Seizing the Jade

The maid A Yu was beautiful as ice and jade, with bright, captivating eyes. Her performance of the Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe Dance stirred the heart of His Highness the Prince of Jin, who took her into his household.

The Prince of Jin was cold-hearted and a notorious womanizer. In the past, the beautiful women sent to curry favor with him had either been beaten to death or tortured before being sent out of the prince's residence.

Everyone secretly wondered how long the Regent's new favorite would last this time.

Thanks to her slight resemblance to His Highness's beloved, A Yu was treated quite well.

Only A Yu knew that she was nothing more than a plaything he fancied on a whim.

*

The first thing the new emperor did after ascending the throne was clear the name of the wrongly accused Grand General Dingguo.

Qi Lingyu, the general's only descendant, declined the princess's reward and instead petitioned to serve in government. She became the first female official of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and soon became a favorite topic of gossip.

To everyone's surprise, she was clever and quick-witted, repeatedly solving the emperor's problems, and her reputation quickly grew.

Gradually, the courtiers stopped talking about her alluring beauty and began discussing how she went out of her way to keep her distance from the Regent.

At the Mid-Autumn banquet, the emperor hosted his ministers.

Someone boldly asked with a laugh, "Lord Qi, you encountered His Highness the Prince of Jin at the hot springs yesterday. Why did you flee in such a panic?"

Qi Lingyu rose gracefully from behind her desk. Her limpid eyes were cool and distant as she cast the man a chilly glance.

"His Highness is as radiant as the bright moon. This humble official is ashamed by comparison. To avoid disturbing him, I kept my distance. Wouldn't your groundless speculation tarnish His Highness's good name?"

The Prince of Jin glanced at her, his gaze cold as frost, then quickly looked away.

A ripple passed through his eyes. He took a small sip of strong liquor and smiled. "Lord Qi certainly knows how to talk."

*

That night, a clear moon hung high in the empty sky.

Moonlight flowed like water, while the night breeze stirred the curtains.

He pulled her into his arms, a dark look in his eyes, though he spoke as casually as if nothing were amiss.

"Didn't you say you barely knew me?"

His rough fingertips traced her smooth, jade-like back, cutting through her defenses like a cold blade.

"A Yu doesn't want to get entangled with me, but where do you think you can run?"

*

In the countless days and nights that followed, Qi Lingyu regretted it all.

If only she'd known, when he was on the brink of death back then, she shouldn't have softened and saved his sorry life.

Sharp-tongued, soft-hearted catlike beauty x a formidable wolfdog with low defense

Content notes:

One-on-one romance, both leads are virgins, happy ending.

The female lead is neither a naive sweetheart nor love-brained, and she will not leave the court for love.

The male lead is faithful in both body and heart from beginning to end. The beloved from his past is a misunderstanding.

Some keeping-your-distance tropes.

Entirely fictional setting, not intended as historical research.

First version posted on 2022.5.30

Theme: Be independent and strong; love yourself before loving someone else