Mistaking a High Branch for Love

*

Jiang Fu grew up in the countryside. If she had never met Ling Yanchi, the dazzling young heir of Duke Dingguo, she might have lived a peaceful life in her hometown.

Unfortunately, she refused to accept her fate. She yearned to get close to the man who had captured her heart. She traveled all the way to Chang'an, agreed to become a substitute bride, and finally became his wife.

After they married, she reined in her nature, acting sweet and obedient, afraid to make even the smallest mistake. She made him breakfast, but he didn't touch it. She timidly tried to draw near, and he called her shameless.

Worse still, he mistook his childhood sweetheart, the commandery princess, for the person who had saved his life. The woman who had truly saved him was hidden behind the door, listening with a breaking heart.

The princess drove her carriage into Jiang Fu's, but her husband didn't even ask if she was hurt. Instead, he demanded, "Apologize to Mingyi."

At last, she understood. He was gentle and courteous to everyone else, but utterly heartless toward her.

She couldn't pluck that flower from its lofty branch, and the thorns had left her covered in wounds. At last, she asked for a divorce.

The man she had seen in her youth had ultimately been nothing but a beautiful dream.

*

Ling Yanchi felt nothing for his wife. She was timid and taciturn, knew nothing, and did little but hide away in the back courtyard. He never imagined that someone like her would resolutely send him divorce papers.

Since that was the case, he was only too happy to let her go, and sent her away with his usual pride.

Three years later, floods ravaged Jiangzhou. While inspecting the region, he reunited with his former wife, whose face had long since faded in his memory.

Dressed in green, she handed out porridge and grain to the flood victims. The people clustered around her like stars around the moon. She shone like a brilliant jewel, warm and radiant.

After seeing her, he realized how badly he had been mistaken. He called off the marriage arranged by his family, and a thorn called regret began to grow in his heart.

*

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jiang Fu broke her appointment with him, leaving him waiting until late into the night, while she went to the lantern fair hand in hand with her childhood sweetheart.

At that moment, Ling Yanchi's heart ached. He realized that their relationship was truly over, yet he couldn't bring himself to let go. "Niannian, I regret it. Can we start over?"

Jiang Fu shook her head. "Never."

Ling Yanchi felt as if he'd been struck over the head. Desperate to win her heart again, he racked his brains and tried every possible way, even stamping his former pride into the dirt. "If you don't want to marry again, I can do without a title, too."

Jiang Fu smiled in surprise. "You want to be my lover? My lord, aren't you being a little shameless?"

Reader notes:

1. The heroine's name, Jiang Fu, means full of vitality and flourishing.

2. One-on-one, happy ending, both leads sexually inexperienced, and a regretful pursuit of the wife. The groveling takes up a lot of the story, and isn't brushed off lightly, so read with confidence.

-- Upcoming novel: Don't Become a Concubine to My Late Husband's Brother. Please add it to your favorites!

Yun Qi was born into a modern family of herbalists. In one moment, she transmigrated and became the widow of the second son of the Duke of Sui's household.

The family looked down on her rustic origins and accused her of using her charms to climb into a prominent family. They bullied her in every way.

On the surface, Yun Qi acted obedient and kept smiling as she served her elders. In truth, she was constantly plotting her escape from the imposing estate.

At last, her chance came. With a meticulous plan, she managed to flee the mansion under cover of night.

Aboard the ship leaving the capital, officials were hunting down rebels. Yun Qi accidentally stumbled onto a pirate ship and was mistaken for a rebel. Bound hand and foot, she was thrown into prison.

The official in charge of the case turned out to be her never-before-seen "brother-in-law," Xie Xia, heir to the Duke of Sui. After three years inspecting Jiangnan, he had been summoned back to the capital and, before the age of thirty, had risen to the position of Deputy Chief Councillor.

To save her life, Yun Qi had no choice but to reveal her identity and beg desperately, "I'm innocent! Please, sir, save me."

*

After confirming who she was, Xie Xia eventually brought her back to the estate.

Her escape had been exposed, and from then on Yun Qi had to tread even more carefully.

By chance, she heard that Xie Xia had developed debilitating migraines after being poisoned. Hoping to secure his protection for a while, she promised she could cure him. Once he recovered, she would let him decide to have her marriage annulled at the ancestral shrine and set her free.

Xie Xia didn't take her seriously.

A penniless country girl's daughter had used every trick in the book to bewitch his second brother, then fled with her belongings. She was clearly a calamity.

As it happened, his illness was troubling him, and he wanted to see what this woman was capable of. Smiling faintly, he agreed. "Since you don't want to stay, our family shouldn't force you."

So Yun Qi got her wish and moved into Chixue Garden. From then on, she had warm charcoal at night, and the roof no longer leaked. To win her freedom, she prepared medicine for Xie Xia day and night, waited on him devotedly, and endured every hardship he put her through.

At last, Xie Xia recovered, and she eagerly asked him to let her leave the estate.

Xie Xia replied nonchalantly, "If you don't want to remain a widow for him, that's fine. I'll honor my promise and decide the matter myself."

Yun Qi was overjoyed.

But Xie Xia reached out and patted her cheek. "From now on, you'll be my concubine."

Yun Qi was instantly thunderstruck.

*

At first, Xie Xia detested Yun Qi. She was vain and promiscuous, and he thought his second brother had been wronged by marrying a woman like her.

But when he saw her stay up all night preparing medicine for him, her eyes red from exhaustion, and watched her effortlessly cure a strange poison, he realized she wasn't just good at scheming. She also had genuine ability.

With the right discipline, perhaps she could change her ways.

His family said she was unconventional, so he would teach her how to be a virtuous wife.

He asked her to become his concubine. Though she was unwilling, she eventually nodded and agreed.

That night, he drank the medicinal meal she brought him and fell straight asleep.

When he woke, she had pulled the same trick again and run away.

Staring at the lingering lipstick mark on his pillow, Xie Xia flew into a rage.

He had risen to the highest ranks of the court and lived in boundless splendor. Whatever he wanted, countless people rushed to lay at his feet.

Only Yun Qi, a mere woman, dared to defy him again and again.

He would lay a net from heaven to earth if he had to, but he would catch her and bring her back.

Theme: Home is wherever your heart finds peace.