The Faraway Bright Moon

My other novel, The Third Year of Marriage, is currently being serialized: an introverted, serene young lady x a carefree, uninhibited young general

Jiang Yuening, the second daughter of the Weiguo Duke's family, is gentle and refined. Because she never competes for anything, her betrothed was coveted by her legitimate younger sister.

So their biased elders switched the two marriages.

The promising young man who had originally been betrothed to her became her younger sister's husband, while her younger sister's famously wayward fiancé became hers.

After marrying into the Marquis's household, she discovers that her parents-in-law are understanding, the servants and maids are respectful and obedient, and there are no concubines or bedchamber women in the inner courtyard to give her a headache.

Even her playboy husband goes from being unwilling to marry her to laying the greatest honors at her feet.

-

Xie Xuan thinks his wife is a stickler for rules, stuffy and boring.

The one good thing is that she never interferes no matter how he behaves outside, and never gets jealous like other women.

She quietly lives her own life in the inner courtyard, never showing any intention of interfering in his affairs. Now and then, after her mother-in-law advises her to, she offers him a perfunctory admonition.

She even takes the initiative to suggest bringing back the mistress he keeps outside, to prove she isn't jealous.

At first, Xie Xuan is quite pleased that Jiang Yuening knows her place, and thinks she's very sensible.

Later, he grips her hand tightly and angrily corners her against the wall. His eyes redden as he looks into her gentle gaze, which holds not a trace of love, and begs, "Jiaojiao, please, try to control me..."

Reader's guide

1. Marriage first, love later. One-on-one, both leads are each other's first, HE.

2. Male lead is 23; female lead is 17.

3. The male lead realizes after marriage that he loves her and gets his comeuppance.

4. The mistress has a secret backstory (important). The male lead is pure in body and heart.

5. The plot serves the romance, so don't overthink it.

6. Please don't comment if you're reading a pirated copy.

Upcoming novel: Jade's Embrace. Marriage first, love later. Please add it to your favorites.

Xue Fuyu has been married to Xie Lian for ten years, supporting him from the days when he was an unloved prince to his reign as emperor over all under heaven.

Through all those years, she and Xie Lian supported one another. Under Xie Lian's rule, the realm enjoyed peace and prosperity, and she thought things would always remain this way between them.

But then Xie Lian's former fiancée, her cousin, returned as a widow.

Everyone said the emperor still held a torch for his former fiancée. At first, she didn't believe them.

Until one day, she saw the two of them standing close together in the garden, talking intimately.

Only then did she understand that even after ten years together, she could not compete with a love that had begun in their youth.

*

After her cousin returned, Xue Fuyu noticed that Xie Lian often seemed distracted when they were together, and had lost patience even with their daughter.

Everyone said that the fourth young lady of the Xue family had returned, and that the empress was about to lose her position. After all, the fourth young lady was the one he loved.

The Empress Dowager in the palace wanted them to rekindle their old romance, while the Xue family outside the palace said she had taken her cousin's place.

When she learned that Xie Lian intended to take a concubine, she finally gave up hope and decided to leave the capital.

*

Ten years ago, Xie Lian had been forced to marry his cousin. In the decade since, he had grown accustomed to having her by his side.

He was no longer a boy who could be pushed around, and now he could make up for all the things he had once missed out on.

He should have been content.

But when his usually gentle wife coolly said she would give her place to her cousin, the usually composed emperor finally lost control.

He gripped her wrist with all his strength, like a dog about to be abandoned, and demanded in a hoarse, red-eyed voice: "Cousin, don't you want me and the princess anymore?"

Theme: Don't judge people by their appearance