Twins (Women Rule)

[Pre-release story, currently being revised. Character settings may change.]

Cool, beautiful older brother x mature, dependable general

Naturally bewitching younger brother x ascetic, noble crown princess

Qin Huaideng was born into the empress's clan. Cool as the moon, he had been raised under the strictest palace rules from childhood and betrothed to the crown princess at an early age.

In the eyes of outsiders, Qin Huaideng and the crown princess were perfectly matched in both family background and appearance. Besides, people had long said that whoever won the Qin family's son would win the realm. Their marriage was a foregone conclusion, beyond anyone's power to change.

But the crown princess had no love for this unsmiling fiancé. Though the betrothal forced them to meet a few times, she had never given up on breaking it off. Qin Huaideng felt the same.

Having lost all hope, he had accepted the fate arranged for him and prepared to enter the palace as a proper, dignified spouse to the crown princess. Then, by chance, he met someone with the exact same face as his own.

Only then did he learn that the Qin family had kept a secret for years. More than a decade ago, the head of the family had given birth to twin boys. But twins were considered ill-omened, so the family abandoned the younger one, sending him away to fend for himself, while keeping and carefully raising the older one, all so he could eventually marry into the Eastern Palace and strengthen the family's position.

Qin Nianjiu had grown up among all sorts of people, with a bold, lively personality. Being abandoned by the Qin family had left him free to live without restraint all these years. As Qin Huaideng looked at his younger brother, who shared his blood and bore the exact same face, a sudden thought came to him: they should switch places.

The twins made their plans. The younger brother climbed into the luxurious carriage headed for the Eastern Palace, while the older brother put on the fine silks he had never cared for.

But...

The crown princess had recently begun to find her fiancé strange. He used to be distant and cold, never willing to say more than a few words. Why had he suddenly become so passionate, even pretending to faint into her arms in public and secretly tracing her palm?

Even when she quietly scolded him, he still wore that cheeky grin. All she could do was endure it... and endure it some more.

Until he beat up every noble young man who admired her out of jealousy. He was scolded for having no decorum, but the crown princess took it all in stride and indulged him with a few gentle words, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

After a century of being a stubborn old bachelor, the great general had finally met the man of her dreams. Though he lived in the pleasure quarters, his eyes were cool and unmatched, and his refined aura made him seem like a noble young master. The heavens must have taken pity on her, because she got to play the hero and save the beauty. When she asked his name, the beauty tugged at her sleeve, his clear, lovely eyes holding a faint smile. "My name is Qin Huaijiu."

Qin Huaijiu was the most popular person in the pleasure quarters, so his reputation was naturally less than pristine. But the great general didn't back down. She heard that he loved money, so she showered him with gold. She heard that he loved fine silks, so she sent them over by the cartload.

But she couldn't understand why he didn't seem happy with any of it.

Cover artist: Taotao of Xifeng Pavilion

Theme: Someday, riding the wind and breaking the waves, I will set my cloud-white sail and cross the sea. Strive hard and live life to the fullest.