The Fox Husband’s Rise to Power

■ Marriage first, love later | Childhood sweethearts | A crush comes true

■ A bold, sincere, romance-oblivious general's daughter x a sickly, scheming fox of a Minister of Revenue

In Lang Zhen's eyes, her childhood friend Shen Yunhe was a fox who had become a spirit.

Born premature, he had been frail since childhood, spending every day steeped in medicinal brews. He was delicate and difficult to look after.

So even when he was a little sharp-tongued, she was magnanimous and never held it against the sickly man.

Although Shen Yunhe grew much healthier after years of treatment and kept rising through the ranks, she still habitually protected him like a mother hen.

On the palace road, she saw an official arguing fiercely with Shen Yunhe. The young man had his eyes lowered and was clearly on the losing side.

She decisively stepped forward, patted the short blade at her waist, and told the official, "Don't bully him."

The official, left speechless and red-faced by Shen Yunhe in just a few sentences, pointed at himself in disbelief. "M-me?"

Someone reminded her that Shen Yunhe was no gentleman at all.

Lang Zhen did not care, and even defended him: "We've been childhood friends. No matter who he schemes against, he would never trick me."

*

Everyone in the capital knew that Shen Yunhe looked frail, but had a brilliant mind that noticed every little thing and never let anything go.

After becoming Minister of Revenue, his sharpness became ever more apparent. His schemes beneath that jade-like face made no one dare underestimate him.

Perhaps only Lang Zhen thought he was gentle and easy to bully.

Their mutual childhood friend teased them: "One of you has eight hundred schemes up your sleeve, and the other is missing a few screws. You grew up together, too. You're a perfect match!"

Hearing this, Shen Yunhe only smiled and said nothing. He simply made sure the silver in the national treasury went to military pay, so Lang Zhen could fight on the battlefield thousands of miles away without worrying about anything back home.

Lang Zhen really was missing a few screws, but only when it came to love.

Everyone said she was guileless and easy to fool. He had to go to great lengths to set his trap and coax the victorious female general into his hands and marriage.

Unfortunately, she was very popular, and there were always admirers around her vying for her attention.

Shen Yunhe, her lawful husband, could only grit his teeth, keep pretending to be frail, and softly beg her to show him more affection.

But the longer he kept up the act, the harder it became to explain certain things.

(Extra scene)

After a night of passion, Lang Zhen dressed and headed for the training grounds. At the door, she turned back to the bed and checked on Shen Yunhe. "I had someone prepare medicine for you. Don't push yourself. Remember to drink it all in a bit."

Shen Yunhe's eyes darkened with anger. He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and silenced that mouth of hers that never said anything sweet. "You are the best tonic I could ask for..."

"Everyone knows that the dynasty's greatest female general and the Minister of Revenue are a devoted couple.

When the general is away, she always says she's henpecked and tightly controlled at home. The minister, meanwhile, says his greatest ambition in life is to serve the general well and solve her problems.

They each tell their own story, and no one knows which of them really has the other wrapped around their finger."

#A Straightforward One and a Cunning One, Made for Each Other

#Flirting with a Block of Wood

Blurb written on 2025.08.27

Theme: Patience and tolerance are virtues