The Beauty and the Evil Monk

In the city of Kyoto, everyone feared Cheng Jiulang, the little devil who ran wild. He was born bad.

Born to privilege, he was a dissolute playboy who passed through flower-filled gardens without letting a single petal cling to him.

Then he met the young lady of the Wei family, who had recently returned to Kyoto, and fell for her completely.

In less than a year, Wei Zishu had won Cheng Jiulang over. He turned over a new leaf and became a better person for the woman he loved.

But by a twist of fate, Cheng Jiulang discovered that he was only a substitute. Wei Zishu's true love was someone who looked very much like him.

On their wedding night, Cheng Jiulang was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood. He drew his sword and held it to Wei Zishu's neck, his voice trembling as he asked, "You... did you ever..." Did she ever love him?

In the end, he couldn't bring himself to say it, nor could he bring himself to hurt her.

He cut off his hair right there and became a monk.

A playboy turned into a wicked monk.

*

Later, amid the chaos of war, stories of a wild monk spread throughout the Central Plains. He hated evil, was ferocious, and had an exceptionally handsome face.

The Wei family's household fell. That night, blood ran through their home. At the crucial moment, a monk arrived with soldiers, spear in hand, fighting his way to Wei Zishu.

He lifted Wei Zishu onto his horse and roared, "Anyone who hurts my woman will die!"

Amid the flames filling the sky, Wei Zishu looked at the monk's face and smiled bitterly. "Why go to all this trouble?" He owed her nothing, never had.

Cheng Jiulang only sneered. "Because I feel like it."

Later, among the factions vying for supremacy, another wild monk emerged, conquering the capital with unstoppable force.

He wanted neither power nor wealth. He did it all for one woman.

Years later, gazing at the great realm he'd won, the emperor smiled like a young gentleman and whispered in the empress's ear, "I went to a lot of trouble for you, didn't I?"

Who could have imagined that Cheng Jiulang, once an idle, useless young man, would become a peerless wise emperor...

Theme: Fate works in mysterious ways.