Marrying into Brocade

Complete.

Next up: Magpies on Her Brow~

[Gentle beauty x unruly devil]

A career-minded beauty and her lovesick puppy

Married first, fall in love later | Proud darling of heaven chases his wife | Sweet romance

1.

A royal decree of betrothal forced Qiao Heng to marry a stranger she had never met.

The Qiao family had long kept its distance from court politics, a distinguished clan that lived discreetly. The family’s cherished daughter, Qiao Heng, learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting at five, was managing the household accounts by twelve, and at fifteen became the most celebrated beauty around, thanks to her gentle, lotus-like face.

But when disaster struck her family at sixteen, the once-cherished daughter of heaven fell into the mire. Overnight, those around her began watching her like predators.

When the marriage decree arrived, the eunuch delivering it gave her a sympathetic look. “His Majesty personally named you as the bride. The groom is one of the most celebrated figures in the capital.”

With her family’s future on the line, Qiao Heng accepted the decree.

She was to marry the cold, arrogant, and law-defying commander of the Imperial Brocade Guard, a man no one dared provoke: the Yan family’s notorious young devil.

Though still young, he wielded the highest power at court. He killed without mercy and devoured his enemies whole.

2.

The Yan family’s heir, born into a clan of nobles that had served the court for generations, rode beneath the lamplight, bold and spirited. He had never cared for any young lady and had once declared that he would never marry unless he met true love.

Then the emperor decreed his marriage, and the young heir, the capital’s little tyrant, was to wed.

Yan Jiayun felt no fondness for the marriage the emperor had arranged for him.

On their wedding night, his bride trembled like a kitten. Yan Jiayun was always cold and self-disciplined; he did not even look at her face before turning to his work.

The hastily married couple lived under the same roof without disturbing each other, like strangers.

A pawn in the power games, Qiao Heng played the obedient, docile wife, asking only that they keep out of each other’s way. Meanwhile, the rumors outside grew ever wilder. The man stayed away for days at a time, and everyone said Qiao Heng was desperately in love with him.

Wiping blood from his sword hilt, Yan Jiayun thought casually: Once my great plan is complete, I’ll write her a divorce letter and end this cleanly, before she gets any more attached.

Qiao Heng had never dared hope for such a good outcome. She readily agreed, unable to hide the joy in her eyes despite her usual meek and delicate demeanor.

Yan Jiayun was slightly taken aback. For once, he looked at her carefully, then looked again.

3.

When people in the capital learned that Yan Jiayun was marrying a fallen young lady, they were in an uproar.

The Yan clan was a prestigious family with a century of distinguished military service. Yan Jiayun had been famous throughout the imperial city since his youth, and everyone thought this marriage was a waste of him. Rumors said the new bride was unloved and that the Yan family would cast her off sooner or later. Whenever Qiao Heng went out, people looked at her with barely concealed schadenfreude.

Many young women saw their dreams of marriage shatter and waited for Qiao Heng to become a laughingstock.

No one expected that, after all their waiting, Yan Jiayun would rise to the very center of power, cut down his enemies, and give her every honor and affection.

[Bonus scene]

They say the Imperial Brocade Guard has three rules:

1. Never bend the law for personal gain.

2. Never ignore what should be investigated, or fail to report what has been investigated.

3. Never casually change out of your embroidered flying-fish robe in front of a woman.

Qiao Heng made Yan Jiayun soup, and he refused it. She helped him out of his clothes, and he refused. She tried to look after him, and he said, “Don’t touch me.” Qiao Heng stopped going into the main room and got on with her own life.

At last, Yan Jiayun took off his flying-fish robe himself and lay down beside her bed, calling out aggrievedly:

“A Heng, look at me.”

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* Gentle, clear-headed beauty x rebellious commander of the Imperial Brocade Guard

* Daughter of a distinguished clan x son of a powerful family | Romance first, plot second | Everyday life

* A post-marriage story of two people who go from mutual dislike to loving each other to the bone

Theme: Join hands to build a brighter future