Delicate Beauty

My next books will be The Eastern Palace's Beloved Concubine and The Deposed Crown Prince's Little Maid. Thanks for following!

Resilient, clever young woman VS cold, crazy, beautiful but tragic man

1. The Yongping Marquis's household has many children. Wen Shu's mother died young, and she is often bullied in the household.

When she was eight, her father brought home a son born to his concubine. He was in the same situation as she was. Wen Shu helped him a few times, and from then on, she had a playmate.

As they grew older, Wen Shu blossomed into a peerlessly beautiful young woman. But the Marchioness wanted her to become a "dowry concubine" for her legitimate elder sister, and Wen Shu naturally refused.

Then the fourth brother who had grown up alongside her, the son of the Yongping Marquis's concubine, turned out to be a prince who had been raised outside the palace. Once he was found, the Emperor made him Prince Yan!

Wen Shu figured she and her fourth brother had some rapport. Now that he had risen to great heights, could she ask him to find her a husband? That would surely be better than becoming someone's concubine.

She specially made his favorite lotus pastries and went to see him, explaining what she wanted.

Shen Yi glanced at the pastries on the table. "What sort of husband does Seventh Sister want?"

Wen Shu blushed. "I'll leave it to Fourth Brother to decide."

Shen Yi chuckled softly, idly turning a jade thumb ring in his fingers. "What do you think of me, Seventh Sister?"

Wen Shu: ...?

2. Only after Shen Yi's mother was murdered did he learn he was a prince. To avenge her, his biological father sent him to the Yongping Marquis's household and promised to make him Crown Prince one day.

The court was full of intrigue, and Shen Yi knew he was nothing but a pawn. He wanted no part in it and planned to leave once he had avenged his mother's murder.

But at the marquis's estate, he met a little girl who was clearly terrified, yet still reached out to him with trembling hands.

When she smiled, lovely dimples appeared in her cheeks. She had only one sweet cake, but still shared half with him. Yet this sweet and obedient girl was bullied until she was covered in bruises.

That rainy night, Wen Shu was injured while saving him and fell unconscious. Shen Yi knelt before Emperor Shun'an, his gaze cold. "I will become Crown Prince."

He would make himself a pawn to protect his little girl and raise her to be Empress, above all others!

The Emperor decreed that the Shen family's legitimate daughter would become Prince Rui's consort. But everyone knew that Prince Rui, Duan Heng, had been bedridden for years. He also had a son of unknown parentage who had already been named heir. Marrying him meant becoming a widow before long and losing the position of heir's mother. The Shen family's eldest legitimate daughter refused to marry him at any cost.

So the Shen parents coaxed their second legitimate daughter, Shen Yan, promising her half again as much dowry if she married him. Shen Yan saw the mountains of dowry and thought: Once Prince Rui dies, the heir will inherit the title, and she will become the rightful Princess Dowager without lifting a finger. A life of wealth and comfort, handed to her on a platter! How could she refuse? She would marry him!

After the wedding, Shen Yan had no parents-in-law to answer to, no concubines to deal with, and a sickly husband who left everything to her. The entire princely residence was entrusted to Shen Yan. Life couldn't have been better!

As Duan Heng's health continued to decline, Shen Yan decided to show him some "end-of-life care" in view of the immense fortune soon to be hers. She occasionally gave him medicine, made him pastries, and tried to discipline the unruly young heir. After all, the brat would have to support her someday. What if he squandered the family fortune?

In the midst of this chaotic, no, peaceful and harmonious life, Shen Yan eagerly awaited the imperial decree naming her Princess Dowager. But she waited and waited until her belly had grown round, and her sickly husband still hadn't died. He was even arguing with the brat over whether the baby in her belly was a boy or a girl.

Watching the lively father and son, Shen Yan rested a hand on her belly and sighed at the heavens. "Who was it that said Duan Heng was on death's door? Pay me back!"

A friendly note from Tian Nuo:

1. One-on-one romance, both leads' first relationship, happy ending, three-year age gap

2. Set in an alternate world with very little connection to history. Please don't nitpick the details.

3. The cover characters are used with permission.

4. No romance before their sibling relationship is dissolved.

Added on 2021-12-23. Screenshot saved. Please don't copy my idea.

Theme: No matter how great the difficulties, keep fighting tenaciously and stand on your own two feet!