Stealing Fragrance

Everyone in the palace knew that the emperor couldn't stand Consort Guo, Guo Xiaoman.

Guo Xiaoman was sensible enough to keep her distance, knowing the emperor disliked her.

And so, little by little, Consort Guo, who had no grand ambitions, ended up in the Cold Palace.

One day, a group of people suddenly barged into the Cold Palace. A gaggle of consorts and their eunuchs stormed in, threw back Guo Xiaoman's covers, and dragged out a disheveled man.

"Which blind, worthless servant just grabbed me?" the man shouted, stamping his feet.

Everyone was so shocked they couldn't speak. They all thought, We came to catch her in the act, and now we're the ones about to lose our heads...

Note: Easygoing consort x short-tempered emperor, one-on-one romance, both leads are virgins, with a bit of a silly, comedic tone. Set in an alternate world, so don't nitpick the historical details. (Two chapters involve supporting characters with BL leanings. Please don't read if that bothers you.)

The author's new story, Stealing Fragrance, is now open for advance follows!

While recovering from an illness in the mountains, Princess Li Yanyi of Xingcheng

found that a handsome scholar had moved into the neighboring courtyard.

With nothing to do, Li Yanyi was delighted by this discovery.

From then on, she carried a ladder over every day and peeked over the wall,

watching the scholar blush and try to keep his composure.

It became her greatest amusement.

At last, one day, the scholar couldn't take it anymore.

His face red with anger, he looked up at her on the wall and said, "Miss, if you want to look at me so badly, why not come in through the front gate and look to your heart's content?"

Li Yanyi laughed at that,

her eyes curving as she looked at the scholar. "You're no fun. Sneaking around like this is what makes it exciting!"

After that, Li Yanyi teased the scholar in every way she could, but he remained utterly unmoved, his composure unshaken.

Li Yanyi soon lost interest. Her health had also recovered,

so she left for the palace,

and before long the emperor arranged her marriage to Chen Xiu, the newly risen top scholar.

At the betrothal banquet, Chen Xiu pointed to a man and introduced him to Li Yanyi. "Your Highness, this is my maternal uncle."

Li Yanyi smiled and was about to nod in greeting,

but one look at him left her stunned.

Chen Xiu's uncle, Marquis Wang Xian of Ling'an, wore a dragon robe and carried himself with refined dignity,

but why did he have the exact same face as the scholar from the mountains?

Chen Xiu, the soon-to-be prince consort, had been troubled lately. He had no idea what he had done wrong,

but his uncle, who had always treated him kindly,

now found fault with him at every turn, constantly picking on him.

Li Yanyi knew the reason, but she didn't dare tell Chen Xiu,

because every night,

the Marquis of Ling'an, so gentle and proper and admired by everyone,

would climb over the wall of her princess residence and leap through her window into her bedroom.

Before leaving at dawn, the Marquis would rise and put on his clothes,

then lean close to her ear and murmur in a husky voice, "Yanyi, was it sweet?"

Reader's guide: A sweet romance. The male lead looks gentle but is strong inside, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Includes taking someone by force and a long road to redemption.

Theme: Even in adversity, keep your heart turned toward the sun and strive to improve.