My betrothed had entered the palace—only to become the Empress's pawn.
No Plagiarism!skNFgb8GjVdA1Fivx6rmposted on PENANA I never imagined I’d see him again—8964 copyright protection22PENANAXr4D2yNrLn 維尼
—least of all like this.8964 copyright protection22PENANAf29cKCOZhZ 維尼
That day, under the Crown Prince’s orders, I was in the Hall of Literary Brilliance inspecting eunuch registries. Just as I turned the second page—8964 copyright protection22PENANAC8yF4MJB4F 維尼
"What a coincidence. Young Master An is here too?"8964 copyright protection22PENANAb1PjHlMg6O 維尼
My hand jerked. The ledger nearly fell.8964 copyright protection22PENANAYf3piZ11OI 維尼
That voice—8964 copyright protection22PENANABEXosZcM2s 維尼
How could it be him?8964 copyright protection22PENANA6t9kvCQHsR 維尼
I turned slowly.8964 copyright protection22PENANAt8mFeE7O6l 維尼
There he stood beneath the eaves—wearing newly tailored indigo robes, a white jade fish pendant at his waist, his features as refined as I remembered.8964 copyright protection22PENANASlwMYLJi4r 維尼
Xu Chen.8964 copyright protection22PENANAmdp1M3Mwpl 維尼
Once, I was his betrothed.8964 copyright protection22PENANAiQsbHNLVOZ 維尼
And he was the one who’d pushed me into the abyss.8964 copyright protection22PENANAeAWqLvKxB7 維尼
Three years ago, my family fell. Father and brothers executed. Mother’s suicide. Me—branded a criminal’s daughter.8964 copyright protection22PENANAXCSHkoJGNc 維尼
The Xu family, our generational allies, tore up the marriage contract and cast me out within hours.8964 copyright protection22PENANAGVF3fG1g0k 維尼
I thought our paths would never cross again.8964 copyright protection22PENANAj8ErqzM7ZW 維尼
Yet now—8964 copyright protection22PENANA9ivxK4684G 維尼
He’d entered the palace as the Empress’s "scholarly attendant", ostensibly to compile imperial history.8964 copyright protection22PENANA3w8CfVGV2g 維尼
But the Crown Prince had long exposed him: another of the Empress’s spies.8964 copyright protection22PENANADAbt9Az6c5 維尼
His eyes flickered with shock when he saw me—quickly masked.8964 copyright protection22PENANAj9G2j7XZYC 維尼
"...Why are you here?"8964 copyright protection22PENANAlg9vfNEtqM 維尼
I bowed, laughter strangled in my throat. "This lowly one, An Liu, pays respects to Lord Xu."8964 copyright protection22PENANAHR3AFktEbV 維尼
"An Liu?" His frown said he didn’t recognize me.8964 copyright protection22PENANApGmVDJUL3G 維尼
Good. Better this way.8964 copyright protection22PENANAMJ2pulFUrp 維尼
As long as he remained ignorant, I could survive.8964 copyright protection22PENANAOQawH0JioW 維尼
But then he stepped closer—8964 copyright protection22PENANAnFkiJuMCGk 維尼
—and stared at the tiny mole by my eye.8964 copyright protection22PENANAZNqcselNl5 維尼
My heart plummeted.8964 copyright protection22PENANAWzeabGBC20 維尼
That mole was my birthmark. Three years ago, he’d teased:8964 copyright protection22PENANAly9Sj2n5DM 維尼
"Don’t run too far. I’d spot you in any crowd."8964 copyright protection22PENANAGMp8oiDAes 維尼
He remembered.8964 copyright protection22PENANAXdOHwlbgF8 維尼
"You’re—"8964 copyright protection22PENANAbwVZbqREai 維尼
I cut him off. "If Lord Xu has no business here, please leave."8964 copyright protection22PENANAXEQo6WXCvo 維尼
He reached for me, but I was already walking away.8964 copyright protection22PENANAiTmxf392P4 維尼
Yet I knew: he’d investigate. And if he did—8964 copyright protection22PENANAPZIiTjBDBm 維尼
He’d uncover everything.8964 copyright protection22PENANA6E9dZ4AsGa 維尼
That night, I stood outside the Crown Prince’s study, unable to knock.8964 copyright protection22PENANAz3bmgLQuf4 維尼
The door swung open before I could.8964 copyright protection22PENANAiSXXuTGSAu 維尼
"Enter."8964 copyright protection22PENANA2YyK6xSQdR 維尼
The moment I stepped inside, it slammed shut behind me.8964 copyright protection22PENANAAcqR9odcZE 維尼
The Crown Prince didn’t mince words:8964 copyright protection22PENANARQRIKpoAfF 維尼
"Your past is exposed."8964 copyright protection22PENANAvbnTA81nIA 維尼
I stiffened.8964 copyright protection22PENANAyawGqd9VHn 維尼
"Xu Chen is digging through Ministry of Justice archives. Hunting you."8964 copyright protection22PENANAozw2rJFYvT 維尼
"Guess which he’ll discover first—that you’re the Su family’s last daughter? Or that you’re a woman?"8964 copyright protection22PENANAdWAu5nT40s 維尼
My lips pressed into a bloodless line.8964 copyright protection22PENANAXt8u7qeAce 維尼
He turned, smiling coldly:8964 copyright protection22PENANAhL4Huw8cmK 維尼
"Amusing. The Empress’s newest pawn is your former fiancé."8964 copyright protection22PENANApM4jlsbt3d 維尼
"This game grows more entertaining—"8964 copyright protection22PENANAaJH2tZ33EW 維尼
Suddenly, his gaze pinned me:8964 copyright protection22PENANAxs1eBa2vNm 維尼
"So tell me. Should I let him die?"8964 copyright protection22PENANA6ALDyvTjBf 維尼
I lifted my head.8964 copyright protection22PENANAgJenr8uql0 維尼
Heart trembling. Lips shaking.8964 copyright protection22PENANAFxsAXlIqcW 維尼
Yet the words came out steady:8964 copyright protection22PENANA3YGfP6MKtX 維尼
"Better to let him live."8964 copyright protection22PENANAELfQWrIp1v 維尼
"Let him watch… as I claim victory for Your Highness."8964 copyright protection22PENANAuYG0kKqJB7 維尼
The Crown Prince’s eyes ignited.8964 copyright protection22PENANAsxwczhgGjc 維尼
"Well played, Su Liu."8964 copyright protection22PENANAovFzAcDtce 維尼
"From today, you’re not just my blade—"8964 copyright protection22PENANATfyfKExVA5 維尼
"You’re my poison."8964 copyright protection22PENANAjf8kqj2fDw 維尼
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