The Regent's Wife, Doomed to Die Young

Wen Zhining died in the fifth year of her marriage to Lu Shilang. Someone murdered her.

Her husband, Lu Shilang, was deeply calculating and utterly wicked. He was ruthless and cold-hearted, with eyes only for power. He knew only how to climb higher, stopping at nothing to get what he wanted. He could kill or abandon anyone. He didn't love her at all, so of course, he didn't care whether she lived or died.

But Wen Zhining never imagined she would be reborn.

She was reborn ten years after her death, with a new identity, in Youzhou, the domain of Prince Yan Zhao. She had become a girl of thirteen or fourteen.

As in her previous life, she was breathtakingly beautiful, looking almost exactly like her former self. Born into a prominent family, cherished by her parents, and adored by everyone around her, she was the "little princess" everyone envied. She had also been betrothed at an early age to the heir of Prince Yan.

After three carefree years, what was bound to happen finally came to pass.

The Prince of Yan, relying on his troops and power, launched a rebellion, and war erupted across the land.

Over the past ten years, Lu Shilang had already gained power over the whole realm and amassed a mighty army. He had become the regent everyone feared.

When the Prince of Yan rebelled, no one expected that Lu Shilang himself would come to put it down.

The two armies clashed. Youzhou was surrounded on all sides, and its defeat was all but certain.

The heir of Prince Yan begged desperately, "Your Highness, what will it take for you to spare me?"

Lu Shilang chuckled, sitting astride his horse as he idly toyed with his riding crop. His voice was mild and lazy as he replied, "Give me your fiancée to play with for a couple of days."

Just look at how wicked this man is!

He must find it great fun to toy with a woman who looks exactly like his former wife.

Wen Zhining became the only hope of ending the war.

Her parents refused, weeping and wailing, but the heir of Prince Yan insisted on offering her up.

If her body could end the war and save the people of a whole city, Wen Zhining accepted her fate.

That night, Wen Zhining was bathed and sent to Lu Shilang's tent.

In the stillness of the long night, she waited a long time before the man she had not seen in thirteen years finally arrived.

They sat facing each other, a table between them. Looking at his familiar yet strange face, she felt a jumble of emotions. She wanted nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with him again, not even the slightest touch, entanglement, or connection.

Yet, to her surprise, Lu Shilang did not touch her. He said not a word, simply watching her for the entire night...

(2026.2.3)

Theme: Think about it