The high red walls rose proudly, their Liuli tiles refracting a cold, hard glare beneath the sunlight. The halls of Kunning Palace were spacious and opulent, perfectly mirroring Shen Weiwan's current status—the youngest Empress of the Great Yin Dynasty.
Three years ago, she was still the only daughter of General Who Guards the State Shen Cong'an, blessed with wealth and prestige, yet yearning for ordinary romance. Crown Prince Xiao Che back then appeared to be a man as gentle as jade and deeply affectionate. Among thousands of maidens, his favor fell upon her alone. Whenever she appreciated the blossoms, he would send someone to deliver the floral tea most suited to her taste; whenever she caught a slight cold, he would personally keep watch outside her estate until the Imperial Doctor declared her out of danger before he could finally leave in peace; and at her coming-of-age ceremony, he presented her with that one-of-a-kind phoenix kingfisher hairpin, the warmth in his eyes almost enough to drown her.
"Weiwan," he once took her hand, his voice low and sincere, "when I ascend the throne, I shall certainly treat you as my Empress, and grant you a lifetime of devotion to one another and nothing more."
Chapter 115