Recklessly Plucking the Bright Moon

On the day the capital changed hands, the newly established court’s Grand Marshal, famed for his outstanding military service and unfeeling nature, demanded a specific person as his bride. Cui Wangshu, daughter of the former dynasty’s Minister of Works. But Cui Wangshu was already married. When she heard the news, she found the whole thing absurd and was rather incensed. She wrote back that her husband’s family was currently in Jiangzuo, and that they had been forced apart by the war. If the general would grant her his mercy, she hoped he would set out for Jiangzuo at once, so she could reunite with her husband and his family. She received no reply. Instead, the Grand Marshal came to call in person. He had a pair of heterochromatic eyes she knew all too well. The man who had once been a lowly stable hand at her side was now a powerful new court noble, second to none. The man looked at her, his tone leaving no room for refusal. “Your husband once sent men to kill me. He owes me a life, and you will repay that debt.” Cui Wangshu was stunned. Then she laughed in fury. “I already have a husband. How can I marry again?” The man advanced on her step by step. “I hear your husband is somewhere in Jiangzuo, whereabouts and fate unknown…” “Who says…” “If his fate is unknown, then he’s dead.” “…” · Cui Wangshu thought he only wanted to humiliate her to avenge an old grudge. One day after they were married, she finally couldn’t help asking, “If you humiliate me like this, will it help you put the past behind you?” Before she could finish, the man sealed her lips with his. “What do you mean, like this?” His eyes roiled with a heated yet restrained emotion. His voice was hoarse as he said: “Ah Zhao, do you think I’m ‘humiliating’ you right now, too?” His breath brushed her neck, bringing Cui Wangshu back to the many nights they had spent with their temples pressed together. Her face flushed. She tried to pull away, but he drew her into his arms and whispered: “Every night… have I been ‘humiliating’ you?” · Grand Marshal Fu Yuan was renowned for his iron-fisted rule and strict military discipline. The most outrageous thing he ever did was force the former dynasty’s princess consort to marry him. No one knew that he had once been a lowborn Jiehu slave. Only thanks to Miss Cui’s kindness had he been allowed to stay by her side as a stable hand. To him, Cui Wangshu was the bright moon in the sky. A boy’s heart stirred, and his feelings could not be suppressed. Over the years, he had won battle after battle, rising from a Jiehu slave to the all-powerful Grand Marshal. To outsiders, his life was one of boundless glory. But year after year, she haunted his dreams. He could not have her, and he could not let her go… Call him vile, call him despicable. This time, he would keep that bright moon by his side. Notes: 1. The male lead is of mixed Hu and Han ancestry, but is fully assimilated into Han culture. He is sexually inexperienced. 2. The female lead has no positive feelings for her former husband. The romance should be one-on-one, with a happy ending. 3. Set in a fictional world, with some historical inspiration. Theme: Bide your time and rise to greatness.