Leaving the Palace

Xiao Yu returned to the palace from his southern tour with Liu Mengshu, a woman who looked just like me.

A year later, I petitioned to be stripped of my title as empress and asked for permission to leave the palace.

His eyes bloodshot, he watched me walk away and shouted, "If you leave, don't ever come back!"

I gripped the hilt of my sword and smiled faintly.

Once I left, I never came back.