The Buddha's Moss Beauty

Inspired on 22/2/7, first version of the blurb on 22/8/15

"My dear younger sister, I gave you your name, I gave you your title, and I taught you the first character you ever learned to write.

You want us to call it even and go our separate ways? Don't forget, the first thing you grabbed at your baby party was your brother's sash.

We've been entangled for so long that there's no telling us apart. Tell me, how could we call it even? How could we part?"

﹉﹉﹉

After moving back to the imperial palace from a Buddhist temple, Xiao Suyi saw the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace again: her older brother, with whom she'd once depended on each other for survival.

Crown Prince Xiao Cheng was as bright and noble as the moon, pure as jade and steadfast as a pine, with an extraordinary bearing. He was the heir to whom everyone pinned their hopes.

When a disgrace from her childhood came to light, Xiao Suyi learned she wasn't the Emperor's biological daughter. After returning to the palace, she drew close to her peerless, noble Crown Prince brother only to get closer to his best friend:

The most suitable husband for her among the great aristocratic families, Cui Chengyun.

After working tirelessly, she got her wish and was granted a marriage to Cui Zhan.

But not long afterward, her attempts to get close to the Crown Prince were exposed.

Xiao Cheng confined her in the Eastern Palace, rubbing her earlobe as he gave a casual, amused laugh.

"You're quite capable, aren't you? Daring to toy with me and then abandon me."

"You will not marry anyone else... little sister."

Xiao Cheng had a secret no one knew.

As a child, he was sent to another country as a hostage. He and his younger sister depended on each other, and he fought to survive in order to protect her. She became his only reason to go on living.

He'd always known his sister wasn't related to him by blood. So as they grew up, Xiao Suyi grew ever more beautiful and charming, appearing in his dreams again and again.

Everything in those dreams was chaotic and wanton. Xiao Cheng only knew that he would lose control, wrap an arm around her waist, and, almost possessed, force her to accept his presence.

With every passing day, the things that happened in his dreams became more unspeakable.

Only he knew the truth.

He was never the cool, noble gentleman without a flaw.

He was a madman who would do anything for his younger sister.

Xiao Suyi vaguely sensed what her Crown Prince brother felt for her.

She carefully ingratiated herself with him. Knowing that their childhood bond alone wasn't enough to achieve her goal, she allowed Xiao Cheng to cross the line between siblings with his intimate gestures, so she could better benefit from him.

She simply hadn't expected that...

In the midnight dreams no one knew about, his desire for her had long since run wild.

The cool, restrained Crown Prince's first act after ascending the throne was to throw the man promised to her into prison and hold her tightly in his arms.

"My dear younger sister, I gave you your name, I gave you your title, and I taught you the first character you ever learned to write.

You want to go your separate ways? Don't forget, the first thing you grabbed at your baby party was your brother's sash.

We've been entangled for so long that there's no telling us apart. Tell me, how could we call it even? How could we part?"

[Reading Guide]

1. They are not related by blood.

2. The heroine is beautiful and gentle, but not purely kind.

3. The hero knew from early on that the heroine wasn't his biological sister. Both main characters are flawed.

4. The tropes and character settings won't change, but the blurb may be edited.

5. The names of the hero and heroine are taken from the Book of Documents: "The Shao music played nine times, and the phoenix came to rest."

The title and blurb are provisional and may be slightly revised.

Thesis: Sincerity can move even stone.