Spring at the Jade Terrace

My new novel, Bright Moon in My Arms, is complete! I’m also collecting interest for the historical romances The Traitor’s Wife, Spring at the Imperial Palace, and I Married the Tyrant Again After Returning (blurbs below). Born to a poor family, Zheng Yuqing was chosen by a court official who selected beautiful women for the palace because of her looks. At fifteen, she entered the palace for the selection. A newly successful candidate in the imperial examinations fell in love with her at first sight. A love poem, “Partridge Sky,” made her the talk of Chang’an. To create a romantic tale, the emperor arranged a marriage for her. But one glimpse of her in the great hall stirred the emperor’s heart. He seized the beauty for himself, taking his minister’s wife. * In the fifth year of her life as a Noble Consort, a new emperor ascended the throne. Acting on the late emperor’s final decree, he honored her as Empress Dowager. From being the emperor’s secret lover to becoming the Empress Dowager who ruled the realm, it took her only six years. Beneath the jade steps, her former beloved had become a chancellor. He never stumbled in his reports to the emperor, but whenever he faced the Empress Dowager, he would lose focus for a moment. Zheng Yuqing nearly burst into tears, but beneath her sleeves, someone gripped her hand tightly. The new emperor was strikingly handsome, and the twelve jade pendants on his crown swayed gently as he smiled warmly. “If the Empress Dowager looks at him once more, the head of Qin Shizhong will be delivered to Changle Palace tonight.” * With his sword pointed at Chang’an, the first thing the new emperor did was visit Jinle Palace to see this woman, who was his mother in name only. She was the most favored woman in the palace, but her origins were questionable. They said his father had forcibly taken her from one of his ministers. His father had once told him in front of all his ministers, “This son is nothing like me.” But on this one matter, they were surprisingly alike. * The moment I first saw her, I wanted to steal her away to my side. One day, I’ll make her come to me willingly. The Traitor’s Wife [The emperor takes his minister’s wife] When Jiang Lanwu was fifteen, the new emperor ascended the throne and sent a group of palace servants home. She bribed the director of the palace service and managed to leave the palace to marry her cousin. Her husband was a noble and admirable man. After they married, they lived in harmony, treating each other with respect. But then he was framed in an imperial examination scandal and thrown into prison. Awu ran everywhere seeking help, but to no avail. She watched helplessly as her husband was exiled a thousand li away, while his uncles threw her out of the house. When she was at her wits’ end, a nobleman happened to pass by and took her and her mother-in-law in. In return, however, she had to serve another nobleman. Her benefactor said that if she served the nobleman well, her husband might still have a chance at survival. The emperor had so many women. Once her husband returned after the amnesty, she could still be Madam Jiang. Late at night at the imperial residence, after bathing, the beauty let her long hair fall loose and knelt to present the emperor with her husband’s handwritten plea for justice. But the emperor did not hurry to read the letter. Instead, he studied her face by candlelight. “I’ve long heard that your beauty is unparalleled. Now that I’ve seen you for myself, I know the rumors were true.” She couldn’t remember when she had ever caught the eye of the most powerful man in the world, but the emperor never stopped thinking of her. The Emperor’s Daily Life with His Consort [A sweet romance with a touch of growing-up-together and an age gap] The eldest princess held a spring banquet, followed by a royal visit. Beautiful women entertained the emperor with song and dance. But though beauties filled the room, none caught the emperor’s eye. Displeased, he left early. Xie Huiyin was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Sui. She was naturally playful, and after wandering into the rear garden of the princess’s residence with a few companions, she saw the emperor, who had just been seated at the head of the banquet, dismiss everyone else and speak quietly with the eldest princess. Her companions scattered, but Xie Huiyin was still blindfolded and knew nothing of what was happening when she reached out and caught the emperor by the arm. The eldest princess was about to reprimand her, but the man beside her stopped her. The emperor wasn’t angry. Smiling, he took her favorite bird’s nest pastry from the table to coax her, and called her by her childhood nickname without thinking. “Sese, come here.” I’ve been waiting for her for so many years. Whether I’m happy or angry, it’s all because of her. I never say one thing while feeling another. I Married the Tyrant Again After Returning Age gap / love at first sight They say the tyrant murdered his father and brothers, leaving rivers of blood wherever his armies marched. In his twenty years on the throne, no woman had ever been close to him except the late empress. Yet when the young lady of the Duke of Lu’s family was chosen as crown princess, she unexpectedly wanted to marry the current emperor. The first time I met Sufu, I was three years older than her. When I married her again, I was more than twenty years older. [Blurb told as a monologue] *She is forever like a young deer wearing a flower crown, bright and lively. I’m already approaching forty. I have no right to let her call me Er Lang. *Even after fifteen years, I’ll still recognize you among the countless people, just as I did back then, and cross every obstacle to reach you. [Recommended completed novels] Sweet romances with age gaps / melodramatic romances Graceful Beauty: A sweet romance about a mischievous woman reborn. Not much palace intrigue. The Empress’s Alluring Scent: A tyrant emperor forcibly claims the crown princess. A nasty dog and a fussy little kitten. The Empress Is Flirting Again Today: A sweet romance between an ascetic and a noblewoman, the love story of a colt and a little fox. [Content warnings] 1. Extremely melodramatic. Crazy, scheming, black-hearted men show up often, with the occasional green tea, substitute, or Stockholm syndrome side character. 2. The author is the only one who keeps herself pure. The main characters do not force themselves to remain chaste. If that matters to you, this might not be for you. 3. Please don’t bring me up under someone else’s work, and don’t bring someone else up under mine. 4. Opinions from readers who haven’t purchased the legitimate version are not accepted. Theme: No matter how desperate things get, never give up on life.