The Emperor’s Beloved, Though Not a Gentle Lady

Her father, Shen Aoshan, had an agreement with the emperor: she would go through the motions of entering the palace, then be released two years later. So she spent every day in the palace eating her fill and waiting for death. The Empress tried to win her over, and she played dumb; Consort Shu tested her, and she pretended not to understand. Then one day, the emperor took her hand and said, “I’ve changed my mind.” Shen Nian was stunned. “Your Majesty, you and my father would lay down your lives for each other!” The emperor smiled. “Exactly. So I’ve decided to make our families even closer.”