The pain, sharp and piercing, felt like a searing brand on my neck as the person in front of me gripped it with cruel intensity. It was a feeling of impending explosion, a throbbing sensation that threatened to overwhelm me.,The prime minister's daughter, Xia Zi'an, had to marry Liang Wang in his place.,Eight years as an agent honed a will of steel, gritted teeth, shouldered the shame and pain that wasn't theirs, beat by beat, fresh blood spilling from within. The back was scarred, nearly broken, with every blow.。