[A fluffy sweet romance in a very loosely constructed fictional setting]
Shen Nianxue, the illegitimate daughter of Minister Shen, has flawless skin and unmatched beauty, but she’s a sweet airhead who isn’t very bright.
After she comes of age, Minister Shen is in a hurry to marry her off. Two marriage negotiations fall through, and she is finally betrothed to Ye Lianyin, heir to the Marquis of Yuanning. At the last moment, Shen Nianxue catches him having an affair with someone else, and the engagement is broken off. Could she really be the legendary marriage curse?
Shen Nianxue figures she may as well stay home, or go live out her days alone in a nunnery. As long as she gets enough to eat, she’ll be fine.
What she doesn’t realize is that someone has had his eye on her for a long time. He’s of noble status, tall, and handsome, though a little older. He’s also the emperor’s uncle and her former fiancé’s uncle. But he’s so patient and gentle with Shen Nianxue!
…
When Nianxue first meets Xiao Zan, she thinks he’s about to take his own life and rushes to save him, only to realize she’s made a silly mistake. Still, her kind, innocent, slightly foolish manner leaves an impression on Xiao Zan’s heart.
Xiao Zan is decisive and masterful, with almost everything under his control. But he devotes his heart to Shen Nianxue, teaching her what love is and helping her grow.
He wants her to enter the palace, but she hesitates. “What if I’m too stupid to compete with the others in the palace?”
He says indulgently, “Don’t worry. I’ll compete with them for you.”
In the end, she really does outmaneuver the entire harem and becomes the empress, adored by the emperor.
Beautiful and wonderful
So pretty ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh