If you watched Liu Tao and Nicky Wu in the TV drama How Much Sorrow Can You Have and felt deeply disappointed by the pairing of Zhao Kuangyin and Zhou Ehuang, come on in.
Here’s a plain-language introduction. The novel itself is written in a classical style.
Help! In her previous life, Zhou Ehuang was ruined by the marriage her parents arranged for her. She mistakenly married Li Yu, the pretentious, artsy scoundrel of Southern Tang, and became a caged bird in the deep palace of Jinling. She watched her kingdom fall and her beloved son die, before eventually dying in grief and despair. Only as she drew her last breath did she uncover the hidden truth: Zhao Kuangyin, the cool northerner who had once given her a twin-fish jade pendant, had secretly loved and protected her for half her life. He was absolutely her ideal man!
Reborn, she returns to the day she got engaged at sixteen and rejects the match on the spot. “Whoever wants this marriage can have it!” With the twin-fish jade pendant in hand, she races north, straight toward the man destined for her: a future emperor who can conquer the realm and love only her. At this point, Zhao Kuangyin is still a low-ranking soldier. Drawing on her memories of her previous life and her wealth of knowledge, she helps him rack up achievements, build connections, and devise strategies, becoming his ultimate secret weapon as he rises against all odds and sweeps through a chaotic age.
After the Chenqiao Mutiny, Zhao Kuangyin dons the imperial robes and ascends the throne. His first decree is: “My empress can only be Zhou Ehuang!” He offers her an empire stretching thousands of miles as her bride price and vows to cherish her alone for life. The regrets of life and death from their past are replaced by a present in which they stand shoulder to shoulder and shape the realm together. No angst, just two people devoted to each other, with sweetness and excitement turned all the way up. Choosing the right partner not only rewrites her fate, but lets them build three centuries of prosperity together. Her career and love life both end in perfect happiness, delivering maximum satisfaction and sweetness! Note: The novel does not strictly follow historical records and makes changes.
