𝐓𝐖: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚, 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 & 𝐒𝐀
╞═════☯𝐩. 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱☯═════╡
ʜᴜᴏ̌ʏᴀ̀ɴ ᴢʜᴜ̄ sʜᴇ́ɴxɪᴀ̄ɴ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟ ʜᴜᴏ̌ʏᴀ̀ɴ ʟᴀ̌ᴏʜᴜ̌, ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜᴇsᴛ ʀᴀɴᴋɪɴɢ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴏ̨ɪɴɢ ᴅʏɴᴀsᴛʏ. ᴀs ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, sʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴛɪʀᴇʟᴇssʟʏ ᴀʟᴏɴɢsɪᴅᴇ ʜᴇʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀs, ʜᴏɴɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ sᴋɪʟʟs ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ sᴛʀᴀᴛᴇɢʏ ᴀʟᴏɴɢsᴏᴅᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏɴ sᴋɪʟʟs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴘʀɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ʟᴀᴅʏ. ᴀs ᴢʜᴜ̄ ɢʀᴇᴡ sʜᴇ ɢᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴀ ʀᴇᴘᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ǫɪɴɢ's sɪx ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪᴇs, ᴀ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ sʜᴇ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜᴛ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀᴍᴜsɪɴɢ. ᴀᴛ ᴀ ɢʀᴀɴᴅ ғᴇᴀsᴛ ʜᴇʟᴅ ɪɴ ʜᴏɴᴏʀ ᴏғ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ sʜᴇɴɢᴢᴜ, ᴢʜᴜ̄'s ᴇʏᴇs ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴇ ɪs ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜɪs ᴄʜᴀʀɪsᴍᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀʀᴍ. ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪs ᴍᴜᴛᴜᴀʟ, sʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴅɪᴄᴀᴛᴇs ʜᴇʀsᴇʟғ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴsᴜʀɪɴɢ ʜɪs ʀɪsᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ, ᴜsɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ's ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴄᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴀɪᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴛᴜʀɴ. ʜᴇʀ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴄʜᴀʀᴍ, sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴡɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ғᴇᴀʀʟᴇss ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴠᴏʀ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ.
ʜᴇʀ ᴇғғᴏʀᴛs ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴ ᴠᴀɪɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴀsᴄᴇɴᴅs ᴛᴏ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ, ᴢʜᴜ̄ ɪs ʀᴇᴡᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴏᴜs ɢɪғᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ: ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ. ᴀs ʜɪs ʟᴀsᴛ ᴇᴅɪᴄᴛ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴘᴀssɪɴɢ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ sʜᴇɴɢᴢᴜ, ɪᴍᴘʀᴇssᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴢʜᴜ̄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ sʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ sʜᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ ᴀᴍᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ, ʙᴇᴛʀᴏᴛʜs ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ, ɴᴀᴍɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴇᴍᴘʀᴇss ᴏғ ǫɪɴɢ. sʜᴇɴɢᴢᴜ ʙᴇᴛʀᴏᴛʜᴇᴅ ᴢʜᴜ̄ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴇᴍᴘʀᴇss ᴏғ ǫɪɴɢ. ᴢʜᴜ̄ ᴅᴀʀᴇs ᴛᴏ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙʟᴏssᴏᴍ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ sʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ, ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴄʀᴜᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʟғɪsʜ ᴛʏʀᴀɴᴛ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ʜɪs ᴄʜᴀʀᴍɪɴɢ ᴇxᴛᴇʀɪᴏʀ, sᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ, ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʀᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ʜᴇʀ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇʀɴɪɴɢ ʜɪs ᴅᴇᴄɪsɪᴏɴs ɪɴ ʀᴇɢᴀʀᴅs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʀᴇᴄᴋʟᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀsʜ. ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴢʜᴜ̄ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴜʀᴛᴀɪʟ ʜɪs ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴏɴʟʏ ʀᴇᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ғᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ sᴜғғᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴀs, ᴀs ᴀ "ɢɪғᴛ" ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ᴏғғɪᴄɪᴀʟ ᴄᴏʀᴏɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡʟʏ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴᴇᴅ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sʟᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴢʜᴜ̄'s ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴄʟᴀɴ, ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ᴠᴇɴɢᴇᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ
ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴢʜᴜ̄, ᴛᴏssᴇᴅ ᴀsɪᴅᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴏʙʟᴇ ᴄᴏɴsᴏʀᴛ ᴡᴀs ғʀᴀᴍᴇᴅғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ sʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪᴛ. ʙᴀɴɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ᴘᴀʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏʀᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴀɴthe Crown Prince orders the slaughter of ᴢʜᴜ̄'s entire clan, leaving her with nothing but vengeance in her heartᴅ sᴛᴀʀᴠᴇᴅ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ɴᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ʙᴜᴛ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ "ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ" ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀᴍ ᴏғ ᴘᴏɪsᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴡɪɴᴇ. ᴡᴇᴀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴢʜᴜ̄ ᴅʀᴀɴᴋ ɪᴛ. ᴀs sʜᴇ sʟɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀғᴛᴇʀʟɪғᴇ, ʜᴇʀ ʙᴏᴅʏ ʀᴀᴠᴀɢᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪsᴏɴ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʏɪɴɢ ᴇᴍʙᴇʀs ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀᴛᴇ sʜᴇ ᴏғғᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟ ᴘʀᴀʏᴇʀ. ɪғ sᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇɴsᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢs sʜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴄʟᴀɴ ʜᴀᴅ sᴜғғᴇʀᴇᴅ.
ᴀ ᴘʀᴀʏᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇs ʀᴇᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ sʜᴇ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ sʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ sᴇɴᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴀʏs ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇʀ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴍᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ. ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs ɴᴇᴡғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡʟᴇᴅɢᴇ, ᴢʜᴜ̄ ᴠᴏᴡs ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ᴏғ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ, ᴜsɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇs ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ. ᴀʀᴍᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴋɪʟʟs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴜɴɴɪɴɢ sʜᴇ ʜᴏɴᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴀsᴛ ʟɪғᴇ, sʜᴇ sᴇᴛs ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ғᴏʀɢᴇ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ᴘᴀᴛʜ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇɴɢᴇᴀɴᴄᴇ sʜᴇ sᴏ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ᴅᴇsɪʀᴇᴅ.
╞═════☯𝐈.𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭☯═════╡
