The Rugged General and the Delicate Flower

Coming soon: The Prince Consort Regretted It After I Died / After the Deception of Marriage Succeeded / The Pampered Wife Can't Escape. Add them to your collection from my author page!

The wife Lu Qing'an is marrying today is Wen Lianshu.

Born into the Duke of Fuguo's household, she is peerlessly beautiful and helped him secure the position of heir among all the sons born to his father by concubines.

But, unfortunately, the city has fallen.

The Duke of Fuguo leads his troops to repel the enemy, and the entire family is captured.

The enemy general who barges in asks after Wen Lianshu several times.

His father also hints that he can find another woman, but he has only one life.

So Lu Qing'an starts to agonize: which should he choose, the woman or his life?

*

Wen Lianshu was merely worn out by the tedious wedding rituals. Who could have guessed she would be drugged with a handkerchief? Through her haze, the familiar voice of her former fiance reaches her ear, gentle as a dream. "Lianshu, don't blame me!"

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

Wen Lianshu is chilled to the bone as she is wrapped up and sent to Wei Changji's tent.

The red candles burn all night.

*

Later, she meets Wei Changji again at a palace banquet.

Among a crowd of gentlemen sitting composedly, he leans his head to one side, stretches out his legs, and gulps down wine without a shred of decorum.

Wen Lianshu was raised to follow the rules. How could she like such behavior?

She can't stand his face; he's too fierce. She can't stand his temper; he's too cold.

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

Wen Lianshu decides she can endure a little longer.

So when Wei Changji leaves, Wen Lianshu follows him, lifting her skirt.

In an empty palace, Wei Changji finally stops and looks at her with an inscrutable gaze.

Wen Lianshu takes a breath. "G-General Wei? I wrote a divorce letter, but they won't let me leave. Can you help me?"

The man doesn't speak for a long while.

Wen Lianshu tugs at the jade pendant on his waist. "As payment, I can marry you. Would that work?"

Wei Changji says nothing and turns away.

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

Wen Lianshu is stunned. "W-What are we doing?"

Wei Changji closes the door and blocks her lips with his. "Collecting some payment."

Later, the new emperor asks, "My subject, you have earned great merit this time. What reward would you like?"

Wei Changji glances toward the women, his dark eyes settling on Wen Lianshu's unusually alluring red lips.

"I want to marry her."

The whole hall erupts in astonishment.

[See the author's note in Chapter One for content warnings. Weibo: @Xie Shuyi]

-

Coming soon: The Prince Consort Regretted It After I Died

Yun Nong is the emperor's daughter, born in his old age. She has been cherished ever since childhood, and she loves the new top scholar, Shen Hanzhang.

Young love is always so passionate.

She studies every one of his essays, copies every one of his calligraphy pieces, and collects every one of his likes, striving to become the sort of person he loves. But all she gets in return is:

"I am honored by Your Highness's affection, but I have already given my heart to someone else."

Yun Nong cries her heart out, but she has a princess's pride too, and decides to give up on this unrequited love.

Who could have guessed that later, fireworks would explode and the Northwatch Tower would catch fire? To save her, the princess, Shen Hanzhang destroys half his face.

The law decrees that anyone entering government service must have regular features.

Shen Hanzhang's future is as good as over.

Her father loves her, but he cannot disregard a loyal official, so he gives the Shen family two choices:

One: strip her of her title and send her back to her fief, where she may not return to the capital without an imperial summons.

Two: marry her into the family, where Yun Nong must care for Shen Hanjing and may never divorce him.

The Shen family chooses the first option, and Yun Nong marries with a heart full of guilt.

On their wedding night, she sees Shen Hanzhang.

The once dashing top scholar is gone. He looks defeated and lifeless. "Your Highness should know that I do not love you."

Yun Nong nods. "You were injured because of me. Even if you don't love me, I should still take care of you." She also uses her status as a princess to ensure the Shen family never falls from power.

Day after day, she takes care of him with every consideration.

But the lack of an heir weighs on her parents-in-law, and Yun Nong has no choice but to discuss it with him.

Shen Hanzhang looks at her for a long time before saying, "It's already hard enough for us to be husband and wife. Why bring a child into this to suffer?"

Yun Nong is momentarily stunned. She never brings it up again.

Another year passes, and the Shen family's young lady is married off.

Rarely, Shen Hanzhang comes home drunk. He holds her and whispers, "Nongnong, I've been thinking. We should have a child too, shouldn't we?"

She is surprised, but he seals her lips with his.

Their wedding night, more than six hundred days late, comes without warning.

She carries their child for ten months and gives birth to the child they made together.

But when she is in difficult labor, she searches for Shen Hanzhang in vain.

At last, a Brocade Guard reports, "The Shen family's young lady is in labor. The prince consort is with her now."

At those words, Yun Nong coughs up blood. That day, Princess Suihuan dies in the imperial city. Many days later, a comatose Princess Sui'an arrives at her fief.

Three years pass. Shen Hanzhang compiles a geography record and travels through the area with his daughter.

The curious child peers out the window and suddenly points in surprise at a woman drinking on a boat opposite them. "Father, look! She looks just like the portrait of Mother!"

"Don't say such things. You can't just claim someone is your mother. Your mother is..." Shen Hanzhang turns around as he speaks. His precious books fall to the ground, and he stares in disbelief. "N-Nongnong?"

Theme: Always be strong, and always love life.