I Wouldn't Dare

(Not a VIP novel, updates whenever inspiration strikes)

Yang Liu, heir to the Duke of Zhenguo, is elegant and handsome, with a beauty unmatched in the world. He is on intimate terms with the Crown Prince and the dream lover of countless young ladies in the capital.

But no one knows that Yang Liu is a girl.

During a grand palace banquet, a side hall lies dim and quiet.

Yang Liu covers her slender neck and coughs, the sharp smell of liquor lingering on her lips and teeth.

The Crown Prince gazes at her glistening lips and takes a sip of strong wine, his Adam's apple bobbing. "My dear Yang, do you find love between men, the bond of cut sleeves, beautiful?"

Trapped in the narrow space beneath his arm, she hears only his cool voice above her: "Think before you answer. You get only one chance."

When the time comes to appoint officials, Yang Liu kneels before the palace hall. Under his scorching gaze, she turns down a plum job in the capital and requests a posting in a remote county.

Three years pass before she returns to the capital, where all she receives is his indifferent glance from the Golden Throne. In a daze, Yang Liu thinks that perhaps he has put behind him that absurd time in the Eastern Palace.

But at night, he leans against a low couch in the government office, his robes disheveled and phoenix eyes tilted in a smile. "My dear Yang, I permit you to rebel against me."

Yang Liu knocks her head to the floor and pleads guilty. "...I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty."

His tall figure draws near, radiating an irresistible pressure. Long, strong fingers lift Yang Liu's chin, his gaze deep and shadowed. "The empress's throne, or a blissful bond between ruler and subject? Will you choose, or shall I choose for you?"

The cover and character card male lead were kindly provided by the lovely author on Bishui. Many thanks! (*^▽^*)

Theme: Do not abandon what is right when poor, or stray from the Way when prosperous.