C8 Enmity

A royal decree severed the ten-year bond between Su Que's mother and Xiao Chen. On their wedding night, the South Suppressing King was furious to find the bride was not Su Que. Su Que appeared before him, heartbroken and incredulous, suggesting that Su Zhen had schemed her way into the South Suppressing King Mansion to become the princess, leaving Su Que as the unfortunate sister who lost everything.

Not long after, Su Que entered the mansion as a favored concubine, adored in the inner court. As the princess, Su Zhen was despondent, unaware that Su Que was manipulating events from behind the scenes. These marriages were even celebrated as romantic tales.

However, the South Suppressing King soon grew weary of Su Que. One night, in a drunken stupor, he mistakenly spent the night with Su Que's mother. Driven mad with jealousy, Su Que plotted to seize the princess's position. During this time, Su Que's mother became pregnant, and soon after, Su Que also conceived, expecting twins. The South Suppressing King was overjoyed and became even more attentive to Su Que, until both women gave birth.

Tragically, one of Su Que's babies was stillborn. During her pregnancy, Su Que had bribed a doctor to learn that only one of her twins would survive. She then schemed against Su Que's mother, causing both women to deliver prematurely. The stillborn child was a boy, and it was only then that Su Que's mother realized Su Que's true nature.

The South Suppressing King nearly beat Bai Liyuv's mother to death, but he held back, mindful of the General's Mansion. Still, she was left injured and abandoned in the backyard to fend for herself. With Su Que tormenting her daily, she succumbed to illness the following winter. Su Que then pulled a switcheroo, transforming herself into "Su Zhen" and securing her place as the princess. The South Suppressing King turned a blind eye to it all, showing no affection for his late wife.

Calling him a beast would be an insult to beasts.

Bai Liyuv ground her molars and rubbed her temples in frustration. This marked the beginning of her original self's suffering—kept as a substitute in a remote corner of the mansion, forgotten by the world. Su Que used her to elevate Bai Mengci's reputation, year after year, resorting to violence at the slightest displeasure. Bai Mengci, arrogant from a young age, never treated her as a sister, perhaps not even as a person.

Things might have continued this way, but the Emperor suddenly decreed that the almost-forgotten Third Miss should marry into the royal family as the Yu King's princess. Someone who had lived under Bai Mengci's shadow was now to become a princess, demanding respect and holding a status far above hers. Bai Mengci couldn't stand it and made several attempts to ruin her original self. In a way, she succeeded, but she didn't expect another soul to inhabit this body, living on as Bai Liyuv.

Bai Liyuv lowered her eyes in deep thought, her index finger unconsciously tapping the edge of the bed. After a long moment, she finally curled her lips into a smile that held little warmth.

Counting the days, it was just three more until the wedding. No wonder Bai Mengci was resorting to poison and sending people after her; she was really determined to make sure she was out of the picture.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

After a half-hearted knock, the door swung open. "Third Miss, you're awake?" The visitor yawned, speaking with a casual tone that lacked any respect, even tinged with a hint of disdain and contempt.

Bai Liyuv smiled sweetly at the newcomer, a girl of about fourteen or fifteen. She was reasonably good-looking, though her eyes had a slightly sharp tilt that gave her a somewhat mean appearance when she looked at people sideways. Her hair was neatly done, but the slightly ornate silver hairpin at the back of her head didn't quite match her current status.