Reborn, I Went Undercover with My Rival and Got a Happy Ending

[Working title. I'll change it before posting.]

*

Yan Chao swore an oath at her mother's bedside: in this life, she would give everything to help Yan Jing secure the throne.

To keep Yan Jing firmly in power, Yan Chao killed, led troops, and did whatever was needed. She was no longer the carefree young girl of the Anding Marquis household. She had become the heir of Anding Marquis, known as the King of Hell.

But as poisoned wine burned its way down her throat, the young emperor she had personally raised wore a twisted expression. "I've always known you resented me, that you hated me for making you kill Chen Song that day!"

"But Yan Chao, was he really Chen Song? He was Fu Xu! The eldest son of the Fu family, who never once thought I deserved this throne!"

The day Yan Chao fell out with Fu Xu, Chen Song, who still did not know his identity had been discovered, went looking for her, overjoyed and carrying a golden bracelet he had made with his own hands.

But Yan Chao led Fu Xu to the banks of the raging river. On this side, the royal family held power. On the other, the great Fu clan ruled.

Forced to the water's edge, Fu Xu asked Yan Chao just one question: "Yan Chao, was there ever a moment when your heart stirred for me?"

Yan Chao's vision gradually blurred. She remembered herself that day.

She had drawn her bow and aimed at Fu Xu. "Chen Song, I promised my mother that I would live for Emperor Jing."

Fu Xu was struck by the arrow and fell into the water. After that, the heir of Anding Marquis was alone once more, with no inseparable right-hand man by her side.

As she drew her last breath, Yan Chao saw flames flare up at the palace gates.

But none of it had anything to do with her anymore. Nor did she know that the body burned to ashes in that fire was not the only thing consumed: the young man who had crossed the river in white was burned to ashes, too.

*

Yan Chao did not fall out with Emperor Jing. Keeping the secret of her second life close, she carefully made plans for herself.

But in this life, Yan Jing grew ever more suspicious.

Yan Chao let her guard down for a moment and was driven to the edge of a cliff by Yan Jing's men. To keep her identity from being discovered, she had no choice but to jump.

The person who found her in the cave surprised Yan Chao: it was Chen Song.

Her right-hand man asked nothing. He simply crouched in front of her and carefully tended to the wound on her leg.

In the flickering firelight, the man kneeling before her suddenly spoke. "Emperor Jing is unworthy. The Fu family will never bow to him."

Yan Chao looked into Chen Song's eyes and suddenly understood: he was saying this to her as Fu Xu.

Yan Chao had always thought Fu Xu's eyes were beautiful: deep and passionate, able to captivate the heart and see through it.

Now those passionate eyes were filled with earnest resolve. "If the heir wishes to become emperor, the Fu family will be Your Highness's sharpest blade."

Theme: Hard work brings prosperity