[Dual personality trope. The primary personality is gentle; the second is unhinged.]
[An adorably clueless, unorthodox Taoist nun, whose survival instincts work only sometimes.]
Before she turned eighteen, she grew up in a mountain temple. There were two trees in the temple: one was a locust tree, and the other was also a locust tree.
After a case of mistaken identity, she passed herself off as a princess and entered the palace. She had two imperial brothers there: one was called Huaian, and the other was also called Huaian.
*
On the day Princess Luanfu returned to her homeland, the streets were packed with people.
Soldiers: The princess risked her life to save her father back then. She's a hero.
Palace servants: She spent ten years in the hands of the rebels. She's surely been ruined by now.
With a face as seductive as a fox's and eyes darting around like a wary little rabbit, the princess stealthily stuffed a piece of white jade cake into her mouth while no one was looking. Beneath her gold-threaded sleeves, she clutched a handful of pearls and jewels.
She muttered under her breath, "Mine, all mine. Grab it and run."
But life in the imperial palace was nothing like she'd expected. Every day was like walking on thin ice. After fielding the Empress Dowager's probing questions, she had to face her elderly uncle on the throne: seemingly kind, but clearly plotting something.
To protect herself, she set her sights on Huaian, the upright and refined Crown Prince, who was her brother in name only.
Qi Zhuo was Crown Prince under two successive emperors. His father had died in a conspiracy, and his fiancée had broken her promise and entered the palace as his aunt by marriage. Though the Crown Prince held a position of great honor, even lowly eunuchs dared to bully him and cut his allowance in private.
In the silent depths of the palace at night, a woman came beneath the moonlight and knelt gracefully at his knees, her long hair trailing on the floor. She lifted her beautiful eyes, mist clouding them.
She murmured softly, "If there's truly no escape, I'd rather it be you..."
Qi Zhuo's heart trembled, but he pushed her away with ruthless resolve. "Yue'er is my only blood relative. Even if every bone in my body must be broken, I'll win back the honor you deserve."
Before long, a palace coup took place. The Crown Prince killed his uncle and claimed the throne. Luanfu was glad she hadn't become too entangled with him. At last, she could live out her days as a princess of the highest rank, enjoying herself.
But what awaited her was imprisonment in the Jiao Chamber.
In the silent palace, a man dressed in black came through the night, having broken his promise.
The once-gentle gentleman seized her snow-white chin, his gaze dark and cruel. "Come to hell with me..."
Only then did she discover the shocking secret: Qi Zhuo was a twin. The one in white was refined as an immortal; the one in black was fierce as a demon.
Until one day, the white robes stained with blood, he staggered and fell to his knees before her, crying out hoarsely, "Yue'er, save me! Kill him..."
*
Later, a fire broke out in the palace overnight. The impostor princess died in the Jiao Chamber, and the new emperor welcomed the Perfected One of Boundless Jade Mysteries to the capital with a grand ceremony.
Deep in the palace, a deadly trap laid by the new emperor himself slowly closed in around him. The woman he loved but could never possess, whom he hated but could never let go, held a sharp blade and cut out half his heart...
Reading Guide:
1. The male and female leads are not blood relatives. Their romance begins after they are no longer related by name.
2. This is not a story about a strong female lead. Later on, the heroine fakes her death, runs away while pregnant, and puts the hero through a long road to winning her back, all in order to kill the powerful, sinister "him." Happy ending.
2023.01.10
Theme: When the blossoms and waves have all faded, I will keep you company in solitude.
