Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I was born on a wintry day seventeen years ago.

At that time, my mother held a high rank among the emperor's concubines. My father, the emperor, was nearly forty and still had no sons, though he had about twenty daughters. He made a bold promise: whoever in the imperial harem gave him his first son would be made empress, and the son would be crowned as the prince.

My mother and Sandra, who enjoyed his favor then, were locked in fierce competition, each desperate to give birth to the much-desired son. Desperation led my mother to secretly give my father herbal medicines and take various remedies herself, which eventually resulted in her pregnancy. But when I was born, she was shocked.

Searching me over and over, she could not find the crucial part that would make me a prince. Despite her disappointment, she was a brave and decisive woman. She immediately declared that she had given birth to a prince and asked my father to let her raise me personally, without a nanny's help. In his joy, my father agreed to all her requests.

Thus, my identity was concealed. Naturally, over the seventeen years, there were occasional instances where my true gender was discovered. Yet no matter who it was, my mother made sure they could never reveal our secret.

Tonya, a relative from my mother's family, had been serving me since childhood. My mother was determined to become the empress dowager, so over the years, she groomed me to be impeccable. I meticulously played the role of crown prince.

Strangely enough, my father never had another son. In the beginning, I worried that someone might compete with me for the position, but as time passed, I realized I was the only one. However, my mother never allowed me to slack off. She arranged for the prime minister's son, Landen, to study with me and for General Harper's son, Phil, to teach me martial arts.

Since my earliest memories, I have endured intense and grueling training. Luckily, I inherited my mother's resilience; the more challenging the situation, the more determined I became. As a result, my father grew increasingly satisfied with my performance as the crown prince.

My mother and I managed the entire royal family-she overseeing the harem and I handling court affairs. But she was constantly vigilant, fearing my father might grow suspicious, and never allowed me to relax. Given her meticulous planning, it was only natural that she would also arrange a marriage for me.

But who should I choose?

After much thought, my attention turned to Tonya. She knew my true identity. Perhaps she was the best choice.