As Xilan and I stepped into the sleeping chambers, we had yet to recover from what had just transpired when a flurry of hurried, uneven footsteps approached, shattering the brief silence. Glancing up, I saw a eunuch clutching a bright yellow imperial decree, rushing toward us.
The eunuch looked flustered, his gait unsteady, beads of sweat dotting his forehead—he had clearly run the entire way. Reaching the front of the hall, he struggled to catch his breath before his high-pitched voice abruptly rang through the palace: "The Fifth Princess, accept the decree!"
The shout struck my ears like a thunderclap. My body stiffened, a surge of intense resistance rising within me. I moved my feet slowly, my legs feeling as heavy as lead. Finally, I reached the eunuch and knelt, deeply unwilling.
Chapter 120