My betrothed had entered the palace—only to become the Empress's pawn.
No Plagiarism!YzmcvEx59EFJah3elwYMposted on PENANA I never imagined I’d see him again—8964 copyright protection192PENANAhRBA7Xk6q1 維尼
—least of all like this.8964 copyright protection192PENANADxhaDMlnvH 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 protection192PENANAorPgsua5ei 維尼
"What a coincidence. Young Master An is here too?"8964 copyright protection192PENANA47NFi0D70U 維尼
My hand jerked. The ledger nearly fell.8964 copyright protection192PENANARYyGzzqUmh 維尼
That voice—8964 copyright protection192PENANAyOrmwNVu3J 維尼
How could it be him?8964 copyright protection192PENANAS8FZMuETnR 維尼
I turned slowly.8964 copyright protection192PENANA1Dq5UfHZxK 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 protection192PENANA71P1g19bl3 維尼
Xu Chen.8964 copyright protection192PENANAR2iVeV7OwZ 維尼
Once, I was his betrothed.8964 copyright protection192PENANA5yEdIsAaA8 維尼
And he was the one who’d pushed me into the abyss.8964 copyright protection192PENANAXkIsN48eM1 維尼
Three years ago, my family fell. Father and brothers executed. Mother’s suicide. Me—branded a criminal’s daughter.8964 copyright protection192PENANAAOimWHyWyK 維尼
The Xu family, our generational allies, tore up the marriage contract and cast me out within hours.8964 copyright protection192PENANAnDiCKeuIgc 維尼
I thought our paths would never cross again.8964 copyright protection192PENANAC1whqREgkM 維尼
Yet now—8964 copyright protection192PENANAWFWhLv4ABh 維尼
He’d entered the palace as the Empress’s "scholarly attendant", ostensibly to compile imperial history.8964 copyright protection192PENANAGysy6xILg3 維尼
But the Crown Prince had long exposed him: another of the Empress’s spies.8964 copyright protection192PENANAlwSv8WDxQm 維尼
His eyes flickered with shock when he saw me—quickly masked.8964 copyright protection192PENANA3FnEHPpuIF 維尼
"...Why are you here?"8964 copyright protection192PENANAFTomPtBitW 維尼
I bowed, laughter strangled in my throat. "This lowly one, An Liu, pays respects to Lord Xu."8964 copyright protection192PENANAgfwzZfnEPI 維尼
"An Liu?" His frown said he didn’t recognize me.8964 copyright protection192PENANA5PiR1kkkzO 維尼
Good. Better this way.8964 copyright protection192PENANA8nG6cjbn0A 維尼
As long as he remained ignorant, I could survive.8964 copyright protection192PENANA55C7VekzxM 維尼
But then he stepped closer—8964 copyright protection192PENANAbYiCkd7E4R 維尼
—and stared at the tiny mole by my eye.8964 copyright protection192PENANAdzvpGvjQmM 維尼
My heart plummeted.8964 copyright protection192PENANAU5MhmlBiyh 維尼
That mole was my birthmark. Three years ago, he’d teased:8964 copyright protection192PENANAwtR9rNRySa 維尼
"Don’t run too far. I’d spot you in any crowd."8964 copyright protection192PENANAXQaBAS29pO 維尼
He remembered.8964 copyright protection192PENANAqJrHn85etU 維尼
"You’re—"8964 copyright protection192PENANAGlta7s8zmd 維尼
I cut him off. "If Lord Xu has no business here, please leave."8964 copyright protection192PENANAXnXw0PwOOH 維尼
He reached for me, but I was already walking away.8964 copyright protection192PENANAp8nE5AvpmW 維尼
Yet I knew: he’d investigate. And if he did—8964 copyright protection192PENANA9kbq9fzT3v 維尼
He’d uncover everything.8964 copyright protection192PENANAxPmLaGEuPf 維尼
That night, I stood outside the Crown Prince’s study, unable to knock.8964 copyright protection192PENANAAMcjkS4dXK 維尼
The door swung open before I could.8964 copyright protection192PENANAZXsYIsBKgO 維尼
"Enter."8964 copyright protection192PENANAeMr3guxGb8 維尼
The moment I stepped inside, it slammed shut behind me.8964 copyright protection192PENANA59lGW1eA3P 維尼
The Crown Prince didn’t mince words:8964 copyright protection192PENANAqP6B5e240q 維尼
"Your past is exposed."8964 copyright protection192PENANAAnSOGJZ7Lu 維尼
I stiffened.8964 copyright protection192PENANAbXBp8ZdhVx 維尼
"Xu Chen is digging through Ministry of Justice archives. Hunting you."8964 copyright protection192PENANAGto4GWawXt 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 protection192PENANAmwmKvM0jqD 維尼
My lips pressed into a bloodless line.8964 copyright protection192PENANAlm1Lgwki7n 維尼
He turned, smiling coldly:8964 copyright protection192PENANAA0mvQztlGO 維尼
"Amusing. The Empress’s newest pawn is your former fiancé."8964 copyright protection192PENANA9TIwF8kOJ2 維尼
"This game grows more entertaining—"8964 copyright protection192PENANATThQCsTKHP 維尼
Suddenly, his gaze pinned me:8964 copyright protection192PENANAwqFUU6ZAiT 維尼
"So tell me. Should I let him die?"8964 copyright protection192PENANADPWkAI9wXs 維尼
I lifted my head.8964 copyright protection192PENANAqlb5vnPdeA 維尼
Heart trembling. Lips shaking.8964 copyright protection192PENANACQgH36oWY3 維尼
Yet the words came out steady:8964 copyright protection192PENANAViduarMY7K 維尼
"Better to let him live."8964 copyright protection192PENANAfRnZzQJKoO 維尼
"Let him watch… as I claim victory for Your Highness."8964 copyright protection192PENANA8YFijd3RSZ 維尼
The Crown Prince’s eyes ignited.8964 copyright protection192PENANAuzi60AZaNr 維尼
"Well played, Su Liu."8964 copyright protection192PENANAI8ehGlMkhR 維尼
"From today, you’re not just my blade—"8964 copyright protection192PENANACqtnpJMRcz 維尼
"You’re my poison."8964 copyright protection192PENANA1O6qokl8Fj 維尼
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