Xiao Yanshao went to the battlefield at fifteen and won a decisive victory over the Song army in his first battle. His Majesty asked him what he desired, offering any reward, and Xiao Yanshao bowed deeply, simply wishing to always be near his mother. The Emperor laughed and granted it.
His frequent visits allowed the princess to smile every so often.
I saw him out of the palace for the princess. Before the red gates, he stopped, his face serious. "Aunt Zhe, why is Mother always troubled? If there's something on her mind, please tell me, and I'll make sure to ease her worries."
"How could you not know what the princess wants? She simply wishes the Golden Blade to be sheathed."
"Swears by the golden blade. When the golden blade returns to its sheath, birds shall return to the forest, and heaven's waters shall pour beneath the moon..." Xiao Yanshao murmured softly, suddenly angered, "If not for those Han people, my brother wouldn't have gone missing. Why must my mother and I suffer this? I will surely avenge this. Please tell Mother that I'll find the sheath and bring back her smile."
After he left, I realized that behind the wall, the Golden Blade Princess had overheard the entire conversation, her face as white as paper.
"Why does he hate the Han people so much? He has half Han blood in him." I had never seen the princess in such distress, her fingers trembling, unable to cry or laugh, "What have you taught Ah-Yan?"
I wasn't the slightest bit guilty about my answer, meeting her gaze directly. "We taught him the honor of the Golden Blade Royal family. Yes, he has Han blood, but he's a general of the Liao. How can those Han people compare to him?"
"That's because he doesn't know his origins! I have to tell him everything, he won't..."
"What are you going to tell him?" I stepped in front of the princess, and whether for the sake of the Liao or personal reasons, I wouldn't let her ruin Ah-Yan, "Are you going to tell him the Liao court that raised him is the one who killed his father? The Liao has shown him immense kindness, his Majesty named him, chose his teachers, and gave him the royal surname! Do you want him to avenge his father, to kill his own flesh and blood, or do you want him to live a life full of resentment like you?"
"Your Highness, wake up! Ah-Yan now carries the hopes of many. If he lets his origins sway him and betrays the Liao court, he'll surely die. Do you really want to kill your own son?"
She hesitated, then after a moment, lowered her hand. After that day, the princess fell seriously ill and began to truly decline.