Huan Lingzi, daughter of the Grand Princess, has delicate features and an elegant, refined nature. She is the brightest pearl in the Eastern Capital.
Yet her sparkling eyes hold affection for only one person: her frail, chronically ill cousin, Prince Rui.
That is, until the palace banquet, where Prince Rui chooses the Grand Tutor's youngest legitimate daughter as his princess consort. Only then does Huan Lingzi finally give up hope.
She shuts herself away to enjoy some peace and quiet, lamenting that her plan to become a young widow has come to nothing.
Who could have known that half a month later, Di Xi, her sworn enemy from the northern frontier, would arrive at the river on horseback in full battle gear, declaring that he has come to wed Huan Lingzi, to whom he is betrothed.
When he produces the token of betrothal her father gave him while drunk, Huan Lingzi grits her teeth.
Before she can think of a way to make Di Xi give up, Prince Rui pops up again, claiming that she is the only one he has ever loved.
Her escape blocked, Huan Lingzi glances at Di Xi with a terrible headache.
"I like men who are graceful and composed, but you're naturally a brute. I like men who are modest and kind, but you're devious and vindictive. I like men with faces as flawless as jade, but you..."
All right, she can't fault Di Xi's looks...
But Huan Lingzi simply does not like Di Xi!
She's disliked him since they were children. Even when he gave her the pony she loved most, she still couldn't stand him!
Huan Lingzi is still fuming when Di Xi folds his arms and looks toward Prince Rui, who is chasing after them relentlessly. His tone is teasing.
"Oh? You don't like me and won't marry me. Then who are you planning to marry? Him?"
Huan Lingzi glances behind her, inwardly cursing her bad luck, then sneers and bows toward the palace in the distance.
"I only wish to petition the throne to enter the Dao, become a Daoist nun, and pray for our dynasty's prosperity and enduring blessings!"
When Huan Lingzi was still in the northern frontier, the thing Di Xi feared most was that little brat puffing out her cheeks, clutching his sleeve, tears welling in her eyes, yet saying nothing.
After she returned to the Eastern Capital with the Grand Princess, who had divorced her husband, the thing Di Xi feared most was that the little brat might actually be foolish enough to marry that useless cousin of hers.
At long last, he manages to coax her through the door. Now the thing he fears most is her maid coming to deliver a message, saying that his wife plans to spend some time at a Daoist temple...
A few reading notes:
Both leads are sexually inexperienced.
A fictional setting inspired by the Tang dynasty. Historical nitpicking is not recommended.
A Daoist nun: Also known as a female Huangguan, female Daoist, or Daoist nun. In the Tang dynasty, female Daoists wore yellow headdresses. Since ordinary women did not wear headdresses, while female Daoists did, that is how the name came about. (Quoted from Baidu.)
Saved on 2023.06.18, first revision on 2023.10.24
Theme: Women should strive tirelessly to become stronger
