Everyone in the palace says His Majesty loves the Empress more than life itself.
The Empress suffers from a delusional disorder. When an episode strikes, she loses her senses and has injured His Majesty several times. He never gets angry, only holding her gently and soothing her again and again, without the least impatience.
That night, another episode came over the Empress. She slashed His Majesty with a knife. Heartbroken, he held the struggling woman close and cried, "Bring the medicine!"
No one saw the hatred in Qiaoxue's bloodshot eyes as she lay in his arms. "You want to make me forget again..."
"If you don't forget, how will you ever agree to stay by my side?" Xiahou Tuo's voice brimmed with bitterness. His hand holding the medicine bowl was perfectly steady.
As he brought the medicine to her lips, Qiaoxue's face turned paper-white. She looked at him pleadingly. "Please, let me go."
"But didn't you once beg me... saying all you wanted was to stay by my side?" Xiahou Tuo gazed at her obsessively, his eyes feverishly fixated. "Be good. Drink the medicine, and it'll all be better. I'll help you."
#ForcedLove #ClassicAngst #ThePremiseIsTheTrigger#
Blurb written: 2024.11.26, revised: 2025.2.22
Theme: Love has no stronger or weaker side, only what one willingly accepts
