The Crane in the Pond

(A short story to practice my writing. It won't be very long. Thanks for reading.)

Blurb:

Chi Nuan was the celebrated beauty of Jingzhou, stunning beyond compare. At sixteen, she was carried in an eight-man sedan chair into the residence of Prince Duan, a one-eyed prince.

From then on, everyone called her Nuan Niang. His favor never wavered, and in less than half a month she rose from the lowly status of a concubine to become the immensely honored Princess Consort of Duan.

Everyone said she was blessed by good fortune. Though she'd married a one-eyed prince who was unlucky and out of the emperor's favor, at least he doted on her, so life wasn't too bad.

But nobody knew that every nightfall, she covered her face with black gauze and leaped across rooftops to uncover the secrets of the court.

On their wedding night, Prince Duan held her chin and lifted the patch over his right eye.

Beneath it, alongside an intact eyeball, was a horrifying scar.

"I paid a fortune to buy you as an assassin, so you could help me seize power and set my sights on the throne. When the day comes and I succeed, I will make you empress."

Premise: Love yourself first, then love another