(A tangled tale of hatred and abuse at first, followed by frenzied revenge, with high-octane drama throughout)
After the Turkic army was defeated, Commandery Princess Jinhua returned home after two years of being forced into a political marriage.
Her family called her a bad omen and said she would bring ill fortune upon the Meng family.
Her beloved scorned her ruined body and turned around to become engaged to her elder sister.
The neighbors mocked her, the noble ladies looked down on her, and filthy rumors about her spread far and wide.
She tried to find someone to marry, but the man clamped a hand around her waist. "Can't you live without a man? Do you want to die in bed every single night?"
Meng Yunran was resolute. From then on, she plunged into darkness. Whether she had to offer Great Zhou in a blood sacrifice or turn to ash, she would do whatever it took.
But when she really was on the verge of death, they panicked.
Her parents knelt for days without rising. "We were wrong. Your elder sister deceived us. Please, give us one more chance."
Her third younger brother bathed the Turks in blood for her. "For everyone who bullied you, I'll kill a hundred. For every thousand, I'll kill a thousand. I'll repay you with their lives!"
Her beloved cut himself to save her. "The position of princess consort has always been yours. If you can come back, I'll give you everything."
Her enemy paved the way ahead for her with his life. "I owe you a blood debt. Blood for blood. Will you let me repay it with my life?"
They wept and begged her to forgive them.
But for someone on the brink of death, forgiveness came too late.
Her expression was calm. "If you're going to cry, do it farther away. Don't soil my grave."
