A frail, sickly little fox x A spirited young general
Blurb:
Lang Hua’s marriage had been arranged when she was young. She had once imagined that she and the Song family’s young master might treat each other with courtesy, or merely put on a show of affection. She never expected them to end up as sworn enemies.
When the decree came down to confiscate the Changping Marquis’s estate and exile the family, Lang Hua forced herself, ill as she was, to drink half a cup of Xifeng liquor. Xie Yun had sent it before leaving for the campaign, and it had been buried beneath the crabapple tree outside her room ever since.
A maid hurried in with the news: the northwest campaign was won. Ninth Prince Xie Yun had ridden ahead with the cavalry and was already returning to the capital in triumph...
The cup slipped from Lang Hua’s hand and fell. Many people knelt beneath the corridor, weeping quietly.
Lang Hua could no longer hear them clearly. Her end was near, and she only regretted that she couldn’t congratulate him in person.
The bells of Zhaojue Temple rang out, and amid the curling sandalwood incense, Lang Hua opened her eyes.
When she saw Song Jinglan tending to her attentively once more, his face full of tender smiles, she lowered her lashes calmly.
Now, she could no longer feel even the slightest stir of emotion.
To escape Song Jinglan, Lang Hua used Xie Yun without hesitation, intending to go their separate ways after that.
Who could have known that the usually reserved Ninth Prince would barge into her bedchamber?
"Break off your engagement with the Changping Marquis’s household. I will marry you."
A bonus scene:
Xie Yun had a secret. He wanted to trade his military achievements for one person.
Unfortunately, that person didn’t wait for him.
He moved the crabapple trees from Zhaojue Temple to his princely residence, and brewed jar after jar of Xifeng liquor.
But the one he’d hoped to share it with had long since passed away.
Given another life, Xie Yun thought, he would bring her back to his side first, no matter what it took.
At first, he was only afraid she wouldn’t love him.
Later, he was only afraid she would love him too much.
*Written on 2023.04.11
Theme: Live well and bravely move forward.
