Receiving His Favor

The emperor kisses her for the first time.

Chu Shaoe thinks, so this is how close a husband and wife can be.

So she softly calls him "husband."

After living in the palace for years, she gradually comes to understand that an emperor's love is not, in fact, the love between husband and wife.

So she lowers her eyes, curtsies, and says respectfully, "Your Majesty."

Your Majesty is Your Majesty, not her husband.

Then the emperor, who sits at the pinnacle of power and has always been dignified, composed, and unflappable,

grasps her hand and begs her, almost hoarsely:

"Shaoe, don't call me that."

*

In the end, he cannot believe she will ever love him. So he uses his imperial power, the empress's throne, and a lifetime of riches, giving everything he has just to keep her by his side.

If he can keep her trapped beside him,

then what does it matter if the world condemns him for generations to come?

*

Confused beauty x older emperor

2026.06.27

Coming soon: "Jade Capital"

Her grand ambition is to endure her way out of the palace.

At long last, she reaches the right age, chooses a husband, and plans to leave the palace next year and marry her distant cousin, who has just passed the provincial exam.

But then the deposed crown prince, confined to a separate residence, dies.

As the palace maid in charge, she goes to handle the Eastern Palace's old belongings, but steps on an empty white jade bottle that once held poison.

From that day on, she never has another peaceful moment in the palace.

Fleeing for her life, she happens upon Prince Qin, Xiao Qi, returning from an outing.

Prince Qin is steady and mature for his age, handsome and distinguished, and a crown prince candidate the court has high hopes for.

When he hears that she plans to leave the palace and marry, the usually proper and courteous prince suddenly turns red-eyed.

"Sister Qingluan, are you leaving me?"

With that, he takes a small white jade bottle from his sleeve

and sets it down in front of her.

His gaze turns dark and unreadable.

Poison?!!!

*

She has terrible taste in men.

He looks into the background of that exam candidate and discovers that before the metropolitan examination, the man had already proposed to a family of officials. He is hoping to pass the palace examination next year and take a noblewoman from the capital as his principal wife.

He clearly intends to take her as a concubine.

She's spent years in the palace, yet she still trusts people so easily.

When they were children, she held his hand and taught him to read and write, to dress, and to eat.

Now it's his turn to teach her what men are like.

And, better yet, to teach her how to become his crown princess.

*

Despairing overworked heroine x candidate for crown prince who's sweet on the outside and dark within

Theme: Getting what you wish for and a lifetime of peace.