At the beginning of the month, the heir to the Prince of Dingbei's title crushed the Xiongnu and returned to the capital in triumph.
At the end of the month, the emperor issued an edict betrothing me to this celebrated young prodigy.
Yet everyone in the capital knew that the heir to the Prince of Dingbei's title had a deeply cherished concubine.
Not only was she beautiful and clever, she had also once saved his life.
With her social grace and culinary skills, she had won the hearts of nearly everyone in the Prince of Dingbei's household.
If not for her low birth, she would have been made the heir's principal wife long ago. I would never have stood a chance.
My mother clutched the imperial edict at home and wept bitterly, while my father stroked his beard in silence.
Everyone knew that going there would be like walking into a dragon's lair, and that I would never be favored for the rest of my life.
But I smiled. Ever since I was old enough to understand the world, I had known that, since I was born in an era when men could take three wives and four concubines, I shouldn't care too much about my husband's affection.
What did it matter who had a man's heart? As long as power was in my hands, that was enough.
