Prickly [Possessive Love]

[Ruthless, self-made Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard vs. clever, clear-eyed, prickly beauty] [Love at first sight + long-planned seduction + coercive possession + she flees, he pursues + groveling pursuit + angsty push and pull + happy ending] The first time Lin Zhiyun met Shen Shuo was at a banquet. Someone grabbed her by the upper arm and yanked her behind a rockery, pinning her against the stone wall. Her back hurt where it struck the stone. The stench of blood choked her. Bright red blood soaked into her pale sleeve, spreading and winding across the fabric with chilling ease. The newcomer had sharp features, and a long, hideous scar ran from the middle of his hairline to the end of his left eyebrow, like a venomous centipede. His Embroidered Spring Blade remained sheathed. He used its pommel to lift her chin. From the corner of her eye, she saw the gray wolf carved into it, baring its fangs at her. "Find a way to get me out of here." There was not the slightest sincerity in his request. Lin Zhiyun had guessed who he was. She had no choice but to comply. * The second time she saw him was at a mutton stall by the city gate. At the time, her father had been sent to the imperial prison. If he were convicted, she would be thrown into the government brothel. After asking around, she learned that this Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had risen from humble beginnings and always visited this stall for mutton soup whenever he returned to the capital. The reason was simple: when he was down on his luck, the owner had given him a bowl of mutton soup. Lin Zhiyun now had leverage. She had also once saved his life. On a bitter winter morning, the streets were empty. The freezing wind hurled icy snowflakes against her face without mercy, leaving her whole body numb. This time he wore a black wingless gauze hat, which hid the scar on his forehead. He seemed less terrifying, too. "What does Your Excellency want? The Lin family will offer it with both hands, using the strength of our entire household." He spread his arms, resting both hands casually on the edge of the table. Lin Zhiyun felt strangely uncomfortable, as if he had closed her in. He slowly leaned toward her, inch by inch, a smile at the corners of his eyes. "I, Shen, am in need of a wife." The Embroidered Spring Blade leaned against the table leg. From where she sat, she could see the ferocious wolf's head gleaming silver. When she raised her eyes again, a dark gray, serpent-shaped flying-fish emblem crouched on his chest, looking down at her. My next novel will be Heart's Darling (Coercive Possession), expected to launch in mid-to-late November. Please add it to your reading list! [Gentle older man with a hidden dark side vs. beautiful, resilient orphan] [Long-planned seduction + coercive possession + peerless beauty heroine adored by everyone + gentle pursuit + tolerant older man + happy ending] Jiang Zhiheng was born in a time of chaos. Her beautiful mother was passed from man to man as they fought over her, then packaged as a gift and sent to various warlords. From the time she could remember, she had no idea how many different men had been her so-called father. The last time was at the Marquis of Guangping's estate. She spent three years there in constant fear. On one hand, she kept the doors and windows locked, wary that the heir, Pei Suquan, would suffer another "headache" and need to smell the medicinal herbs on her to fall asleep. On the other, she kept her secret from everyone in the estate. She feared the Marquis of Guangping might use the opportunity to give her to Pei Suquan, and that the marquise might think she was seducing the heir and secretly have her killed. After her mother passed away, the Marquis of Guangping fell seriously ill, and Pei Suquan went away. The marquise immediately had Jiang Zhiheng's hands and feet bound, tied a boulder to her, and sank her to the bottom of the lake. Just before she closed her eyes, the water rippled. Meng Jinghe, bathed in golden light and striding across the waves, came toward her with unwavering resolve. She was soaked through, her clothes clinging to her body as she shivered. Born to the Meng clan of Lanling and commanding elite troops, Meng Jinghe was the warlord with the best chance of unifying the realm. Unlike the men who had lusted after her body, he deliberately turned his back and stood by the cave entrance. His voice was gentle but firm: "I'll help you escape Pei Suquan. You help me take control of the Central Plains." They worked together from within and without. While Pei Suquan was away fighting, Jiang Zhiheng repeatedly assured the Marquis of Guangping that she was marrying Meng Jinghe of her own free will. She climbed into the bridal sedan with her heart full of hope, finally leaving the Central Plains that had kept her locked away. But when she turned around, what awaited her was not the freedom she had longed for, but the web Meng Jinghe had been spinning all along. Before she even realized it, the net had closed around her. According to their agreement, she should have been allowed to leave. Instead, Meng Jinghe smiled. "Lanling has beautiful scenery and a pleasant climate. It'll help your cough." "Stay." Theme: Good governance and peace throughout the land.