Plucking the Hibiscus

Blurb (Completed, a sweet little bedtime read)

Nie Wanzhao, the second legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongning, is a breathtaking beauty with a spoiled, delicate temperament, as lovely as a hibiscus. Her peerless beauty has captivated countless young noblemen.

Then came an imperial marriage decree, and this treasured beauty fell into the hands of Shen Li'an, a notorious treacherous minister. Countless people lamented her fate, unable to bear the thought of such a delicate flower being crushed at will.

After all, the minister was not only ruthless, but also hopelessly devoted. He had spent years pining for the one he loved and had never married. A pampered young lady like her was sure to be worn down to nothing after marrying him. No one had any faith in this match.

Only Nie Wanzhao knew that she had quietly held this ambitious minister close to her heart for a long time.

*

Shen Li'an, the eldest legitimate son of the Marquis of Xuanyang, was peerlessly handsome, with the face of a moon among the clouds in the heavens. When the marquis's house fell from grace, his title was revoked and his family property confiscated. The proud, aloof chosen son of Heaven became a condemned man whom anyone could bully.

Who could have guessed that in just a few years, he would rise to the position of Grand Secretary? He acted with unchecked impunity, gathered allies and purged his rivals, and seized control of the court. His power was beyond measure.

His hands were stained with countless lives, and he often woke from nightmares in the dead of night.

A pair of small hands would always pat his chest. Half-asleep, she would gently soothe him: "Don't be afraid, husband. Zhaozhao is here..."

Reading Guide:

1. A beloved, teary-eyed beauty x a ruthless, iron-fisted minister

2. The heroine is the most beautiful girl in the book. She may lack cunning, but she makes up for it with beauty.

3. The hero is reborn and has been scheming for a long time. Seven-year age gap, one-on-one, both each other's first.

4. Read for fun. If it's not your thing, don't force yourself.

Thanks to every reader who supports the official version.

The text is revised from time to time. The complete version is only available on Jinjiang. Thank you for your support.

Coming next: She Is Beautiful and Spoiled by Favor

Zhou Yuanbai was handsome and distinguished, born into a prestigious family and famous from a young age. From the moment he entered the government, he rose steadily through the ranks. A true favorite of Heaven, he was praised by all for his gentlemanly bearing.

But no one knew that he most loved sneaking into his "sister-in-law's" bedroom in the dead of night, binding her with his belt and holding her jade-white feet as he listened to her whimper and beg for mercy.

On the chaise longue, the man's rough palm gripped her chin, forcing her to face the bronze mirror before them. His thin lips brushed her snow-white neck, covered in red marks, as he said with a cold laugh, "Look carefully. Who am I?"

*

Jiang Nanxu was a rare beauty in all the surrounding villages, lovely and lively, but she came from a poor farming family. Her father didn't dote on her, and her mother didn't love her. At best, she could hope to marry a wealthy merchant someday.

She refused to accept that. She was determined to marry into a powerful family.

Ever since she was little, she had known her advantages. A little coaxing was enough to get the village scholar to teach her to read, the butcher at the village entrance to give her an extra pound of meat, or the peddler to throw in a couple of extra hairpins...

Eventually, she carried that sweet talk all the way to the marquis's residence and became the heir's favored concubine. But the man who came to her room every day was...

He had leverage over her, so she could only let him take her every night, without restraint. But gradually, her belly began to swell. What was she supposed to do?

Reading Guide:

1. A delicate, soft-hearted, scheming beauty x a strong, robust, black-hearted, obsessive minister. One-on-one, both each other's first. An alternate history, so no need to fact-check.

2. Includes groveling, taking someone by force, and other melodramatic tropes. Don't read if that's not your thing.

3. The heroine is no traditional good person. She is focused on marrying up and puts her own life and interests first.

4. The hero appears gentle and refined, but is actually a depraved beast in fine clothes: obsessive, unstable, and no good person.

5. This blurb was written in the summer of 2022. I forget the exact date, and it has been revised.

Theme: Keep beauty in your heart and smile as you move forward.