After the Childhood Friend I Dumped Turned Dark and Became Emperor

Blurb:

Her father is cold and biased, while her stepmother is vicious and scheming.

Zhaoxue has known since childhood that the only things she can truly rely on in this life are limitless wealth and real power.

So when Pei Su arrived full of joy, bearing lavish gifts to ask for her hand, she refused without a moment's hesitation.

Though the gentle young man, warm as jade, had stood by her through decades of neglect and hardship, even when she had a nightmare one night, he would brave the winter wind and snow just to keep watch beneath her window:

"Axue, sleep easy. I'll be with you forever."

But what could she do? He was only a distant relative staying at the Duke of Qin's residence, a young master with no status.

Apart from his wholehearted devotion, he was good for nothing.

Zhaoxue wanted to marry the Crown Prince and become the empress, second only to the emperor and above all others!

Who could have guessed that on the day of her wedding to the Crown Prince, a "Prince Su" would appear out of nowhere, wielding ruthless methods, bathing the imperial palace in blood, and seizing the throne?

Zhaoxue's beautiful dream shattered in an instant, leaving her trembling with fear. She couldn't become empress anymore, and staying alive was what mattered!

She gritted her teeth and decided to tread the hopeless road paved with mountains of corpses, trembling as she approached the new emperor and knelt to bow in formal homage.

"Tsk. So this is the empress who'd rather have a phoenix coronet and bridal robes?"

That familiar voice, clenched with fury, dripped with scorn.

Zhaoxue lifted her tear-streaked, lovely face in shock, only to see Pei Su, the man she had once coldly rejected, standing above her!

The young man wore a black robe soaked in blood. His brows and eyes were dark and ruthless as he used his sharp sword to cut through the hairstyle Zhaoxue had spent two hours carefully arranging. Her phoenix coronet hit the ground and shattered to pieces.

-

Everyone knew that the new emperor despised the eldest daughter of the Duke of Qin's household, a coldhearted woman who feigned affection.

Now that he had imprisoned her in the imperial palace without giving her any title or status, surely he would torment and abuse her. Some even swore that Miss Qin wouldn't last a year.

Yet a year later, when a matron entered the inner hall to bring water, she was astonished to see the new emperor gently holding Miss Qin's chafed-red knees. His face was cold, but his harsh words were steeped in overwhelming jealousy.

"It's only the empress."

"Does it matter to you who the emperor is?"

(Blurb written on 2025.02.28, screenshot saved)

Theme: Life is full of surprises, The Outcast