The Emperor Fell in Love with the Wonton Beauty, and I Advised Him to Fake His Death, Leave the Palace, and Pursue His True Love

When Gu Tingxiao was forty, he ventured out of the palace incognito and fell instantly in love with a young woman selling wontons on the street. This wonton beauty was extremely proud; no matter how much he humbled himself to express his love, she refused to enter the palace, even at the cost of her life. She declared, "Though I come from humble origins, I still yearn for a lifelong, monogamous relationship. I accept simple meals and humble dwellings, but I refuse to become a caged bird in the palace, vying for favor with the concubines, losing my freedom and my true self in the open and covert struggles." Gu Tingxiao fell deeply in love with her. He didn't hesitate to abandon his imperial dignity in public, declaring that he was willing to forsake his vast empire and his ancestors, only wishing to share a simple life with her, like a couple.