After Childhood

Complete. The main story is finished. Please check out my upcoming novel, After Marrying My Ex-Husband's Greatest Enemy.

Zhao Guiyan was a concubine-born daughter of the Duke of Rong's household. Her birth mother died young, and her stepmother treated her harshly, making life in the household very difficult. The only one who treated her sincerely was her legitimate older sister, Zhao Qingluan, who was adored by everyone.

When Zhao Qingluan died of illness in Fengyi Palace, Zhao Guiyan lost both her mother and her sister in an instant.

She knew in her heart that her sister had not died a natural death.

The Zhao family had lost its empress and needed to choose another woman to enter the palace. Zhao Guiyan knelt in the snow for three days and three nights, and at last she was given her chance.

Emperor Jinghe ascended the throne as a young man. In his fifteen years of rule, the land had been peaceful and prosperous, and he had ushered in a golden age for Great Wei. He was dignified and proper, deep-thinking, and well versed in the art of ruling. He was the perfect emperor, praised by all.

One day, the palace gained a young empress. She was spoiled and naive, and her eyes and heart overflowed with adoration for him. Little by little, he broke through his own limits and granted her the highest favor.

Later, Cheng Jingyi learned that everything had been an illusion. His eyes reddened, and he asked her with anguish, "Did you ever love me at all?"

[Male Lead's Perspective]

At first, Cheng Jingyi only wanted to keep his promise and take good care of Zhao Guiyan. He gave her the position of empress simply because he thought it would kill two birds with one stone.

By giving it to Zhao Guiyan, he could first spare her from her stepmother's schemes.

Second, the Empress Dowager and the ministers would stop pressuring him to choose consorts.

It had nothing to do with love.

He thought: If she ever wanted to leave the palace, he would give her a new name and arrange a good marriage for her.

But later, he couldn't bear to be apart from her for even a moment. He wanted to hold on to her for all eternity, and never let go, even in death.

Reading Notes

1. The leads have a twelve-year age gap. The male lead is a doting, fatherly boyfriend.

2. Both leads are virgins. The male lead never slept with the female lead's sister, and in this life he loves only the female lead.

3. The female lead is fifteen and the male lead is twenty-seven. They marry first and fall in love afterward.

Upcoming: After Marrying My Ex-Husband's Greatest Enemy

Cool, handsome powerful official x rational, charming heiress

Qi Yutan was the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Rong's household. She had been adored and pampered ever since she was little.

What's more, she was blessed with a breathtakingly beautiful appearance, and many sons of distinguished families were smitten with her.

She was engaged to the Heir of Prince Ning, and their wedding was set for after the New Year.

Her sixteen years of smooth sailing came to an abrupt end the day her fiance's pregnant mistress showed up at her door.

The mistress was delicate and lovely. She knelt outside the Qi family's home and sobbed for days, forcing the Qis to take her in.

Her fiance promised never to wrong her again, but turned around and tried to secure his mistress the status of a co-wife.

Heartbroken, Qi Yutan angrily broke off the engagement. Her fiance refused to accept it and even schemed to ruin her reputation.

Stumbling along, she fell into the arms of another man...

When she came to her senses, Qi Yutan discovered that the man she'd spent one night with was Pei Jian, the newly crowned top scholar, whose political views clashed with her former fiance's.

Qi Yutan bit her lip and said, "Don't worry. I'll take responsibility for you."

Pei Jian was handsome and cool, and though he came from a poor family, he was deeply trusted by the emperor.

Before marrying Qi Yutan, he lived a life of unblemished grace, like an immortal untouched by the mortal world.

After they married, he was dragged down to earth, and his life became remarkably lively.

Outside, his new wife's admirers mocked him and secretly made things difficult for him.

At home, his new wife was alluring and attentive to him every day, drawing him deeper and deeper into her charms.

Later, Pei Jian rose to the highest ranks of court and held power over the entire realm, only for his own wife to ask him for a divorce, saying she had repaid the debt of gratitude she owed him from years ago.

Pei Jian held the little dumpling in his arms and chided her indulgently: "Don't be silly. Where are you planning to go, leaving our daughter and me behind?"

Upcoming: I Became the Empress After the Fall of My Kingdom

Delicate, adorable princess x perfect, pure-hearted country boy who can't read

Yunqi was the only legitimate princess of the emperor and empress. She had been showered with affection since childhood, and she was also blessed with striking, breathtaking beauty.

When she came of age, suitors seeking her hand in marriage thronged the palace gates, but Yunqi didn't like a single one.

She either disliked their looks or thought their education was lacking.

As for their family backgrounds... no one in the world could possibly outrank her.

The emperor and empress had no choice but to soothe her, saying that no man in the world could be perfect in every way.

Later, a coup turned everything upside down. The pampered princess fell from her lofty position and became a delicate flower anyone could pluck.

Fortunately, a kind-hearted man saved her.

He came from a humble background and had no learning. Aside from his passably handsome looks, his delicious cooking, and his exceptional martial arts...

Yunqi found everything about him unsatisfactory.

Years later, a new dynasty was established. At the empress's investiture ceremony, the once-famous beauty of the capital appeared before the crowd once more.

She was still dressed in a magnificent gown and towering crown, still naive about the ways of the world, and still breathtakingly beautiful.

The mighty emperor gently lowered his head and kissed her between the brows.

*

Li Chengjun had no parents and grew up in hardship, developing a knack for doing everything himself.

Beyond staying alive, he had never had any worldly desires.

Then he met a pampered young lady who had fallen from the heavens.

His darling was proud and beautiful, so pampered that he had no idea how to handle her.

Later, the new dynasty was founded, and the realm was united.

He spent half his life chasing after her, all so she could once again sit in a golden palace, untouched by wind and snow.

#You are the only dream I have in this life.#

Theme: Seek the truth and pursue justice.