Illuminating the Dust

[Ensemble cast, lots of couples, updated 3–5 times a week, with every update guaranteed]

A forthright young noblewoman from a distinguished family vs. a bold, imperious emperor of humble birth

The Ruan family was a distinguished clan of scholars and officials, a renowned family that nurtured exceptional talent. As the youngest daughter of the main branch, Ruan Changuang had always been content to lie flat. Then, in the twelfth year of Yuanhe, a military mutiny broke out in Xijing, and the Crown Prince vanished in a great fire. One upheaval after another shattered the peace of the splendid realm, drawing her family and her into the flames of a chaotic age.

Only when her father’s arrow was aimed at her did she understand that, to him and to the family, children were all expendable. Forced to flee for her life amid the war, she returned years later as someone the world regarded as having compromised her dignity.

As the princes vied for power, her marriage became a pawn that every faction wanted to exploit. Ruan Changuang thought she would spend her life scattered like a lonely tumbleweed, until a striking young man, who had weathered bloodshed and turmoil to reach her, clasped her hand tightly...

Only then did Ruan Changuang realize that whenever the world had cast her aside, he had been the one to take her hand, again and again. What if he was of humble birth? What if he was said to be of imperial blood? Even if the world’s storms were merciless, she would walk beside him to the end.

When the winds shifted and the realm was plunged into turmoil, she went from a disgraced noblewoman to the principal consort of a prince who ruled a fiefdom at the heart of the storm. At home, she drew on the power of her family; beyond it, she gathered the finest talents in the realm. As he rode the surging tides of an age of upheaval, she stood by him as he climbed step by step to the highest throne. The noble clans who had once sneered at his lowly origins changed their tune one after another, currying favor and pledging their support. Some even used her childlessness as an excuse to consider replacing her as empress.

In the jade palaces beyond the vermilion steps, the new dynasty’s emperor, who had weathered countless intrigues, gave a cold laugh and had the proposer’s head taken off on the spot. “My consort and I were married in our youth, and our love is steadfast. If you would replace my wife today, will you try to replace me tomorrow?”

The assembled ministers repeatedly protested, “We would never dare!”

On the first Lantern Festival of the new dynasty, the young emperor and empress stood side by side atop Chengtian Gate, gazing down at Xijing’s glittering lanterns as the people paid their respects. He smiled and held out his hand to her. “A boat bound for no shore, roaming ten thousand miles. How fortunate I am that the bright moon shines upon this speck of dust!”

One of the ensemble couples:

Lu Xuan had dreamed since childhood of marrying the young general she admired. As luck would have it, the young general she adored was in love with her, too. When she found out, Lu Xuan was so happy she could not sleep all night. She had even decided what to name their future children.

But she never imagined how unpredictable life could be. A sudden upheaval reduced her youthful dreams to ashes, and she had no choice but to marry someone else, tears in her eyes.

On their wedding night, the playboy who had always done nothing but tease her suddenly seemed like a different person. With every word, he laid bare the feelings he had kept hidden since their youth.

Lu Xuan wept, resisting the fate she had no power to change with all the resentment in her heart. Yet as they spent day after day and night after night together, she found herself falling for him.

Back then, she thought that though the green hills stretched before her, the one she longed for was far away. She and her former love were destined for different paths. Wasn’t it a blessing to be treated so well by the man before her? Perhaps she should cherish the person at her side.

Just as she let go of the past and prepared to embrace a new life, fate played another cruel trick on her. The one she had once wanted to love was beyond her reach, and now the one she wanted to spend her life with might not stay by her side for long. Lu Xuan was torn by painful indecision!

Ensemble couple two:

From a young age, Fang Xun was known as the “Peony of Meishan.” Her beauty was unmatched, the finest in the world, and countless heroes and scholars sought her hand in marriage.

In a peaceful age, this would have been a good thing. But in times of chaos, beauty was a curse, and before long it placed her in grave danger.

With pairs of wolfish eyes all around her and nowhere to run, Fang Xun had no choice but to heed her mother’s advice and cling to the strongest pine tree in the world.

On their wedding night, she hesitated as she looked at her husband’s exceptionally tall, broad-shouldered frame.

He lowered his eyes in silence, a softness in his gaze. He was a man of few words, yet somehow always made her feel safe. At first, he thought his wife was a delicate, clinging vine. Later, he realized that she really was a clinging vine: her weakness was only a façade, and she was remarkably tenacious!

