On the eve of the regent’s consort selection, one of the candidates sneaked out of the palace. That night, their heads were filled with molten wax. Xie Zheng lit the candlewick, a sinister smile on his face. “To become my consort, you need only pass three trials.”
“First trial: Before dawn, find the most beautiful woman in the palace.” I pointed to the exquisitely woven copper doll at the Gu Person’s waist. “That’s her.” He applauded and laughed. “Correct.” On the second night, a withered flower in my hair saved the entire team. On the third night, the surviving candidates grabbed knives and axes from the food boxes and lunged at me. But Xie Zheng gently pulled me into his arms. “The System made a mistake and hid you in the crowd.”
“Every day, I ask myself: Have I hidden my consort well today?”
