Win Her Heart

Next up: Three Marriages into a Noble House, expected to start in November! Blurb at the bottom.

[Cool-Headed, Clever Noblewoman] x [Ruthless, Unhinged, Jealous Marquis]

Shen Zhiqing is the daughter of the Grand Tutor. Both her beauty and talent are unmatched, and her name is renowned throughout the capital. But she's proud and aloof, and has always looked down on Fu Zhinian, a lackey of the imperial court.

Then the Crown Prince's rebellion case breaks out, and her father is implicated and thrown into prison.

That night, Shen Zhiqing sets aside her pride and kneels before Fu Zhinian, the Marquis of Zhenguo.

As candlelight flickers, Fu Zhinian toys with his ring and says casually, "I can't save your father."

His gaze suddenly falls on Shen Zhiqing's face again. He leans down and lifts her chin. "But I can save you."

Her father's sentence is handed down, and her younger brother is sentenced to exile. Shen Zhiqing is sent to the entertainment quarters. Overnight, she falls from noble daughter to a peony everyone wants to pluck.

Fu Zhinian spends a fortune to buy her freedom, and Shen Zhiqing becomes his secret mistress.

But no one in the capital knows that Fu Zhinian, who is famous for frequenting pleasure houses, has never touched Shen Zhiqing.

Shen Zhiqing makes her plans step by step, pretending to go along with the ruthless Fu Zhinian.

Fortunately, her childhood friend Lu Wanzhou places first in the imperial examinations. Shen Zhiqing helps him solve a case, clearing the way for his rise through the ranks until he becomes a Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. This also infuriates Fu Zhinian, the mad, treacherous minister.

"Qingqing, if you're destined to attach yourself to a powerful man, you might as well choose someone with even more power."

"The Marquis makes a good point. Then I'll attach myself to a few more."

Fu Zhinian's expression immediately darkens. He grabs her wrist and pins her against the wall.

"Fine, Qingqing. I pamper you with the best food and drink, afraid you'll suffer the slightest grievance, and you dare to go after another man?"

Shen Zhiqing's wrist reddens in his grip, and tears well in the corners of her eyes. She struggles to force out a few words. "Lu Wanzhou is an upright gentleman. He's not like you."

Jealousy instantly floods the man's eyes.

*

As the emperor's blade, the Marquis of Zhenguo Fu Zhinian has killed countless people. He is ruthless and merciless, known as the Jade-Faced Yama.

At first, Fu Zhinian knows his reputation is in tatters and doesn't dare entertain thoughts of Shen Zhiqing, the unattainable beauty.

When Shen Zhiqing becomes engaged to Chang Shuzhe, Fu Zhinian finally presses down his feelings.

Who could have known that when the Crown Prince's rebellion case broke out, the girl he'd cherished from afar would end up in the entertainment quarters?

Fu Zhinian risks everything to protect Shen Zhiqing. He loves and respects her, staking his future and power on her.

Then Shen Zhiqing turns to Lu Wanzhou, the newly crowned top scholar.

Fu Zhinian, who has never cared for anyone, falls for her without realizing it.

Once he has had a taste of her, he can never bring himself to let go of Shen Zhiqing's hand.

Notes:

1. Both leads are each other's first and only; 1v1. The female lead dislikes the male lead at first. He loses his composure all the way through, from antagonistic bickering to mutual salvation.

2. There will be male rivalry, and the male lead's true identity will be exposed later!

3. The story takes place in a fictional setting. The political intrigue exists only to serve the romance.

Coming next: Three Marriages into a Noble House

[Spacey, Easygoing Little Chef x Scheming, World-Weary Powerful Official]

The Song family gives everything to save the country, earning the emperor's favor. Three imperial marriage edicts arrive one after another, arranged for the three Song sisters.

A dignified Grand Tutor, a valiant general, and an easygoing marquis, all noble matches the capital's young ladies would fight tooth and nail to marry.

But the three Song sisters want nothing to do with them. The eldest packs up and heads west in the middle of the night, while the second draws her sword, climbs over the wall, and ventures into the martial world.

By the time the slow-witted third sister, Song Qinghe, finally remembers to flee her arranged marriage, the imperial edict is already at their door! Defying the edict means the whole family will be executed, so Song Qinghe steps up in their hour of need and marries three men!

So she practices calligraphy and painting at the Grand Tutor's residence in the morning, practices swordplay with the energetic general at noon, and still has to cook congee for the frail Marquis of Jing'an at night.

Busy! Busier than working 996!

Luckily, Song Qinghe hastily draws up a schedule late into the night. Three husbands? No problem!

Her goal is clear: make trouble and drive her in-laws to hate her, then trick them into giving her a divorce decree.

Then one day, just after a palace banquet, all three husbands call out to her at the same time across the crowd:

"My lady."

Song Qinghe: Help...

Later, those three gifted men who originally looked down on merchant's daughters refuse to let her go, even if it kills them.

The Grand Tutor grips her scribbled nonsense, brows furrowed. "So unruly. You need strict guidance. Divorce? Out of the question."

The general slaps her challenge onto the table, eyes shining. "A little wild, but I like your style. Divorce? Dream on."

The marquis swallows his last bite and says slowly, "Your cooking is good. Divorce? You'd have to be suicidal."

Song Qinghe: Wait! What happened to the divorce?!

Theme: Even if you fall into the mud, be brave enough to keep climbing.