Without her, Li Ji would have been an emperor praised for generations.
He was mature beyond his years and had never once strayed from the right path.
His only act of recklessness came when, still the crown prince, he took up a sword and forced his way into the palace, compelling the old emperor to execute Consort Dong.
That year, the entire Dong clan was executed, and Consort Dong Mingyuan was sentenced to death.
That was also the year the old emperor finally breathed his last. Amid cries of “Long live the emperor,” Li Jun ascended the throne, taking the reign title Chengqian.
In the third year of Chengqian, Li Ji went to the imperial mausoleum to honor his ancestors, as required by custom.
That day, the young emperor, who had no taste for women, brought a palace lamplighter back with him, despite the opposition of his court officials.
Yao Qinghe was a palace lamplighter. That day, she happened upon a man who had come to offer incense.
He was the man before whom all the world bowed. Her heart raced too fast.
She thought that following him into the palace marked the beginning of a love shared by both.
Until, at the height of their passion, with his warm breath against her ear, he called her “Mingyuan.”
Her wildly beating heart turned cold.
The wind brushed her face, and her veil fell away.
When the empress dowager saw her face, she was so shocked she nearly collapsed. “Dong... Mingyuan, you're alive?!”
Li Ji stepped in front of her, his voice icy. “Guards! Escort the empress dowager back to the palace.”
She silently pulled free of Li Ji's hand. Before her eyes flickered the image of a woman tilting back her head to drink poison.
Later, she remembered everything.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is the very person who was his unforgettable first love. After losing her memories, she gained a new identity.
2. The story's setting complies with Jinjiang rules.
Theme: Love openly and honorably
