Take Down the Imperial Uncle

A hyperactive young empress vs. a cool, scheming regent uncle (not related by blood)

The young empress had a dream.

She dreamed that on the night of her seventeenth birthday, three months from now, the Regent King would end her life with a cup of poisoned wine...

Then... Then Her Majesty woke with a start and spent the next three months on one thing: strike first and take out her uncle!

But after she'd tried every trick in the book, her uncle was still as vigorous as ever.

If she can't take him out, what should she do?

Highly recommended: my ongoing novel, Three Hundred Rounds with the Treacherous Minister

A troublemaking princess collides with a deep-minded power minister.

Everyone at court knows that the Princess Royal and Chancellor Yan have a very, very deep grudge...

At first, Yan Xitang placed third in the palace examinations. At the Qionglin Banquet, Princess Linlang sabotaged him, making him a laughingstock.

Yan Xitang became a Hanlin Academician and was summoned to the palace to lecture. He took the opportunity to get back at Princess Linlang, making her a laughingstock too.

That was how their feud began...

Later, Princess Linlang played a little trick, and Yan Xitang was demoted and sent away to Lingnan to serve as a minor official.

Yan Xitang retaliated by having the princess's favorite servant beaten to death.

From then on, they picked a fight whenever they saw each other...

Later, Yan Xitang rose through the ranks, his career flourishing as he enjoyed the spring breeze and a harmonious marriage.

Princess Linlang, however, accidentally caused his new bride to die soon after their wedding.

Yan Xitang, in turn, accidentally left the princess's unmarried consort-to-be so terrified that he was crippled.

From then on, they were sworn enemies...

Later still, Ye Mingke became the Princess Royal and regent, while Yan Xitang became chief minister.

At court, the ministers were always at a loss:

If Chancellor Yan said yes, the Princess Royal said no.

If the Princess Royal said go right, Chancellor Yan said go left.

From then on, the court was plunged into turmoil and misery...

She called him a treacherous, power-hungry minister; he called her a foolish, incompetent ruler.

She called him a traitor plotting to seize the throne; he called her a worm eating away at the kingdom.

She called him a phony; he called her a liar.

She said he was exactly the kind of man she hated most, and even if he were the only man left in the world, she wouldn't go near him.

Then he said... $%^(&*$%%&*&)_(__++

She didn't catch what he said.

When she asked again, he said his mouth had cramped.

Anyway, a fleeting fondness is like a passing cloud, but deep love is like an endless wind.

Even if he loves her to death, he'd rather die than say those three words...

That's the kind of couple who are dying of longing but stubbornly refuse to admit it!

In a word: The Treacherous Minister and Me, a Litany of Crimes

The next novel: My Brother Is Not Happy

A domineering, unhinged wolf of a brother vs. a younger sister in sheep's clothing

Mu Changfeng is the eldest son of the Marquis of Mu, and Mu Yunhui is the youngest daughter of the Mu family. (They are not related by blood.)

In their early years, the siblings guarded a frontier city in the northwest. Mu Changfeng would often drag along his heavy greatsword, striding with a swagger that dared anyone to cross him. He carved deep tracks in the gravel and scared off every man who coveted his sister until they wet themselves.

Later, Mu Changfeng became a renowned general of the northwest, but he still liked dragging his greatsword and striding with a swagger that dared anyone to cross him, scaring off every man who coveted his sister until they wet themselves.

Later still, the Mu family rose up amid the chaos and conquered the realm. Mu Changfeng became that utterly unstoppable madman... her imperial brother.

Well, my brother is going to be emperor. Naturally, the things he loves most, besides the throne, are me.

And I... am actually going to defy heaven too.

This novel also has the more literary title The Wind Goes, but the Clouds Stay. In keeping with my usual style, it's sweet with angst, angsty with absurdity, and absurdity with madness.

Theme: Perseverance can carve through metal and stone.