Chapter 2: Rage Behind the Throne

In the capital city of Solmere, the royal court of Orilan was thrown into political frenzy.

King Daoren Zhuanyi, cloaked in gold-threaded robes and fury, stood before his council with trembling fists. Meiyan's tear-streaked face stood at his side. She had read the letter aloud in the presence of the court.

> "He fled… in the night?" Prime Minister Fengrui, Chunsi's father, rose from his seat, aghast.

"This is treason," spat Grand Spirit-Magus Xun Yanshou, grandfather of Lianhua. "The boy insults not only his wives, but the Crown, the Accord, and the divine bond of Lucentia!"

Daoren turned sharply to his generals. "Double the watch. Send hawks across the lands. I want my son-in-law found."

But beneath his rage lay fear. If the Soulkindled vanished… so did the court's hold on power. If Qingsai died in some wilderness, their dynastic ambitions would crumble like ash.

Behind the curtains, Chunsi, her voice quiet and cracked, whispered to Meiyan:

> "They don't mourn him. They mourn the power they lost."