Qian Jiawan entered the palace with remarkably modest expectations.

A noble title. Endless luxury. No troublesome mother-in-law. And a handsome emperor she only needed to politely accompany from time to time.

To her delight, the emperor himself laid down the rules on their wedding night: she would not be required to fulfil the duties of an imperial consort, nor compete for favour in the harem. As long as she remained obedient, she could enjoy a life of comfort and peace.

To Qian Jiawan, it sounded like the perfect marriage.

To Emperor Fu Yunheng, she was merely a quiet decoration placed in the palace to satisfy his grandmother’s wishes. A well-behaved consort was easy enough to tolerate.

But somewhere between the warm bowls of soup she prepared for him, the embroidered sachets stitched with painstaking care, and her gentle, understanding smile, everything began to change.

The emperor who once intended to keep her at a distance started indulging her more and more, until the entire empire believed the noble consort was the one person he cherished above all else.

And perhaps… he did.

Only, just as Fu Yunheng prepared to make her his empress, he overheard the truth hidden behind closed doors.

She had never dreamed of staying by his side forever.

She only wished to bear a prince someday, leave the capital behind, and spend the rest of her life far away from the palace walls—far away from him.

For the first time in years, the emperor realised something terrifying.

The woman he had already placed at the centre of his heart had never truly belonged to him at all.

Latest Release