Ensemble couple three:

Yi Luan’s greatest passion in life was fighting, and she hoped to keep fighting for the rest of it. Many people mocked her for being unmarriageable. Yi Luan would answer with a slash of her blade, declaring, “I can fight and earn merits. Anyone who wants to marry me had better first defeat the sword in my hand!”

There were few people like her in the world. She was lucky enough to meet one, but it took her a long time to recognize her own feelings.

Ensemble couple four:

From childhood, Shang Jinghuai had been the finest of her generation. She could memorize anything at a glance and was learned in both ancient and modern affairs, her talents equal to any man’s. She entered the palace as an orphan and weathered the changing fortunes of two dynasties. Through her exceptional abilities, she rose above the scheming and intrigue of the harem to become a renowned “female chancellor of the inner court.”

She thought she would spend the decades ahead passing the rest of her life in the lonely depths of the palace. Then one day, in Xijing, she reunited with an old friend from her homeland whom she had been separated from for more than a decade. As she heard him call her “A Huai” again and again, memories she thought long dead began to assault Shang Jinghuai’s mind.

Ensemble couples five, six, seven, eight, nine, and more: omitted

P.S.:

1. The male and female leads have no other romantic partners. Set in a chaotic era reminiscent of the Wei and Jin dynasties, this is the story of a group of young people struggling and growing up over a long period of time.

2. There are lots of couples in this ensemble story. Feel free to root for the male lead and another male character, or the female lead and another female character. The couples are not forced into neat pairings. Skipping around is not recommended, as you may miss some couples.

3. This is a fictional setting with no golden finger. Don’t scrutinize the place names, systems, or customs. Whatever dynasty comes to mind is fine.

Coming soon: the ensemble story Two Capitals in Bloom

A brooding, ruthless power minister vs. a beautiful woman with a screw loose

General Qi made a name for himself at a young age. At just sixteen, he broke through enemy lines alone on horseback and trampled their camps, proving himself a hero of his generation. On his triumphant journey home, he came across a young boy on the road. There were no villages or inns nearby, so he had no choice but to take the child with him. It was only days later that he learned the boy was actually a girl. The upright head of the Qi family insisted that he take responsibility for her. General Qi glanced at the little girl, who was quietly stuffing her face, and felt a headache coming on.

Ming Qinglin was just as anxious. An accident had befallen her on the way to visit her maternal relatives, and now she could not return home. Worse, she was being kept at the Qi residence to become that man’s child bride. It was a disgrace to her family. No, she had to run!

In an age when the north and south were divided, the rulers hunted down their enemies, and the powerful sought to destroy the Qi family out of suspicion. Halfway through her escape, Ming Qinglin learned what had happened and turned back without hesitation.

On a stormy night, the bloodied young man was barely clinging to life. In his haze, he saw a little girl step through the blood covering the ground and come determinedly to his side.

When he awoke again, she was gone...

Years later, the Great Wei dynasty was beset by turmoil. In an effort to reverse its decline, Emperor Hui summoned the powerful generals who controlled the regions to the capital under the pretext of celebrating the nation’s thousandth anniversary.

At a spring banquet in the Prince of Ming’s residence, the powerful Prince of Ming hosted the Western Pacification General, a man who commanded an entire region, and sent for his beloved daughter, Princess Linghui, to keep him company.

Those in the know understood that, facing the celebrated general who sat before him, the Prince of Ming meant to win him over, even though they might one day become enemies. He was willing to offer his beautiful daughter in a classic honey trap.

Ming Qinglin went without a second thought. But when she saw the cold-faced man seated at the table, her feet froze in place.

He had clearly recognized her, too. His gaze swept over the Prince of Ming, whose bearing was as noble as a phoenix and dragon, and he realized that father and daughter truly did look alike. Then he smiled and glanced at the young woman, his look almost predatory.

As fireworks bloomed across the sky, Ming Qinglin tried to escape. Instead, the dangerous-looking man casually caught hold of her sash. Flustered and embarrassed, she demanded, “What are you doing?”

Qi Huan smiled lazily. “What do you think? I’ve come to find my long-lost fiancée!”

Very good. Very, very good! All these years, he had kept vigil over her spirit tablet night after night, mourning his young bride-to-be, who had died in the prime of her life. And here she was, alive and well, having even grown rosy-cheeked and glowing. Just wonderful!

Theme: A heart full of lofty ambitions, eyes that take in the whole realm.