My betrothed had entered the palace—only to become the Empress's pawn.
No Plagiarism!feLQNXTNQjf0cztS7NxRposted on PENANA I never imagined I’d see him again—8964 copyright protection242PENANAObgy1kC3sn 維尼
—least of all like this.8964 copyright protection242PENANAsIUVxklYcy 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 protection242PENANA2nqz6J21v0 維尼
"What a coincidence. Young Master An is here too?"8964 copyright protection242PENANAJnSSBvNazS 維尼
My hand jerked. The ledger nearly fell.8964 copyright protection242PENANABq6hCQeQxT 維尼
That voice—8964 copyright protection242PENANA6Dc8mDQj2B 維尼
How could it be him?8964 copyright protection242PENANAKvmhBUCpZ1 維尼
I turned slowly.8964 copyright protection242PENANA8gnh3FUhor 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 protection242PENANAv82tfsA3qm 維尼
Xu Chen.8964 copyright protection242PENANAGMkQlPOVmL 維尼
Once, I was his betrothed.8964 copyright protection242PENANAAjTrcsEBfg 維尼
And he was the one who’d pushed me into the abyss.8964 copyright protection242PENANAMUGT1akNoW 維尼
Three years ago, my family fell. Father and brothers executed. Mother’s suicide. Me—branded a criminal’s daughter.8964 copyright protection242PENANA5IOCwhH8Gh 維尼
The Xu family, our generational allies, tore up the marriage contract and cast me out within hours.8964 copyright protection242PENANABk7RjnQWRb 維尼
I thought our paths would never cross again.8964 copyright protection242PENANAHced3ea2ur 維尼
Yet now—8964 copyright protection242PENANAjwcRcw9Jgp 維尼
He’d entered the palace as the Empress’s "scholarly attendant", ostensibly to compile imperial history.8964 copyright protection242PENANAAe8X5IgCzQ 維尼
But the Crown Prince had long exposed him: another of the Empress’s spies.8964 copyright protection242PENANAhab5L3HxSV 維尼
His eyes flickered with shock when he saw me—quickly masked.8964 copyright protection242PENANAnLVEjtLs5t 維尼
"...Why are you here?"8964 copyright protection242PENANAnPfogKvJ3z 維尼
I bowed, laughter strangled in my throat. "This lowly one, An Liu, pays respects to Lord Xu."8964 copyright protection242PENANAdtsPSpY5Wt 維尼
"An Liu?" His frown said he didn’t recognize me.8964 copyright protection242PENANAodVbbUIqK0 維尼
Good. Better this way.8964 copyright protection242PENANAvoIgJw0FAf 維尼
As long as he remained ignorant, I could survive.8964 copyright protection242PENANANJW7bOHWrV 維尼
But then he stepped closer—8964 copyright protection242PENANAb4uZ1gJyma 維尼
—and stared at the tiny mole by my eye.8964 copyright protection242PENANAweIaBTzyB8 維尼
My heart plummeted.8964 copyright protection242PENANA2FCZmIpN6V 維尼
That mole was my birthmark. Three years ago, he’d teased:8964 copyright protection242PENANATGdpJoVOJ3 維尼
"Don’t run too far. I’d spot you in any crowd."8964 copyright protection242PENANANRsY9jpOFZ 維尼
He remembered.8964 copyright protection242PENANAHFoU38NwdB 維尼
"You’re—"8964 copyright protection242PENANAQ0mhYFvqWU 維尼
I cut him off. "If Lord Xu has no business here, please leave."8964 copyright protection242PENANAsOFPbzgHpD 維尼
He reached for me, but I was already walking away.8964 copyright protection242PENANAJIAiUIELFu 維尼
Yet I knew: he’d investigate. And if he did—8964 copyright protection242PENANA5kO5GMmG9y 維尼
He’d uncover everything.8964 copyright protection242PENANAEomZ0AJMMK 維尼
That night, I stood outside the Crown Prince’s study, unable to knock.8964 copyright protection242PENANAbCjmvt6gZ7 維尼
The door swung open before I could.8964 copyright protection242PENANAdPNvX3EzWI 維尼
"Enter."8964 copyright protection242PENANAmxMAowEUoe 維尼
The moment I stepped inside, it slammed shut behind me.8964 copyright protection242PENANAuGtcNXx4E3 維尼
The Crown Prince didn’t mince words:8964 copyright protection242PENANAc1Ld87sAro 維尼
"Your past is exposed."8964 copyright protection242PENANAHHPx0rbNgJ 維尼
I stiffened.8964 copyright protection242PENANA6peHP0ftbD 維尼
"Xu Chen is digging through Ministry of Justice archives. Hunting you."8964 copyright protection242PENANAJy31Ap7GOI 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 protection242PENANAYHNP5dUPCd 維尼
My lips pressed into a bloodless line.8964 copyright protection242PENANAxjKGXST7dW 維尼
He turned, smiling coldly:8964 copyright protection242PENANAKzsh5OjCJf 維尼
"Amusing. The Empress’s newest pawn is your former fiancé."8964 copyright protection242PENANAgfsccI53yQ 維尼
"This game grows more entertaining—"8964 copyright protection242PENANA01QsMcztOk 維尼
Suddenly, his gaze pinned me:8964 copyright protection242PENANAodtXTT1Owv 維尼
"So tell me. Should I let him die?"8964 copyright protection242PENANA5vlMgJfcXq 維尼
I lifted my head.8964 copyright protection242PENANAUDKr0Ju6Vz 維尼
Heart trembling. Lips shaking.8964 copyright protection242PENANAJYuQhtnunP 維尼
Yet the words came out steady:8964 copyright protection242PENANA3IJaiT8Fuv 維尼
"Better to let him live."8964 copyright protection242PENANA2YpWgNaRvJ 維尼
"Let him watch… as I claim victory for Your Highness."8964 copyright protection242PENANABCHc47DRj1 維尼
The Crown Prince’s eyes ignited.8964 copyright protection242PENANAri8da6neOZ 維尼
"Well played, Su Liu."8964 copyright protection242PENANA9qfJEpFfFT 維尼
"From today, you’re not just my blade—"8964 copyright protection242PENANArknVO8ISWf 維尼
"You’re my poison."8964 copyright protection242PENANARCfg2Xs6oP 維尼
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