My Husband Is a Treacherous Minister

Ruan Fengmian was born into a distinguished family at the height of its prosperity. Blessed with breathtaking beauty, she had every reason to think her life would be smooth and happy.

But trouble struck just before her wedding. Her childhood sweetheart and fiancé returned to the capital with a beautiful concubine who was heavily pregnant. He claimed it had been an accident and told Ruan Fengmian to be magnanimous.

Ruan Fengmian didn't blame herself for having poor taste in men. She blamed her fiancé for being a scoundrel. Armed with a club, she went to ambush him, but somehow fell into the water before she could strike. She nearly drowned, and was lucky to be rescued by someone.

To protect her reputation, Ruan Fengmian had no choice but to marry Wei Lanzhou.

Her parents told her that although Wei Lanzhou came from a humble family, he was modest and reserved, gentle and courteous, and handsome to boot. Marrying him wouldn't be a hardship, they said. Ruan Fengmian could only reluctantly accept.

Married life was just as her parents had promised. Wei Lanzhou was a gentle, patient husband who doted on her. His career advanced by leaps and bounds, and with the emperor's favor, his future looked boundless.

Everyone said she was lucky to have married such an outstanding and devoted husband, and Ruan Fengmian wholeheartedly agreed.

As the years passed, Ruan Fengmian grew ever more devoted to and dependent on her husband. He, too, had eyes only for her. There was just one problem: her husband didn't seem like a good man. He was up to the sort of things only corrupt officials and villains would do. What was she supposed to do about that?

*

The day the truth came out, Ruan Fengmian was in turmoil. Wei Lanzhou knelt before her, his lips brushing her fingertips, his eyes as gentle and clear as ever.

"Mian'er, you can turn me in. It's just... I can't bear to lose you."

*

Wei Lanzhou thought of himself as a hypocrite: cold, heartless, and willing to do anything to achieve his goals.

But one day, even he began to fear. He feared the day his true face was revealed, and wondered how she would look at him then.

Whenever he thought of the day she would despise him and leave him, his heart could not find a moment's peace.

1: This may be a slow-burn, slice-of-life story.

2: This is a fictional setting, and the author knows little about history. Please don't scrutinize the historical details.

3: I wrote this by mashing my face against the keyboard, so my skills are limited. Please go easy on me.

Theme: Love means taking someone's side