The Princess's Stablehand

Yan Li is forced to work as a stable hand at the Princess Yang'a's residence.

He resolves to sell his strength and even his life if necessary, but never his body or his looks.

Xiao Wan thinks the stable hand is pretty good. Apart from his foul temper, he's great at everything: tending horses, driving carriages, fighting, and keeping his wits. And, of course, he has the best looks of all.

Yan Li, however, thinks the princess is shameless. Apart from being pretty, she's terrible in every way: bad-tempered, scheming, spoiled, and a parasite. The most infuriating thing is that she has no boundaries.

But Xiao Wan takes a liking to him and insists on flirting with him, again and again, until Yan Li becomes dry kindling that could catch fire at the slightest touch.

Yet the kindling clings to its last shred of restraint, holding down those crackling, burning sparks as it struggles in torment: should it catch fire, or... catch fire?

They are worlds apart, as distant as the Milky Way. Once the kindling is lit, all that remains is to burn to a heap of ash, with no bones left and no soul to speak of, scattered to the winds...

The princess is a typical princess, afflicted with princess syndrome and able to swagger all over the capital. She has powerful backing and a fortune to her name. At first, she relies on her beauty to get away with anything; later, someone uses their beauty to get away with anything at her expense.

The stable hand is a typical talent, with superb martial skills. When he's in a good mood, he can bend without breaking; when his temper flares, he gets stubborn and surly. At first, he keeps his head down and plays the underling; later, he turns the tables and becomes the master (though he still keeps his head down).

There are many obstacles between them, bringing calculated angst, a leap of faith, and sweet indulgence that is like drinking poison to quench one's thirst.

Highly recommend my currently updating novel: The Treacherous Minister and Me, Three Hundred Rounds

A spoiled princess and a calculating, powerful minister

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

At first, Yan Xitang placed third in the imperial examinations. At the Qionglin Banquet, Princess Linlang set him up, turning him into a notorious laughingstock.

Yan Xitang became a Hanlin Academy scholar and was summoned to the palace to lecture. He seized the chance to get revenge on Princess Linlang, making her a notorious laughingstock too.

Thus their feud began...

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

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

From then on, whenever they met, they went at each other...

Later, Yan Xitang rose through the ranks, his career flourishing and his marriage harmonious.

But Princess Linlang accidentally caused his newly-wedded wife to die.

Yan Xitang, in turn, accidentally left the princess's unmarried prince consort crippled with fright.

From then on, they were sworn enemies...

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

During court assemblies in the great hall, the officials never knew what to do:

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

When the Princess Royal said right, Chancellor Yan said left.

From then on, the court was in turmoil and the people suffered...

In a word: Come on, let's keep hurting each other...

The Treacherous Minister and Me: Our Crimes Are Too Many to Record

My next novel: My Brother Is Not Happy

A crazy sister-obsessed older brother vs. an even crazier brother-obsessed younger sister

Mu Changfeng is the eldest son of the Marquis of Mu, and Mu Yunhui is the youngest daughter of the Mu family.

In their early years, the siblings guarded a border town in the northwest. Mu Changfeng would often drag his heavy sword along, striding with an air that warned everyone to keep their distance, carving deep tracks in the gravel and scaring away every man who dared covet his sister.

Later, Mu Changfeng became a famous general of the northwest, but he still liked dragging his heavy sword along and striding with an air that warned everyone to keep their distance, scaring away every man who dared covet his sister.

Later still, the Mu family rose up amid the chaos and conquered the land. Mu Changfeng became the crazed, unstoppable... imperial brother.

Well, my brother is destined to become the emperor, and the thing he loves most, apart from the throne, is me.

This story also has the literary title The Wind Goes, but the Clouds Do Not Return. True to my usual style, it's sweet with angst, angsty with slapstick, and slapstick with madness.

Theme: Love can make you fearless and propel you forward.