Fallen from the Altar

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In the eyes of outsiders, Princess Yongjia is peerlessly noble, doted on by the emperor and empress, and cherished by Chancellor Xie.

But only Chu Ningyu knows how wretched she is at night, and how Xie Rongyu torments her until she would rather be dead.

It is not until the old emperor falls gravely ill and a revered monk from Qinghe Temple arrives to chant prayers for his recovery that Chu Ningyu catches sight of the extraordinary, aloof Buddhist monk amid the crowd.

The revered monk Xuanling, whose secular name is Li Zhi, commands a powerful army. He is the only person in all of Great Chu capable of standing against Xie Rongyu.

Chu Ningyu narrows her phoenix eyes, calculating how to bring him down from his lofty pedestal and make him willingly brave any danger for her.

On the night the old emperor dies, she and her young brother are surrounded by Xie Rongyu's men inside the Golden Throne Hall, with their lives hanging by a thread. In her despair, Li Zhi arrives in armor with his troops and saves her.

One by one, the men fall before her, their blood staining the hem of her white skirt. Just as the man is about to leave, Chu Ningyu grabs him.

Her slender hand hooks around the armor at his elbow, her bright eyes fixed on him. "This princess is frightened. Revered monk, would you stay with me for one night?"

*

At first, Chu Ningyu thinks that Li Zhi is every bit the accomplished monk he should be after years of cultivation: compassionate and devoted to saving all living beings, like an untouchable immortal banished from heaven.

Later, she accidentally glimpses a side of him she never expected.

In a dim room, the man holds a long sword and carves one bloody gash after another into the eunuch standing before him.

"Tell me, who is a better match for the princess, me or Chancellor Xie?"

"Y-You, of course!" the eunuch stammers, trembling with fear.

But the man has no intention of letting him off so easily. In the blink of an eye, a streak of blood appears across the window lattice.

Chu Ningyu instinctively takes a step back. The noise alerts the man nearby, who comes toward her with a sword in hand and blood all over his face.

Gone is the bearing of an aloof Buddhist monk. He looks more like a bloodthirsty, murderous sinner cast out of heaven.

Smiling, he traps her in his arms, his bloodstained fingers lingering on her cheek. "Do you still like me like this, Your Highness?"

-Content Warnings-

1. The setting is wildly fictional. The plot exists to serve the romance, so don't scrutinize the historical details!

2. The heroine is not a virgin, while the hero is. The heroine has more scenes with the second male lead early on, so don't read if that bothers you!

3. The heroine has plenty of flaws, so don't read if you want a flawless character!

4. The writing is at kindergarten level, so don't read if you expect polished prose!

(P.S. This blurb was written on August 15, 2022.)

Pre-release title: Princess's Heartless Love, Blurb:

On the day of Princess Yi'an's engagement banquet, the whole city of Jiangzhou is abuzz. Countless nobles compete to send their congratulations, and Shen Dai is the center of attention.

After getting tipsy at the banquet, Shen Dai steps out with her maid for some air. As she reaches the lakeside rockery, she suddenly collides with a wall of iron.

When she looks up, she sees a slightly blurred yet unmistakably familiar handsome face. Fear mingles with the wine in her system, and for no reason her body starts to sink.

The young man across from her reaches out in time to steady her. A cool hand gradually circles her waist, forcing Shen Dai one step forward until she is pressed against his chest.

"It's been so long. Why are you trembling, Sister-in-law?"

His familiar tone brings back memories of two years ago, as well as the thing she regrets most in her life...

*

Two years ago, when Shen Dai left the palace for an outing, she had a brief romantic affair with Pei Qingzhou.

Back then, he was still an innocent, guileless young blind man. Though she had been happy with him, their difference in status stood in the way. After a month, Shen Dai left behind a chest of silver and disappeared without a word.

Two years later, Shen Dai never imagined that the young blind man would not only reappear before her, but become her future... brother-in-law.

Feeling guilty, Shen Dai repeatedly gives way as Pei Qingzhou draws near time and again. Only when she has nowhere left to retreat does she steel herself to draw a clear line between them.

"What happened between us is in the past. I'm married to your brother now. There's no reason for us to meet in private anymore. It would be best if we didn't."

The man cannot help laughing when he hears this. He closes in step by step, backing her into a cramped corner. He lifts her chin forcefully and says in a harsh voice:

"You want to cut all ties with me, Sister-in-law, but I refuse to let you have your way!"

*

Pei Qingzhou has suffered from an eye disease since childhood. He is the least favored illegitimate son in the family, and his life is unbearably bleak. It is only when a young woman enters his life that he opens his heart again and entrusts her with his whole heart.

But later, he learns that for Shen Dai, their relationship was nothing but a deception. The tragic thing is, he was the only one who believed in it.

After scheming to cure his eyes and return to the Pei family, his temperament changes completely. He repays every bit of the hatred and resentment he has carried for over a decade.

The one exception is Princess Yi'an, the woman who deceived him body and soul. He has no idea what to do with her.

Every night, when all is quiet, Pei Qingzhou holds the trembling figure hiding in the corner of the bed and repeats the same words over and over:

"The day you learn to love me, Sister-in-law, is the day Yannu lets you go."

Theme: The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will seek the truth both above and below.