The day my mother was forced to “take her own life,” I donned my wedding robes and knelt in the Golden Throne Hall.
My stepmother wept, my younger sister testified, and the entire court believed I had poisoned my husband, the crippled prince, whom I had never even met, because I resented being married off to bring him good fortune. The fabricated evidence was flawless. My life or death rested on the emperor’s decision.
I lifted my head and said three things:
“The poison, Seven-Day Powder, has to be administered for seven days straight. How could I have given him the final dose yesterday?”
“The medicine packet submitted as evidence bears the watermark of my stepmother’s private apothecary in its lower-right corner.”
“Please test the prince’s poisoned blood. If it turns iron into a silvery-blue color, then the poison was planted, and someone else is the culprit!”
The hall fell utterly silent. After examining the blood, the imperial physician dropped to his knees, trembling.
The truth pierced the lies, but the imperial decree had already been issued: Prince Jing was gravely ill, and this woman was to be married to him to bring him good fortune. The wedding was to take place at once!
On our wedding night, I tore open the prince’s robes and pressed my fingertips to his pulse. “When Withering and Flourishing Powder takes effect, the pulse is slow and weak, like rotten wood. But your pulse hides a keen, murderous edge. Stop pretending.”
His eyes snapped open. His fingers clamped around my neck like iron, murderous intent surging in his gaze. “Who are you?”
“Shen Zhiwei.” I met his abyssal gaze. “Shall we work together, or die together?”
He laughed and released me. “Tell me your terms.”
“I’ll save your life and clean house within and without. You’ll be my shield and help me wipe out my enemies.”
From then on, the crippled prince and the demon consort became the most terrifying alliance in the capital.
I wielded medicine like a blade, cutting through layer upon layer of fabricated evidence to clear my mother’s name. He wielded power like a scabbard, sweeping away demons and monsters to restore justice to the world.
When our former enemies knelt in rows before the throne, he took my hand and bent close to whisper, “My lady, how would you like to bring today’s game to a close?”
I looked out at the bright blue sky beyond the hall and smiled sweetly.
“From this day on, we make the rules of this world.”
