Plucking the Golden Bough Again

[If you're bothered by the old premise sitting unused for too long, please move along] In her previous life, Pei Baozhu was the youngest daughter of a duke. Her mother was Princess Yongjia, and she had been doted on since childhood. With two older brothers, a face as beautiful as a lotus and unrivaled among all women, she was spoiled and willful. Most noble young women in the capital had their marriages arranged without ever meeting their husbands. She was the only one who got to choose her own. Pei Baozhu fell for the third young master of the Minister's household, a man of impeccable character and gentle elegance. The betrothal gifts had already been exchanged, and all that remained was the wedding procession and their formal marriage. But then Chen Boyuan, the deeply calculating, gloomy killer known as the Marquis of Dingyuan, interfered with her marriage. In her previous life, Pei Baozhu hated Chen Boyuan for forcing her into marriage. But the man was powerful and relentlessly schemed to win her over, so she had no choice but to enter his gilded cage. She lived to the age of thirty-six. She ran away more than thirty times, but only succeeded once. And that was the last time. It was what cost Pei Baozhu her life. In her previous life, she trusted the wrong people and got her brother into trouble. Her mother died suddenly from grief, while her father had passed away several years earlier. As a result, the Pei family lost its influence. By then, Chen Boyuan had taken control of the military and was planning to overthrow the dynasty and make himself emperor. But to avenge her, he abandoned the grand plan he'd spent years preparing. In the end, he died from a poisoned arrow and was beheaded for public display. After Chen Boyuan became a widower, Pei Baozhu's spirit watched him carry her ashes with him day and night. Grief consumed him, and he teetered on the edge of madness. Putting aside his unsavory methods, Chen Boyuan was actually a very faithful husband. He was endlessly tolerant of her caprices and even spoiled her until she became more and more willful and unrestrained. Reborn at twenty, Pei Baozhu returned to the day she ran away for the first time. She had been married to Chen Boyuan for two years and was pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. In her previous life, neither child had survived. In this life, Chen Boyuan still brought his men to surround the run-down house where she was hiding. "Baozhu, come out and come home with me." The man's rich, magnetic voice came from outside the door. Even though he deliberately kept his voice low, the authority and solemnity of a battle-hardened man still made her heart tremble. Before she could reply, Chen Boyuan darkened his expression and kicked open the door she'd bolted shut. He was about to threaten his runaway wife. But he saw Pei Baozhu sitting on the edge of the canopy bed, one hand pressed to her lower abdomen. Her eyes reddened as she said coquettishly, "I think I might be pregnant. Send someone to find a doctor and get me a few doses of medicine to help the pregnancy along." The man's eyes widened slightly, surprise and disbelief written all over his face. Pei Baozhu bit her lip petulantly and urged him, "Chen Boyuan, why aren't you coming over to comfort me?" Chen Boyuan froze again. After a long moment, he went to his wife's side and replied in an unusually gentle voice, "Mm. I'm coming to comfort you now." - Reborn into a new life, the first thing Pei Baozhu wanted to do was save the first children she and Chen Boyuan would have together. Next, she would make sure the Pei family wasn't harmed by treacherous people, so history wouldn't repeat itself. And finally, she decided she wouldn't run away anymore. She also planned to treat Chen Boyuan a little better. A spoiled, willful noble princess x a brooding, scheming, patriarchal tyrant (1): Both leads are virgins. The male lead is devoted and chaste, with the air of an exceptionally devoted widower. An old flame rekindled + forced marriage + reunion after a breakup + love after marriage (and pregnancy). Seven-year age gap. (2): Both leads are reborn. Includes revenge and putting villains in their place, but is actually a very sweet, sugary romance. The first version of this blurb was written on May 30, 2026. Plagiarism and copying the premise will be pursued. There are no transmigration elements. I can't change the tags myself, but I'll ask the editor to change them before the story begins. Theme: Peace and prosperity for the nation, calm seas and clear skies