The Song of Yulan

New novel: The Perilous Path

Completed novels: No Solution, Starlight Together

[Blurb]

Everyone knows that Princess Yulan of Yuanxiang is the late emperor's eldest legitimate daughter, unmatched in status and spoiled by her father. But the world is unpredictable. Her full brother, the crown prince, rebels and takes his own life, while the favored Consort Zhang enthrones her young son and rules as regent. Princess Yulan, elevated to the rank of Grand Princess, finds her circumstances growing worse by the day.

In Tongyuan Ward, where the Grand Princess's residence stands, there is an alley called Peach Blossom Lane. One family there bears the surname Tan: a mother and her son, who depend on each other. The son, Tan Zhe, is handsome and graceful, with an impressive bearing, and is known throughout the neighborhood for his good looks. No one knows he is the son of a disgraced minister, with little hope for his future.

Only Yulan remembers their childhood meeting. Following the memory she has held onto for years, she finds him, only to discover that Tan Zhe, the man she has sought out, has loved her younger sister Yuyao, who grew up by her side, ever since childhood.

Unwilling to accept this outcome, she keeps him imprisoned at her side. If they cannot scheme for love, then he can scheme with her for the realm.

Afterward, Yulan launches a coup and seizes power as regent. Tan Zhe enters officialdom and rises to the highest ranks.

Yulan repels foreign threats, promotes farming and sericulture, streamlines government and cuts down on officials, bringing prosperity at home and respect abroad. Tan Zhe advances his protégés, keeps the officials in check, and thrives in all company, eventually becoming Left Chancellor.

She is the blade, rising to the pinnacle of power, sharp and unyielding, leaving no room for others and no way back for herself. He is the scabbard, sheathing the blade's edge and protecting her from harm amid all the controversy.

Life binds them ever more tightly, whether by fate or by human design.

Later histories record that Grand Princess Chu Yulan governed for many years and laid the foundation for a century of prosperity in the Great Yin Dynasty. Left Chancellor Tan Zhe was a man of strategic wisdom who helped the Grand Princess build on the past and usher in a new era.

They work in perfect accord at court. Beyond its walls, however, the sight of Tan Zhe embracing Yuyao in Peach Blossom Lane becomes a thorn in Yulan's heart.

Eventually, Yulan grows tired and weary of this relationship she forced into being. When danger comes, she lets him go.

Tan Zhe panics.

Ambitious, far-sighted, rebellious, and outspoken heroine x carefree, scheming, tsundere hero

Please read before starting: content warnings

1. This is a fictional setting. Some aspects of the official system are based on the Tang Dynasty, but there is no specific historical reference for customs and manners. The capital is modeled on Luoyang.

2. The political machinations are relatively simple and naive.

3. Content warning: Both leads have two sides to their personalities. They grow and change later on, but neither has a flawless, strong personality. Please proceed with caution if this bothers you.

4. Content warning: The heroine has been married to someone else, but the marriage was never consummated.

5. Content warning: The heroine is not the hero's first love or ideal type. His first love and ideal type is another princess. But ideal types are meant to be shattered. Please proceed with caution if this bothers you.

6. Content warning: The story focuses on the heroine's career and personal growth, and the romance progresses slowly. Please proceed with caution if this bothers you.

Theme: Stay true to your original aspirations and show devotion to family and country