Forced to Become a Concubine, the Young Lady Enters the Palace and Becomes the Emperor's Favorite

[Sweet, slow-burn romance + authentic traditional values + devoted love once he falls]

A taciturn, indifferent, ice-cold emperor × a delicate, gentle beauty

At a spring banquet, the younger brother of Empress Cao takes a fancy to Wei Youyi, a cousin of Gu, the Vice Minister of Rites. He uses his power to force her to become his concubine.

Her maternal grandmother is so upset she falls gravely ill. Her childhood friend and cousin acts rashly and ends up in prison. Her uncle spends all night rushing around to find help, his hair turning white overnight. The aunt who raised her is so distraught she wipes away tears every day.

Even families who have always been close to them avoid the Gu family like the plague to stay out of the Cao family’s way.

The Gu household falls into chaos. Some of the bolder servants privately blame her for being too beautiful and bringing disaster down on the family.

Caught in the middle of the scandal, Wei Youyi decides to take matters into her own hands. In the dead of night, she knocks on the gates of Prince Qi’s residence. With a black jade token as proof, she gains Prince Qi’s personal recommendation and enters the imperial harem.

-

Three years into his reign, Zhao Linyuan often thinks of the woman who carefully tended his wounds in a ruined temple on a snowy night years ago. For the first time, he feels compelled to search for her.

He never expects that the name, identity, and family background she gave him were all false. His people can find no trace of her, and little by little, he lets go of that faint hope.

That is, until his younger brother, Prince Qi, born of the same mother, comes to see him with the jade token he once gave the woman as proof of identity. Only then does he learn her real name. When he hears about her troubles, he immediately orders her brought into the palace and gives her the rank of Sixth-Rank Beauty.

He thinks protecting her for the rest of her life will repay the debt he owes her for saving his life. But later, every smile and frown of hers lingers in his mind, and he finds himself wanting more.

His affection, a higher rank, even paving the way for her future so they can stand side by side and walk toward the prosperity that belongs to her.