Spring in the Brocade Palace

In the spring of the twentieth year of Jinglong, Lin Lu, daughter of a low-ranking official, was chosen to serve as a concubine to the crown prince.

Before she entered the palace, her family repeatedly reminded her that, for the sake of her father and brothers' futures, she must serve the crown prince well. She must not disobey or act willfully, and above all, she must not let his favor go to her head.

Lin Lu kept her family's teachings in mind. Once in the palace, she behaved herself, made no bids for favor, and devoted herself entirely to Rong Jin.

The crown prince, Rong Jin, was handsome and dignified, with the bearing of a phoenix and the countenance of a dragon. Outside the palace, however, he was infamous for his cruelty, bloodthirstiness, and defiance. He had chosen Lin Lu as his concubine simply because her gentle temperament and modest family background made her a convenient way to quiet the ministers' complaints.

Even he had never expected that, as they came to know each other, he would fall sincerely in love with this innocent, delicate beauty.

As the least important legitimate daughter in her family, Lin Lu had grown up in confusion and hardship. She knew nothing of social conventions and repeatedly caused trouble, which Rong Jin always had to resolve for her. His many acts of affection and care gradually made her lose herself, until she was wholly absorbed in them.

The following spring, an imperial decree announced that a consort would be chosen for Rong Jin. Among the candidates was his cousin, who had grown up with him.

On the day of the selection, the crown prince and his cousin played the zither and flute together. Everyone praised them as a match made in heaven. Seated at the very back, Lin Lu gazed at the man and woman before her and saw the affection in Rong Jin's eyes. For the first time, she understood what it meant to have one's heart die.

Their past affection vanished like smoke. She had been the one to harbor feelings she should never have had.

It turned out that she had never been anyone's cherished one or source of hope.

Thinking about her situation, she knew that as the only woman the crown prince had ever favored, she would surely be used by his future wife to assert her authority once she entered the palace.

That night, Rong Jin searched the Eastern Palace from end to end, but Lin Lu was nowhere to be found. From a distance came the panicked screams of palace maids. “Disaster! Lady Lin has thrown herself into the lake!”

Rong Jin's breath caught. Like a madman, he plunged into the freezing lake at the start of winter.

**

Three years later, when the apricot blossoms first began to bloom, the new emperor made a tour of Jiangzuo. By a lake in a village, Rong Jin saw a young child who bore a striking resemblance to him.

“Where is your mother?” he asked.

“My father teaches in the village. My mother went to bring him lunch.”

Rong Jin's face turned livid. He demanded angrily, “Who is your father?”

Who had dared to steal the new emperor's woman?

Possessive Crown Prince x Delicate Concubine

One-on-one, both leads are devoted only to each other. The male lead only ever loves the heroine. The other consorts were forced on him by his domineering father.

2022.11.2

Coming soon: Yu Qing Huan. Please add it to your reading list.

Blurb:

Shen Ci is the only daughter of the Shen family, military governors of Pingjiang. Born to a noble family and cherished by her parents, she should have lived a peaceful and happy life. But fate had other plans. Her parents died in a shipwreck, and overnight she went from a noble young lady to an orphan.

Her maternal uncle took pity on her, the only child her mother had left behind, and brought her to live at the Earl's residence.

Living under someone else's roof, Shen Ci was careful at every turn. She served her aunt morning and evening, willingly stayed in the shadows of her cousins, and never tried to stand out. Pleased with her good sense, her aunt found her a match with a respectable family. Although the man came from a poor background, he was hardworking and ambitious.

Shen Ci was content.

She only wanted to wait quietly for her wedding day and start a family of her own.

But people make plans, and fate laughs. Somehow, she caught the eye of a powerful man, and from then on her marriage prospects became fraught with difficulties.

Pei Heng, heir to the Marquis of Yongning, was born to privilege and renowned for his literary talent. He was the youngest top scholar in Great Qi, and after being selected for the Hanlin Academy, he became a close aide to the emperor. His future was limitless.

