The Prince's Daily Face-Slapping (Reborn)

The story is complete. (The next book, Zhe Yao, is now open for readers. Come jump in!) [Blurb] A peerless "beauty" who fled from an enemy nation has ambitions as high as the heavens. Though the Crown Prince takes her in, he is wary of her at every turn. At first, the Crown Prince says, "This woman has ulterior motives. I must never trust her easily." Wanwan is wholly focused on plotting something big. Later, the Crown Prince says, "This woman is not sincere. I must never get too close to her..." Wanwan is wholly focused on plotting something big. Later still, the Crown Prince says, "Why can't she see how I feel? Is she an idiot?" Wanwan is wholly focused on plotting... a kingdom for the Crown Prince. His subordinates watch the Crown Prince, who has become the butt of every joke, and say, "Bet that stings." -- 1. One couple, one-on-one romance, both leads' first time, happy ending. 2. A fictional setting, very fictional. Please don't use the usual conventions of historical fiction to nitpick it. Thank you. 3. The leads grow over time, and both have flaws. Nobody's perfect. Please be considerate when pointing out potential issues, and help create a welcoming environment. Everyone wins. -- Zhe Yao The Yao Chun Brothel has a famous dance known across the land: the Zhe Yao. The dancer who best captures its spirit and grace turns out to be the long-lost legitimate daughter of the Minister's household. Two years after returning to her family, the Emperor betroths her to the fearless Young Marquis Ji. Young Marquis Ji says, "Even if I die, even if I jump off Anling Temple, I will never enter a dancer's room!" Later, with an arm around her slender waist, he asks, "My lady, would you dance for me again?" Who will bend for whom? One-on-one romance, happy ending. Lan Yin's mother died when she was young, and her father disappeared. Not a single person in her clan was willing to take her in, so she had no choice but to accompany her exiled maternal grandmother to the northern frontier. Years later, after a defeat on the northern frontier, Lan Yin saved a proud young man. His dark eyes were fierce, and he was like a cornered beast bristling with thorns. Yet her tenderness gradually softened him. Two years later, Lan Yin was summoned back to the capital by her family to bring good fortune to the gravely ill Marquis of Changning through marriage. There, she met that young man again. At the time, his elders told him to call her "Mother." Lan Yin always thought Pei Qingyu hated her, resented her, and refused to acknowledge her as his mother simply because she had taken his mother's place. Later, Pei Qingyu became a prince, while the Marquis's household fell in the struggle for power. Lan Yin was widowed, and everyone waited to see how this newly appointed prince would humiliate her. But they never knew what happened in the prince's residence, where warm curtains hung low and a man no longer touched by youthful innocence held her wrist firmly, pressed a restrained kiss to the hollow of her throat, and whispered hoarsely: "Please, look at me." ** Lan Yin married Pei Xuan, knowing his heart belonged to someone from his past. She had never expected anything more. She devoted herself to finding her father and saving others, seeking justice for those she had known. But Pei Xuan gave her warmth, allowing her to glimpse a ray of light in the Great Rong dynasty, as cold as a long winter night, and strengthening her resolve to pursue her ideals. Until, before Chongwen Hall, she held Pei Xuan's corpse in her arms and watched the snow bury the long steps. A gale destroyed the last trace of conscience in the world, and the body in her arms grew colder by the moment. Then he appeared, the young man she had once cherished, walking toward her with an umbrella. He stood before the steps, his low voice piercing her ears through the blizzard. He said, "Get up." "Even if tens of thousands stand in our way, I will face them with you." ** When they first met, she saved his life and gave him a warmth he had never known. When they met again, she was his mother in name. His longing became greed, yet he never crossed the line. Later, he cast aside his family name and became a prince, scorned by the world and called cold-hearted and ungrateful. He and she stood on opposing sides. They were never on the same path, yet they always found their way to the same destination. Many years later, snow fell again before Chongwen Hall. Pei Qingyu stood behind Lan Yin, watching the vast world with her. The words he had kept in his heart for years vanished with the wind and snow: "I hope you'll see me, and I hope you won't." ** We loved each other across mountains and seas. The world took a long time to find out. But I didn't mind. - Pei Qingyu/Li Chenyue The title, Yu Qingqing, comes from Su Shi's line "You see someone leave and find yourself longing for you, my love," meaning that seeing someone depart made him think of you. 1. The woman is older than the man. 2. Pei Qingyu is the male lead. [In this story, the male lead means the person who ends up with the heroine.] 3. Happy ending, but the heroine may not fall for the male lead first. The male lead is devoted to the heroine in body and heart. That's right, another story with a virtuous male lead. 4. The male lead and the other male character are not related by blood, so there is no taboo relationship between the male lead and the heroine. [And they won't be romantically involved while that relationship remains in place.] 5. The heroine is neither reborn nor a transmigrator. She has no knowledge of the future and is gentle in temperament. If that's not your thing, don't read. 6. The story moves slowly, with a gentle, unhurried pace. New clues will be revealed as the plot unfolds. Theme: Concern for the country and its people.