Shen Qingyan, daughter of the Shen family and crown princess of the current dynasty.
Born into a preeminent clan, she was a pawn in her family's ambitions from childhood. Married into the Eastern Palace as crown princess, she endured two years of neglect.
Then one day, the imperial physician declared, “Her pulse is at its last gasp. She has only three months left to live.” Those words finally shattered the convictions she had clung to for twenty-five years.
She suddenly understood that even if she died tomorrow, no one would truly care. Why spend her remaining three months living for others?
The once-gentle crown princess has transformed, but her unusual behavior stirs the curiosity of the crown prince, who has always treated her coldly.
Xiao Jingyuan gradually falls in love with her and begins an awkward but fervent quest to win her back.
After Shen Qingyan leaves, Xiao Jingyuan goes to desperate lengths to find her: he locks down the entire city to search for her, pores over the manuscripts she left behind to relive their past, and, after ascending the throne, defies the opposition to leave the empress's seat vacant, vowing to wait for her return.
When he uncovers the truth behind her “death from illness” and the secret of her failing health, remorse consumes him. After finding the Divine Physician, he uses his own heart's blood as an ingredient to plant a life-sharing Gu and pull her back from death's door.
After waking, Shen Qingyan chooses to travel on her own and take the imperial examinations. When she finally returns to court as the top scholar, he gets his wish at last, drawing her into his arms with a promise to “start over”...
"Mu Qingyan" can be called an excellent fusion of the ancient heroine and the emperor chasing his wife! After Shen Qingyan went from being a chess piece in the family to being a virtuous man in the prosperous world, his journey towards death and awakening is extremely contagious - he refused medicine, took control of private property, opened a girls' school, and won the top prize, crushing secular prejudices at every step. Xiao Jingyuan went from being neglected to madly pursuing his wife, hanging on to his throne, and his deep love for his life made the emperor's love both passionate and heart-wrenching. The intrigues of the court and the love between children are intertwined, and the awakening of women and the love across family backgrounds are intertwined. It has both the heroine's sharp edge to break the shackles and the deep love of life and death. It has both structure and warmth. It's a hearty read!