The Beauty Abyss

Ruthless, suspicious fake prince VS cool-headed, stoic fake young lady

Cheng Ling, daughter of the former General of the Cavalry, broke off her childhood betrothal to a young hero from a prestigious martial arts family and rejected the advances of the young deputy commander of the Ink Feather Guard, the emperor's loyal hounds. Carrying a heart full of hatred and schemes, she entered Prince Li Wei Ran's sights, willingly becoming a bird in his cage and a blade at his fingertips.

They constantly second-guessed and used each other, schemes and stratagems unfolding one after another, true feelings mingling with false ones until neither could be told apart.

He said, "I want your heart."

"Then why don't you let me see whether Your Highness's heart is true first?"

For the sake of that true heart, Wei Ran survived countless brushes with death. He was even stripped of his title and nearly died in prison.

When love had sunk deep into his bones and their bond was impossible to sever, he came sweeping in with a heart full of fury, rushing toward Cheng Ling, who had disguised herself as Zhe Yuan.

"This prince failed to die. Are you disappointed?"

Disappointed? She didn't know. She only knew that this time, she could never escape his side again...

Before meeting Cheng Ling, Wei Ran diligently played out his life as a pawn. After meeting her, he suddenly no longer wanted to settle for being a piece on the board. Who says the person playing chess must be the one holding the pieces? Perhaps they're a pawn, too, without even knowing it.

"I want to be the piece, and the one moving the pieces," she said.

Wei Ran smiled at the board. "And what makes you think you can?"

"The fact that Your Highness likes me."

Reading guide:

Classic melodrama + mutual exploitation + win-her-back arc + faked death + double substitutes

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

Theme: There is more than one way to live. Refuse to let others decide your fate.