My betrothed had entered the palace—only to become the Empress's pawn.
No Plagiarism!UdM4a2WBrGYjEetCp5APposted on PENANA I never imagined I’d see him again—8964 copyright protection76PENANAQ6zVewP6wU 維尼
—least of all like this.8964 copyright protection76PENANA9NOu4lHkpY 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 protection76PENANAn6u1FkMriF 維尼
"What a coincidence. Young Master An is here too?"8964 copyright protection76PENANADvHZBVFCNv 維尼
My hand jerked. The ledger nearly fell.8964 copyright protection76PENANA5WLnqQZKbO 維尼
That voice—8964 copyright protection76PENANAyLpyQoOfsR 維尼
How could it be him?8964 copyright protection76PENANAdcYue7XcNI 維尼
I turned slowly.8964 copyright protection76PENANAcytGFheH1U 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 protection76PENANAltPS7LbOis 維尼
Xu Chen.8964 copyright protection76PENANAb3mRESq6dH 維尼
Once, I was his betrothed.8964 copyright protection76PENANAxFGYWjNxUE 維尼
And he was the one who’d pushed me into the abyss.8964 copyright protection76PENANA36J9xMxBk6 維尼
Three years ago, my family fell. Father and brothers executed. Mother’s suicide. Me—branded a criminal’s daughter.8964 copyright protection76PENANAU9X2IgGMeO 維尼
The Xu family, our generational allies, tore up the marriage contract and cast me out within hours.8964 copyright protection76PENANAgrixmm7M4w 維尼
I thought our paths would never cross again.8964 copyright protection76PENANAhNv0ng6vKD 維尼
Yet now—8964 copyright protection76PENANABnBpNoQi6Q 維尼
He’d entered the palace as the Empress’s "scholarly attendant", ostensibly to compile imperial history.8964 copyright protection76PENANA5YpuSysifl 維尼
But the Crown Prince had long exposed him: another of the Empress’s spies.8964 copyright protection76PENANA2ErXOseeed 維尼
His eyes flickered with shock when he saw me—quickly masked.8964 copyright protection76PENANAemeeZnFqVE 維尼
"...Why are you here?"8964 copyright protection76PENANAutvM7wWuMn 維尼
I bowed, laughter strangled in my throat. "This lowly one, An Liu, pays respects to Lord Xu."8964 copyright protection76PENANAjjQIwXBocT 維尼
"An Liu?" His frown said he didn’t recognize me.8964 copyright protection76PENANAt5ZRAyfQtw 維尼
Good. Better this way.8964 copyright protection76PENANApuu1aOmZSt 維尼
As long as he remained ignorant, I could survive.8964 copyright protection76PENANAtvwxYJsNKr 維尼
But then he stepped closer—8964 copyright protection76PENANAvm47QBlVjx 維尼
—and stared at the tiny mole by my eye.8964 copyright protection76PENANAnSutGzHNLB 維尼
My heart plummeted.8964 copyright protection76PENANAqrZnQQDZCR 維尼
That mole was my birthmark. Three years ago, he’d teased:8964 copyright protection76PENANAcQ1gmP842X 維尼
"Don’t run too far. I’d spot you in any crowd."8964 copyright protection76PENANAa92a3ffHnG 維尼
He remembered.8964 copyright protection76PENANALMvsGOFk5E 維尼
"You’re—"8964 copyright protection76PENANAfjIZ09gwk9 維尼
I cut him off. "If Lord Xu has no business here, please leave."8964 copyright protection76PENANAmhjJmL2xAc 維尼
He reached for me, but I was already walking away.8964 copyright protection76PENANAWuwQplX51S 維尼
Yet I knew: he’d investigate. And if he did—8964 copyright protection76PENANA5MbNIUiNgE 維尼
He’d uncover everything.8964 copyright protection76PENANAJGphOFPQbQ 維尼
That night, I stood outside the Crown Prince’s study, unable to knock.8964 copyright protection76PENANAAeQ7dhTJQV 維尼
The door swung open before I could.8964 copyright protection76PENANAAneAxzNE7e 維尼
"Enter."8964 copyright protection76PENANAOWsntjmRMP 維尼
The moment I stepped inside, it slammed shut behind me.8964 copyright protection76PENANAjm4x5caBIq 維尼
The Crown Prince didn’t mince words:8964 copyright protection76PENANAKori1E70mn 維尼
"Your past is exposed."8964 copyright protection76PENANAr9gMow6H2l 維尼
I stiffened.8964 copyright protection76PENANApXdD9d8nX8 維尼
"Xu Chen is digging through Ministry of Justice archives. Hunting you."8964 copyright protection76PENANAJ5rizxjE9E 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 protection76PENANAFKaUeAC3oU 維尼
My lips pressed into a bloodless line.8964 copyright protection76PENANARBErFWloep 維尼
He turned, smiling coldly:8964 copyright protection76PENANAD8wdLN1FSY 維尼
"Amusing. The Empress’s newest pawn is your former fiancé."8964 copyright protection76PENANAFl6OWBwYzC 維尼
"This game grows more entertaining—"8964 copyright protection76PENANA2Q1fUbKl5O 維尼
Suddenly, his gaze pinned me:8964 copyright protection76PENANAYDMu10Labo 維尼
"So tell me. Should I let him die?"8964 copyright protection76PENANAtawMwXeD54 維尼
I lifted my head.8964 copyright protection76PENANAhl09JWU3AZ 維尼
Heart trembling. Lips shaking.8964 copyright protection76PENANALWvZqQje91 維尼
Yet the words came out steady:8964 copyright protection76PENANAjaPs9AaTQK 維尼
"Better to let him live."8964 copyright protection76PENANApRCf4yN526 維尼
"Let him watch… as I claim victory for Your Highness."8964 copyright protection76PENANAxEQDzFWX4C 維尼
The Crown Prince’s eyes ignited.8964 copyright protection76PENANAn5obf9qG6t 維尼
"Well played, Su Liu."8964 copyright protection76PENANAequpVOjxEC 維尼
"From today, you’re not just my blade—"8964 copyright protection76PENANAmlhXFGsKXH 維尼
"You’re my poison."8964 copyright protection76PENANAvetblPfCaP 維尼
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