Bamboo Shattered, Jade Broken

[Print edition signed; check Weibo @Shen Bi Se Ya for updates] Xiao Yao held a grudge against Cui Xun because of an elegant gathering shortly after she first arrived in Jianye. She was mocked rather thoroughly and, unable to restrain herself, tore the jeweled flower from Wang Si’s hair, turning the place into chaos. The farce came to an abrupt end when Cui Xun arrived. The noble young ladies who had been so proud and haughty around her all changed their tune, becoming so sweet and gentle it made her teeth ache. The Cui clan was the most distinguished of the aristocratic families, and Cui Xun was the clan’s most highly regarded legitimate eldest son. He was the moon in the sky, snow on a lofty peak, the most unattainable branch among all the elegant trees and orchids. One remark from him, “The princess is young and reckless,” earned Xiao Yao a night kneeling in punishment at the palace. Her white-haired father sighed as he looked at her. “Go back to Wuling and pick a cousin to marry.” Xiao Yao said through gritted teeth, “I’m going to break him.” * From a young age, Cui Xun had been the model of an aristocratic young man: proper in every word and deed, with an excellent reputation. That was, until he met Xiao Yao. He had once watched Xiao Yao accept peach blossoms from the fifth young master of a clan, then turn around and take apricot blossoms from the third young master of the Xie family, smiling so sweetly that her curved eyes were more enchanting than the flowers. She was shallow, frivolous, and spoiled. No matter how many times he made her copy the scriptures as punishment, she never learned her lesson. Later, at the midsummer lotus banquet, Xiao Yao, drugged, threw herself into his arms, her hairpins askew and her almond eyes hazy. “If you won’t help me, I’ll just find someone else…” Only then did Cui Xun realize that what he disliked was seeing Xiao Yao spoil other men. # A growing, flirtatious little princess X a self-disciplined, proper aristocratic young master who gradually goes off the rails ***Coming soon in the author's column: "The Spring Breeze Never Reaches"*** The two things Pei Heng regretted most in his life: First, when Yun Fu survived a great ordeal and confessed her feelings to him with tearful eyes, he calmly told her, “That isn’t what it means to be in love.” Second, when his cousin the prince asked for Yun Fu’s hand in marriage, he failed to stop the match. Every principle and moral code he had upheld collapsed from that moment on. The refined and radiant young master of the Pei family could no longer be associated with the word “gentleman.” # A lofty beauty who turns into a lovesick fool Theme: Stay true to yourself and never abandon your original aspirations.