Brother, You'd Be Better Off Thinking I'm Dead

She was His Highness's most beloved sixth younger sister, the Princess Chaoning abandoned by the dynasty and eventually forced into a political marriage.

In the thirteenth year of Yongzhou, the foreign chanyu died. By the customs of the grasslands, the princess should have become the next chanyu's secondary wife. But Emperor Zhaoming defied public opinion and ordered Lu Zheng, the prefect of Chongzhou, to bring Princess Chaoning home.

Everyone thought that the headstrong little princess would only cause even more trouble after returning as a widow.

No one expected her to die on the way home.

She was so close to making it back.

So no one knew she wasn't really a princess.

Nor would anyone ever know that it was the beloved imperial consort, not her, who had originally been chosen for the political marriage.

Emperor Zhaoming thought he would have a whole lifetime to make up for his past mistakes. But when Chaoning, who had always loved to argue with him, died, his eyes reddened. He ordered a search that lasted three days and nights, and insisted that Lu Zheng admit she wasn't dead.

Lu Zheng said nothing, then replied, "The dead cannot be brought back to life."

*

In the misty rain of Jiangnan, a woman leaned by the window in Pomegranate Lane, listening idly to the rain patter on the banana leaves.

Then she heard a servant mention a rumor from outside: Emperor Zhaoming had taken so ill over the death of Princess Chaoning that he was bedridden.

The imperial consort was offering a thousand gold pieces to anyone who looked like the princess and would impersonate her, so the emperor's wish might be fulfilled.

The woman laughed softly. "There's no such thing as true love in an imperial household. It's all for show. Only a fool would believe it."

There was no reply from inside the room.

She turned around and saw Lu Zheng's familiar face. She paused for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Are you going to break your promise and take me back, sir?"

But Lu Zheng, who had once hated her with all his heart, merely stood by the window and listened to the pattering rain with her.

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