The Emperor's Hidden Wife
Chapter 1: The Night of the Forced Marriage
The wedding procession arrived without music.
No drums.
No laughter.
No blessings.
Only the sound of footsteps echoed through the narrow palace corridor as Li Xueyan was led forward, her head bowed beneath a heavy red veil. Her hands trembled inside her sleeves, nails digging into her palms as if pain might wake her from this nightmare.
She had imagined many things for her wedding day.
Never this.
"This is as far as you go," the palace maid said coldly, stopping before a silent courtyard. "Enter on your own."
Before Xueyan could speak, the doors slammed shut behind her.
She stood alone.
The courtyard was dark, illuminated only by two weak lanterns swaying in the night wind. There were no guests, no officials, no emperor waiting with a welcoming smile.
Her heart sank.
So this was it.
A marriage meant to be hidden.
Swallowing hard, she stepped forward and pushed open the door to the chamber. The scent of incense drifted through the air, thick and suffocating. Inside, red silk decorations hung without care, as though they had been thrown up merely to satisfy ritual requirements.
And sitting at the table, dressed in black instead of red, was a man whose presence alone made the air feel heavier.
He did not look at her.
Li Xueyan knew who he was without being told.
Emperor Zhao Mingyuan.
The ruthless ruler of the Great Zhao Empire. A man rumored to have frozen a minister to death with a single glance. A man who had never shown mercy—nor love.
Her husband.
"Close the door," he said, his voice low and indifferent.
She obeyed.
The door shut with a soft click that sounded louder than thunder in her ears.
Only then did he raise his eyes.
Cold. Dark. Unreadable.
Xueyan felt her breath hitch. She lowered herself into a respectful bow, her veil brushing the floor. "Your Majesty…"
"Do not call me that," he interrupted. "In this room, I am not your emperor."
Her fingers tightened. "Then… what should I call you?"
"Nothing," he replied. "You will speak only when necessary."
The words struck like a slap.
He stood, tall and imposing, and walked toward her. Each step felt measured, distant—like a predator observing prey. When he stopped before her, he lifted the edge of her veil with two fingers.
Their eyes met.
For a brief second, something flickered in his gaze—surprise, perhaps. Or disappointment.
"You are more fragile than I expected," he said flatly.
Xueyan forced herself not to flinch. "Your Majesty—"
His eyes hardened. "I said nothing."
She bit her lip.
He turned away. "This marriage exists for one reason only. To satisfy the court and silence the rumors. You will never appear beside me in public. You will never claim my favor. And you will never forget your place."
Each sentence crushed her chest tighter.
"You are my wife in name only," he continued. "To the world, you do not exist."
Silence filled the room.
Xueyan felt something break inside her—not loudly, not dramatically, but quietly. Like a final thread snapping.
"So," she said softly, lifting her head, "I am a secret."
He paused.
"Yes," he replied. "A hidden wife."
She laughed—once. Bitter and hollow. "Then why marry me at all?"
His gaze snapped back to her, sharp as a blade. "Because your family offered you in exchange for survival."
The truth burned.
Her father had bowed.
Her stepmother had smiled.
And she had been sent into the palace like a disposable gift.
Xueyan straightened her back.
"Very well," she said calmly. "If I must live in shadows, then I will learn how to survive there."
Something unreadable crossed his face.
"Do not misunderstand," the emperor said coldly. "This palace will destroy the weak."
She met his eyes, her voice steady despite the storm inside her.
"Then I will not be weak."
For the first time that night, Emperor Zhao Mingyuan looked at her—not as a burden, not as a tool—
But as a woman who might become dangerous.
🔥 END OF CHAPTER 1