[Gentle, calculating, black-bellied tea-drinking warlord VS beautiful, resilient orphan] [Long-planned scheme + devoted love + light and sweet romance + happy ending]
Jiang Zhiheng's mother was the greatest beauty of her time, but she was born in an age of chaos.
Warlords fought to become Jiang Zhiheng's father.
She hadn't even gotten used to calling the old father "Dad" before he was bloodied and dead. There wasn't even time to put on mourning clothes before a new father barged in.
The last father, the one she got used to calling Dad most, was the Marquis of Guangping, ruler of the Central Plains.
And he came with a bonus "older brother."
The heir, Pei Yuzhi, was poisonous, hard to kill, and impossible to deal with.
After her mother died of illness, Jiang Zhiheng had nothing left to tie her down and had long been planning to run away. Unfortunately, Pei Yuzhi kept such a close eye on her that she couldn't get away at all.
A pillow always arrives when you feel sleepy.
A warlord named Meng Jinghe came from the south, declaring that he wanted to marry the Marquis of Guangping's daughter. Who didn't know that behind the banner of joining their two houses in marriage lay his wild ambition to unify the realm?
Jiang Zhiheng had never planned to make a deal with the devil. How could she possibly outplay the tyrant of the south?
By a twist of fate, however, she kept stumbling across his secrets.
He bribed the marquis's trusted retainers, planted spies, and stirred up rebellion among the marquis's subordinates. He even... suffered from impotence...
He didn't panic or feel ashamed, and showed no murderous intent to silence her. Instead, he was frank and courteous, smiling warmly as he said, "I ask Miss Jiang to keep this secret. In return, I, Meng, can grant one of your wishes."
Her greatest wish was to escape the Marquis of Guangping's estate and get away from Pei Yuzhi.
It was just a polite offer. She couldn't possibly take it seriously.
She had met plenty of men, especially ones who used every trick to sweet-talk her into bed. This man might be impotent, but he could still trick her into leaving and hand her over to another man to help him become king or emperor.
Jiang Zhiheng was wary, but fortune was on her side. By accident, she got hold of Meng Jinghe's fatal secret!
At last, her luck had turned!
She smiled and offered to work with him. "Young Master Meng, I can help you get what you want. In return, help me leave the Marquis of Guangping's estate."
Meng Jinghe wore a moon-white robe and was as gentle as jade. He smiled too, seeming even more certain of victory than she was.
"Deal. I'll pretend to marry you, and make sure you leave the Central Plains openly and honorably."
But once she reached his territory, Lanling, things began to get strange.
Was the fatal secret... fake?
Was the marriage... for real?
What?
So I'm the prey caught in the web after all?!!!
Reading Guide:
An imaginary ancient setting, with elements of the official systems of the Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Song, and Ming dynasties.
The male lead is not impotent.
Lighthearted style, optimistic characters, sweet romance, a touch of angst later on.
(Opening on November 4. Please, please add it to your favorites.)
Theme: Beauty is not a sin.
