Broken Branch

[Follow the print publication updates on Weibo: Nicholas Lizhi] Everyone knew the current emperor was moody and unpredictable. No one at court dared contradict him, and no one in the palace dared serve at his side. Still, there was one rare and fascinating tale people loved to discuss: Master Heguang gave the emperor a portrait of a beautiful woman. The emperor adored it and kept it in Jingyang Palace. After that, anyone with even one feature resembling the woman in the portrait was brought into the harem. But it was also said that none of them had ever been summoned to the emperor's bed, and several had even died. The fifth daughter of the Fu family came from a lowly background and had been a timid little mouse since childhood. When she was summoned to the palace, the rumors about the emperor left her even more anxious, trembling with fear. In her panic, she broke a white jade cup in Jingyang Palace. She was so terrified that her soul nearly left her body, and all the color drained from her face. The palace attendants saw this and all closed their eyes to mourn her. But the usually indifferent emperor crouched down and took Fu Mingsong's hand from among the shards of white jade. Fu Mingsong was so frightened that she couldn't stop crying. "I... I didn't mean to. I'll pay you back..." Wen Shu raised a hand and wiped away her tears. "What would you use to pay me back?" His voice was low and husky, as if he were suppressing something. "Would you give yourself to me as payment?" The palace attendants kept their faces impassive, though their hearts were churning. Only Eunuch Yuan, who had always served Wen Shu, knew that the fifth daughter of the Fu family had exactly the same face as the woman in the portrait. Even the mole at the corner of her eye was in precisely the same spot. As Eunuch Yuan had expected, Fu Mingsong soon became the emperor's most beloved consort, reigning supreme over the harem. When she was scared, Wen Shu comforted her. When she cried, Wen Shu comforted her. Even when she had a nightmare at night, Wen Shu held her and soothed her. Wen Shu's lips curved slightly as he thought, beauties are poisonous. He'd fallen for one once, yet he still wanted to fall for another. Reading Guide: * Past and present lives, not a rebirth story. The male lead has memories of his past life, while the female lead does not at first. * Tragic ending in the past life, happy ending in this life. Don't be scared off; I think it's pretty sweet. * The female lead is very timid early on. Very, very, very timid. * Both leads are sexually inexperienced. [Everything in the story serves the plot. The characters aren't perfect, so perfectionists should steer clear. You can't please everyone, so if it's not to your taste, just pick another book~] Coming soon: Spring Waters Sway Blurb: The Shen family of Jinzhou, a family of merchants, had a daughter of breathtaking beauty, as lovely as a lotus emerging from the water. Unfortunately, she was unlucky and was sold to Huaxiang House, a brothel district in the capital. Madam Shi spent a month trying to train Shen Shiting, but she refused to cooperate. In the end, she was drugged and sent into a room. The man inside was a notorious scion of a duke's household. She stumbled out the door and begged someone she should never have asked for help. Lu Jiuxiao lowered his gaze. A smile played at his lips as he crouched down and gently pinched the girl's chin. "Do you want him, or do you want me?" Later, people all over town said the Young Marquis of Yongding was the most charming man in the capital, but in the end, even he had fallen. Lu Jiuxiao didn't care. He lowered his head and rubbed the lotus-pink handkerchief between his fingers. Tsk. He hadn't just fallen for her. She had his very life in her hands. - Lu Jiuxiao's dissolute friends all knew that the carefree young marquis had three rules: First, he wouldn't touch a maiden. Second, he wouldn't let anyone spend the night in his bed. Third, he couldn't stand women crying. But later, his friends discovered that Lu Jiuxiao had not only touched the young Shen Shiting, but had also been seen in broad daylight with Shen Shiting coming out of his room in tears. Then came a voice from behind them, full of annoyance. "Shen Shiting, go on, try crying again." The man's tone softened with a hint of indulgent mischief. "I'll let you bite me back. Now stop crying, all right?" His friends stared, dumbfounded. "If you've been bewitched, just blink twice, will you?" Theme: Good love can make people become better versions of themselves.