[Beautiful, Tragic Hostage Prince x Beloved Princess | Reincarnation Across Multiple Lives | Devoted to Each Other in Body and Soul | Fated Emotional Push and Pull]
With memories of her past lives, Shen Wanyue was on her guard from the moment she first met Xie Heng.
She knew this was fate repeating itself. She did everything she could to evade and resist him, yet whenever she saw him being repeatedly bullied, she couldn't help stepping in to protect him.
When an attendant humiliated him, she came to his defense. When the Third Prince whipped him, she sternly intervened. When members of the imperial clan mocked him, she openly declared that he was the one she loved.
Xie Heng's gentle, refined manner was an utterly flawless disguise.
With every time she stood up for him, her defenses quietly crumbled, and she fell for him all over again.
She had once argued for him with red-rimmed eyes: "He's handsome and refined, clear-minded, gentle in manner, and considerate toward others. He's nothing like you people, who are consumed by power plays and see nothing but schemes."
She placed her trust in him completely. Only when the deception was exposed did she see the deepest scheming in the world hidden beneath that refined appearance.
In the great hall, a long sword slid from its sheath, its tip pressed against his bright red wedding robes.
"Xie Heng, when did you start deceiving me?"
"Princess, my feelings for you were never false."
But the imperial wedding decree was a lie. His diplomatic mission was a lie. Even the fact that his right arm had been crippled long ago, leaving him unable to hold a sword, was a lie.
He had once told her, "The most precious thing in this world is not the highest position of power. It's having someone by your side, sharing ordinary days and years of peace."
That, too, was a lie.
The Great Yao had long been in his grasp. He wasn't her consort, but the new emperor of the realm.
He had deceived her from beginning to end. She had foolishly played her part and fallen for him in earnest.
Reader advisory:
(1) In his second life, the male lead has no memories of his past life. He deceives the female lead for political reasons, not out of a deliberate desire to hurt her.
(2) The female lead desperately tries to stay away from him rationally, but can't control her feelings. If you can't accept that, please read with caution.
(3) This is a tragic tale of fate, not a power fantasy, and it has no strong female lead seeking revenge or face-slapping.
Theme: Kindness is precious, and gentleness deserves to be cherished.
