Jade Smoke and Glances

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"Marrying the Crown Prince's Father"

Emperor Yuanzhao ascended the throne in his youth and ruled for twenty-two years, excelling in both civil and military affairs. Yet before reaching the age of forty, he was stricken with a grave illness and spent his final years in misery.

On his deathbed, the Commandery Princess Minning, whom he had cherished and raised for half his life, came to his bedside and said quietly, "You old geezer, seeing you like this is so satisfying. I'll send your son down to join you soon, too."

When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to two years earlier. Shu Ningyun was kneeling before his bed, tears falling.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health. I, Yun'er, am willing to marry. I was wrong..."

He remembered this year. He had arranged a marriage between his eldest son, Prince Ning, and Shu Ningyun, made Prince Ning crown prince, and decreed that she would never be deposed as empress. But she had defied the marriage in public, angering him so much that he fell ill, and from then on he was confined to his bed.

Emperor Yuanzhao lifted her chin and wiped away her tears as he had when she was a child, comforting her, though he sneered inwardly.

"I was the one in the wrong. You are so scheming, and this outrageous, unfilial act is all because I failed to raise you properly."

-

Shu Ningyun had been raised by Emperor Yuanzhao since childhood and had always admired his stern, imposing nature.

But he was not her biological father. Three years ago, he had made her a commandery princess and sent her to her fief, so he was no longer her adoptive father, either.

Now he and the Empress Dowager were both ill, and he had graciously betrothed her to his eldest son. Ningyun had tried to resist, but when she saw him faint from rage, she knew she had no choice but to comply.

After he awoke, he scolded her for being disobedient and unfilial. Her heart had already turned to stone. From then on, whenever she thought of him, she could not help cursing him: old geezer!

Until the day she returned to the home of her childhood, lost in sorrow, and Emperor Yuanzhao suddenly appeared before her. His gaze burned with a brightness that did not belong to a man suffering from a chronic illness.

He lifted her chin with a folding fan. "Little thing, why do you keep insulting me?"

Ningyun looked at him, then lowered her head and pressed the fan down a little. "Your Majesty failed to raise Yun'er properly back then."

Emperor Yuanzhao moved the fan aside and lifted her face even higher with his hand.

"I would like to raise you all over again, but the Crown Princess now belongs to Zhen'er. How am I supposed to raise you?"

-

Xu Zhen had schemed time and again, and finally won Shu Ningyun. Though beautiful and elegant, she was no gentle flower. He had married her for the crown prince's position.

The Empress Dowager and his father were both near death, after all. Once they were gone, he would no longer have to pretend to dote on her. Even the wildest woman could be tamed.

But for some reason, his father kept delaying his wedding. When he went to the palace to ask why, he caught sight of his usually dignified, austere father, his imperial robes and jade sash trailing on the floor as he lounged on a couch, letting his future Crown Princess lean over him while he looked at her with indulgent eyes.

"You little vixen! My Yun'er, my darling..."

"The Jade Smoke Chronicles"

Dong'er was punished by being sent to look after the deposed Ninth Prince. At first sight, she fell for him.

Ninth Prince Xiao Yu was as lovely as a spring flower, his lips red as if stained with cinnabar. Fragrant as an orchid and graceful and ethereal, he had once been the beloved of countless people.

Unfortunately, he had been deposed. After suffering castration, he became utterly powerless, bullied by everyone and treated as less than an ant.

Dong'er didn't mind. Their life together was difficult and exhausting, but she kept everything in order and cared for him attentively.

In return, all she ever got from Xiao Yu was a venomous glare and the word "Get out."

Everyone said that once winter passed, the Ninth Prince would die. Perhaps Dong'er was the only one hoping he would survive.

One day, as usual, Dong'er went to wake him. Xiao Yu had stopped breathing.

Her tears fell upon the red mole at the corner of his eye, and she quietly confessed her feelings.

"Your Highness, I don't care what punishments you've suffered. I may be unworthy, but I truly loved you."

Who would have thought he would suddenly wake? Dong'er expected to be scolded and beaten, but instead she was met with his possessive, alluring gaze.

That day, his fingertip brushed over her lips. His dark eyes left her flustered. "Do you believe I can make you empress?"

Dong'er said she believed him, though she had never really dared to dream of such a thing.

Yet he climbed the throne step by step, proclaimed her empress to all under heaven, and personally helped her into her wedding robes.

Only then did Dong'er realize that every promise Xiao Yu had made was true.

But Xiao Yu had lied about one thing. Dong'er would never forget the night he ascended the throne and married her...

"You big liar! You deceived me for so long. I was the only one who believed you were a eunuch!"

*

After Xiao Yu lost his bid for the throne, he was castrated and thrown into the imperial gardens. He wanted nothing but to die.

But someone refused to let him die. No matter how much he beat her, mocked her, or sneered at her, she never left his side.

After escaping the palace, Xiao Yu thought only of revenge and neglected the one person who had always been there for him.

Xiao Yu grew sinister, cruel, and merciless, becoming a living fiend in the eyes of the world. He claimed the throne, but the little palace maid who had once kept him safe through the winter had long since died taking a sword through the heart for him, vanishing like purple jade smoke.

Alone in his lofty position, Xiao Yu knew he had lost everything.

His life passed by like a dream. When he opened his eyes again, he was whole and back by her side. Watching her weep for him, he resolved to protect her for the rest of his life and promised her the empire and the empress's throne.

But she said to him, "Your Highness, don't push yourself too hard. Even if you were the Ninth Princess, I'd treat you just as well."

*

Female lead: The prince I secretly love was castrated, but that's okay. I can treat you like a princess.

Male lead: I got a second chance at life, whole and complete, and all I want is to love you properly. Why are you treating me like a princess?

Sinister, proud, scheming prince x straightforward, sunny palace maid

Blurb dated November 21, 2020

Theme: Giving your whole heart, sincere and unadorned