From the moment she was born, Chu Lange was adored by everyone.
The emperor, normally so stingy, demanded nothing but the very best for his daughter's food, clothing, and daily necessities.
Yet despite being cherished like a jewel in everyone's palms, Chu Lange had never felt particularly happy, for as long as she could remember.
After her birth, her loving mother lost two children in succession and never conceived again.
Her mother often sank into melancholy over this, and cracks slowly appeared in the once-harmonious relationship between the Emperor and Empress.
As a little girl, Chu Lange did not understand. Whenever her father and mother saw her, they always happily called her their precious darling.
But... her mother never shared a bed with her father.
In private, she had seen her mother secretly wiping away tears alone far too many times. She had also seen her father sitting alone in a desolate hall, drinking himself into a stupor.
She did not understand why her father and mother were always unhappy.
Once, while chasing butterflies in the Imperial Garden, she scraped her knee and drew blood.
As the darling of the imperial harem, her first instinct was to burst into tears so her father and mother would soothe her with gentle words.
But when she turned to look for her mother, who should have been waiting in the Pavilion, she was gone.
She forgot to cry and asked where her mother had gone.
Nanny Mei, who had always cared for her, gently stroked her head and said, "Princess, something must have suddenly come up for Her Majesty. That was why she left without remembering to tell you."
"Oh."
Chu Lange could not help lowering her head.
Her mother had clearly said she was her precious darling.
But why did she not