"With a wife like you, what more could a man ask for?" he told her tenderly. After ten years together, their love was as strong as ever. Just as they had once promised, the political intrigues at court, the scheming of treacherous officials, and the emperor's suspicion only made their love stronger through hardship.
He was born into a distinguished family, a prince of his generation who cared nothing for power or the realm. He pursued a free and unconventional life, learned and pure, gentle and refined, having witnessed the vicissitudes of the world. All he wanted was to live free of worldly worries like an orchid, with noble character and contentment in his remaining years. He carried the ambition to serve his country, but his career was fraught with difficulties. The emperor was stubborn, self-important, hypocritical, and suspicious. Though he served the country wholeheartedly and won countless military honors, he never fit in with the people at court. In the end, he withdrew to the rivers and lakes and became an idle prince.
This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.
