The Prince Claims Her Beauty (Reborn)

[My new novel, After the Cold Emperor Became Obsessed with Me, is now underway! Check out my completed works in my author profile. Please add my upcoming novel, After My Scheming Imperial Brother Set His Sights on Me, to your reading list! 🥹]

--Story blurb--

[Male lead is reborn midway through the story / Female lead dreams of her past life / One-sided salvation / They find their way to each other]

Jiang Qingyao was born into a prestigious family, radiant and beautiful. After her hairpin ceremony, she was betrothed by imperial decree to the Crown Prince as his principal consort. Everyone was certain it was a perfect match.

Yet the moment the decree was issued, Jiang Qingyao thought of the winter years ago when she had helped a frail, sickly boy, battered and covered in blood, up from the snow. He was the Fifth Prince, Xie Huaicheng.

Before her wedding, she had a dream. In it, after the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he immediately turned cold and merciless, sentencing the entire Jiang family and leaving her to die in despair deep within the palace.

It turned out the Crown Prince had married her solely because of a prophecy from years ago: a daughter of the Jiang family was destined to become empress.

As she lay dying, Jiang Qingyao saw a familiar figure rushing toward her, shivering with cold and covered in blood. His hands trembled as he gathered her into his arms.

*

On the night of the wedding, the Fifth Prince, Xie Huaicheng, stopped the Eastern Palace's bridal procession in the street. With a single strike of his sword, he knocked the Crown Prince, dressed in wedding robes, from his horse.

Jiang Qingyao blanched. "Xie Huaicheng, have you gone mad?"

"Qingyao," he rasped, "if I let you marry him right in front of me again, then I really will go mad."

Without giving her a choice, he pulled the trembling girl into his arms. He had waited two lifetimes for this moment.

*

Xie Huaicheng's life took a cruel turn when he was young. From then on, he fell from grace and endured the palace's scorn and abuse.

That winter, a girl dressed in fine silk reached out to him as he lay battered and covered in blood. Xie Huaicheng saw eyes as pure as the bright moon. She was the only light in his desolate life.

He was as lowly as a blade of grass and didn't dare hope for anything. He only wished her peace and happiness. But when the new emperor ascended the throne and chaos erupted in the palace, Xie Huaicheng risked everything to break into the rear palace at night. All he could do was helplessly watch her breathe her last in his arms.

Heaven took pity on him and granted him another life. This time, he would bring her back to his side and protect her, even if it cost him his life.

If she was destined to be the future empress, then he would seize the throne himself!

*Reading guide:

1. Fictional setting / extensive original worldbuilding / no historical nitpicking

2. One-on-one romance / both leads have had no other partners

3. The male lead isn't reborn from the start; the female lead dreams of her past life

4. The male lead's actions have reasons and consequences; the Crown Prince gets what he deserves

5. There is a secondary couple. Don't read if you mind

6. Thanks to the kind reader who gifted me the character art~

[Upcoming story: After the Emperor Was Driven Away by a Good-Luck Bride, a sweet romance with both leads reborn]

Lu Langyue's death in her past life was truly unfair.

The emperor was gravely ill, and by imperial decree she entered the palace to bring him good fortune. Not only did she drive him away, but she also barged into the mourning hall to escape the lecherous new emperor. He shoved her hard, and she struck her head against the coffin and died on the spot.

The ministers were moved to tears, marveling at her devotion: she had been willing to give her life to accompany the late emperor in death.

When Lu Langyue opened her eyes again, she realized she had returned to the year before she entered the palace.

Before she could even feel relieved, an imperial decree suddenly arrived from the palace, appointing her Noble Consort.

Lu Langyue: …

Remembering that the emperor would die mysteriously a year later, she lay awake all night.

To live a few more years this time, she had no choice but to find ways to cling to the aloof, taciturn emperor and do her best to show him that she loved him wholeheartedly. She only wanted to spend every day with him and stop him from dying young and taking her down with him.

At the same time, she had to find a way to avenge the injustice that had cost her her life in her previous one.

*

Xiao Zhuo endured hardship in his youth and ultimately died young.

As he lay dying, his soul floated above the palace. He saw that Lu, the only woman in the harem, was so heartbroken that she followed him in death.

Xiao Zhuo was stunned. So she really does love me that much.

Reborn, he decided to honor her devotion.

After Lu Langyue entered the palace, she indeed loved him deeply.

Whenever he was slightly unwell, she would weep with worry and pray day and night.

When he was busy with government affairs, she would personally prepare meals, keep him company by lamplight, and care for him devotedly.

As time went on, Xiao Zhuo thought, since she loves him so much, it was only natural for him, as emperor, to fall for her, make her empress, and leave the rest of the harem empty.

Who would have thought that one day, he would accidentally hear the Noble Consort muttering in her sleep and discover what she truly thought?

So her love for me was fake? She was pretending?!

Xiao Zhuo, deeply hurt by this betrayal, gritted his teeth. He felt his devotion had been misplaced and decided to settle the score with her.

*Reading guide:

1. Both leads are reborn. They have had no other partners in either life, and the male lead has no harem.

2. No palace intrigue. One-on-one sweet romance.

3. Fictional setting with lots of original details. Please don't nitpick.

Theme: One heart, one love, for a lifetime.