Today, at night seemed colder than the usual. I was in my living quarters standing by the screen windows to gaze at the beautiful, white moon in the dark sky; the moon illuminated the pathway, allowing itself to shine brightly into the palace. Directly across from my living quarters was the Crown Prince Yan’s residence, who has been my husband for 3 years, yet we barely talk with each other. I was forced to marry him to strengthen our two kingdom from having a war. However, I don’t remember how our marriage day went or everything between the times I first met him until now. It was all a blur to me. I only remember waking up one day finding myself in his manor and then brought into the palace shortly to announce to the country that I was the Crown Prince Yan’s legal and first wife. According to the my maids, we got married back in my tribal lands where he fought against competitors and favored by my dad. But somehow, every night I would dream, dream of the Crown Prince Yan and I talking in a burning room, furiously shouting at each other but I can’t make out what we were shouting about. And inside that room laid the dead bodies of my family members. I can only assume that this is part of the memories I had forgotten. Somehow, I want to know more than a faded dream and believe that it’s not true.

CRASH!

I jumped up a little, startled by the sound coming from across my room. I exhale to calm myself down and close the window to shut away the noise that disturbed my thoughts. Shortly, the door harshly bursts open and enters Crown Prince Yan with a fierce expression.

“Greetings, Crown Prince Yan” I said, bowed a little with courtesy.

“How dare you! Your gifts that you sent for Consort Xue’s birthday contained poison” Shen Qing, which is his real name, yelled.

“I didn’t send her any gifts” I retort; hate being accused of something I didn’t do.

“Then what are these?” Shen Qing said threw me the boxes that contained the gifts, “How will you explain this when we clearly have evidence here?” he adds.

I examined them and threw them back at Shen Qing’s face which made him angrier, “I didn’t send any gifts to your Consort Xue. These gifts? I have no idea who sent them under my name” I said, wasn’t afraid of him, “And plus, I have no reason to be sending her gifts even if it was her funeral” I add.

His eyes narrowed and became more enraged, “Huh, so girls from Western Liang are so vicious and undermining” he said it in an insulting tone.

“Yan Shen Qing!” I rudely yell as I became angry, “If I really wanted her dead, I wouldn’t even use poison. I would have directly knifed her myself and you would be there to watch her die”

“I don’t believe you. If you were that courageous, you wouldn’t have used poison”

“Didn’t I say I wasn’t the one who sent the gifts?” I said getting irritated with him.

“I don’t care,” He said as he unexpectedly grabs my neck making me unable to breath while I struggle to fight him off, “If you dare do this again, I won’t let you lose even if you are my wife” he finishes as he threw me to the ground and left my room.

Continuously coughing, my maid A’Li rushed into my room trying to help me. “I’m fine” I told her after coughing badly, “A’Li, go and find out who dared sent Consort Xue gifts under my name and do it quietly. Don’t let anyone know” I ordered her as she nods and rushes out again. “Shen Qing, you really think I’ll sit still and let you bully me? Watch me find out who did this and then I’ll personally make you bow to me while apologizing” I said still furious at him.