A Thousand Miles from the Capital

Qi grew powerful, claiming half the territory once ruled by Daliang, while Eastern Liang, which had moved south, took the other half. The two states faced off in a bitter stalemate. Princess Zhao Ruishu of Eastern Liang was sent to Qi for a political marriage, and, as a little bonus, to spy on them.

Taking stock of her own assets, Zhao Ruishu decided to start with the beauty trap.

Before she could work out all the details, a tall, peerlessly handsome young man from a foreign people strode into the bridal chamber. His nose was like a mountain peak, his eyes like a hawk’s, and his irises like colored glass.

With a mocking smile, he left Zhao Ruishu to spend her wedding night alone.

Could a beauty trap work on someone who was beautiful himself?

Since she was here, Zhao Ruishu could only try one scheme after another and hope for the best.

Lu Guanze was handsome, but his temperament was strange.

When she acted sweet and gentle, he said he would return her untouched when the time was right.

When she was willful and threw a tantrum, he said, “Zhao Ruishu, don’t even dream of leaving me.”

Zhao Ruishu had always considered herself pretty carefree, but at last she had met her match.

She had set the beauty trap first, only to find herself caught in one.

Just when she thought she could leave without a backward glance, Lu Guanze stood in the darkness, blocking the carriage she meant to flee in. His hawk-like eyes seemed to blaze with fire.

“Zhao Ruishu, you are my lawful wife, the empress of Great Qi, formally invested after the rites. Where do you think you’re going?”

He tore apart the beautiful future she had imagined and told her there was no escape. He laid out the bloody truth, urging her with every word and deed to admit that he alone understood her and treasured her most.

If the truth wasn’t enough, then he would offer up his head.

Caught in a vicious tangle of schemes and counterplots, the two of them made everyone who saw them sigh: what a wretched pair.

Lu Guanze had noticed the little liar long ago.

He stayed his hand to see how well she could deceive him.

Worse than he had expected.

So why did his own heart tremble when he saw her tears?

He agonized over it, struggling for a long time.

She lied that she was deceiving him on the orders of her father and brothers. What a dutiful young woman.

At last, he convinced himself.

But when he woke, Zhao Ruishu was gone. The Qianniu Guards even reported that she had fled with a handsome young man.

Lu Guanze gripped his sword hilt, his teeth clenched with fury.

* They begin their relationship as each other’s first and only partners. As the story unfolds, the heroine may have other partners while the two are apart.

* The setting is fictionalized and loosely inspired by the Wei and Jin dynasties, without strict historical accuracy. Overall, it takes place before Cheng-Zhu Confucianism became popular, so there are no restrictions associated with it.

* This is not a strong-female-lead story or a female-power fantasy. The focus is on romance.

* Happy ending.

[Moody, scheming emperor of an enemy state x sweet-on-the-surface, dark underneath princess who loves causing trouble]

Theme: Finding a new path through adversity