Synopsis
Yingning, ruler of the demon-quelling lands of the Northern Wastes, has lived in seclusion for thousands of years and never once set foot beyond the wasteland. She keeps herself apart from the prosperous Jade Capital and the Immortal Alliance of the Central Province, aloof and taciturn, yet unfathomably powerful.
Though she never visits the Jade Capital, the young masters of its noble families have been sent to her cave dwelling year after year, one after another, by their clan heads, in hopes of arranging a marriage alliance.
This year, demonic energy runs rampant across the Central Province. Even the prestigious Zhong clan of Lingshan has swallowed its pride and sent one of their own young masters.
A young master raised by the Zhong clan of Lingshan is naturally elegant, refined, and handsome. The moment he parts the carriage curtain, he radiates such dazzling, noble brilliance that no one dares look directly at him, outshining all the other young masters.
He is already among the finest young masters in the Immortal Sect. He would be more than suitable for any noble young lady. It seems that after more than a thousand years without a mistress, the position of consort of the Northern Wastes will finally be filled.
But Yingning doesn't so much as look at the dazzling beauty. Instead, she stares at the hunched coachman at the front of the carriage, his face caked in yellow grime. She points at him and speaks in a voice quiet yet resolute: "I want him."
Everyone is stunned.
Only then does she turn to look at the richly dressed young master inside the carriage, whose expression is frozen with shock. With the courtesy of someone making a marriage proposal, she asks him, "May I?"
She turns back to the equally stunned coachman, completely serious. "I want no one but him."
*
Zhong Linyu, the most cherished young master of the Zhong clan of Lingshan, is the clan head's only son, born noble and magnificent, the apple of his family's eye and the Immortal Alliance's one and only chosen genius.
He has just come of age this year. Still young at heart, he's eager to explore the far northern wastelands. So when his cousin is chosen for a marriage alliance, he disguises himself as an ugly, hunched coachman with yellow powder, sneaks away without telling his family, and heads for the Northern Wastes.
But instead of choosing his cousin, the ruler of the wastelands points at him with her fair hand.
Though Zhong Linyu is shocked, he isn't worried.
The ruler of the Northern Wastes has spent her life in a desolate, uncivilized backwater. Her life is primitive and crude, and she seems a little slow on the uptake too. His cousin is already getting the better end of the deal by marrying her. To want him is just a pipe dream. He doesn't even have to trouble himself. His parents will sort it out for him.
But his parents are overjoyed when they hear the news. With drums and gongs, a lavish dowry, and a grand wedding sedan, they send him to the Northern Wastes that very night to marry her.
Zhong Linyu sits trapped inside the sedan, surrounded by layer upon layer of wards to keep him from running away before the wedding: ...
On their wedding night, Yingning puts on a magnificent wedding gown. She raises her arms, turns around once, then again, showing it off to him over and over with earnest enthusiasm.
Zhong Linyu is dizzy. He hears her ask softly, "Brother Linyu, does this look pretty on me?"
Zhong Linyu has no interest in talking to her. He lies straight down on the bed and closes his eyes, resigned to his fate, telling her to get on with it. But suddenly, a quilt is draped over him. When he opens his eyes, he sees her still wearing her wedding gown as she tucks him in, then lies down beside him fully clothed and doesn't move again.
At last, Zhong Linyu grits his teeth and lifts a corner of the quilt himself.
She turns her head, concerned. "Are you cold?" She kindly tucks the corner back in for him.
After they marry, she cares for him in every way and indulges his every whim. Whatever he asks for, she agrees, but she never touches him.
What does it mean to be a husband who can't stir his wife's interest? Is this humiliation?
He snaps at her coldly, throws away her gifts, and spits out the river fish she serves him. He says he doesn't like them, but she never gets angry. She only falls silent for a long time, then apologizes: "I'm sorry. I thought you'd like them. I won't bring you any more." Then she leaves.
