[Yìng Wǎn]: "Father! Father! An assassin! He’s in Wǎn Lù’s room—armed and armoured! Hurry!" She was summoning her father, **Lóng Yǐn (龙隐 - Hidden Dragon)**, the elder brother of the current ailing Emperor, **Lóng Yù (龙御 - Dragon Jade)**. Her cries also reached **Lóng Liè**, Wǎn Lù’s second elder brother and the formidable ruler of the Northern Province, and their mother, the Empress **Lóng Yánxīn**.
[Empress Lóng Yánxīn]: "Yìng Wǎn! Silence! Compose yourself and breathe." Her voice, honed by decades of rule, cut through the hysteria with absolute, chilling precision. "Guards. You two—investigate. Immediately." She dispatched Lóng Liè and Lóng Yǐn with a contingent of palace guards, her orders leaving no room for hesitation. For a moment, alone, the mask of the empress slipped, revealing the mother beneath.
[Empress Lóng Yánxīn]: (Internal Monologue) "Why was that girl in my daughter’s chambers? Has my foolish, brave child returned with news? Or with a disaster? Sigh… Heaven help me. How do I shield my precious flame from the vultures circling her father’s throne?"
The armed retinue arrived at Wǎn Lù’s door. Blades were drawn, spearpoints levelled at the crimson-armoured intruder. Jian Zhi had not moved, but **The Punisher** was now half-drawn from its sheath, a crimson of dark metal gleaming with lethal promise. He was a coiled spring of calculated violence, ready to unravel at the first true threat. Wǎn Lù stood rigidly between him and the weapons, a living shield. The standoff forced Lóng Liè and Lóng Yǐn to step forward. Their eyes widened at the sight of the missing princess.
[Lóng Liè]: "Hey, Potato! Where in the blazes have you been? And why are you playing bodyguard for an assassin? Get over here. [His tone was rough but underpinned with genuine, frantic concern]"
[Wǎn Lù]: "[A flush of embarrassment] For the last time, stop calling me that, you oaf! He is *not* an assassin. He is… important to me. Trust me."
[Lóng Yǐn]: **[His voice was a cold, pragmatic drip of poison]** "‘Important’? A curious choice of words, Your Highness. Then why is his steel bared in the presence of royalty? That is a peculiar blade. Where have you been for a month? And why have you smuggled this… individual into your private chambers instead of presenting him openly to Her Majesty? Drawing a weapon here is a capital offence. If he is so ‘important,’ why the secrecy?"
[Wǎn Lù]: "[She shot a fleeting, desperate glance back at Jian Zhi] He drew his sword to protect me because…"
[Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) "You insufferable brat. You will repay this debt tenfold. I am invoking the highest-value currency for your damned blueprints and locomotives. Forgive me for what I must say."
[Lóng Yǐn]: "Because…? Are you fabricating an excuse, Your Highness?"
[Wǎn Lù]: "Because I am important *to him*! He… he loves me. He wishes to protect me. That is why. I brought him here as a surprise—a potential son-in-law for my mother. That is why we came to my chambers first. Now, all of you, *get out!*" The declaration landed in the room like a physical blow. A stunned silence gripped the guards. Lóng Liè’s jaw went slack. Lóng Yǐn’s eyes narrowed to calculating slits.
[Yìng Wǎn]: (Internal Monologue) "He loves her? Looking closer… he is young. Striking, in a severe way. That armor… that sword… How did she manage to ensnare such a prize? I must observe this more closely."
[Lóng Liè]: "Hey, young man. Do you require a physician? A head examination, perhaps? Because no one in their right mind would *choose* her. Are you blind?"
[Jian Zhi]: [His voice was a cold, precise instrument, cutting through the tension] "No. She is a person of significant competence, formidable diligence, and a nurturing spirit that provides ambient psychological warmth. If someone would not choose her, they are either inferior in capability or perceptually deficient. I also find her aesthetically agreeable."
[Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) "Uhm… Hey… [A wave of heat flooded her cheeks] You find me… agreeable? You damnable brat, tell me something I don’t already know! Of course, I’m attractive—the whole empire trails after me! That was just my idiot brother baiting you! Why did you take the bait? And where is the respect I told you to show? Sigh… AHHH!"
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
[Wǎn Lù]: "Ahem! Enough! You have your answers. Now, *leave*." She all but shoved the crowd back, slamming and locking the door behind them. A fist immediately hammered on the wood again. She yanked it open, fury etched on her face.
[Lóng Liè]: "Hey. I know you’re young and… spirited. But let me become an uncle *after* I make you an aunt, alright? Keep the door open." Her fist connected with his nose with a satisfying *thwack*, sending him stumbling back. She locked the door again, breathing heavily.
[Jian Zhi]: "Your chosen narrative is suboptimal. Was a more logical cover story not available?"
[Wǎn Lù]: "Sigh… Don’t start. If I told them you were a political ally, they’d sequester you in the guest wing. We couldn’t maintain proximity. They distrust outsiders inherently. Even if I vouched for you, they’d accuse you of manipulating me for our empire’s wealth. The ‘suitor’ narrative provides the necessary, continuous access."
