The Empress Is His Childhood Sweetheart

[Complete] Chu Zhengze ascended the throne at the age of seven. Before he had even gotten comfortable on the throne, the Grand Empress Dowager he feared most forced him to bring into the palace Xue YurRun, the youngest legitimate granddaughter of the prime minister he hated most. From then on, Xue YurRun loved meat, so Chu Zhengze's dining table with her never had a scrap of meat. Chu Zhengze was afraid of dogs, so Xue YurRun raised seven of them and acted like she was one of them every day. And while Prime Minister Xue made him memorize books as tall as a person, forcing him to rise earlier than a chicken and sleep later than a dog, it was still Xue YurRun whom the Grand Empress Dowager cuddled and called her darling. Unsurprisingly, Xue YurRun was the childhood "nemesis" he had been at odds with for as long as he could remember. Once again, Chu Zhengze was so furious that he couldn't sleep, inwardly cursing the culprit. Meanwhile, Xue YurRun was fast asleep beside him, having a lovely dream. She tugged with her hand and kicked with her foot, expertly rolling the entire blanket beneath herself and pinning it down. Then she kicked the emperor right off the dragon bed. Chu Zhengze got up from the floor, gritted his teeth, pulled out the blanket, and gently covered her with it before climbing back into bed. His sleeping little empress, completely unaware, snuggled up to him and hugged him affectionately. The indignant young emperor found her a comfortable position and tucked the blanket around them both. Tomorrow, he would definitely make her pay! * The young ladies of the capital knew two things from childhood: First, the flighty little granddaughter of Prime Minister Xue, whose power dominated the court, was destined to become empress. Second, the emperor and empress had a terrible relationship. The emperor's most frequent refrain was, "I will settle accounts with you tomorrow!" Yet from childhood to adolescence, and even until they had grandchildren of their own, that "tomorrow" never came. Or was it that keeping the harem empty and doting on one person was what he meant by "settling accounts"? [2020/12/21] **[Currently serializing: *The Fragrance of Spring Boudoir*]** Jiang Yueyao lost her parents at a young age and had to depend on her maternal grandfather's family. The Sun family decided she was a jinx and drove her and her wet nurse to the distant Taoshan Mountain to fend for themselves. The mountain was desolate and run-down, and at first, life there was awful. But then she met a young man in the mountains. He had no parents, no name or surname, and referred to himself by his birth order: "Eleven." * Eleven was good at everything. He was handsome and skilled in martial arts. He could fix houses, tirelessly find her fragrant ingredients, and hunt game to cook delicious meals for her wet nurse... There was only one thing he wasn't good at: he knew nothing of worldly affairs or love, so he was always doing strange things. After Eleven lifted her up to a high branch, Jiang Yueyao felt a quiet flutter of annoyance. She clung nervously to his arm and carefully opened her eyes. The young man gazed at her with clear eyes. "Today I saw something, but I don't quite understand what it's called." He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against hers. A thousand lanterns lit the night, and stars fell like rain. Hidden behind the dazzling fireworks, she quietly blushed. * Jiang Yueyao hoped she could make a living through perfumery and become capable enough to stand up for him and her wet nurse, so they could all live peaceful, secure lives together. At the time, she had no idea that the martial world had a first-rate assassins' guild called the Hidden Blade Pavilion. And Eleven was its sharpest, most merciless blade. Theme: Grow together and face hardship side by side.