At the Jade Capital's grandest Lantern Festival, she steps beyond the wasteland for the first time to accompany him. When the noble young masters mock her as uncouth behind her back, he spends a fortune to buy her the most expensive and beautiful jade ornaments, then pins one in her hair.
But even the jewels are not half as clear and bright as her eyes. He turns away awkwardly and coldly taunts her, asking if this is the first time anyone has bought her such expensive jewelry with such good taste.
She looks at him and suddenly falls silent. Shaking her head, she says, a little disappointed but very seriously, "Someone once gave me something better."
*
A thousand years ago, Yingning was abducted by the Yun clan of the Northern Wastes. Hoping to harness her power to see through demons and restore the Yun clan's fortunes, they whipped her body year after year, scourged her soul, imprisoned her, and tortured her without mercy.
Then one day, a young master of the Zhongli clan came to visit with his cousin, who was there to discuss a marriage alliance. He saw Yingning suffering and secretly unlocked her chains.
Yingning escaped and hid inside his carriage. She fled the Northern Wastes, reached the prosperous Jade Capital in the Central Province, and hid inside an abandoned stove in a courtyard belonging to his family.
He found her, but didn't drive her away. Instead, he cleaned the blood from her, fed her, and kept her hidden. He taught her to read and write, let her transform and hide in his sleeve, and took her to the Jade Capital's biggest Lantern Festival.
Several years later, on a snowy night, the Yun clan came after them. He used his own soul to block the formation's core and spent the last of his spiritual power to push her beyond its boundary.
He was covered in blood, surrounded by enemies attacking him with blades and spears, and dying in the middle of the killing formation.
Yingning didn't know why her heart hurt so much. She kept calling his name, until her voice was hoarse, until tears of blood ran from her eyes, until the spiritual energy around her spiraled out of control and she slaughtered every member of the Yun clan who had taken part in the hunt.
She rushed to him and caught him in her arms, but the formation had already torn his soul apart. He had only enough time to smile at her and say that he had never regretted taking her home.
"It's just a pity I never got to take A Ning to try the famous river fish at Yunhui Tower, or openly attend the Lantern Festival with A Ning. I never got to see you in a wedding gown. You must have looked beautiful..."
Snow covered her shoulders and back. He died in her arms.
That night, the entire Jade Capital fell silent beneath the snow. All that could be heard was a woman's anguished wail, echoing through the long night without end.
Now, a thousand years later, as young masters from the noble clans gather in the Northern Wastes, she sees his soul at first glance.
On their wedding night, she puts on the magnificent wedding gown she prepared with such care and shows it to him again and again, asking if she looks beautiful.
She hires a chef from Yunhui Tower to prepare the freshest river fish for him.
She accompanies him to the grandest Lantern Festival in the Jade Capital.
She carefully fulfills each and every one of his wishes.
But perhaps, with everything beginning again, the wishes left unfulfilled in their past lives are no longer what he wants in this life.
He dislikes her and isn't happy either.
She's merely clinging to her own obsession, imprisoning both him and herself.
She falls silent, reflects on her actions, leaves a letter of divorce, and apologizes sincerely: "I'm sorry, Brother Linyu. Go back to your own world."
Once news of their divorce spreads, the noble clans begin scheming again, sending people to the Northern Wastes.
The Jade Capital's most arrogant young master Zhong scowls, pushes through the crowds of young masters, grabs the dazed Yingning, who is still looking back over her shoulder, and drags her away. "What are you looking at? We're going home!"
He grits his teeth. "I'm not signing the divorce papers. In life, I'm yours; in death, I'm your ghost. Zhu Yingning, you're stuck with me for the rest of your life!"
Reader advisory:
1. 1v1, both leads have only been with each other, happy ending, sweet romance.
2. The male lead is a little difficult at first, mainly because his wife never consummates the marriage and he suspects she's playing him.
3. Both leads are powerful, but the female lead is stronger. In their past life, her abilities had yet to fully awaken. After the male lead awakens them, no one can bully her again.
Theme: Seeing what is real
