Chapter 1 — The Emperor gave me a wedding, the General publicly proposed me as his concubine, I threw away my veil and left

I took out a piece of red silk from my sleeve. That's a corner of the veil that I tore down. On it there is also a golden thread patched by His Majesty's hand. I held up the piece of red silk.

"This veil, today according to the decree of marriage, entered the General's palace."

Someone in the forbidden army immediately knelt down. Immediately followed by a second person and a third person. The sound of iron armor hitting the ground echoed continuously in front of the palace gate. The servant's face changed. He didn't expect me to bring this with me. I asked him:

“Are you stopping me, or are you blocking His Majesty's grace?”

His lips moved slightly.

“The slave does not dare.”

"If you don't dare, go and report."

His forehead was dripping with sweat. At that moment, the sound of a horse carriage was heard in the distance. A small carriage covered with green curtains stopped in front of the palace gate. A ghost stepped down from the car. She is no longer young, her sideburns are gray, but her steps are still steady. As soon as the maid saw her, he immediately knelt down. Mom didn't pay any attention to him and walked straight in front of me. She looked at the piece of red silk in my hand, then looked at the wound on my wrist.

“Miss Lam, please come to the palace.”

The maid suddenly raised her head.

“Miss, the night curfew has not been lifted yet.”

Mama turned around and slapped him straight in the face. The slap echoed loudly, as if even the palace wall echoed.

“Since when is it your turn to change the rules for the lady?”

The inner servant prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to move any further. I bowed down to pay respects to my mother.

“Sorry, Miss.”

She caught me.

"Miss Lam, there's no need to be so polite, she's been waiting for you for a long time."

My heart moved slightly.

“Did you already know that I would come?”

Mom did not answer directly.

"Today, the General's palace held a banquet for guests, and there were also people in the palace who came to congratulate him."

I understand. Among the guests present today, it is unlikely that all are just spectators. The palace gate slowly opened. The heavy sound of the door shaft echoed far away in the night. I followed mom and walked inside. The old manager wanted to follow, but was stopped by the army. I turned my head to look at him.

“He is outside the palace gate waiting for me.”

His eyes turned red and he nodded.

“Miss, don't be afraid.”

When the palace gate closed behind me, I heard a deep noise. That sound seemed to block out the bustle of the General's palace outside, as well as push me into another storm. Miss Van walked beside me, carrying a bow lamp in her hand. The light illuminates the long, winding road, the green bricks underfoot shine coldly. The hem of my dress swept across the ground, the golden threads were ground to a dull color. Miss Van looked at my wrist several times, then finally asked softly:

“Are you in pain, miss?”

I looked at the five red marks on my wrist.

“It doesn't hurt.”

She sighed softly.

"If the lady sees this, I'm afraid she will get angry."

I don't answer. Outside the main hall of the Central Palace, the palace staff on night duty knelt in a space. The candles in the hall were still burning brightly, without any semblance of rest, and the sedative incense was still burning in the incense burner. The queen sat under the light, wearing a light-colored coat, her hair bun still undone, clearly still waiting. We entered the temple to perform the ceremony.

“Goddess Lam Chieu Nha, meeting the Queen.”

My knees haven't touched yet land, the Queen stood up to support me. His hand was very steady, placed on my arm very gently.

"This wedding dress is for getting married, not for coming here to kneel and confess your sins."

I raised my head. The Queen saw my messy bun, saw the piece of red silk I was holding in my hand, and also saw the wound on my wrist. His face darkened little by little.

“Luc Canh Tham took action?”

“He stopped the goddess from entering the palace.”

“On the main street?”

The queen closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, there was no longer any sleepiness in her eyes.

“Please tell me everything that happened today in the main hall to this palace, without missing a word.”

The female official standing next to him immediately brought him paper and pen. I stood in the middle of the main hall, telling the story of the wedding ceremony, the main hall of the General's palace, all the guests and Luc Canh Tham's statement "having a wife" one by one. When it was said that I can only be a concubine, the pen in the female official's hand stopped a bit, the ink drop fell onto the paper, spreading into a black streak. The Queen did not interrupt me at all. Wait until I finish speaking, then ask:

“What is that woman's name?”

“Goddess does not know.”

Miss Van walked in from outside and whispered softly:

“Your highness, I came to the General's palace to congratulate you on your return.”

The Queen said:

“Let him talk.”

A little housekeeper knelt outside the door, her voice tense.

"Your highness, that woman's name is Lieu Thanh Ha. She was brought by General Luc from the border to the capital. Before that, she had always lived in the private courtyard in the west of the city. This evening, she was welcomed into the General's palace by a small palanquin."