The Commandery Princess Only Wants to Be a Marshal

Advance preview: The Long Road to a Political Marriage (Fake Princess). Please add it to your reading list.

Blurb

As the Junzhu of the Prince of Zhennan's household, Zhao Xi should have enjoyed a life of wealth and glory. But she believed she was born to lead troops, not waste her years cooped up in a woman's chambers.

When Luo Cheng first met Zhao Xi, the girl was only fourteen, but her boastful words were enough to fool anyone...

Proud, clear-eyed, and inspiring female lead VS cold within and outwardly reserved, scheming male lead

P.S.

1. Set in the Sui and Tang dynasties, with a partly fictional setting. Please don't nitpick historical details.

2. I promise not to abandon this story, so feel free to add it to your reading list.

3. Advance preview: The Long Road to a Political Marriage (Fake Princess). Please add it to your reading list!

Ning Zhao was five when Fu Junjing found her.

Over the next twelve years, the frail little girl, thin as a bean sprout, grew into a graceful young woman. She had killed for him and risked her life for him. She wanted to become the sharpest sword in his hand and help him achieve the ambition that burned beneath his carefree exterior.

It was partly to repay his kindness, and partly because of the secret yearning in her heart.

That was until she took her sister's place and went to the Zhou Kingdom to marry for peace.

Only then did she realize that all those years of studying and training with everything she had meant less than a face resembling Princess Chaoyun's...

From the male lead's perspective:

Five years ago, Lin Shu supported the young emperor's ascension to the throne. As Grand Preceptor, he wielded power across the Zhou Kingdom and commanded respect throughout the realm.

After years of ruling with an iron fist, everyone feared him.

Except for Princess Chaoyun of the Qi Kingdom.

She was audacious, for one thing. And this woman, who was about to enter the emperor's harem, had no sense of propriety. Did she really think he couldn't see through her clumsy attempts to seduce him?

In response...

Ning Zhao: “The great families of the Zhou Kingdom and Your Excellency are not of one mind. Why not help me become empress? We could support each other, you in the court and I in the imperial harem.”

Lin Shu scoffed. “And what makes you think you can?”

Later...

Lin Shu lowered his eyes to look at her. “Do you still want to be empress?”

Ning Zhao's dewy eyes seemed veiled in mist. “Of course. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the whole Zhou Kingdom were under our control...”

Noticing someone's increasingly dangerous gaze, she added hesitantly, “Actually, being the Grand Preceptor's wife would be nice too...”

P.S. The female lead is a fake princess and a real spy. The male lead gets caught in a tug-of-war over love, and the second male lead has to suffer a long road to winning his love back.

Theme: Move forward bravely in turbulent times and stay true to your original convictions.