The Regent Cheated on Himself

To consolidate his power, Chu Heng's treacherous chancellor father forcibly separates Prince Li Shen, the Sixth Prince, from his fiancée and marries Chu Heng off to him.

Li Shen hates Chu Heng and her father. He hastily completes the wedding rites, then leaves for the border without even lifting Chu Heng's veil.

It couldn't be better.

With the Prince's Residence's token in hand and the money her father gives her out of guilt, Chu Heng travels the countryside and lives a carefree life.

In an isolated village, Chu Heng falls in love for the first time in her life, with a humble hunter.

Though her feelings run deep, she knows she cannot escape Li Shen, so Chu Heng runs away.

When she returns to the capital, her father has been demoted, but Li Shen has won one victory after another on the border and become a powerful regent.

Now that he can choose his own path, surely the first thing he'll do when he returns is divorce her.

Chu Heng can't help but look forward to it.

She thinks she will never see her beloved again, but he appears before her once more.

Unable to hold back her feelings, Chu Heng says, "I'll be free again soon. You said you'd marry me. Do you still mean it?"

Li Shen gives her a strange look. "I do. It's just... your husband may not want to divorce you."

Chu Heng: "I'm not close to Li Shen, but I hear he's proud and aloof. If he learns my heart belongs to someone else, his pride might keep him from pestering me."

Li Shen: "No, he will."

[Extra Scene 1]

Li Shen (blushing): "Hengheng, the gift you gave me is too expensive..."

Chu Heng: "It's fine. I paid for it with Li Shen's money."

Li Shen: "..."

Chu Heng (quietly): "Ahem, do you think I'm too cruel, spending Li Shen's money to keep you... I mean, take care of you? Actually, I have a huge dowry. I'll pay him back when we return to the capital."

Li Shen: "I'm the cruel one. I'm keeping myself!"

[Extra Scene 2]

Chu Heng bets her lover that Li Shen will divorce her.

Chu Heng: "Everyone knows Li Shen is a decorated war hero, but they don't know he's refined and elegant, skilled at calligraphy and painting, and enjoys writing poetry and playing the zither in his spare time. As for me, I only play music, chess, calligraphy, and painting for fun. I prefer dice and mahjong, and I'm the kind of vulgar woman he hates most."

Li Shen: "Before he met you, he had all sorts of rules for his future wife. After he met you..."

Whether you're refined or vulgar, you're the only one for me.

Later, Chu Heng, who had never lost a bet, lost badly.

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Theme: Love happens between the most unlikely people.