A Leaf Falls in Huainan

Pre-release: The Female Strategist. Please add it to your collection! The blurb is at the very bottom!

[Important warning!!! The pirated sites differ from the official version. Please support the official release!]

Blurb:

[Announcement: This Wednesday, July 27, the story will go premium starting from Chapter 22. Seventy percent anti-piracy protection. Please support the book! This story is divided into two volumes: the first covers their childhood, and the second their adulthood. Please heed the warning!]

[Character introductions, early story]

Female lead: Clever and precocious, modest and resilient.

Male lead 1: Dashing and carefree, noble and elegant.

Male lead 2: Cool and taciturn, upright and bright.

[The romance]

In the twentieth year of the Gengwu era, Xia Huaiye began studying at the Xia family's private school, where she met Xue Chenghuai, the young master of the Duke of Xue's household.

He was the brightest touch of spring in Jinling, shining beneath the blazing sun, and impossible to forget once seen.

He had the sharpness of a sword and the gentleness of a shield. All his edges were turned outward, while all his tenderness was reserved for her.

He accompanied her through the most beautiful years of her youth. So later, when the great house collapsed and bones piled high, even as she walked alone through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, she could not bring herself to hate him.

That same year, another young gentleman came to study at the Xia family's private school.

When she first saw him, she thought his slender figure and calm, unruffled eyes made him seem even younger than she was, someone who ought to be protected.

But later, when she was on the verge of falling into the underworld and becoming a specter, it was this same person who took her hand and led her out of the bottomless abyss, saying, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

[The ensemble cast]

This is a new dynasty. Its realm has been stable for twenty years, and from the outside it appears powerful and resplendent.

But only those who live in this era understand that its prosperity is nothing but an illusion.

The prime minister's power runs rampant, the people lie like dried bones in the yellow earth, and those at the top have ultimately lost their true selves, corrupted by power.

Yet though dark clouds cover the sun, there are still pure and clear-hearted people in this world, willing to become faint candlelight and illuminate the road ahead for the people and for future generations.

Xue Chenghuai is one. Lu Qing'an is one. Zhang Jingcheng is one. Cao Hongyi is one. Xia Huaiye is one, too!

[Elements in this story]: Childhood sweethearts, the man secretly loves the woman, noble families and court politics, historical political scheming. There is some household infighting, but not much.

[Setting]: A fictional world, very loosely based on anything. Please don't read too much real history into it.

[Please note]

1. Male lead 1 and male lead 2 are numbered by order of appearance, just to make them easier to distinguish in conversation. They receive equal attention, and the author has no preference between them.

2. One-on-one romance, happy ending.

3. Pure historical romance, with no rebirth or similar settings.

4. Slow burn. Read with caution if that's not your thing.

5. This is the story of a group of children growing up, not just one person's love and hatred. An ensemble cast!

6. Comments give the author's typing spirit a boost, so please leave lots of messages!

7. The author is a beginner and has done their utmost to improve their writing. If it doesn't meet your expectations, please offer reasonable criticism. Thank you, everyone!

8. Warning: This book has two volumes. The first covers their childhood, and the second their adulthood!!!!!!

[Pre-release] The Female Strategist

Blurb: [Official version]

Since the late Eastern Han dynasty, powerful in-laws and eunuchs had meddled in government, local magnates had risen, and the Han imperial house had long been in decline. An age of chaos was beginning to emerge.

Shen Zhou Rong was born in an era where the strong preyed on the weak and human life was worth no more than grass.

Everyone said that, as a girl, she could not escape being sold or married off, her price settled like a transaction, all to help support the family.

But she was born rebellious and refused to believe in fate. With her teeth, she bit a path through the chaos, and through that narrow opening, she glimpsed a different light.

On the other side of the crack lay another world.

She endured beatings and crossed blades, covered in blood as she fought her way toward that faint light, until she caught a glimpse of a land divided into three, with heroes rising on every side.

This was an age of heroes!

She refused to live and die in obscurity. She tied up her hair, held her head high, and stepped into the military camp. With her quick, brilliant mind as bait, she earned the title of strategist and the admiration of thousands.

[Lighthearted version]

Basically, when I was down on my luck, I took in a little brat who seemed just as unfortunate as me, because I was softhearted and thought it would be fun. But years later, I found out that this little brat was actually incredibly powerful and influential.

If only I hadn't abandoned him back then!

Regretting it... Afraid... Terrified... Still refusing to admit I was wrong...

A quirky heroine who has wandered through a hundred flowers without a single petal clinging to her × a sweet, innocent young man who later holds power and hides a dark side beneath his gentle appearance

Four-year age gap, with the woman four years older than the man.

[Setting] A fictional world loosely based on the late Eastern Han dynasty

[Recommendations]: The completed historical political-scheming short tragedy Wei Rong is now available. Please check it out!

The ongoing contemporary romance Bright is a lighthearted, healing campus story. Please add it to your collection and give it a read!

Theme: One good deed can touch the heart and endure through countless trials.