Ai Ping froze in place, her lips parting as disbelief washed through her. The Han clan… enslaved by blood oath… and to her name. She had endured years of humiliation, abandoned as the illegitimate daughter of the emperor, left to oversee a village of chained slaves. Yet in a single night, the tides had turned.
She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening. At the top of the steps stood Kent—white robes unblemished, hair flowing in the morning wind, his expression steady as though the collapse of a dynasty were nothing but routine.
Ai Ping walked forward, her steps measured, her body trembling despite her composure. When she stopped before him, she bowed deeply, voice breaking. "Golden Heir… I… I cannot believe this. You have given me a gift greater than life. The Han family, their wealth, their legacy… all beneath me now. I owe you everything."
