The Wrong Catch: A Powerful Minister

[Strong and composed, proud and unrestrained, astonishingly talented: the powerful court official and third-place winner Cui Wenjun] vs. [Resilient and kind, never willing to accept fate, beautiful fallen orphan: Song Yuci]

Song Yuci was a daughter born to a concubine, abandoned by her family. All she wanted from life was to open a little shop and make a living for herself.

But when her father was convicted, she took a desperate gamble to save her life, throwing herself at the notorious lecher, "Lord Lu." By a stroke of bad luck, however, the man holding her in the darkness was Cui Wenjun, a cold-faced power broker known for his ruthless methods.

Cui Wenjun despised scheming women who stopped at nothing to get what they wanted. Watching this woman struggle again and again, he arranged a "fine job" for her.

But Song Yuci refused to sit back and wait for death. Though she was as insignificant as an ant, she still dared to shake a tree.

If he meant to use her as a sacrificed piece, then she would stop holding back and give this lord a strong dose of his own medicine.

She just hadn't expected that the darkness of night would lead to another case of mistaken identity.

The next morning, Cui Wenjun touched the bloody scab at the corner of his mouth and looked down with a cold laugh.

"What? You already forgot what you did last night? Tell me, how would you like to die?"

Cui Wenjun was the most astonishingly talented third-place winner in the Great Yan, a born power broker and capable minister. Amid the mire of the Great Yan, where corrupt officials held sway and the realm was beset by internal and external threats, he seized power, climbed the ranks, took revenge, and rose to rule…

Song Yuci was an unfortunate beauty, unloved by both her father and mother, who grew up in an exceptionally harsh environment. She looked cool and fragile, but acted boldly and fiercely. Trapped in one deadly predicament after another, she struggled on with her own resilience and courage…

*Reader's guide: No rebirth, no transmigration, no golden finger, no rivalry between women, no abuse of women, and no contrived melodrama. The male lead is an older, guiding type of lover. This is the story of an ordinary person who never accepts her fate and fights to make her way in the world, as well as a powerful official's journey to take charge and serve the people.

[Coming next]

Eight Thousand Springs in Bianjing

A powerful, high-ranking, confident and vigorous older official with a manly air, Lu Jun

Cursed, delicate and frail, clever and resilient, a fallen beauty, Lin Xu

Lu Jun borrowed thirty years of life from Heaven. He had only three things left on his mind: rise step by step, kill his enemies with his own hands, and protect Bianjing. To him, women were no different from books or chess pieces, just faces coated in makeup.

Until the first time he saw her in prison.

The woman knelt on the icy floor, eyes lowered, looking obedient, but beneath her gaze lay fury ready to consume everything.

Her name was Lin Xu, but she was anything but gentle. She pushed her frail body to commit murder and arson, and eventually landed in prison.

He looked down on her, sought to tame her, and watched her from on high.

But this woman had no regard for her own life. Young as she was, her heart had turned to ashes. She was also coy and affected, and whenever things didn't go her way, she'd climb onto his lap, hook an arm around his neck, and threaten him by his ear: "Or why don't you kill me? My lord, could you really bring yourself to kill me?"

He should have killed her! Then she wouldn't have seduced him until he was utterly bewitched.

But every time he laid a hand on her slender neck, he couldn't help pulling her into his arms and bending down to kiss her.

Reader's guide:

There are some fantasy elements, such as magic. (The things of this world are often cruel. Things beyond the natural can make up for all kinds of regrets.)

The leads are ten years apart and feel an instinctive physical attraction.

Once the male lead falls for her, he steadily entices the female lead and takes a fairly dominant approach.

The female lead has suffered a great deal in this life and has a heart like dead wood. After meeting the male lead, she blossoms again.

There is a considerable difference in their builds.

No rivalry between women, no abuse of women, no palace intrigue or household intrigue. This is a story of two people saving each other, as well as the male lead's journey to defend his country.

A little note from the author: This novel will focus more on the romance, with a deeper, more complicated relationship between the leads. It is set in the Song Dynasty, one of my favorite periods. I want to imagine an alternate timeline where the Northern Song survives its crisis without moving the capital and continues steadily into prosperity. It's rather idealistic, haha.

Theme: Never accept your fate