My betrothed had entered the palace—only to become the Empress's pawn.
No Plagiarism!3aiAXaBxnWNfQMrdYYnxposted on PENANA I never imagined I’d see him again—8964 copyright protection225PENANAhF2Rgeqj8F 維尼
—least of all like this.8964 copyright protection225PENANAmfLAfpOO2w 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 protection225PENANAtcCErV10Qe 維尼
"What a coincidence. Young Master An is here too?"8964 copyright protection225PENANAQVQJrKluhQ 維尼
My hand jerked. The ledger nearly fell.8964 copyright protection225PENANAcTd2EvqQf8 維尼
That voice—8964 copyright protection225PENANAdSpOxpkYYd 維尼
How could it be him?8964 copyright protection225PENANAnhglBwcux3 維尼
I turned slowly.8964 copyright protection225PENANApWZjndLJ2f 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 protection225PENANAmxg7ZvwpZg 維尼
Xu Chen.8964 copyright protection225PENANAf8qF3QA6BS 維尼
Once, I was his betrothed.8964 copyright protection225PENANAjbJTWmJ5vG 維尼
And he was the one who’d pushed me into the abyss.8964 copyright protection225PENANAv7ATcq1Ylh 維尼
Three years ago, my family fell. Father and brothers executed. Mother’s suicide. Me—branded a criminal’s daughter.8964 copyright protection225PENANADuhzHIEVcI 維尼
The Xu family, our generational allies, tore up the marriage contract and cast me out within hours.8964 copyright protection225PENANAGQ8YWzfHVW 維尼
I thought our paths would never cross again.8964 copyright protection225PENANAJ8JRRv7FvI 維尼
Yet now—8964 copyright protection225PENANA5KRzThjNfx 維尼
He’d entered the palace as the Empress’s "scholarly attendant", ostensibly to compile imperial history.8964 copyright protection225PENANAMGaTeFgAN0 維尼
But the Crown Prince had long exposed him: another of the Empress’s spies.8964 copyright protection225PENANAkd8sU22o3Q 維尼
His eyes flickered with shock when he saw me—quickly masked.8964 copyright protection225PENANAO0tqMQ22GS 維尼
"...Why are you here?"8964 copyright protection225PENANACdgUwe2Jk8 維尼
I bowed, laughter strangled in my throat. "This lowly one, An Liu, pays respects to Lord Xu."8964 copyright protection225PENANA9bTzg6zLgX 維尼
"An Liu?" His frown said he didn’t recognize me.8964 copyright protection225PENANAqJMfzWNkqI 維尼
Good. Better this way.8964 copyright protection225PENANAoojyjmmCwP 維尼
As long as he remained ignorant, I could survive.8964 copyright protection225PENANAX2dEpDpWvZ 維尼
But then he stepped closer—8964 copyright protection225PENANABnDScxDopq 維尼
—and stared at the tiny mole by my eye.8964 copyright protection225PENANAISO5O0cxhH 維尼
My heart plummeted.8964 copyright protection225PENANA5A38W6Vynx 維尼
That mole was my birthmark. Three years ago, he’d teased:8964 copyright protection225PENANAlP1KQbS5wt 維尼
"Don’t run too far. I’d spot you in any crowd."8964 copyright protection225PENANAyZfGfKwgBm 維尼
He remembered.8964 copyright protection225PENANAA1ylSKSNsb 維尼
"You’re—"8964 copyright protection225PENANAp3iy8Tj0nY 維尼
I cut him off. "If Lord Xu has no business here, please leave."8964 copyright protection225PENANAr7tt5dHiCl 維尼
He reached for me, but I was already walking away.8964 copyright protection225PENANAMARuAqOrve 維尼
Yet I knew: he’d investigate. And if he did—8964 copyright protection225PENANANwosQhFMCT 維尼
He’d uncover everything.8964 copyright protection225PENANAwAjKzUqHYO 維尼
That night, I stood outside the Crown Prince’s study, unable to knock.8964 copyright protection225PENANAylkZqcpXNf 維尼
The door swung open before I could.8964 copyright protection225PENANA9kX0JjZrGm 維尼
"Enter."8964 copyright protection225PENANAMp4EmuM7Xa 維尼
The moment I stepped inside, it slammed shut behind me.8964 copyright protection225PENANA1awGWnpkuW 維尼
The Crown Prince didn’t mince words:8964 copyright protection225PENANAlBTcJG1nDg 維尼
"Your past is exposed."8964 copyright protection225PENANAwrLZLrMzy8 維尼
I stiffened.8964 copyright protection225PENANAN2MTR9SDHT 維尼
"Xu Chen is digging through Ministry of Justice archives. Hunting you."8964 copyright protection225PENANAx6C2fRaoaQ 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 protection225PENANAhjCURPA63P 維尼
My lips pressed into a bloodless line.8964 copyright protection225PENANAKwkf3CKkfa 維尼
He turned, smiling coldly:8964 copyright protection225PENANAkTCOEaXVNe 維尼
"Amusing. The Empress’s newest pawn is your former fiancé."8964 copyright protection225PENANAfw2zpbGOPb 維尼
"This game grows more entertaining—"8964 copyright protection225PENANAIjH18HGOOe 維尼
Suddenly, his gaze pinned me:8964 copyright protection225PENANALgBRwJ7pxj 維尼
"So tell me. Should I let him die?"8964 copyright protection225PENANAAHYceZIllQ 維尼
I lifted my head.8964 copyright protection225PENANAHJIcIjUwPE 維尼
Heart trembling. Lips shaking.8964 copyright protection225PENANAblDQTwMaWF 維尼
Yet the words came out steady:8964 copyright protection225PENANAB0JCaDkFJu 維尼
"Better to let him live."8964 copyright protection225PENANApn3LvjMhZ6 維尼
"Let him watch… as I claim victory for Your Highness."8964 copyright protection225PENANAJGnJEp4J8L 維尼
The Crown Prince’s eyes ignited.8964 copyright protection225PENANApt51858fJY 維尼
"Well played, Su Liu."8964 copyright protection225PENANAmLZPxsRn7a 維尼
"From today, you’re not just my blade—"8964 copyright protection225PENANADVZIjWokBj 維尼
"You’re my poison."8964 copyright protection225PENANAnyZ3sC8Ic6 維尼
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