The war had reached a stalemate, the northern frontlines plagued with uncertainty. The news that Hua Jin had died in battle arrived like a thunderclap, shocking the entire palace. For Li Xun, it was a moment of absolute stillness. His heart sank with the news of the general's death. The thought of Hua Jin, the woman he admired and loved, lost in the chaos of war, brought a cold chill to his bones.
Unable to bear the weight of this sorrow, Li Xun withdrew from the world. His once confident demeanor faded as the days dragged on in a numb daze. Food no longer held its appeal, and the idea of facing another day felt unbearable. Yet, the Emperor, ever concerned for his younger brother, forced him to resume eating, though his efforts were in vain. The Prince's heart was lost, and nothing could ease the agony.
Li Xun's thoughts spiraled toward desperate measures—perhaps it would be better to retreat from everything, to abandon this life of courtly games and political machinations. Yet, fate, it seemed, had other plans.
Unexpectedly, Hua Jin returned, alive and well—but not alone. A man stood beside her.
That man, a mere commoner, had appeared during one of the kingdom's desperate battles. He had pretended to be courageous, rushing into danger to "save" General Hua Jin, fully aware of her identity as the most feared and respected commander of the realm. Whether it was foolishness or calculated audacity, no one knew, but the general, injured and isolated at the time, accepted his help. The gesture, however staged, seemed to spark something between them.
Li Xun's world shattered. His heart had already been a quiet battleground, torn between love and duty, but now, the war had reached its final blow. His feelings for Hua Jin, once hidden in the silence of his soul, erupted into something raw and painful.
The Emperor, aware of the bond between his brother and the general, had always planned to marry them once she returned victorious. But now, with Hua Jin back and a commoner by her side, the truth was undeniable. Li Xun's love for Hua Jin had been genuine, but she had chosen another.
The worst part was not just her choice—but the pride with which she paraded it. Hua Jin and the man became increasingly arrogant, making a show of their affection, openly declaring their so-called love and the trials they had endured together. What once might have been noble devotion now seemed like a mockery of everything Li Xun had cherished in silence.
The knowledge burned, and a sense of betrayal rose in his chest. Hua Jin had never promised anything to him. Their relationship had always been unspoken, growing in the shadows of war and duty, yet Li Xun had clung to it—a silent hope he now realized was futile.
As the days passed, Li Xun's sorrow deepened. Hua Jin's decision to stand beside another, especially a man who was little more than an opportunistic scum, was something he could neither accept nor forget. His once steadfast resolve to be the worthy brother to the Emperor was now undermined by his broken heart.
He withdrew from the palace and retreated into himself. He knew the Emperor would never condone his feelings—duty demanded more. The Emperor was now focused on the larger game of power, his thoughts shifting toward the empire and its future. Li Xun, however, was trapped in the painful void between honor and love.
Soon, the Huns, victorious in their siege, began to demand a marriage as a form of peace negotiation. The Emperor, disappointed in his brother's turmoil, saw no other option but to offer Li Xun as a bride to the barbaric invaders. It was a move that would spare the empire further embarrassment, but to Li Xun, it was a final humiliation. He was being sold as a pawn, his heart already broken beyond repair.
Li Xun was sent away, to a desolate land where the winds howled like wolves, and the very air seemed to carry the weight of the empire's judgment. The Huns showed no mercy to their captured prince—the pampered royal—treating him as little more than a commodity to cement their victory. The cruelty of their ways made him realize the depth of his own weakness.
His life of luxury, his royal title, all meant nothing in this savage world. He was now nothing more than a symbol of defeat. The pain that had once been only a whisper in his heart had now turned to a screaming roar that echoed in every step he took. He had been a prince, once cherished, but now nothing remained of that life but dust and sorrow.
His beauty, once prized in the halls of the palace, was now marred by the harsh winds. His spirit, once proud, had been broken in the dust and dirt of a foreign land. Li Xun had been a man of great privilege, but the cost of that privilege was now clear to him.
He had everything—except the one thing he truly wanted: love.
And now, far from home, in the heart of the enemy's land, Li Xun had no choice but to face the truth of his own heart and the consequences of his choices.
Li Xun's life came to a cruel end in the hands of the Huns. His once noble form, now a mere plaything in their hands, was left to perish in the desolate wasteland. The prince's life, full of dreams and ambition, had been reduced to dust.
But the cruelty did not stop with his death. His two loyal maids, who had served him faithfully throughout his life, were taken by the Huns as well. No longer the cherished attendants to the royal family, they too were cast aside and became nothing more than the Huns' playthings, their fates sealed in the hands of their captors.