One month. Thirty days to forge a decision that would quietly rewrite the history of the kingdom.
Adrian stood in the courtyard at dawn, his sleeves tied back with a simple cord. He watched the estate wake in a disciplined, rhythmic dance.
Carpenters planed fragrant cedar for new archways, while gardeners cleared away winter shrubs to make room for early crimson blooms.
Near the eastern wall, stone basins brimmed with silks being dyed in shades of deep red and shimmering silver.
He had refused the three-day spectacle the court expected. "Private" did not mean "small"; it meant Adrian was finally in control of his own life.
Behind him, he heard soft, familiar footsteps.
"Are you supervising already?" Zhao Ming asked with a lazy smile.
"I thought you would still be dreaming of jade and jasmine."
Adrian did not turn around. "You're late."
"I was at the docks at sunrise negotiating silk prices," Zhao Ming replied, stepping up beside him. "If we're going to have a celebration, it must be flawless. I don't want the neighbors thinking we're having financial troubles."
Adrian looked at him, noting his wind-tousled hair. "You're handling the procurement personally?"
"Of course," Zhao Ming said. "I won't have some merchant overcharging my household. It's a matter of pride."
Adrian offered a small, genuine smile. "You are always efficient."
Zhao Ming leaned in close. "I secured the crimson thread from the western caravans. The embroidery will be unmatched; even the Emperor will be jealous."
Adrian nodded. "Give the expense report to Lin Qiyue before the week ends."
Zhao Ming clutched his chest, pretending to be wounded. "You're making our scholar audit my romance? That's cold, Adrian."
"It's practical," Adrian countered.
Zhao Ming laughed. "You're terrifying. I love it."
Inside the study, the air was thick with the scent of old paper and ink.
Lin Qiyue and Wei Jian sat across from each other, a sea of scrolls between them.
"The law must be absolute," Wei Jian said. "We need to amend the code to accommodate ten simultaneous marriage contracts."
Lin Qiyue nodded.
"We must emphasize that everyone is equal. If we leave a gap, the court will try to force a hierarchy where none belongs."
Adrian entered quietly. Both men straightened, offering a deep sign of respect.
"Is there progress?" Adrian asked.
Wei Jian handed him a scroll. "I've drafted clauses to ensure no outsider can claim precedence over us. Inside these walls, we are a single team."
Adrian scanned the text. "What about the children?"
Lin Qiyue spoke up. "Any child born will be legally recognized as yours first. Paternity will not dictate status unless you decree it. It will stop them from competing for favor."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "I will not have my home become a battlefield for power."
"The court will still try to interfere," Wei Jian warned.
"Let them try," Adrian said calmly. "Su Cheng will ensure the Crown Prince understands that a stable household here means a stable border for him."
Su Cheng appeared in the doorway. "The audience has already been requested," he said.
Adrian looked at him. "You serve the throne, Su Cheng. Remember that."
"I serve stability," Su Cheng said softly. "And right now, you are the center of it."
Outside, the atmosphere was sharper.
Gu Han was personally watching the perimeter. He had moved guards into position, but they wore no heavy armor; they were like shadows moving across the rooftops.
In the training yard, Tang Huo was a blur of motion, sparring with three men at once.
"You're enjoying this too much,"
Mo Yan observed from the shade of a willow tree.
Tang Huo disarmed his last opponent and grinned. "Of course! Someone is bound to try and crash this party. I want to make sure they regret it."
Mo Yan's gaze flickered to the outer walls. "They will try."
Gu Han approached them. "Any movement?"
"Nothing," Mo Yan replied.
Gu Han's jaw tightened. "Double the night watch. If so much as a pebble moves without my knowing, I want to hear about it."
Adrian watched them from the balcony. Three men, three different ways of fighting, but one shared goal: his safety. He felt the rose mark on his chest pulse with a faint, steady heat.
In the eastern hall, Bai Xuan was surrounded by floods of silk: crimson, wine, burnt orange, and deep rose. Liang Feng stood beside him, his musician's fingers ghosting over the textures.
"Each of us should be distinct," Bai Xuan said. "The same color family, but different embroidery. Gold for the warriors, silver for the scholars."
Adrian entered, watching them. Bai Xuan picked up a bolt of heavy silk and held it against Adrian's shoulder.
"This shade makes your eyes look deeper," Bai Xuan murmured.
"You've put a lot of thought into this," Adrian noted.
Bai Xuan smiled. "I refuse to let my husband be overshadowed by his own suitors."
Zhao Ming walked in and laughed. "Good luck with that. Have you seen Tang Huo's ego?"
"I am not competing with my own wedding," Adrian said, raising a brow.
Tang Huo appeared in the doorway, sweaty and grinning. "Speak for yourself, Boss. I plan on looking spectacular."
They all laughed. For a moment, they weren't politicians or warriors; they were a family.
Late that night, Adrian walked through the courtyard alone.
The lanterns were already being tested, casting a honeyed glow over the stone. The scent of roses filled the air.
Gu Han appeared behind him. "You rarely sleep," he noted.
"Being prepared is better than sleeping," Adrian replied.
Gu Han stepped up beside him. "Are you unsure, Adrian? You can still call it off. We would stay anyway."
Adrian looked up at the moon. "In my previous life, I was like a painting behind glass. People looked, but they never touched. They were afraid of getting too close." He turned to Gu Han. "This time, ten men are stepping through the glass. It's overwhelming."
Gu Han's expression softened. "You tested us to see if we would break. We didn't. We are here because we want to be. Not for the Rose-Bearer, but for you."
Adrian searched his eyes and found the truth there. "I'm starting to believe that."
On the eve of the wedding, the estate fell quiet.
Ten ceremonial robes hung in a row—each unique, yet part of a whole.
Adrian stood before his own robe: deepest crimson with silver roses. He touched the birthmark on his chest. It didn't feel like a curse anymore; it felt like a heartbeat.
He turned slowly as the ten men gathered in the doorway. They weren't in formation; they were simply there—a wall of support.
"In my previous life, I died alone," Adrian said. "I was admired from a distance and buried in a golden box."
He took a step toward them.
"Tomorrow, I stop being a piece of history. Tomorrow, I become a man with a future."
Gu Han stepped forward, followed by Zhao Ming and the others.
"Tomorrow," Gu Han promised, "you won't just stand at the altar. You will stand at the center of everything we are."
Adrian smelled the jasmine and woodsmoke. He wasn't a rare flower to be guarded; he was the axis around which their world turned.
For the first time, he was ready.
"Tomorrow," Adrian whispered, "we begin."