The Stars Shine Bright, but Miss Qu Is Determined to Break Off the Engagement

Love, hatred, resentment, obsession; the fate of the nation and the tenderness of romance. From the day the realm was first pacified, a marriage contract bound two people’s fates together in a dramatic tangle. When a strong-willed person meets someone even more unyielding, life in the deep palace brings all the warmth and coldness of human nature. Between devotion to the greater good and the nation, giving one’s heart, and fulfilling the wish for a harmonious realm, things can never be perfect for everyone. The Qu clan was a prestigious family with a century of history and close ties to the late Prince of Qian’an. They had distinguished themselves by following His Majesty into battle and supporting his rise to the throne. Once the great undertaking was complete, the Qu family’s eldest daughter was born. That same year, she was betrothed to the Third Prince, who was eight years her senior and had not yet been promised to anyone. The emperor had originally arranged the match to repay Old Master Qu for saving his life and to reward the Qu clan’s service. But the world is ever-changing. As the Qu family declined, its descendants sought to preserve their legacy and restore the old master’s reputation. They used the life-saving favor and the marriage contract to bind a young woman’s entire life. The Qu family had a daughter who admired King Wen’s achievements and pitied Fusu. She was named Wen Su, with the childhood nickname Niannian. Gentle, courteous, modest, and beautiful, this reserved young woman was also determined to rise on her own. Like the sun, she yearned for freedom. She knew how to endure, but she would never sacrifice her own well-being. The Third Prince understood the affairs of state, the duties between ruler and subject, and that a true man should give his life for his country. Stern and impartial, cold-faced and seemingly heartless, he was not bound by romantic entanglements. Yet he never overly restrained his wife, because he understood what she wanted. Years later, the Third Prince ascended the throne. The realm prospered, and the people revered him. He and she became a couple everyone envied. They had but a few short years together, and became another Emperor Wen and Consort Yue. The difference was that she was the one and only empress, with no one else by her side.