The news spread through the palace of Tughril before noon.
Although the wedding preparations had already filled the capital with anticipation for several days, the formal announcement from the Khan transformed the quiet expectation into certainty. By the time the proclamation reached the courtyards, servants were already whispering to one another as they hurried along the corridors, and the officials responsible for organizing the ceremony began adjusting their carefully arranged schedules to accommodate the sudden change.
The wedding would take place in four days.
Shen Han heard the announcement while standing among several visiting officials near the outer courtyard of the palace.
For a moment he remained completely still.
The words spoken by the herald echoed in his mind with an unsettling finality, as though the decision had already sealed a future he had not yet been willing to accept.
Four days.
