Spring in the Forbidden Court

[Coming soon: The Matchmaking Push and The Slender Waist Lock~ If you're interested, come check them out!] Zhaozhao was a young relative who lived in the Anyang Marquis's residence. She only got the chance to enter and leave the palace after being chosen as a companion to the Grand Princess Fu'an. One day, while out hunting at a palace retreat, Zhaozhao and a female companion happened upon the emperor in plain clothes. Her companion came from a distinguished family and greeted the emperor respectfully and confidently. Zhaozhao followed beside her and quietly bowed. After the two groups parted, her companion asked, partly boastfully and partly scornfully, "You've stayed in the palace with the Grand Princess, and you still don't recognize the emperor?" Zhaozhao hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "I'm not very familiar with him." Though the Empress Dowager and the emperor were mother and son, their relationship was rather complicated. Her companion gave Zhaozhao a sympathetic look, said the emperor was cold and imposing, and warned her to keep her distance. That night. When Zhaozhao returned to her courtyard, someone was already waiting in her room. The candlelight revealed the handsome, stern face of a man: the current emperor himself. The emperor's lips were pressed into a thin line, and his imposing presence was overwhelming. He twirled a loose strand of hair from beside her temple around his finger, seemingly nonchalant as he said, "Zhaozhao, I hear you and I aren't familiar with each other?" At first, Li Xuan left the empress's position vacant so that the crown prince's birth mother would be treated with dignity when he named an heir. If the crown prince's mother proved unfit for the role, he would choose a virtuous, capable, dignified, and gracious woman from a prominent family to be empress. That vacancy lasted twelve years. Then he met Gu Zhao and experienced the stirrings of love. From then on, he could no longer hold himself back. All the principles he had once set out were no longer important. He wanted Gu Zhao. The young woman was beautiful and gentle. Many talented young men pursued her, and there was even a prince among them. The emperor watched coldly, quietly sheltering the young woman beneath his wings. Until one day, at a palace banquet, someone drugged the young woman, and she nearly lost her virtue. The usually calm and restrained emperor carried her away in front of everyone, soothing her in a voice gentler than he had ever used before. "Zhaozhao, don't be afraid." Coming soon The Matchmaking Push The Duke of Dingguo's household was a top-ranking aristocratic family with a lineage spanning generations. Its heir, Lu Heng, was born to wealth and privilege, possessed the bearing of a dragon and phoenix, and was known in his family as a paragon of refinement. He was the most sought-after husband among young women of noble families. One day, an unexpected guest arrived at the residence: a delicate sixteen-year-old girl who claimed to be Lu Heng's betrothed. She brought a letter handwritten by the late duke and came to demand that the marriage be arranged. The girl was strikingly beautiful and alluring, and she made frequent advances toward the heir. She was certainly no suitable match. Fortunately, the heir was dignified and self-possessed, and she did not win his heart. ** Jiang Yu lost both her parents at a young age and lived with her uncle's family. Before her uncle passed away, he gave her a letter and told her to bring her aunt and cousin to the capital and seek refuge with the Duke of Dingguo's household. The Lu family only acknowledged the engagement to protect their reputation. Jiang Yu went along with their wishes and settled in as a young female relative of the family. But her goal had never been to marry Lu Heng, a man of noble birth. Pretending to give way was simply a way to make the Lu family feel a little guilty and get them to find her another match. The second branch's son, Lu Xu, was gentle and modest, and would make a more suitable husband. Just as she had hoped, when the Lu family saw that she was willing to compromise, they agreed to arrange her marriage to Lu Xu. Jiang Yu happily prepared to move out of the duke's residence and wait for her wedding. The night before she left, she had packed her belongings and was about to put out the lamp when a tall figure silently entered her room. Lu Heng, just returned from a long journey, gripped her wrist. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice hoarse as he asked, "A Yu, who are you going to marry?" The Slender Waist Lock On the eve of her night of service, A Chan learned that the emperor was gravely ill and that she was a sacrificial pawn sent to bring him good fortune. If the emperor died on the dragon bed, the person serving him that night would not escape death. Just as she was despairing, she met a strong, healthy man whose appearance resembled the emperor's in some ways. He was Prince Qin, Xiao Yi, trusted by the emperor and temporarily staying at the palace retreat. Prince Qin was cold and indifferent, and uninterested in women. A Chan didn't dare gamble that she could seduce him successfully. So she made a bolder decision. On the night she was supposed to serve the emperor, A Chan secretly climbed into Prince Qin's bed. The political situation changed overnight. The emperor died, and Prince Qin became the new emperor. That day, in the Empress Dowager's palace, a toddler who could barely walk wrapped his arms around Xiao Yi's leg. He tilted his little head up and called in a babyish voice, "Father!" A Chan hurried over, terrified out of her wits. Unable to pull her son away, she had no choice but to crouch and apologize. Xiao Yi said calmly, "It's all right." Seeing this, the Empress Dowager sighed sadly. "The emperor looks like the late emperor. It's no wonder the child mistook him for his father." Those around them chimed in, flattering him by saying that the late emperor's young prince and the new emperor shared some resemblance around the eyes and brows. Xiao Yi felt a slight stir in his heart. He raised a hand to gently stroke the child's head, but his gaze fell discreetly on the woman who had hurried to her feet, as though he were lost in thought. In the title Spring in the Forbidden Palace, "forbidden palace" means the imperial court. 1. A fictional setting. The worldbuilding and logic serve the plot, so please don't nitpick. 2. Content warning: sweet romance with an age gap, focused on daily life and not angsty. The male lead has had concubines; after meeting the heroine, he is devoted to her alone. 3. Updated daily. If anything comes up, I'll leave a note in the blurb. Premise: Stay true to yourself and be kind