The Liang family of Fanlin was a famous but fallen noble house from the previous dynasty. The old days of palaces and pavilions, wealth and glory, passed like clouds before one's eyes. In the end, all that splendor was no more than an empty dream.
Years later, a forgotten member of this impoverished household suddenly knocked on the door of the Jun Prince's residence, one of the most prestigious noble houses in the capital.
Their aim: to force a marriage.
One day, a woman whose face was hidden by a veiled hat entered the residence. Without a word, she handed over a calling card. The steward rolled his eyes, took it carelessly, and shut the door. Only then did he see that it bore a woman's name and birth details, with a simple portrait tucked inside. After that, it vanished without a trace.
The next day, an old man claiming to be a member of the Liang family used his age to demand an audience with the renowned Jun Prince. He bowed and scraped, smiling and flattering, only to be dismissed in a few words by the prince's attendants.
They were worlds apart. Even the dogs at the prince's residence wanted nothing to do with them.
A few days later, the Emperor issued an edict granting a marriage. When luck in love comes knocking, there's no stopping it. Surely the future princess would be a gentle, virtuous, beautiful young lady, a perfect match in every way...
Until the names and birth details were exchanged, and everyone was left dumbfounded. The entire residence erupted.
The stern and imposing Jun Prince calmly tossed the edict into the furnace, his expression unchanged. “Trying to climb the social ladder, thinking that sending over a woman can restore your family's standing? Do you take me for some lecherous libertine?”
An old promise, reduced to ashes...
2024.01.30 (Originally titled The Endless Day; blurb revised)
Theme: Move toward the light
