The Crown Prince of the Great Xuan is gentle as jade and the original heroine’s unattainable first love.
The Northern General’s daughter has trained in martial arts since childhood and commands an army. She is the original heroine’s foil.
And the ruthless, scheming prince, whose power eclipses everyone at court, is the story’s greatest villain.
I crossed over into the story as the general’s daughter, a cannon-fodder character destined to see her family destroyed, there to make the original heroine shine.
The gentle Crown Prince from the book is protecting the original heroine, while the decisive prince is staring at my father’s military tally as if he’s looking at a corpse.
So I turn around and offer him the general’s family as a pledge of allegiance.
“Your Highness, want to make a deal? I’ll help you seize the throne, and you’ll keep my whole family alive.”
He narrows his eyes and lifts my chin with the tip of his blade. “What makes you think you can?”
I smile. “Because in my previous life, I saw how you failed.”
After that, I help him evade assassination attempt after assassination attempt and see through every trap at court.
But amid all the bloodshed, his eyes gradually grow feverish.
One night, he corners me against a wall, his voice low and hoarse. “Didn’t we agree this was just a transaction? Why are you smiling at me?”
Later, the Crown Prince, who never used to give me a second glance, finally comes to his senses and begs me with red-rimmed eyes to return to him.
But behind me stands the prince, calmly wiping his sword, his eyes dark with menace.
“Step aside,”
he says to the Crown Prince, his voice as gentle as if he were discussing what to have for dinner.
“She chose me.”
