Clear Clouds, Gleaming Shadows

The stunning, beautiful youngest legitimate daughter of a prince's household × the carefree, rakish minister who only pretends to be a playboy Mu Qingjia is the youngest legitimate daughter of Prince Shouning, and her beauty could outshine the whole country. Her older sister married the Crown Prince, then was murdered after giving birth to a royal grandson. After what happened to his eldest daughter, Prince Shouning has no intention of letting another daughter marry into the imperial family. The Empress Dowager is a member of the Mu family, and she wants another Mu daughter to enter the palace. Chen Yaozheng is decisive and adept at navigating officialdom. Handsome and rakish, he only pretends to be a playboy and has never truly given his heart to anyone. But his parents can no longer stand to see him carry on this way. They want to arrange a marriage for him and set their sights on the youngest legitimate daughter of Prince Shouning's household. She is dignified, virtuous, clever, and wise, and might be able to keep their son in line. The Empress Dowager asks the emperor to make Mu Qingjia the Crown Prince's second wife. After careful deliberation and comparing several prospective matches, the Mu family decides that Chen Yaozheng is indeed an excellent choice. Prince Shouning also believes that marriage will make a man settle down, just as it did for him, so he thinks the match sounds good. At first, Chen Yaozheng sees the marriage only as a beneficial alliance and a way to meet his parents' wishes. He doesn't care much for marriage himself. Mu Qingjia only hopes to live in mutual respect and harmony with her husband. But little by little, Chen Yaozheng gets face-slapped by reality. He is drawn to her, falls for her, and realizes that she is unlike other women. Mu Qingjia is gradually moved as well, discovering that he isn't really the man the rumors made him out to be. Even his parents have been fooled by him. She falls for him too.