Huo Yunzhang

As the next heir to the Marquis of Zhennan's household, Huo Yunzhang had a secret:

She was a woman.

The Huo family was a house of loyal heroes, and she was the sole surviving descendant. She had been raised as a boy.

Huo Yunzhang had been mindful of her responsibilities from childhood. She would shoulder the burden of the marquisate, guard the border, and uphold the Huo army's century-old glory.

When her grandfather fell seriously ill, he urged her to marry and produce an heir as soon as possible, then head to the border and take up her post.

Huo Yunzhang thought it over all night before deciding to travel and find a man, then keep the child and leave the father behind.

In a small town, she discovered that the scholar next door was tall, fair-skinned, and handsome.

Apart from being a little poor and a little cold-tempered, both his mind and body suited her.

-

A year later, Huo Yunzhang returned to the marquisate with a child in her arms.

Just as she donned her armor and prepared to take up her post, she spotted a familiar face at the farewell banquet in the palace.

The man in brocade robes seated high above the others was the poor scholar she'd spent many passionate days with.

But now, everyone addressed him with the utmost deference: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

*

Crown Prince Sima Xuan had been forced to live away from the palace for a time. He never forgot his identity, keeping a low profile and biding his time.

That was until a bold woman moved in next door and tried every possible way to seduce him.

He took the bait, and the two fell deeply in love.

But when he woke one day, she had vanished, leaving an empty courtyard behind.

Later, at a palace banquet, he saw a young man in red robes seated in the hall.

With fine brows and red lips, he was handsome and refined, with a dashing bearing.

Everyone called her "Young General Huo."

Only then did Sima Xuan realize how badly he had been deceived.

Cold and proud (pretending to be gentle) heroine vs. innocent-looking but devious (pretending to be frail) hero

They each put on an act, and both get exposed

*Alternate world, one-on-one romance, both are each other's first

*Dramatic and outrageous. The full story should be even more so than this blurb.

*All the trigger warnings are in the blurb. If you like this sort of thing, come on in. If not, please don't be mean.

Theme: Pursue free love and oppose arranged marriage