The Wutong-Scented Crossing

A Sang, the adopted daughter of the Yong'an coffin shop in a border town, is actually the orphaned child of the side consort of Prince Huaiyang, who was wrongfully accused years ago. She is a "coffin-born child."

Despised by everyone since childhood, she is withdrawn by nature and has a particular fondness for saving dying creatures.

While helping her adoptive father bury a body, she finds and rescues Meng Yanci, Prince of Liangzhou, who has been ambushed and is faking his death at a mass grave. She takes him for a little beast she picked up and hides him in a wooden cabin in the bamboo grove, carefully nursing him back to health.

When turmoil descends on the border town, her father, Xu Jincai, is silenced by Prince Jin after burying a body. A Sang endures countless hardships on her way to the capital.

Meng Yanci discovers her background. To use her to gain control of Jinzhou's military forces, he keeps A Sang in his princely residence.

Step by step, he teaches her how to become a true commandery princess.

"A Sang, you must be obedient," he always tells her.

"What does it mean to love someone?" she always asks him.

"You keep what you love by your side, where nobody else can look at it or touch it."

She helps him secure Jinzhou, and he grants her the elevated status she desired.

"A Sang, you must be obedient. You are the one I love, and nobody else can look at you or touch you."

"Hmph! I don't want this kind of possessive 'love'!"

She follows her master into the wider world and becomes a renowned physician.

At last, he realizes that all he wants is that carefree smile of hers.

Reading Tips: 1. Meng Yanci is a complicated person, incapable of simple love or hate. At first he uses her; later, he tries to win her back.

2. This is not a fluffy romance. It's an age-gap romance, and the male lead is rather paternalistic. The political intrigue runs deep, and he is genuinely scheming and calculating, especially in the early story, when he stops at nothing.

3. The female lead isn't naturally naive and sweet. She sees things from a different angle and has a kind of wise, unassuming outlook. Of course, she gradually comes to her senses later on.

Theme: She raises him like a little beast; he raises her like a commandery princess