After Hanging Up My Armor, I Married the Sickly Young Lord

Please follow my upcoming works: "I Eloped and Mistook the Wrong Man for My Love", "After Our Divorce, I Married My Dad's Ride-or-Die Buddy"!

[Second Male Lead Takes the Lead | Sickly, Gentle Little Angel x Dashing, Feisty Female General]

After her father and brothers died in battle, Xie Fenglin commanded an army alone to defend the border for five years, winning glorious victories.

When the new emperor ascended the throne, he summoned her back to the capital. Everyone thought he planned to make his childhood sweetheart and cousin his empress, and even Xie Fenglin thought so.

But when she reached the capital, another woman was already at the emperor's side. He condescendingly bestowed a consort's title upon Xie Fenglin.

Kneeling in the hall, Xie Fenglin raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Your Majesty, my heart already belongs to someone. Forgive me, but I cannot obey..."

The emperor's expression changed, but the empress spoke first. "Who has the general given her heart to? Your Majesty need only grant them permission to marry."

Xie Fenglin looked across the assembled court officials, then fixed her gaze on a man in the crowd, covering his mouth with his sleeve as he coughed. She pointed at him. "Him."

The man froze, coughed up blood, and fainted.

Jiang Shu, heir to the Marquis of Anle, was handsome and elegant, like an immortal descended from heaven. Unfortunately, he was sickly and timid.

The new emperor didn't believe his proud cousin could love a sickly man like Jiang Shu. Once she came to her senses, she would come back to him sooner or later.

So he warned Jiang Shu: "My cousin is mine. If you want to stay alive, remember these three rules: don't approach her, don't get close to her, and don't fall for her."

Jiang Shu respectfully agreed, then broke all three rules in less than half a year.

Xie Fenglin married Jiang Shu only as a temporary measure. After all, he didn't have long to live. Once he died, she could live freely, unburdened.

But Xie Fenglin, who expected to become a widow, instead heard him blush and call her "my lady."

She watched him gently apply medicine to her wounds.

She watched him curl up in her arms and pout.

She watched him, despite his frail health, take a sword meant for her.

She watched him take her hand and ascend the bloodstained throne.

She watched them have children, and then watched the land grow peaceful and the world find stability.

Alternate history, 1v1, second male lead takes the lead, marriage before love, happy ending.

-- "After Our Divorce, I Married My Dad's Ride-or-Die Buddy" --

[Fiery Princess x Honest, Awkward Duke, Second Male Lead Takes the Lead]

Everyone said Gu Qingsui was lucky. Her father succeeded in his rebellion and became emperor, raising the whole family to greatness. She went from a common girl to the founding dynasty's first princess, then married Pei Linshu, the capital's most celebrated young gentleman. She had everything a person could want.

At first, Gu Qingsui thought so too. Although her husband was cold toward her and his family was not entirely sincere in their respect, she could put up with that, since her husband was at least fairly handsome.

Until she fainted with a high fever and dreamed she was the heroine of a book. After marrying Pei Linshu, no matter how hard she tried to please him, his heart remained with another woman. Then her brother and mother both died, and she lost all hope, divorcing him. Later, Pei Linshu learned that his "confidante" had used him as a tool for revenge. He finally saw the truth, pursued Gu Qingsui desperately, and the two reconciled.

Gu Qingsui: "???" A man who takes years of misery to win isn't worth keeping.

So as soon as she recovered, she divorced Pei Linshu and headed south to find renowned doctors for her mother and brother.

The emperor and empress worried about their daughter's long journey. As it happened, Duke of Dingguo Liang Chen had been sent south to suppress bandits, so the emperor asked his old comrade-in-arms to look after Gu Qingsui.

Liang Chen had often looked after his niece before. Whatever she wanted, he simply gave her.

But this time, his niece wanted a male companion.

Liang Chen: "...?"

Liang Chen picked out several male companions for Gu Qingsui, but she liked none of them. Then, at a banquet hosted by a wealthy merchant, she immediately took a liking to the tall, straight-backed young guard at his side.

Seeing the princess repeatedly look at the guard, the merchant immediately offered to give him to her.

Gu Qingsui happily agreed. That would save Uncle Chen the trouble.

Liang Chen, disguised and investigating the merchant's household: "...?"

Reader's Guide:

1. The heroine is not a virgin, the hero is. Ten-year age gap, happy ending.

2. Alternate universe. The heroine isn't elegant, and the hero isn't noble. Lighthearted everyday life.

Theme: Trading a body of illness for a heart full of passion