Ruinous Love
**WARNING**
CONTAINS SCENES OF EXTREME PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AND DISTRESSING PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA●
The heavy thud of the bridegroom’s footsteps echoed against the polished floorboards of the veranda. The pungent, sharp scent of wine mingled with the cold night air. Dazed and unsteady, he flung open the carved double doors with the reckless haste of a drunkard and stumbled inside.
Hàn Yuè (汉月) sat on the edge of the bed, silent and with her head bowed. Her thin, white nightdress stood out in stark contrast to the darkness of the room, which was illuminated only by the flickering candlelight. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with every breath; she knew this union was no marriage, but a blood pact between two powerful clans.
The groom cast a heavy, bleary-eyed gaze over her. He slammed the door shut and leaned against it. Hàn Yuè looked up, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. A cruel sneer played on the man’s lips as he rasped:
"I still find it hard to believe that the unattainable daughter of the Lán (嵐) clan has fallen into my hands like this. Well... such was your fate; you had better get used to it. From now on, we are husband and wife, and we have got a long, exciting night ahead of us!"
Without a word, Hàn Yuè rose. With a sorrowful expression, her trembling hands reached for the ties of her robe; the soft silk slipped from her shoulders and pooled onto the floor. The groom, his eyes glinting with arrogance, reached to untie his sash when, suddenly…
The silence that had engulfed the room was shattered by the horrific sound of splintering wood.
The broad blade of a sword pierced through the wooden door with unrestrained violence, passing straight through the groom's spine. The bloodied tip of the blade protruded from his abdomen, stopping directly in front of Hàn Yuè’s terrified eyes.
Pinned to the door, the groom’s eyes bulged from their sockets as his body convulsed. A stifled, rattling sound emanated from his throat. Hàn Yuè covered her mouth with trembling hands and staggered back in horror.
A moment later, the shadow behind the door pulled the sword out with a swift, ruthless motion.
A fountain of blood sprayed from the groom’s mouth, splattering the floorboards and staining the girl’s white skirt. The man’s knees gave way, and he collapsed face-first onto the ground.
Hàn Yuè’s long, piercing scream echoed through the cold air of the chamber, whilst dark red droplets of blood had left their mark upon the white silk of her gown.
**ABSTRACT**
Prince Hēiláng (黑狼), desperately enamoured with the noblewoman Hàn Yuè, finds his path to union thwarted by formidable political constraints. In his quest to claim her, he strikes a perilous bargain—a choice that irrevocably alters the course of their lives and unleashes consequences far more brutal than he had ever conceived.
