Her Uncle

• A tale of killing husbands and stealing wives, a sea of love and hate

• A warlord in a chaotic age

• The heroine has a sexual past; the hero does not

• Happy ending

Synopsis:

Zhao Xuan'er called him Uncle for ten years.

Though it was only a polite title. She called every warrior who had been close to her father Uncle.

But throughout the realm, whether in lands under the king's rule or beyond it, everyone knew that Zhou Liao had raised her.

Her father died in battle. Because Zhou Liao was there, his body could be brought home for burial. She was an orphan. Because Zhou Liao was there, she had a place to sleep in peace. Heroes from every corner fought for control of the Central Plains, and flames of war along the border soared higher than the heavens. Was there any peaceful place left in the world?

Even the princess had said that the imperial palace was already a wasteland where the throne could not be kept safe from one day to the next, and that only Zhao Xuan'er's chambers were impregnable. It was all because Zhou Liao was there.

Amid mountains of corpses and seas of fire, he was twenty when he carried her away, a nine-year-old girl. A grinning comrade joked that since he'd brought her home, he might as well let her marry his godson when she grew up. Or he could just keep her for himself.

Back then, Zhou Liao nearly split him in two with his greatsword.

He raised her meticulously. Because he was there, Zhao Xuan'er, a precious pearl, was fortunate enough to remain unblemished. In a world ravaged by war, he annexed the nine provinces and trampled the crown prince to death. His horse carried him ever farther, and he had nearly become an old, battle-hardened rogue.

Yet he still raised her himself, even joking that he was her old servant.

Naturally, he carefully chose her husband, too.

Later, newly married and in high spirits, she returned to visit her family with her husband. Chatting with the old women of the household, she cheerfully declared that she wanted two children, one who looked like her and one who looked like her husband.

Zhou Liao's gaze turned strange.

Only when they passed through Jingzhou and her husband died a violent death at his hands did Zhao Xuan'er realize how slow-witted she had been.

But by then, it was too late. Zhou Liao's army had already breached the gates of Chang'an, and he had taken the throne where one man could hold off a thousand.

All she could do was tremble as he forced her into the royal domain. She removed her layers of clothing herself and blew out the lamp beside the bed.

He smiled and asked what she wanted.

Zhao Xuan'er gazed into the distance. "I wish I'd never known you, Uncle."

Please note: The leads sever their familial relationship, and the heroine's romance only begins after she turns fifteen.

Content warnings:

• Includes forced pursuit and possession. The heroine will fight back in earnest later. Read with caution if this bothers you.

• The hero is an old man, with an eleven-year age gap.

• The hero is a lunatic who hurts himself whenever the heroine is injured, even slightly, because of anyone. Later, the heroine blinds him in one eye. If disability bothers you, please don't read.

• The heroine has an ex-husband and a daughter. Her ex-husband knows he will die, but stubbornly refuses to back down, so you could say he brings it on himself.

• The heroine will marry someone else again.

Theme: Speak kindly to the person you love