A Heiress's Schemes

At the Four Kingdoms Tournament, she stunned everyone with a single brilliant move. Princes and powerful ministers from every nation clamored to marry her, but she turned them all down. From then on, she earned a reputation for arrogance, and matchmakers dared not darken her door.

When two nations went to war, the enemy prince promised to offer her hand in marriage, with four cities as her dowry, if the two countries laid down their arms and made peace. She obtained an imperial decree, rode off to war, and seized half the enemy's territory. From then on, civil and military officials dismounted and walked whenever they passed her home.

When it came time to choose a consort, the crown prince offered her the position of principal wife. She simply produced two boxes of Go stones and said with a smile, “Whoever can solve this game, I would marry even if he were a beggar. If no one can, then even an emperor is no match for me.” From then on, skill at Go became a required test for every royal bride.

He once told her, “I’ll be sent as a hostage to another country. If you stay by my side through it all, then when I rule the world, you’ll be the only one beside me.”

In the end, lies shattered her sincere heart. She turned and leaped from the cliff, saying to him, “Sima Shang, if I survive, Mo will surely fall!”

No matter how dazzling her beauty, a hundred charms will fade with age. May a lifetime of splendor accompany her to the end.