The Delicate Beauty Marries the Tyrant

Shen Lingyi became the woman of Emperor Xiao Zhaoling of the Northern Liang Kingdom, sent to marry him as a princess of the Southern Qi Kingdom.

Before she left, her father wept bitterly and said, “Southern Qi massacred three cities in Northern Liang. Xiao Zhaoling will never treat you kindly. Once you enter the palace, be careful with your words and actions. Endure whatever you can. Staying alive is what matters.”

The Northern Liang emperor, Xiao Zhaoling, was cold-blooded and cruel, killing without restraint.

The blood feud from Southern Qi's massacre of his city thirteen years ago burned through him night after night. Even making Southern Qi surrender half its territory had not satisfied his hatred.

Now that an enemy princess had been delivered right to him, Xiao Zhaoling had no intention of making things easy for her.

After entering the palace, Shen Lingyi was merely a seventh-rank concubine. There was never enough charcoal, food or clothing were inadequate, and everyone could bully her.

Xiao Zhaoling personally laid down these ironclad rules:

“Don't call yourself a concubine. Call yourself a servant.”

“Don't raise your head. Don't look directly at me.”

“Don't cry. Don't smile.”

“Don't speak to me unless I speak first.”

“Don't touch me. Don't entertain any foolish hopes.”

“Above all... don't fall in love with me.”

Shen Lingyi lowered her head and bowed. “This servant will obey.”

Xiao Zhaoling found every possible way to humiliate Shen Lingyi, determined to make her life in the palace miserable.

But he never expected this audacious princess sent to marry him to turn the tables and leave him so furious he could neither eat nor sleep.

He scolded her. “Shen Lingyi, I don't like scholars. Don't think you can flatter me with poetry!”

She lowered her eyes and replied gently, “Your Majesty sees all clearly. You are quite right.”

He cursed her. “The people of Southern Qi are all beasts, unfit to look upon!”

She bent her knees and answered calmly, “Your Majesty has conquered the four corners of the world. You are quite right.”

He snarled, “You were born a criminal. Your life is worth less than mud, and your existence wastes my food.”

She raised her eyes and softly agreed. “Your Majesty rules all under Heaven. You are quite right.”

He taunted her. “The Southern Qi royal clan are all useless. They deserve to die.”

She remained meek. “Your Majesty is peerless in courage. You are quite right.”

He humiliated her. “Just looking at you disgusts me. Why don't you go die!”

She stood quietly, as straight as a bamboo stalk, her voice cool as frost. “Your Majesty's will is supreme. You are quite right.”

The harsher his insults became, the more readily she agreed, finding new ways to praise him each time, every sentence ending with “Your Majesty is quite right.”

Xiao Zhaoling was so furious he overturned the imperial desk, his murderous aura soaring. “Shen Lingyi, I'll have your head!”

She stepped forward and offered him her neck. “Please do it quickly, Your Majesty.”

The entire world bowed to Xiao Zhaoling, its young emperor.

Only this disgraced consort went along with him, angered him, and wore him down, yet somehow made it impossible for him to kill her, set her free, cherish her, or forget her.

He wanted her to hurt, to cry, to be heartbroken!

But she only endured in silence.

She obeyed every order of his perfectly.

She understood him, accepted him, cherished him, and cared for him...

Then Xiao Zhaoling discovered that his heart and body had stopped obeying him, always taking him back to her.

Until one day, after finally overcoming his inner demons, he went to see her, his heart full of joy, only to hear a conversation drifting through the wind.

“You treat His Majesty so well. You must be in love with him, right?”

He held his breath, waiting for Shen Lingyi's answer.

Then the woman's gentle voice floated over, saying something that split his heart in two.

In that moment, he even came to hate the wind.

That night, he barged into her bedchamber, grabbed her face, and screamed with red-rimmed eyes, “Shen Lingyi, you have no heart!”

At last, she raised her eyes. There was neither sorrow nor joy in them as she softly asked, “What does Your Majesty want with my heart? To have it with your wine, or to trade it for the souls of the dead in your three cities?”

Later, all the rules were abolished, and the emperor went mad with love.

The man who had once been cold and cruel held her tightly around the waist and cried out in her arms, “I don't want you to obey me. I don't want you to be my servant...”

“Shen Lingyi, look at me...”

“Talk to me...”

“Smile at me...”

“Hold me...”

“Love me, please...”

[Traumatized, obsessive tyrant × gentle, sweet princess]

Enemies from the start. A battle of wills from afar. A deeply painful romance. Extreme emotional tension.

One-on-one, both leads are each other's first and only, redemption, happy ending.

Theme: No matter what your circumstances are, do your best to keep your composure