The Cold-Faced Power Minister's Childhood Sweetheart

Previously titled The Power Behind Her Skirts A powerful man lowers his head for love | The hero is fiercely possessive and unwavering | Childhood sweethearts, with a slow-blooming everyday romance | Both are each other’s first love, and both are virgins | A two-person romance Sweet, well-behaved young lady vs. rebellious young marquis Shen Niannian has been cherished all her life by her maternal grandfather, the chancellor, her father, a vice minister, and her childhood friend, a marquis. Each of them treats her like a treasure in the palm of their hand. Before her coming-of-age ceremony, her mother had already prepared a list of eligible bachelors for her to choose from. The finest young men in the capital were hers for the picking. The list included A gentle and refined professor at the Imperial College. A promising new top scorer in the palace examinations. And the son of a prince from the imperial clan. But before she had a chance to choose, her childhood friend, who commanded the army, had one after another of the candidates on the list quietly “dealt with.” The top scorer became a princess’s husband, the Imperial College professor vanished, and even the prince’s son left the capital... Later, the childhood friend whom every noblewoman in the capital was desperate to marry put on a show for her alone, humbling himself in the dust and letting her choose. * Lu Zhiheng was born into the Duke of Wei’s illustrious, generations-old family. He donned armor and went to war at fourteen, and was made a marquis at nineteen, becoming the youngest marquis since the founding of the Great Yong. Every noble family in the capital wanted to marry their daughter to him. One of his friends came to sound him out: “Could the Miss Shen who’s always by your side be the one your heart belongs to, Marquis?” With so many people around, he feared gossip might damage her reputation, so Lu Zhiheng drew a clear line between them. “To me, she’s no different from a younger sister.” He never imagined that Shen Niannian, standing behind a tree, would stiffen and quietly take half a step back. From then on, Lu Zhiheng could only watch as she charmed one noble young man after another The gentle Prince of Linyi, The refined professor at the Imperial College, The dazzling new top scorer... Only her “older brother” didn’t even make the shortlist! Later, he sneaked into her boudoir at night to demand an explanation. Instead, she was drunk, pushed him against the door, rose on tiptoe, and kissed him by force... When she woke up sober, Lu Zhiheng’s jealousy churned in his chest, and his voice turned dangerous. “Be good, Niannian. Tell Brother Heng, which bastard kissed you?!” She was terrified. She had just told him that all her experience kissing him came from the lessons he’d given her in her dreams. He could no longer hold himself back. By the end of the night, her slender, fair neck was covered in bite marks. Afterward, he clasped her waist and demanded a title with shameless confidence. “We’ve kissed, and you let me spend the night. You can’t have your way with me and then abandon me!” Shen Niannian: ? *The male and female leads are not blood-related. Their families have been friends for generations. *The male lead is utterly devoted to the female lead. *An alternate world, traditional historical romance. The story focuses on the leads’ everyday life together and their relationship, with plot as a secondary focus. Coming next: Marquis, Please Show Some Restraint After We’re Married Su Wanyue was born lucky. She was the only legitimate daughter in three generations of the Qinghe Su clan. Her grandfather was a chancellor, her father a minister, and her brother a top scholar. They raised her like a radiant moon and treasured her above all else. Until the crown prince, already surrounded by concubines, coveted her beauty and family background and insisted she enter the Eastern Palace as a secondary consort. The Su family was thrown into turmoil. Unwilling to let their precious jewel fall into a mire, they hastily arranged a marriage for her. They said her betrothed, Xiao Cijin, had risen from humble beginnings. He had fought through bloodshed on the battlefield and won repeated victories, earning the title of Marquis of Ningyuan. He alone commanded the military forces along Great Xia’s northern frontier, making him the most feared iron-fisted powerbroker in the court. They said the Marquis of Ningyuan was peerlessly handsome, his fearsome, murderous aura unable to conceal his stunning looks. No elders ruled over his household, and he had no maids or concubines, leaving his inner residence quiet and spotless. There was just one problem: he spent the year campaigning across the land, rough and unruly by nature, and cared nothing for the cleanliness and propriety of the secular world. Su Wanyue, on the other hand, had grown up secluded in a refined inner chamber and was known for her severe germophobia. They were worlds apart, their temperaments at odds. How could they possibly live together? Yet across all of Great Xia, only the battle-hardened Marquis of Ningyuan dared to wrest her, his bright moon, from the crown prince with his own power. * Since Xiao Cijin was made a marquis, he had become a rising star in court, and every noble family considered him the most eligible husband in the capital. To him, marriage had nothing to do with romance. His mother was gravely ill and had repeatedly urged him to start a family and carry on the family line as soon as possible. Even if he had to marry for political reasons, he would choose a woman whose family and looks were both peerless in the capital, so he could fulfill his mother’s dying wish. Before his bride had even entered his household, he had already weighed everything calmly. If they could live together in harmony after marriage, that would be best. If she found life unbearable, then once she had borne a legitimate son to carry on both families’ lines, he would set her free. She could even find another good match. On their wedding night, the instant he lifted her veil, Su Wanyue’s moonlit beauty dazzled Xiao Cijin. But it was only a moment of amazement. Ever considerate, he had made arrangements in advance. “I hear you dislike sharing a bed with someone. Once we’ve consummated the marriage, we can live in separate courtyards.” At the time, he was certain this marriage was nothing more than a tangle of mutual interests. That was until he saw her childhood friend from a noble family call her affectionately, “Yue’er.” The murderous aura Xiao Cijin had kept in check nearly burst out of control. He wanted nothing more than to tear apart the bastard who dared covet his beloved wife! Later, when the childhood friend confronted him with biting hostility, he said, “If Yue’er hadn’t needed your military power to fend off the crown prince, she never would have humbled herself by marrying you. She’s never loved you!” Xiao Cijin’s heart was already in turmoil, but he refused to back down. “There are countless powerful men in Great Xia. Why would she pass you over and marry me for power? Because you could never reach her heart. Wanyue loves me!” That night, Xiao Cijin clung tightly to Su Wanyue, his eyes red. “We’ve kissed, and we share a bed every night. If you dare divorce your poor, worn-out husband, I’ll die right in front of you!” Su Wanyue: ? Theme: In marriage, be the one who chooses, never the prey waiting to be chosen.