The Empress Dowager decreed the marriage, and Shen Li was wed to Huo Xiao, the bloodthirsty Marquis of Zhenbei.
The whole capital held its breath for her. The man was a living grim reaper who didn’t even know how to smile.
Shen Li was worried too. They had first met at a racetrack before the wedding. She put on the demure air of a refined young lady, looking gentle and composed while inwardly grumbling: Oh no, this man is a block of wood. If I marry him, I’ll probably be bored to death.
What she didn’t know was that Huo Xiao could hear her thoughts.
And so, daily life at the Marquis of Zhenbei’s residence went like this:
Shen Li aloud: “Blessings to you, General.”
Shen Li inwardly: Why is he staring at me again? Is there a flower on my face?
Huo Xiao: There is.
Shen Li aloud: “Take care, husband.”
Shen Li inwardly: He’s thinner and tanner, but so handsome. I want to hug him.
That very night, Huo Xiao pulled her into his arms.
From the imperial decree to their wedding, from cautious testing to standing side by side, she thought she was hiding her feelings flawlessly. Little did she know that he had been laying his plans step by step, waiting for her to walk right into his arms.
