[Traditional historical romance + clever, quick-witted palace maid + scheming young prince raised from childhood + exclusive devotion + palace intrigue and political machinations + not both virgins]
Yue Zhen’er enters the palace as a child, hoping to become a palace maid, rise through the ranks to become a court lady, and earn a favor for her declining family so they can restore their former glory.
But as soon as she arrives, Consort Wan assigns her to Mingruo Palace to look after a child.
She’s still a child herself. How is she supposed to care for one? Zhen’er is strongly against it, but she can’t disobey the emperor’s command, so she grits her teeth and gets on with it.
The child is adorable and pitiable, though, and Yue Zhen’er’s maternal instincts take over as she painstakingly raises the little darling. But the boy is a devious one. He has already fallen for her, has been coveting her for ages, and flirts with her at every turn.
The handsome young prince is far too good at flirting. Yue Zhen’er wants to run, but she can’t escape. The boy showers her with love and keeps her firmly under his thumb until she falls for him completely.
The emperor’s fifth son, Chu Hansheng, has been unloved by his father since childhood because his mother, Consort Yun, is out of favor.
When he was five, he and his mother suffered one humiliation after another. After failing to obtain justice, Consort Yun hung herself before his eyes, dressed in her red wedding gown, leaving a deep shadow in his heart.
Yue Zhen’er’s arrival is like a ray of light in the darkness, illuminating the shadows within him.
As a child, he places his dependence on his mother onto Zhen’er, who is only five years older than him.
As he grows into a young man, his dependence on her deepens. He realizes that he sees her not only as a substitute for his mother, but also as the woman he wants for himself.
After nightfall, he pins her beneath him. His clear, dark eyes fill with shadowed desire as he strokes her rosy lips.
“Yue Zhen’er, listen carefully. You belong to me, and you will only ever belong to me.”
It's pretty cool. That Xiao Chen should be dead. Could the one who appears later be his brother?