Marrying Him When He Was Down on His Luck

Upcoming sweet romance, The Rough General and the Delicate Flower. Please add it to your collection!

The Su family, the richest in Jinling, and the Wei family, a clan of generals and ministers, arranged a marriage. The bride they chose was Su Mian. Since birth, she'd had a husband ten years her senior named Wei Chenjing.

There was not a trace of love between them, but marriage was unavoidable.

For the Su family, the Wei family's power would make business easier. The Wei family wanted the Su family's status to escape the emperor's suspicions.

On a personal level, Su Mian had a longtime crush, her cinnabar mole, while Wei Chenjing was still pining for the woman he couldn't have, his moonlight.

Neither side was losing out.

They married when she was seventeen.

New to leaving home and nervous, Su Mian hid away and cried. She never expected the usually taciturn Wei Chenjing to comfort her. "All right, don't cry."

"But I'm scared. Really, really scared."

Wei Chenjing looked at his little wife and, helplessly, pulled her into his arms. "You little crybaby. There's nothing to be done. We just have to get through it, hmm?"

Su Mian pouted. "All right, then!"

She would have to get used to her new home now that they were married. Besides, he wasn't so bad.

Two months after the wedding, Wei Chenjing went off to war in his armor, while Su Mian stayed home to serve the elders. She thought that was how her life would go, but then the Wei family was decimated after a disastrous defeat.

Wei Chenjing was wounded on the battlefield. He lost an eye and a leg. As everyone pointed and stared, he crawled along the streets of Huajing, his shoulder bleeding from the strain, yet refusing to let go of the bodies of his nephews and brothers.

People remembered only the Wei family's defeat and forgot all the victories that had come before.

"Wei Chenjing, get up!"

"...I'm tired."

Su Mian hoisted him onto her shoulder. "There's nothing for it. We just have to get through this. We're husband and wife. If you can't see, I'll be your eyes. If your leg is lame, I'll bear it with you. There's no shame in that."

Wei Chenjing had once been the pride of heaven, but in a single night, all his brilliance was extinguished.

He thought, My wife is still so young. Staying with me through all this turmoil would be too dangerous. Better to set her free.

But Su Mian wouldn't leave. "The first time I saw you off to battle, I was so scared. You held my hand and said, 'Do all you can, and stay by my side until we grow old.' Wei Chenjing... How can a gentleman go back on his word?"

So Wei Chenjing picked up his green sword again and fought his way forward. A gentleman's promise, never to be broken.

1. Ten-year age gap, doting older boyfriend

2. Both leads are sexually inexperienced. The setting is fictional, so don't nitpick the history.

3. A sweet romance, but not pure sugar. There will be angst when things go wrong, but not in the romance.

4. Author's Weibo: @Xie Shuyi. Come say hi! Get the latest news early.

The Rough General and the Delicate Flower

The wife Lu Qing'an married today was Wen Lianshu.

Born into the Duke of Fuguo's household and unmatched in beauty, she had earned him the honored title of heir apparent.

But, unfortunately, the city had just fallen.

The Duke of Fuguo led troops to fight the enemy, and his whole family was captured.

The enemy general who barged in asked after Wen Lianshu in particular.

His father also hinted that he could find another woman, but he only had one life.

So Lu Qing'an began to agonize: his wife, or his life?

Wen Lianshu was merely exhausted by the lengthy wedding ceremony. She never expected to be drugged unconscious with a handkerchief. The familiar voice of her former fiancé sounded as gentle as a dream in her ear:

"Lianshu, don't blame me!"

"Just spend one night with him, and we'll be spared. Afterward, you'll still be my wife."

Wen Lianshu instantly went cold all over...

Wrapped up and delivered to Wei Changji's tent, she spent that night beneath the glow of unextinguished red candles.

*

A month later, she met Wei Changji again at a flower banquet.

He leaned back with his head propped at an angle, one leg draped over the other, lounging in his seat with no decorum whatsoever.

Wen Lianshu had been raised from childhood to observe proper etiquette. How could she like such a licentious man?

She disliked his face, too fierce. His temper, too cold. And she was even more afraid that if they shared a bed, he'd be as rough and forceful as he had been that time.

But he was her only hope of escaping Lu Qing'an!

Wen Lianshu pressed her lips together, deciding she could endure him a little longer.

So when Wei Changji left, Wen Lianshu gathered up her skirt and followed him.

In an empty palace, Wei Changji finally stopped and looked at her with an inscrutable gaze.

"General Wei, I've written a letter of divorce, but they won't let me leave. Can you help me?" Wen Lianshu reached out and tugged at the jade pendant at his waist. "I can marry you in return. Would that be enough?"

Wei Changji said nothing. He simply turned around.

He climbed the steps, then looked back at her. "Why aren't you coming in?"

Wen Lianshu was stunned. "D-Do what?"

Wei Changji shut the door and covered her soft lips with his own. "I'm collecting some payment."

Later, the new emperor asked, "My subject, you have rendered great service. What reward do you wish for?"

Wei Changji glanced toward the women and fixed his dark eyes on Wen Lianshu, who was still dozing.

"I want her."

The whole hall erupted in an uproar.

Theme: All darkness will pass, and all light will eventually arrive