In the eyes of the world, Yangping is a noble princess of legitimate birth. No one knows that the Empress is driving her to the brink of madness.
Her younger brother died while she survived, and that was her fault. Being born a girl instead of a boy was her fault, too.
She was exhausted from enduring it all. She often curled up in a corner of her chambers and thought how wonderful it would be if someone could save her.
Fortunately, Heaven took pity on her and brought Wan Qi to her side.
He taught her to read and write, and showed her how to live. Through countless nights when she fell apart, he stayed by her bedside and soothed her to sleep.
Yangping thought there could never be anyone more worthy of her affection than Wan Qi.
But Wan Qi was the son of a disgraced minister, a eunuch. Loving him brought shame upon the royal family, and everyone wanted him dead.
In the golden hall, Yangping held a long sword and defied her mother for the first time. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her gaze full of stubborn resolve. "No one is taking Wan Qi away from me. They'll have to step over my dead body first."
*
Wan Qi knew his station was lowly. To avenge himself, he had approached and used the princess. He deserved to die ten thousand deaths, and being allowed to stay by her side was all he could ever hope for. He had never imagined that the princess would threaten to kill herself to save his life.
Though he carried a blood feud and believed his heart had turned to iron, he still couldn't help feeling pain at the sight of the wound a sharp blade had cut into the princess's neck. "Your Highness shouldn't do this. This servant's life is worthless. It wouldn't matter if I died."
Everyone said the princess had gone mad over a eunuch and become ruthless.
But only Wan Qi knew that he wanted her to go even madder for his sake.
By the flickering candlelight, he felt the princess slowly trace his features, inch by inch, and heard her ask, "They all say I've turned bad. Will you hate me too?"
Wan Qi shook his head, his voice as gentle as ever. "This servant will never hate Your Highness."
Because he wanted the princess to love him. His longing for her was far more terrifying than she could imagine.
Premise: None
