Lady Ganlu

Ganlu had been by Chonghua's side since before he became King of Chen. Though she knew he had buried someone in his heart, that woman was dead. Ganlu thought she was his future, the one who would become his queen.

After Chonghua ascended the throne, his harem remained empty for four years. Ganlu was his only consort.

Ganlu thought that with the throne unstable and the realm in chaos, she ought to give Chonghua some time. The position of queen would be hers sooner or later.

But later, Chonghua posthumously named his deceased beloved Queen Wenzhao and planned to welcome a new queen.

Heartbroken but unwilling to give up, Ganlu went to confront Chonghua.

He impatiently said, "I've played along with this grand fantasy of yours for four years. And you're still not satisfied?"

Ganlu talked back, and he had her thrown into Yeting Palace for the crime of gross disrespect.

On the night Chonghua welcomed his new queen, Ganlu escaped Yeting Palace and plunged a dagger into his chest. Unfortunately, she missed by three inches and failed to kill him.

Clutching the dagger, Chonghua issued an order: "Consort Ganlu attempted to assassinate the king. Lock her in the death cell. At dawn tomorrow, execute her without mercy."

That night, a great fire reduced the death cell to rubble.

When Chonghua heard the news, he was silent for a long time. He rejected his attendants' suggestion to give her a lavish burial and said only, "From this day on, there is no Consort Ganlu in the palace."

A year later, his younger brother returned from Xifan with a woman, saying she was his new favorite.

The woman wore a veil and was lively and charming. She often circled around him and called him "Royal Brother," just as his younger brother did.

Sometimes she would even ask him, "Royal Brother, have you ever known what it's like to want someone you can't have?"

He had never known it, and never would.

Premise: Love comes at a price.