My destiny will bring me to you

Seeing Licheng silent, Su Zhenji asked him to give him an answer.

"I have no answer at the moment, Father," Licheng said and they reached the vicinity of the practice ground.

"Is that Princess Xiana?" Su Zhenji asked. Licheng looked in the direction where his father had his eyes. At the pavilion, he saw all of his brothers present and Xiana was with them.

"Let's go there. I think they have challenged each other in archery," Su Zhenji stated. Licheng was not interested in going there. He had no intention to talk with his cousins, so he told his father he would leave.

"Why would you leave?" Su Zhenji did not let Licheng leave. "Let's have one round of archery," he suggested to Licheng. "You are not allowed to refuse this command of the Emperor," he pronounced as he knew his son would ignore his suggestion.

"Alright, Father," Licheng agreed to accompany Su Zhenji to the pavilion, where everyone was present.

At the pavilion, Xuanzi told Xiana to step back. "Your team is not performing well. Yuan is not skilled in archery. I will not take it as a bet if you accept your defeat, Xiana," Xuanzi stated with a smirk.

Yuan sighed to see the scores he had made. They were either one or two. He really hated archery and thought if Xiana would be on his team, he would easily defeat his second brother. Heibing could not either do well.

"Brother Xuanzi, but if we compare Xiana's scores with you, she has defeated you," Yuan stated.

"It is a team match, Yuan. Not a singular match," Xuanzi said. He did not like the fact that Xiana had more accuracy in archery than him. Moreover, he did not want to accept how good Xiana was!

"I am going easy on Xiana since she is a woman," Xuanzi stated.

"In a game and on a battlefield, gender does not matter, Xuanzi," Xiana pronounced. "We have one more round left. Who knows my team surpasses your team's final score," Xiana was not ready to accept her defeat this easily. Even in the last moments, the outcomes changed if you were dedicated enough.

"Father!" Yuan saw Su Zhenji enter the pavilion and smiled brightly. Behind him Licheng was present. All of them turned immediately and bowed to the Emperor.

"So, Princess Xiana's score has surpassed Prince Xuanzi's score!" Su Zhenji said with a delighted face.

"Father, I am easy on Xiana," Xuanzi pronounced.

Su Zhenji smiled and looked at Licheng. "Which team does the Crown Prince want to choose?" He inquired.

"Brother Licheng, please come in our team," Yuan requested and dashed to Licheng. He held his arm and said, "We need you to win the match."

"Fine. I will be in Prince Xuanzi's team," Su Zhenji said with a smile and walked ahead. On the other hand, Licheng went toward Xiana and Heibing.

"It has been a long time, Crown Prince Licheng," Heibing said with a smile. He looked at the scar but did not ask about it.

"I hope you have been well, Heibing," Licheng said and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Call me either First Brother or Brother Licheng," he stated.

"Yes, Brother Licheng," Heibing said with a smile. They heard Yuan, who was telling Emperor Zhenji how Licheng would defeat all of them. Xiana also had high hopes for Licheng since she wanted to shut Xuanzi's mouth.

Licheng looked at his father, who carried the bow and arrow. In a few seconds, the arrow left and it hit mark nine. The soldier present at the far end of the target pronounced the score in a loud enough voice.

Su Zhenji looked at Licheng. "The Crown Prince needs to hit the center to win," Su Zhenji stated and handed the bow to Xuanzi.

Xiana handed the bow to Licheng while Yuan handed him the arrow. "Brother, please hit the center. I do not want to lose against Brother Xuanzi," Yuan requested Licheng.

"I will do my best," Licheng said and took the position. Licheng stretched the string to its maximum stretching point and closed his left eye. He kept his breath inside and let go of the arrow. The arrow hit the center and as soon as the soldier on the ground announced it, Yuan screamed in happiness. He hugged Licheng and thanked him for making them win.

"That was expected from the Crown Prince," Su Zhenji said and smiled at him.

"The bet has no meaning left. It was supposed to be us three," Xuanzi stated and annoyedly gazed at Xiana.

"Prince Xuanzi should not act mean," Xiana affirmed and pursed her lips together to see the Emperor's gaze at her.

"Princess Xiana, I would like to converse with you," Su Zhenji said.

Licheng gazed at his father with inquisitiveness.

"The princes can resume their play," Su Zhenji said and asked Xiana to follow him. Licheng also went behind them and they came out of the pavilion. The servants remained two meters away from them.

"Princess Xiana, if I offer you to marry my son, Su Licheng, then will you accept it?" Su Zhenji asked as he halted in his steps. Both Xiana and Licheng also stopped and so were the servants behind them.

Licheng did not expect his father to ask such a question from Xiana.

"I already answered this question of His Majesty," Xiana stated. Licheng knitted his brows, wondering if his father and Xiana talked on that matter earlier too.

Su Zhenji looked at his son. "Licheng is not ready to let Princess Xiana go. She has to be by his side all her life," he asserted.

Xiana looked at Licheng. "I gave him my words in exchange for the life he had given to my kingdom, my people. I will stay by his side even if it has to be a lifetime," Xiana pronounced.

Licheng's eyes grew bigger to hear Xiana. He thought she would ask Emperor Zhenji to let her marry her lover and let them stay in the palace. But she didn't ask for it.

Why? What was in her mind?

"Is Princess Xiana serious?" Emperor Zhenji inquired. He was bewildered by her words.

"I am serious, Your Majesty," Xiana admitted.

"Princess Xiana's father has sent a message to me. He wants her to return to the Yu Kingdom. Should I call your father here so that you can tell him what you want?" Emperor Zhenji asked her opinion on this.

"That is not needed, Your Majesty. If His Majesty allows it, then can I send a message to my father?" Xiana asked for permission.

"Of course. I allow Princess Xiana," Emperor Zhenji stated.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Xiana said with a smile and shifted her gaze to Licheng, who was still in shock.

"I will be happy if Princess Xiana gets married to my son," Emperor Zhenji stated and told them he would go ahead. Both of them bowed their heads and the Emperor walked ahead followed by the servants.

Licheng looked at Xiana and asked, "Why?"

"Because you told me how my destiny will bring me to you no matter how hard I try to run away from you," Xiana pronounced.