Three Years After Breaking Off Our Engagement, My Ex Wanted to Take Me as His Concubine, Even Though I Was Empress

On the day I was to marry Gu Linchuan, heir to the Duke of Zhenguo, two imperial edicts arrived from the palace.

The first ordered him to lead his troops into battle at once.

The second was a blank edict granting a noble title posthumously.

The emperor promised that if Gu Linchuan died in battle, the woman he loved would be granted the title of Lady of the Court.

With red-rimmed eyes, he looked at his sickly younger cousin behind him and wrote her name without hesitation.

“Wanning, Ruyue is frail, and the frontier is bitterly cold. I'm almost certain to die on this campaign. This title is the only protection I can leave her.”

“What about me?” I asked. “What am I to you?”

Xiao Zhu fell silent for a moment, then answered in a strained voice.

“You're the Grand Tutor's daughter, talented and beautiful. You'll be fine without me. But Ruyue can't survive without me.”

All the guests sighed over my misplaced devotion. I became the biggest laughingstock in the capital.

In front of everyone, I tore off my veil and flung my phoenix crown at his feet. “From this day on, you and I are even.”

Three years later, he returned victorious, and the first thing he did was come to beg my forgiveness.

But by then, I was already empress, with the emperor beside me, holding our little prince.