[Jian Zhi]: "You could have stated I was your personal guard. That would also necessitate my presence."
[Wǎn Lù]: "Wow, what genius! [Her sarcasm was thick enough to carve] They would have you *gelded* by sundown if you were to be a ‘personal guard’ to an unmarried princess in this empire. So understand—I have just preserved your future lineage. Show some gratitude." Jian Zhi considered this, then offered a slight, acknowledging bow.
*Knock. Knock.*
The sound came again, more measured this time. Wǎn Lù marched to the door, fury rekindled, and wrenched it open. Her anger dissolved instantly. It was not her brother. It was her mother.
[Empress Lóng Yánxīn]: "[A mother’s warm, knowing smile] Wǎn Lù, my dear. I hear you’ve brought me a surprise son-in-law. Introduce us."
[Wǎn Lù]: "[A nervous, brittle laugh] Mother, you must be exhausted from the court. We’ve had a long journey. Why don’t you rest? Once we’ve… prepared ourselves, I will bring him to you properly—"
The Empress did not wait. She glided past her flustered daughter and into the room. Her sharp eyes took in the scene: the crimson-armoured young man seated not with nervous deference, but with the absolute, still dominance of an apex predator surveying new territory.
[Empress Lóng Yánxīn]: "A compelling choice. He has the aura of a conqueror and the eyes of a hunter, yet the face of a fallen star. State your name and your true purpose here, my *potential* son-in-law."
[Jian Zhi]: "I am not your potential son-in-law. I will provide clarity. I am Jian Zhi, Sovereign of the Divine Land of Justice. I am here to negotiate a strategic alliance and infrastructure project between our kingdoms. The ‘suitor’ narrative is Princess Wǎn Lù’s operational cover, necessitated by your court’s predictable security protocols." He delivered the truth as if reading a geological report—flat, factual, utterly dismantling the delicate lie.
The Empress listened, her expression unreadable. She gave a slow, single nod.
[Empress Lóng Yánxīn]: "I see. My dear, your cover story was inventive, if transparent. Keeping his true identity secret is now imperative. I understand the necessity. For the record… I would not have objected to the alternative." She turned her gaze back to Jian Zhi, a spark of sharp appraisal in her eyes. "We will speak more at the evening court dinner. Maintain your fa?ade. Do not let it shatter prematurely." With that, she departed, leaving a vacuum of silence in her wake.
The moment the door clicked shut, Wǎn Lù was on him.
[Wǎn Lù]: "[She grabbed his ear, her voice a furious whisper] You unbelievable brat! I could kill you! You blew our cover in under three minutes! What part of ‘secret’ do you not comprehend?!"
[Jian Zhi]: "I comprehend it fully and adhere to it rigorously. Your mother’s perceptive acuity was high. Prolonging the deception would have wasted time and increased suspicion, compromising our primary objective. I optimised for efficiency and security."
[Wǎn Lù]: "You—! Ugh! Fine. New directive. From this moment, we are lovers. Deeply, inconveniently, *stupidly* in love. So you will need to learn to pretend." She paused, the full implication of her words dawning on her. The colour drained from her face, then rushed back in a torrent. "I—I mean, I will teach you how to *perform* affection! The appearance of it! For the cover! Do you understand?!"
Before he could respond—before he could analyse this new, illogical, emotionally volatile parameter she had introduced—the world outside her chamber door erupted again. Not with knocks, but with the sudden, distant clamour of many hurried footsteps and raised, arguing voices. The political machinery of the Azure Mandate, now fully aware of the dragon in its midst, was beginning to grind into motion. The trailing had begun in earnest, and the hunt was no longer just observational—it was closing in.
[Jian Zhi]: (Internal Monologue) "New variable introduced: simulated romantic attachment. Required behaviors undefined. Social context: hostile political environment with multiple observable factions. Primary objective: alliance agreement. Secondary objective: maintain seed-growth proximity. Proposed solution: assign Wǎn Lù as primary social interpreter and follow her lead in all non-strategic interactions. Efficiency rating: acceptable. Emotional cost: currently incalculable."
He met her wide, frantic eyes, gave a single, calm nod, and prepared to step into the gilded labyrinth of her world, where every glance was a potential weapon, and every smile could be a trap. The Dragon was no longer just being trailed. He was about to walk directly into the den.
Author's Note: The Fake Dating Protocol
Objective: Simulate "Deep, Inconvenient Love." Operator: Jian Zhi (Emotional Range: Brick Wall). Supervisor: Wǎn Lù (Currently panicking).
Prediction: How does a man who speaks in "Efficiency Ratings" flirt with a Princess in front of a hostile court? Answer: Very efficiently. And very awkwardly.
Status Check: The "One-Meter Mandate" just upgraded to the " Lovers Cover Story." If you want to see Jian Zhi try to hold hands "romantically" instead of "medically," Hit FOLLOW. The cringe (and the cute) is coming.