Heroes Vie for Supremacy, Beauties Emerge in Troubled Times

She stood at the very bottom of the power ladder and asked three men the same question: “Between the realm and a beauty, which do you value more?”

The young general, who had first crossed paths with her in a fight, answered, “The realm!” He explained, “A nation needs a wise ruler, and a ruler must put the nation before his family.”

The first man chose power without a doubt, and was cast aside.

The prince, with whom she had shared life-and-death trials time and again, said, “Once you have the realm, why worry about finding a beauty?” He explained, “Born into the imperial family, I was destined to take the throne. And when it comes to beauties, why would I ever be short of them?”

The second man had betrayed his lifelong conviction that he would have only one wife!

She and the third man had loathed each other at first sight. But as events unfolded, whenever they faced trouble or danger together, their hearts seemed to beat as one, and both became invested in what they faced. Though he was the imperial uncle, a man who held the court in the palm of his hand, he said, “I can have both the realm and a beauty, or either one, or even two. This old man will listen to just one person.” His meaning was plain enough, with no need for embellishment.

“...”

When she first heard him say it, she bumped into a door. Thinking it over later, she found the words as sweet as candied fruit, sinking deep into her heart.

She had no illustrious family background. All she had was the infamous label of “a fugitive’s family,” along with being the daughter of the former dynasty’s chancellor. Nothing else.

She lived like an ordinary commoner: free and easy, unbound by convention, and clear about love and hate. At times she showed a touch of cleverness; at others, she was cold-faced and decisive. Like a star in the night sky, she would shine when needed. By day, she kept a low profile and stayed out of sight.