My betrothed had entered the palace—only to become the Empress's pawn.
No Plagiarism!471AGECwF9YkmcU7sWKjposted on PENANA I never imagined I’d see him again—8964 copyright protection193PENANArYqbBCgX7B 維尼
—least of all like this.8964 copyright protection193PENANAwddhU37eia 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 protection193PENANAyCQoVXP0JE 維尼
"What a coincidence. Young Master An is here too?"8964 copyright protection193PENANASTMmyG3GpJ 維尼
My hand jerked. The ledger nearly fell.8964 copyright protection193PENANA0CKJ3hqXo7 維尼
That voice—8964 copyright protection193PENANAFHsC7AXija 維尼
How could it be him?8964 copyright protection193PENANAJAmgw6YYxF 維尼
I turned slowly.8964 copyright protection193PENANA4MukYqoPUs 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 protection193PENANAjeb8D6BGfj 維尼
Xu Chen.8964 copyright protection193PENANAASKbzHeMVU 維尼
Once, I was his betrothed.8964 copyright protection193PENANAvNBLfyf0Jo 維尼
And he was the one who’d pushed me into the abyss.8964 copyright protection193PENANAmguOdph3Yw 維尼
Three years ago, my family fell. Father and brothers executed. Mother’s suicide. Me—branded a criminal’s daughter.8964 copyright protection193PENANAwbwt8T8Rj8 維尼
The Xu family, our generational allies, tore up the marriage contract and cast me out within hours.8964 copyright protection193PENANAGGdR0ioNrz 維尼
I thought our paths would never cross again.8964 copyright protection193PENANALj5jtEV306 維尼
Yet now—8964 copyright protection193PENANAnYe9Sdzf6B 維尼
He’d entered the palace as the Empress’s "scholarly attendant", ostensibly to compile imperial history.8964 copyright protection193PENANA5Mzw66Jsp4 維尼
But the Crown Prince had long exposed him: another of the Empress’s spies.8964 copyright protection193PENANAlBhOONQXUy 維尼
His eyes flickered with shock when he saw me—quickly masked.8964 copyright protection193PENANAalto5bfWuB 維尼
"...Why are you here?"8964 copyright protection193PENANA6pPXpalFBs 維尼
I bowed, laughter strangled in my throat. "This lowly one, An Liu, pays respects to Lord Xu."8964 copyright protection193PENANAF0Kl89qOkD 維尼
"An Liu?" His frown said he didn’t recognize me.8964 copyright protection193PENANARAL1QNfcz3 維尼
Good. Better this way.8964 copyright protection193PENANAEffx5niJ8h 維尼
As long as he remained ignorant, I could survive.8964 copyright protection193PENANA44o7NqQCbb 維尼
But then he stepped closer—8964 copyright protection193PENANANbXu9MnpZH 維尼
—and stared at the tiny mole by my eye.8964 copyright protection193PENANAvG8uZud1Fg 維尼
My heart plummeted.8964 copyright protection193PENANAy5Wl4WVqBW 維尼
That mole was my birthmark. Three years ago, he’d teased:8964 copyright protection193PENANAaWmXltDlbl 維尼
"Don’t run too far. I’d spot you in any crowd."8964 copyright protection193PENANAkcLO5n9E2e 維尼
He remembered.8964 copyright protection193PENANAKxyVBvBp2G 維尼
"You’re—"8964 copyright protection193PENANACffXioxL10 維尼
I cut him off. "If Lord Xu has no business here, please leave."8964 copyright protection193PENANAQJ9T1sst3M 維尼
He reached for me, but I was already walking away.8964 copyright protection193PENANAa9j3BSCBsg 維尼
Yet I knew: he’d investigate. And if he did—8964 copyright protection193PENANAFjGfwjdJME 維尼
He’d uncover everything.8964 copyright protection193PENANAhWh3okZ4YD 維尼
That night, I stood outside the Crown Prince’s study, unable to knock.8964 copyright protection193PENANA786a4w3c7M 維尼
The door swung open before I could.8964 copyright protection193PENANA1XL5dgOeCY 維尼
"Enter."8964 copyright protection193PENANA9PawEBVN89 維尼
The moment I stepped inside, it slammed shut behind me.8964 copyright protection193PENANATJQMsQnuVY 維尼
The Crown Prince didn’t mince words:8964 copyright protection193PENANAEhKGc9wWsC 維尼
"Your past is exposed."8964 copyright protection193PENANAN99aAM1UP4 維尼
I stiffened.8964 copyright protection193PENANAI5vbHFfVmY 維尼
"Xu Chen is digging through Ministry of Justice archives. Hunting you."8964 copyright protection193PENANAlxOPqYX9B8 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 protection193PENANARGTOGdjnx6 維尼
My lips pressed into a bloodless line.8964 copyright protection193PENANAtd1j4Lwxha 維尼
He turned, smiling coldly:8964 copyright protection193PENANA6UQwtw5bJd 維尼
"Amusing. The Empress’s newest pawn is your former fiancé."8964 copyright protection193PENANA7uH2SZaIs1 維尼
"This game grows more entertaining—"8964 copyright protection193PENANA1ZyAAGQmKi 維尼
Suddenly, his gaze pinned me:8964 copyright protection193PENANAkKmoKijsfq 維尼
"So tell me. Should I let him die?"8964 copyright protection193PENANAkHKej3hSkQ 維尼
I lifted my head.8964 copyright protection193PENANAdxQjXvZdSU 維尼
Heart trembling. Lips shaking.8964 copyright protection193PENANAvwZR4ryP5x 維尼
Yet the words came out steady:8964 copyright protection193PENANAHZ9rMFnJdG 維尼
"Better to let him live."8964 copyright protection193PENANAHiz8Kkp19j 維尼
"Let him watch… as I claim victory for Your Highness."8964 copyright protection193PENANA7sYdHdNe7x 維尼
The Crown Prince’s eyes ignited.8964 copyright protection193PENANATlSNeshFAZ 維尼
"Well played, Su Liu."8964 copyright protection193PENANAVm3LnyJo9z 維尼
"From today, you’re not just my blade—"8964 copyright protection193PENANAvMxxk63rrE 維尼
"You’re my poison."8964 copyright protection193PENANAL7NWTekvEJ 維尼
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