When they first met, he was a dashing young soldier from a military household, riding fine horses and brimming with youthful brilliance, while she was a noblewoman of a distinguished family, blessed with both beauty and talent, gentle on the outside yet strong within. They fell for each other in secret, only to be mercilessly swept apart by the tides of fate.
When they met again, he was The Outcast, a powerful eunuch who answered to no one but the emperor and acted with decisive resolve. She was an innocent member of a disgraced minister's family, driven from her home and left to wander.
After enduring hardship and finding that everything had changed, they slowly drew closer, each cautiously testing the other.
“Hanhan, time has changed everything. Would you still be willing to marry me?” he asked, summoning all his courage. But she hesitated, weighing every possibility, and gave no answer.
Later, suspicion led her to wound him by mistake. Only then did she realize that she had fallen in love with the man he had become.
“Huo Chengjue, let's get married!” At last, she stopped hesitating. But all she received in reply was a long silence. This time, he was the one held back by insecurity and doubt. He no longer dared.
Though the wounds had healed, the scars remained, and the distance between them was hard to bridge.
“My body is incomplete. I lost the right to be your husband long ago,” he said gravely.
“I've been married before, and I even miscarried. With both of us broken in our own ways, we're all the more suited to each other,” she replied firmly.
“My heart condition is incurable. I may not have much time left,” he said again.
“Your heart condition began because of me. Caring for you for the rest of my life is only right,” she answered without a moment's hesitation.
“You come from a family of upright scholars. Marrying a eunuch like me would disgrace your family and bring shame upon your father, brothers, and kin,” he went on.
“The glory of a family and its reputation are fleeting things. There's no need to care about them,” she declared resolutely.
He fell silent, caught in a dilemma.
And so began her long journey to win her husband back.
Reader's Guide:
1. This story is set in a fictional world modeled broadly on the Ming dynasty. History buffs, please go easy on the historical liberties.
2. The leads reunite after many years apart at the beginning. The male lead is a eunuch, and the female lead has been married before. She is not a virgin, while he is.
3. Early on, the male lead loves her more. He says one thing and means another, protecting her in silence. After she hurts him because she doesn't trust him, she begins a long journey to win him back.
4. The male lead is not invincible. He can be ambushed, and he is physically incomplete, sickly, and deeply insecure. The female lead studies medicine on her own. He runs, she pursues; things turn sweet in the middle and later parts, with many scenes of her caring for him.
P.S. This story has a crossover with Has the Admiral's Wife Regretted It Today? and shares the same dynasty setting, though it takes place one or two centuries earlier.
Theme: Time may change everything, but the heart remains true.
Things have come to this, thanks to Huo Du being a lover. If it were anyone else, how could he forgive such consequences? Qinghe's distrust is understandable, but the damage caused to Cheng Jue is real. He is already physically disabled, and now he can't ride and practice shooting. It used to be the skill he was most proud of. Alas, sigh🥺
Actually, Cheng Jue just can't be cruel. Thinking of that joke: You still love him in your text [covering face and laughing and crying], the "he" here should be replaced by "she"😏. If Huo Dou really hated Qinghe, he would not let her continue to live in his house and go back to the palace alone. The palace would not be as comfortable as living in his house. Qinghe couldn't enter the palace, fearing that it would be difficult to see him.
What's going on with this brother? Huo Du shouldn't have saved him. This man couldn't tell the difference between right and wrong because of his inherent prejudice. It was useless to ask the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him.
You always wait until you lose it before you know how to cherish it... But Shen Qinghe can see his heart clearly now, which can be considered a good thing, alas. Huo Du was so in love with her that he was begging his brother to help him cover up his lies. After watching the scenes between the emperor and Xiao Guifei, I realized that there are still a few infatuated men in this world. The emperor cannot be as dedicated to a woman as Huo Du. Yesterday he loved you like a treasure, today he abandons you like a worn-out shoe. The most ruthless emperor's family.
Thank you to heaven, thank you to earth, thank you for your hard work~
At this time, Huo Du helped the heroine cover up her lies. He really loved her... Which was very sad to see. His love for her may also include the obsession that he has been asking for for many years after his family was destroyed, but it seems that obsession cannot reach this level, so I still think it is love, not only for the girl before, but also for her now.
In fact, I can understand Qinghe's mood at this moment. After all, his brother's life is hanging by a thread and he doesn't know whether he can survive. But Huo Dou had already stated that he had never done it and could swear that she still didn't believe him. It also showed that she didn't believe him in the previous things. You don't have to believe it, but don't hurt me. Now that you've taken action, it's hard to take back the water. Alas 🥺
Concubine Lu's daughter was born in the same year, month and day as Qing He. Concubine Lu and Qing He's mother are still good friends. My intuition tells me that this is a hidden thread, and there is a plot to unfold later. I have a vague feeling that Xie Huibin will be a tragic figure. I hope I'm wrong. She is also a pitiful person. Alas 🥺🥺
Ah Yue was finally willing to tell Qing He where she felt uncomfortable. It felt like she had taken a big step forward, at least she no longer kept it hidden. Although the two of them still have concerns and are still walking on thin ice when getting along, Ah Yue can't help but crave Qinghe's warmth, and Qinghe also really cares about him, which is very pitiful. Ah Yue also risked his life and gambled to get where he is today. It is really not easy. I hope he can pursue a good career.
Although the heroine's hesitation is understandable, after all, the discipline she received since childhood makes it impossible for her to completely ignore the opinions of her father and brother and the family's reputation, but she still feels sorry for A Yue. At present, it seems that A Yue loves her more, silently giving and protecting her, although sometimes she speaks more directly, but it is also true. The heroine treats Chun Ying and Xiang Ling equally. She doesn't care about their status as maids and can eat at the same table. When she comes to A Yue, she doesn't dislike him on the surface, but still cares about his identity. It's really hard to judge...