I Let Down the Green Mountains

Ti Ying once rescued a young gentleman from a wealthy family who had fallen on hard times, taking him into her home for more than three months. Several years later, a new emperor ascended the throne. Ti Ying's childhood sweetheart and husband caught the eye of a powerful patron, rising from a minor county deputy to an official in the capital. Before long, he advanced rapidly and became the youngest Vice Minister in the history of the Great Jin. Ti Ying went from being a fisherwoman by the river to a noble lady honored with an imperial title. When the wives of officials entered the palace for an audience, she saw the young boy from her past seated on a high dais, wearing a jade crown and official sash, his status beyond question. But he seemed to have forgotten her. In a gentle yet distant voice, he asked, "Madam, you've only recently arrived in the capital. Have you settled in comfortably?" Remembering how he used to follow close behind her, never leaving her side, Ti Ying couldn't help feeling disappointed. But their positions were worlds apart, and bringing up the past might seem like she was trying to trade on their old connection. She suppressed her desire to reveal who she was. But later, when her husband was imprisoned, she had no choice but to kneel before the palace gates and beg him for help. Looking at her calmly, the young man said, "Sister, I thought that after achieving the dream you had as a girl, you would be happy. I never imagined I would still end up hurting you." Ti Ying vaguely remembered a starry night years earlier, when they sat at the bow of a boat, feeling the breeze. The boy had asked her, "Sister, what do you want when you grow up?" Looking at the stars, Ti Ying had said, "I hope Brother Shutong passes the highest imperial exam, becomes a high-ranking official, and gets me an honorific title." It turned out he had never forgotten her. Content warning: The male lead is a virgin; the female lead is not. Theme: Work hard to earn a living.