[A saint's hidden desires | A powerful man brought down from his pedestal by love | Older man | Size difference]
Wen Yao was the least welcome young relative in the Changping Marquis's household.
Born in the countryside, she had a bewitching beauty: almond-shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, and skin like ice and jade. She looked anything but demure.
She and Shen Yueyao, the darling of everyone around her, were worlds apart.
Shen Yueyao, the County Princess of Fu'an, was the only beloved daughter of the Grand Princess and the Marquis of Changping. From the moment she was born, she was destined for greatness.
She was also betrothed to the Crown Prince. Sweet, clever, and adored by all.
Everyone loved her. Everyone except Wen Yao.
No one knew that the dignified and benevolent Grand Princess had once poisoned a man's first wife to steal her husband.
The broad-minded and generous Marquis of Changping was born in the countryside, yet for power he abandoned his wife and daughter, then colluded with the princess.
And Shen Yueyao, loved by everyone, would step on Wen Yao's back and call her a bastard whenever they were alone.
At the spring banquet, Wen Yao met the Crown Prince, her brother-in-law.
They said Crown Prince Xie Jing was noble in character, unmatched in beauty, and admired by all.
Wen Yao secretly studied him and thought him so handsome he seemed like a solemn, sacred immortal from a temple mural.
That very night, Wen Yao climbed into Xie Jing's bed.
The finest aphrodisiac from the pleasure quarters dragged the ethereal Crown Prince down into the mundane world, where he sank into earthly desire.
At the height of their passion, she deliberately called him "cousin" again and again, making Xie Jing mistake her for someone else.
Xie Jing knew he had lost control that night. Though he had been set up, he had planned to break off the engagement and now had no choice but to take responsibility.
Yet whenever he visited the marquis's residence, he kept happening to run into that young lady of the household.
He paid no mind to her clumsy little tricks.
Who could have guessed that the night he stayed at the marquis's residence, his "cousin" would come again?
Just as desire overcame him and he was eagerly taking what he wanted, a pair of jade-white hands reached out and unsteadily lit the candle.
In the bright candlelight, the woman before him was graceful and soft, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, her lush beauty like peach blossoms and plum flowers.
She was the young lady of the marquis's household.
"Cousin."
Her voice was melodious, like an oriole's song, just like the whispers from that night in bed.
Xie Jing, usually so composed and self-controlled, suddenly paled.
Afterward, he could never stop himself from looking for her.
He was dignified, courteous, upright, and gentle. Yet he made one mistake.
He fell in love with his wife's younger sister.
Content warnings: 1. The heroine truly has a miserable life. Please don't judge her morally.
2. An upright gentleman is nearly driven mad, only to discover that his wife is truly mad. A powerful man bows his head for love.
3. The male lead and the female supporting character have no romantic involvement. Their engagement was only verbal. Both leads are each other's first and only, happy ending.
Theme: Dare to dream, dare to act
