Yue Lingshan agreed to the plan. She saw the strategic value. But as she did, a small, unwelcome seed of doubt, wrapped in the thorny vines of jealousy, took root in the fertile soil of her heart.
Her mind conjured the image of Liu Ruyan from the Blood Forbidden Ground. The ethereal grace, the melodious voice, the serene temperament that seemed to make the very air around her calmer. She was beautiful, undeniably so, but in a way that was completely different from her own vibrant, regal allure. It was a quiet, insidious beauty, the kind that could steal a man's thoughts without him even realizing it.
A subtle frown creased her perfect brow, a shadow passing through her bright, beautiful eyes.