On the day the exam results were announced, his aunt reached out, hoping to celebrate the happy occasion by joining their families in marriage.

Pei Heng couldn't have cared less. To him, a cousin was just a cousin. How could she be his wife? But he couldn't refuse his aunt's enthusiastic invitation, so he reluctantly went to a banquet at the Earl of Zhongyi's residence.

He thought it would be nothing but a polite social call. Instead, he unexpectedly met a frail beauty, just as delicate as her name suggested, beautiful and easy to break.

For the first time, Pei Heng understood what it meant to fall in love.

Cousins may be a match made in heaven, but Pei Heng had fallen for his cousin's cousin.

After that day, the still waters of Pei Heng's heart began to ripple. For the first time in his life, he schemed and plotted, all to break off Shen Ci's engagement.

A sweet one-on-one romance. The male lead falls in love at first sight.

Noble young heir x Delicate beauty

Coming soon 2: Lovesick Letter

Nangong Jingyao had loved Ji Changfeng for years, but kept her feelings hidden.

She thought it would be an unrequited love that came to nothing. Then an imperial marriage decree made her wish come true.

Nangong Jingyao was perfectly content. For Ji Changfeng, she set aside her status and dignity. She left her lovely princess's residence and moved with him into the General's Manor, never once putting on airs as a princess.

When Ji Changfeng went to the border, she learned to care for his parents and fulfill his filial duties in his place.

Everyone in the capital praised her as a virtuous wife, but Ji Changfeng remained unmoved and treated her with utmost coldness. He never returned to the capital for her birthday, the Double Seventh Festival, or New Year's Eve, unless summoned by imperial decree. He never stayed at the manor a moment longer than necessary. She spent five years alone in an empty mansion.

At first, she thought Ji Changfeng was simply that kind of person. But then she realized he only treated her that way. In the spring of the sixth year, he brought a woman back from the border. Nangong Jingyao had never known Ji Changfeng could be so gentle with anyone. Not only was his manner different, but everyone at the General's Manor treated the woman extraordinarily well. After making inquiries, Nangong Jingyao learned that she was Ji Changfeng's childhood sweetheart.

If not for the imperial marriage decree, she would have been Ji Changfeng's wife.

At last she understood why he had treated her so coldly. He had someone else in his heart and resented her for separating him from his childhood sweetheart.

Nangong Jingyao fell gravely ill, but in the end, she came to her senses and calmly asked Ji Changfeng for a divorce.

A strange feeling flickered through Ji Changfeng's heart. He assumed she was still angry, but before he could explain himself properly, he received orders to march to war. For once, he gently comforted her, promising that when he returned victorious, he would celebrate the Double Seventh Festival with her.

The wish she had waited years to come true was finally within reach. And yet, at that very moment, Nangong Jingyao realized she wasn't as happy as she had imagined.

Ji Changfeng returned victorious, only to find Nangong Jingyao's divorce papers waiting for him.

He had felt a twinge of regret when he set out for war. Now his remorse was so overwhelming it seemed capable of swallowing heaven and earth.

For the first time, Ji Changfeng lost his composure. He stopped Nangong Jingyao in her tracks, his former refinement and gentleness gone, and demanded angrily, “Does Your Highness remember what you once told me? How can you go back on your word now?”

Nangong Jingyao had promised to love Ji Changfeng for the rest of her life. But only now did she understand that loving someone was the most painful thing in the world. Five years had already driven her to despair. How could she possibly promise forever?

Ignoring the turmoil in Ji Changfeng's eyes, she said softly, “I regret it.”

Each word was like a slow, cruel execution.

Ji Changfeng's heart was shattered.

The remorseful husband pursues his wife. Sweet one-on-one romance. The male lead loves only the heroine, only the heroine, only the heroine. (That's important, so it's said three times!)

Theme: Love means acceptance and understanding, not suspicion.