I've Got a Thing for the Crown Prince's Shadow Guard

[Complete. Thank you for subscribing!] 1. For the fifteen years since she transmigrated, Lin Yuanjin has been cautious and obedient, terrified of making a mistake and dying in this murderous ancient world. Then the emperor betroths her to the crown prince, and she is framed and left stranded in the mountains. She thinks she'll die at the bottom of a cliff, but a young man in black comes alone to save her. The strange thing is, he looks almost exactly like the crown prince. "I am the crown prince's shadow guard, an unworthy servant. The Crown Princess need not know who I am." The young man's gaze is cool, his eyes sharp at the corners like blades. He reaches out and lifts her into his arms. "I was ordered to come save you." A shadow guard is the crown prince's shadow, taking misfortune and injuries in his place and doing everything he doesn't want to do. 2. After Lin Yuanjin marries into the Eastern Palace, her life is nothing like the splendor outsiders imagine. The crown prince is two-faced, incompetent, and quick-tempered. He is impotent, seeks help from shamans and physicians, and, when they fail to cure him, develops a taste for men. Even at the wedding ceremony, a shadow guard takes the crown prince's place. The man silently protects her day and night, keeping her from being poisoned and crushed by those in power. Lin Yuanjin sees no sign of the crown prince, who treats her with dismissive cruelty. She sees only the young shadow guard who saved her. But she doesn't know that to him, she is the first desire of his own in a life spent as a tool and subjected to schemes. He ought to accept his fate and be ready to die for the crown prince at any moment. But in the end, the wish to be with her "rightfully" awakens murderous intent in him, and he begins plotting to seize everything he should have had. One day, the empress summons the Crown Princess. The young shadow guard is seated beside her. He lowers his eyes and says nothing, the tips of his ears red as he guiltily avoids her gaze. Lin Yuanjin mistakenly thinks their feelings for each other have been exposed and disaster is imminent. The empress says, "I want you to bear an imperial grandson for my Cui family and the crown prince." 3. The suspicious emperor is about to punish the crown prince. The real crown prince flees to avoid punishment. His shadow guard seizes the chance to take his place, control the palace, and claim the throne. When the crown prince sees that the situation has settled down, he returns, having survived by hiding away. But the impostor sits calmly on the throne, treating the Crown Princess with loving care. The man has a dignified face and a faint smile. When he sees the crown prince in such a wretched state, he pauses for a moment, then silently lets murderous intent rise in his eyes and whispers, "She married the crown prince. Now, I am the crown prince." [Reading guide] 1. Neglected Crown Princess x scheming, beautiful, strong, tragic crown prince's double. Cover art commissioned from an artist. 2. The rest isn't important. See Chapter 1. Upcoming story: My Targets Are All My Teachers Mei Ran transmigrates as the daughter of an upright official and finds herself at Bianyang Academy. If she doesn't study harder, she'll be forced to go home and meet prospective husbands. The romance System tells her that if she successfully wins over her targets, she can live a sweet and doted-on life. Mei Ran studies the character profiles of her targets on the System's display and comes up with a daring idea. "I want to become their student." Romance System: ? "I want to become a powerful minister!" "?!" Theme: Face your heart and resist being crushed by those in power.