A Fateful Mistaken Marriage

Shen Jia was a famously foolish beauty in the capital, with a dazzling face and nothing between her ears. She often made a fool of herself at banquets, becoming a laughingstock far and wide.

Huai Yu was the only son of the Prince of Fufeng. A free-spirited chivalrous young man from childhood, he loved falconry and hunting dogs and wreaked havoc in the neighborhood. People in the capital called him the "Little Menace."

One day, these two people, who had nothing whatsoever to do with each other, joined forces because they shared a secret purpose.

Huai Yu: "I've taken a liking to your older sister, but your father promised her to the top scholar. Help me out, and I'll make it worth your while."

Shen Jia: "What a coincidence! I like the top scholar! I've been trying to figure out how to break them up!"

Their eyes met, and they nodded to each other in satisfaction.

They had found a partner they could work with.

*

To ensure their plan succeeded, Shen Jia decided to drug the top scholar and make sure they slept together.

She had just scattered the powder when Huai Yu happened to walk in, ready to discuss their scheme.

Shen Jia eagerly explained her plan, and Huai Yu chimed in with suggestions. The more they talked, the more excited they got, as if victory were already in sight.

After talking so much, Huai Yu's mouth was dry. Without thinking, he picked up a cup of cold tea from the table and drank it.

An incense stick later, he felt a wicked heat rise in his lower abdomen.

*

When Huai Yu and Shen Jia became engaged, the people of the capital rejoiced. A fool and a good-for-nothing, a perfect match!

Everyone supported the engagement. The only two who weren't pleased were the betrothed themselves.

Huai Yu: "You've got to be kidding! I'd marry that shrew?"

Shen Jia: "I like talented men. Who does that Little Menace think he is?"

But the emperor himself arranged the marriage, so whether they liked it or not, it had to happen.

On the first day after their wedding, Huai Yu stormed into the palace and announced to the Empress Dowager, "I'm going to divorce that shrew!"

He kept saying this for decades. Not only did he never divorce her, he even helped Shen Jia rise all the way to become empress.

*

Many years later, Empress Shen thought back to the first time she met the Little Menace.

Back then, she was the daughter of the Grand Secretary, swinging on a swing in the garden. At the highest point of her swing, she spotted a young man in a brocade robe and jade belt, sneaking around on top of the garden wall.

"Who are you?" she shouted, falling off the swing.

Huai Yu lightly touched down on his toes and swooped in to catch her.

"I know you were there to see my older sister back then."

Whenever the empress thought about it, she still felt a little resentful.

The emperor drew her into his arms and coaxed her with a troubled look. "You silly thing. You were the first person I saw."

The little girl standing on the swing, her skirt fluttering in the air, her brows and eyes cold as she shouted, "Who are you?"

A foolish beauty x the capital's notorious rascal

1. Set in a fictional dynasty loosely inspired by the Ming. Please don't nitpick the history.

2. Mostly about their chaotic married life.

End of section

[Pre-Release Blurb] I Died After Constantly Trying to Get Myself Killed

*

Cui Han transmigrated into a male-oriented novel. The protagonist, Situ Yi, was the standard tragic beauty: his kingdom was destroyed from the start, and he was taken prisoner. The Princess Jing'an lusted after his beauty, could not have him, and subjected him to all kinds of humiliation.

Situ Yi endured hardship and bided his time for over ten years. At last, he stormed the capital and had Princess Jing'an ground to dust, leaving not a single bone behind.

Cui Han, now Princess Jing'an: ...

Cui Han: "I think I can still salvage this."

System: "Host, your task is to max out the protagonist's corruption level."

Cui Han: "Damn."

*

To get home as soon as possible, Cui Han had no choice but to set out on the road to getting herself killed. But no matter how badly she humiliated Situ Yi, his corruption level always fell just short.

With no other choice, Cui Han made him her slave, then married a consort right in front of him and humiliated him in every way she could. Thanks to her relentless efforts to get herself killed, Situ Yi's corruption level finally maxed out.

Cui Han: "Yay."

*

On the day Situ Yi left Chang'an, Princess Jing'an drove him to the ten-mile pavilion and gave him a treasured sword.

He knelt beside the carriage wheel and asked, "Why are you sending me away, Princess?"

Her voice drifted out of the carriage, calm and flat. "Haven't you always wanted to leave?"

He asked again, "Was there ever a moment when you cared for me?"

"Cared for you?"

At last, the carriage window opened. The princess looked down at him contemptuously. "You're nothing but a dog at my feet."

His hand tightened around the sword hilt. He stood up, smiling with carefree ease.

"Have you ever heard the saying, 'Nothing in this world is constant'? Today I'm your dog, Princess, but perhaps one day you'll be the one kneeling at my feet, wagging your tail and begging for mercy."

Princess Jing'an lifted the curtain and studied him for a long moment, then smiled meaningfully.

"I'll be waiting."

*

In the spring of the fifteenth year of Mingguang, Princess Jing'an ascended the throne as emperor. History would call her the Emperor of Sorrow.

The following winter, an army of 800,000 rebels from Nanyue invaded the imperial capital. Their commander was none other than the former slave kept in the princess's residence, General Situ Yi.

The general reined in his horse outside the city and smiled with great composure at the envoy who had come to negotiate.

"Within half an hour, have Her Highness remove her hairpins, dress in plain clothes, and kneel to welcome the royal army. Otherwise, I will raze the capital to the ground."

Everyone knew that the Princess he spoke of was the female emperor inside the royal city.

The envoy hurried off to deliver the message. The general waited patiently on horseback, expecting the proud, noble woman to kneel at his feet and bow to him. But half an hour later, the princess did not appear in plain clothes with her hairpins removed. Instead, he received a head in a red-lacquered wooden box lined with brocade.

On the city wall, an eunuch choked up as he read the Emperor of Sorrow's final edict: "All the world is guilty, and the fault lies with me... After my death, I will have no face to meet my ancestors. Let the enemy dismember my corpse, but do not harm a single commoner."

That day, countless soldiers witnessed the general spit out a mouthful of blood, splattering the woman's exquisitely beautiful face in the box.

The regretful ex pursues his wife

Beautiful, beguiling empress x unhinged hostage prince

Theme: Building a harmonious marriage together