Marrying Zhao Heyue was the most shameful thing Xie Chenyi had ever done.
She was born ugly, dull-witted and slow on the uptake, with nothing going for her besides her noble status.
If not for the need to resolve the Xie family's troubles,
with his refined bearing, he could easily have married the beautiful legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo as his primary wife.
A man who marries a princess cannot divorce her or take concubines.
So Xie Chenyi treated her like she wasn't there. He never shared a bed with her, and made no secret of his distaste for her, whether in public or in private.
Zhao Heyue didn't care about his attitude at all.
Only now and then, in the silence and solitude, she would stare at Xie Chenyi's profile and lose herself in thought.
As if she were thinking of someone from her past through him.
Later, General He returned to the capital in triumph.
The He family had grown so powerful that they threatened the throne, and the emperor was considering settling accounts with them.
The great aristocratic families all kept their distance from the Hes, afraid of getting caught up in trouble.
Xie Chenyi remarked coolly,
"He was so spirited back then. Who could have guessed that now he wouldn't even measure up to me?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the ugly princess came running down from the city tower, lifting her skirts as she threw herself at the man leading the He army.
The whole capital was abuzz with rumors that the ugly princess had abandoned him.
Xie Chenyi looked disdainful, but felt a strange pang of bitterness inside.
That very day, he happened to run into General He outside the palace.
In the bright sunlight, he turned and caught sight of General He's profile.
Dark eyes, a high nose bridge, and a handsome face strikingly similar to his own.
Only then did he finally understand.
A pain he couldn't put into words stabbed at his heart, nearly making him stumble down the steps.
Xie Chenyi murmured, "Could I just be a substitute?"
A friendly heads-up:
1. The male lead is a virgin; the female lead is not.
2. General He is the male lead. The second male lead gets the crematorium treatment, then his ashes are scattered.
Theme: Blooming the most beautiful flower in adversity
