Chapter 1 — I was once traded for, then became someone they couldn't reach for the rest of my life

The husband, the Crown Prince, was infatuated with the minister's wife. During the royal banquet, a plot was made, causing the minister Ta Van So and I to be constantly entangled after drinking. Outside the curtain, Giang Nguyet Bach's tears kept falling. The prince took advantage of the situation and hugged the beauty in his arms, gently coaxing:

"There are men in the world who cannot avoid being flirtatious outside. Why do you have to be stubborn with Ta Van So alone?"

“It would be better if I followed you into the Eastern Palace.”

Ta Van So was both surprised and painful, pulled down the golden hairpin from my head, and pierced the palm of my hand. After recovering a glimmer of consciousness, he struggled and rushed out of the curtain.

"I have only loved Nguyet Bach all my life. I pray that His Highness the Crown Prince will fulfill it!"

The Crown Prince glanced at me in the curtain, his messy black hair obscured his face, and the corner of his lips carried a sarcastic smile:

"Ly Trieu Ca is the sole daughter of a martial arts family, and is also the predetermined Crown Princess."

"If you exchange her for Giang Nguyet Bach, you won't lose."

Ta Van So knew there was no way to turn things around, so he knelt down on the ground in despair. The Crown Prince hugged Giang Nguyet Bach, turned around and left. At that time, they saw me as a toy, pushing it back and forth between the two of them, not knowing that they would all regret it later. My future husband is Crown Prince Trieu Viet. The whole capital knew that since I was born, a famous Taoist had read my destiny, saying that I had the destiny of a phoenix and would definitely be able to assist the emperor in the future and help the society prosper. Just because of that one prediction, every year the Queen sends people to the general's palace to ask for my portrait. Since I still didn't understand, my painting has been hanging in the Eastern Palace study room. The Queen once told Trieu Viet:

“The woman in this painting is the one God gave me.”

"One day, she will become your Crown Princess, holding hands with you to ascend to the highest position in the world."

Therefore, for many years, we have always thought that our destiny was already predetermined. I will marry Trieu Viet. I will become the Crown Princess. The day he ascends the throne as emperor, I will stand by his side, mothering the world, and shouldering the burden of Dai Luong country with him. But we never expected it. The day he and I met for the first time was also the day my entire life's dignity was trampled into the mud. That day, the Queen held a banquet, in the name of rewarding flowers, but actually wanted Trieu Viet and I to meet. I sat in the palace, feeling a bit nervous. After all, this is the man I will spend the next half of my life with. I want to know what kind of person he is. I want to know if he is worthy of the expectations placed on me by my mother, father, and the general's mansion. But we haven't had time to see his face clearly yet. A cup of wine made everything go out of its original orbit. I was drugged with alcohol. Consciousness gradually becomes vague. His body was as hot as if it were burned by fire, and in front of his eyes were only flickering patches of darkness. By the time I reluctantly woke up, I was in a strange palace. The curtain falls. The man's breath is right next to you. That person is not Trieu Viet. It's the court official, Minister of Rites Ta Van So. I've never met him. But I have heard of him. People say he is cold, quiet, and not close to women. He also said that he loved his wife Giang Nguyet Bach like a precious treasure. That year, in order to marry her, he did not hesitate to fight against the family's opposition. But at this moment, two people who should not appear together are forced into an inexplicable situation. Outside the curtain, a woman's choked cry rang out. That voice was as soft as water, but carried extreme pain. That is Giang Nguyet Bach. Right after that, a familiar male voice rang out. It's Trieu Viet. His voice was so gentle that others couldn't believe that the person who had just made this chess game was him.

“Nguyet Bach, don't cry.”

"Men in the world, is there anyone who hasn't at some point been moved by beauty?"

“For the sake of a Ta Van So, why do you have to suffer like this?”

A moment later, he softened his voice and coaxed him:

“If only I could follow you to the Eastern Palace.”

“I will give you everything you want.”

Inside the curtain, Ta Van So's body stiffened slightly. He looked like he had just been pulled out of a coma. There was horror and pain in his eyes. He didn't look at me once, just quickly pulled the golden pin from my hair and stabbed it through his palm. The faint smell of blood spread in the air. The pain caused him to restore the last bit of consciousness. He ignored the wound on his hand and staggered out of the curtain. Then he knelt down in front of Trieu Viet.

"I've only loved Nguyet Bach all my life."

“May His Highness the Crown Prince be fulfilled!”

Hearing those words, I slowly closed my eyes.