Cherishing the Beloved White Moonlight

Jiu Zhi, daughter of the lord of Yinsu Mountain City, was peerlessly beautiful, radiant as the full moon. The neighboring state of Dongnu had heard of her and intended to ask for her hand on behalf of Prince Ling. With the wedding fast approaching, Jiu Zhi suddenly discovered that Prince Ling, who had sworn he could love no one but her, had long since hidden a beauty away in his mansion. His every word had been a lie. Once she learned the truth, she calmly refused the marriage and turned instead to Xie Wuyou, the second prince of Longchuan. The second prince wore elegant white robes and seemed noble and radiant, harmless as could be. In truth, he planned every move, quietly and without her noticing, until he had completely made her his. Soft as jade and warm as fragrance, they tangled together beneath the covers. He wished he could hold her in the very center of his heart and cherish her forever. Everyone said Jiu Zhi had been blinded by sweet words. No matter how wonderful Xie Wuyou was, he was still a down-and-out prince. How could he compare to the powerful and noble Prince Ling? So Xie Wuyou became decisive and ruthless, and claimed the throne. He offered her his kingdom as a bride price and the sun and moon as wedding gifts, promising her a lifetime of honor and love. All that indulgence in wine and pleasure was only a cover for a heart that had loved her for a long time. ※ Entirely fictional, so no historical fact-checking. Many elements are invented. My next book: You Can't Escape My Palm ***Blurb*** In the final years of the Yuanding era, turmoil swept across the land and the situation grew unstable. Princess Xiaoyue of Suining was born with breathtaking beauty, yet became a pawn in the palace struggles. A set of divinations from the Liangyi Bureau prompted her father, the emperor, to order her confinement at Zhaiyue Terrace in the outskirts of the city. She was to live out her days alone, never to leave. · One night, torrential rain poured down, threatening to wash away the entire city. Xiaoyue sat in the loft when she heard the thunder of cavalry in the distance. Prince Yu had returned victorious after quelling the Yi tribes, and was passing by Zhaiyue Terrace. The autumn wind moaned. Wearing a half-sheer gown of mermaid silk, Xiaoyue knelt at his feet, her clothes half undone and her hairpins loosened. She lowered herself into the dust. "Yue'er has nothing. All I can offer Your Highness is my true heart." The man sat on the couch, elegant and noble, a murderous edge between his brows. Looking down at her, he said, "Are you the bastard child Consort Ying bore with a lowly slave to win favor?" "...Yes." Desperate to escape, Xiaoyue admitted to everything. She obediently helped him remove his armor and robes, submitting to his will. · The following year, a new emperor ascended the throne. At last, Xiaoyue was free of her identity as a princess and escaped the capital. In another month, she was to marry the young master of the lord of Jushui City. On her wedding night, dressed in red bridal robes, she waited expectantly for her gentle, jade-like husband to lift her veil. The door to the bridal chamber closed, and a man approached at an unhurried pace. The wind blew out the swaying red candles. In the darkness, she heard a familiar voice call her by the title she had once held. "Suining, you can't escape my palm." Theme: Even in adversity, keep growing toward the light