The Day the Crown Princess Hanged Herself, the Emperor Went Mad

“I stood by him as he went from a down-and-out prince to the most powerful man in the land. When the new emperor took the throne and rewarded his subjects, he ordered me to risk everything for his favored consort. Then my entire clan was wiped out. I became the crown prince's consort for good, with no value left to him at all. After I vomited blood, I forgot everything we had shared, but he went mad and turned gray overnight. When the palace went up in flames, I leapt into the fire without a care, trading my life for his only so he would forgive me. Ha. Affection that comes too late is worth less than grass. In the fire, I calmly took his hand. “Everything that came before was a disgrace.”