She Was Once Zhaoyang

I devoted half my life to marrying Princess Zhaoyang, the emperor's most favored concubine. But just two months into our marriage, she mysteriously left the palace, vanishing without a trace. I mobilized the entire army of spies, searching the north and south of the Yangtze River for five whole years, to no avail. Rumors spread like wildfire, all saying the princess had fallen into the river and her body was never found. Heartbroken, I finally accepted the court's arrangement and married the daughter of a minister, a woman known for her gentleness, kindness, and thoughtfulness. One late spring, while out for a stroll, I took my new wife to the mortuary near a mass grave outside the city. In a pile of withered grass lay a mute, sweeping servant, her tongue cut out and her face ravaged. In the instant she struggled to lift her head, those eyes…