Married Off to the Tyrant in a Political Alliance

Coming soon: The Eldest Princess of Jingguo, my next novel Hua Xi was Princess Ning'an's personal maid, honest, diligent, and devoted to her duties. But her mistress drugged her and sent her off in a bridal procession to marry far away. Only after waking up did she learn she was to marry Jing Zhong, the brutal and vicious King of Rou Dan. She was sad, she was desperate, and she cried all the way from the capital to Rou Dan. On their wedding night, a hand lifted her veil. Hua Xi took a closer look. Jing Zhong was extraordinarily handsome, and his palm was bigger than her face. Just as she began trembling with fear, that rough hand gently brushed her swollen eyes. He said, "From now on, you are my wife." Those who envied Hua Xi's beauty waited to hear that she'd come to a bad end. They waited and waited, until at last they saw her at a palace banquet. The man rumored to be cruel and violent held Hua Xi's hand carefully, as if she were a precious jewel. Hua Xi: My husband is gentle and attentive, and he doesn't even have any concubines. Princess Ning'an: ... [------Coming soon: The Eldest Princess of Jingguo. Please add it to your collection!------] The husband of the Eldest Princess of Jingguo had died. Everyone said her life would be miserable now. She was not of royal blood, she had grown distant from the Emperor over the past two years, his favor was scant, and she had no children. Who knew how hard her life would be from now on? Someone kindly arranged another marriage for her. That night, the Emperor barged into her room. Reeking of wine, he leaned close and said, "Sister, you mustn't marry anyone else. I'll protect you." In that moment, she saw something in the eyes of the young Emperor who had ascended the throne as a boy, something that should not have been there: a man's possessive desire for a woman. Li Huai had always remembered the year he was eight, when the Prince of Qin staged a coup. Rebels killed his father and mother and burned down the palace. When he was trapped with nowhere to turn, an insignificant laundress from the palace laundry bureau saved him. She stole buns for him and took beatings for him. She snatched food from refugees and suffered abuse at the hands of rebels... With her frail backbone and slender body, she protected him all the way to his maternal grandfather's home in Longxi. Later, with his grandfather's support, he defeated the rebels and ascended the throne. He called her "Sister," using the name he'd given her while they were in hiding, and enfeoffed her as the Eldest Princess of Jingguo. Knowing that she liked the eldest son of the Chen family, he arranged their marriage. He always believed he honored and respected her because he was a ruler who repaid his debts of gratitude. Until one night at a banquet, Chen Shutong put an arm around her waist as he walked past. Li Huai heard the jealous roar in his own heart. At last he understood: his desire to have her was a man's desire for a woman. He kept his feelings buried, suppressing his desire deep in his heart. Two years later, he heard her husband call her "nothing but a used-up woman. What is there to regret?" The young Emperor flew into a rage. He could not bear to see the woman he treasured like a jewel discarded like trash. So he killed her husband. Content warnings: 1. The woman is seven years older than the man. 2. The female lead is not a virgin, while the male lead is. 3. Forced pursuit and melodramatic tropes. Theme: Be strong, brave, and optimistic