tran Hang to court duty, and at night he sat on a small palanquin. I thought he was planning to return to the palace, but unexpectedly he was taken to a small, remote alley. As soon as the door opened, Tham Tu jumped into Tran Hang's arms like a little bird. I smiled coldly. In front of outsiders, that's how you fall in love with me. The person who hadn't officially entered the door yet hastily hid his lover in the "Golden House". I didn't bother to watch the play between the two of them anymore, so I quietly turned away. This place is not far from Thanh Ha, I stood on the riverbank, looking at the calm water before my eyes. That distant stream of water has swallowed every trace of me. My father was originally the Minister of Rites, and was imprisoned last month. Even if he was lucky enough to escape the crime, he would still be banished from the capital. My younger brother, in order to protect the whole family, asked himself to go to the border to make atonement for his sins, and my mother has passed away many years ago. No one will come looking for me anymore. Good news, Tran Hang has "solved" us cleanly. From now on, this world will no longer have Hua Minh Nguyet. My parents and brothers will no longer be heartbroken.

10

When I returned to Tran's palace, I immediately heard that Tran Hang was angry again. The room was brightly lit, half of the servants in the palace were kneeling on the ground, cowering and not daring to breathe.

"Why is there still no trace of the lady?"

The leading guard only felt miserable but didn't dare say:

“Sir, my subordinates have tried to search, but the city is crowded and complicated, ma'am... is probably intentionally hiding her whereabouts..."

“Still need more time…”

“Myth!”

Tran Hang waved his sleeve, between his eyebrows there was an unconcealed frustration.

“She is a woman, has no money on her side, and has no one in her mother's family to rely on, so how can she have such great courage that she can surpass Dai Ly Tu?”

“Huh!”

I laughed softly. How can we get past it? It's because you don't love me, Tran Hang. If he would pay a little more attention, just a little bit... With the ability of Dai Ly Tu Khanh like him, he should have seen the loopholes long ago. In your eyes, I will always be Hua Minh Nguyet who always takes you seriously. I did How long did it take to become his wife? How could I easily let go? So I left a letter of separation and quietly left - for him, it was just a "tough tie" tactic. All were seen as jealous tricks, because they did not want to let Tham Tu step foot into the palace. Looking at each group of guards sent out and then returning failed, Tran Hang was so angry that he gritted his teeth:

"Hua Minh Nguyet, if you have the courage, don't come back in this life!"

11

Without me in the palace, nothing seems to have changed. The news that Tran Hang wants to marry Tham Tu has spread more and more widely. Horse carts travel around the palace to take care of shopping, today it's red silk, tomorrow it's jewelry. Many shops in the city are busy, either sewing wedding dresses, or preparing bride gifts and dowries. Now everyone knows that Tham Tu is a woman of good fortune. Dai Ly Tu Khanh was in love with her, even though she had been widowed and remarried, she could still be broken and healed with a young talent like Tran Dai Nhan. Tran Hang could not integrate into that joyful atmosphere. He became increasingly insecure and his mind was confused. Each wave of guards sent out failed to get results, so he immediately went to Kinh Trieu Phu to borrow people to expand the search area. He brought all the servants who had been in our palace to Dai Ly Tu, and after each court session, he turned on the lights and interrogated them all night. Ask them where we went.

“You can erase your status as a servant, and you can be rewarded with gold, silver and jewels.”

Tran Hang proposed those conditions, not even afraid to take risks and invited witch doctors, hoping to use his neck to force them to open their mouths. Unfortunately... he was destined to be disappointed.