[Synopsis]
On the day the imperial edict arranged my marriage, the entire capital was betting I wouldn’t survive three days.
My husband was Xiao Mingyuan, the powerful Prince of Zhenbei, and the thorn in His Majesty’s side.
And I was Shen Zhiwei, an orphan with no parents, living under someone else’s roof.
A marriage contract sent me straight into the tiger’s den, making me a pawn in a power struggle.
On our wedding night, he tossed me a contract. His gaze was cold. “My lady, let’s work well together and stay out of each other’s way.”
Unruffled, I drew a secret letter from my sleeve. The candlelight caught his face as his expression abruptly changed.
“Your Highness, we have to play our parts convincingly.” I smiled faintly. “Are you truly loyal to the one sitting on the throne?”
It turned out this marriage had been a game of chess all along.
He was the emperor’s deepest undercover piece, and our apparent discord was a grand performance for the world.
From then on, in public we were bitter enemies at odds with each other; in private, we were allies plotting together.
He drew me into his arms and murmured coaxingly, “Then starting tonight, my lady, I hope you’ll be generous with your advice.”
I worked the noblewomen and put the household in order; he stood up for me, put my enemies in their place, and helped me exact revenge.
Together, we maneuvered through the treacherous court, step by step, uprooting the enemies who had framed my father.
Until the day of the palace coup, when he returned bloodied from battle with his army
Only to find me seated high on the phoenix throne, wielding life and death, with our former enemy kneeling at my feet.
The assembled officials bowed their heads. He knelt on one knee and looked up at me.
I leaned down and whispered in his ear, my voice sharp as the spring breeze:
“General, the game is over.”
