Ensnared by Her Allure

An Yi is the most doted-on princess of the Da Yu dynasty, with a status unmatched beneath the heavens. Now that she is of marriageable age, her father, the emperor, allows her to choose anyone she likes as her consort.

At the Qionglin Banquet, she lifts her delicate hand and points to Shao Mu, the newly named third-place winner of the palace examinations.

An emperor's word cannot be taken back. Shao Mu has no choice but to move into the Princess's residence. From then on, he can no longer serve in office, and his ambitions are crushed before they can take flight. He becomes a bird in a cage.

He no longer needs to sharpen his sword or study by lamplight through the long nights. Instead, he spends his days among a crowd of idle consorts, watching them flaunt their fine clothes as they discuss their princesses' preferences and study how to win their favor...

Half a year into their marriage, the initial passion has faded. An Yi grows cold toward Shao Mu, and he no longer presses her for affection. She even leaves him behind when she travels south for pleasure.

Half a month after her ship departs, terrible news arrives. Their party was attacked by bandits, and Princess An Yi fell overboard and was swept away by the waves. Despite an exhaustive search, she was never found. The pearl of the realm had fallen.

Several months later, Shao Mu returns to public service and is sent away to take up a post.

Along the way, a local official tries to curry favor with him and hosts a banquet in his honor. After a few rounds of drinks, the official starts boasting about the stunning beauty of the new maid he has acquired.

That night, Shao Mu stands alone in a waterside pavilion. He hears a commotion from the official's room, then a woman flees from inside and crashes into him in her panic.

Shao Mu reaches out to steady her. The woman grabs his sleeve. "Sir, please save me!"

Her eyes are wide with fear, and her slender body trembles.

Shao Mu freezes. He looks down at the hand clutching him, then at her exquisite face. Who else could she be but the late Princess An Yi?

His hand closes around her wrist, his knuckles tightening, though his voice remains calm. "Save you?"

"Your Highness, have you forgotten everything?"

Coming soon: The Yao Garment. Please add it to your reading list.

One night of unexpected recklessness destroys Yao Yi's reputation. Rumors spread that she was deceived and violated.

As the gossip reaches a fever pitch, a grand carriage stops outside the Yuan family home. Yao Yi knows her family can no longer keep her, and climbs into the carriage without hesitation as her father sighs. The neighbors point and whisper, saying this is just a wealthy family's attempt to save face, and that she'll be tormented to death sooner or later.

Nervous and uneasy, she is brought to a grand estate. Many days later, she finally meets Zhan Duo.

He is noble and proud, like a tall pine standing aloof from the world. He regards her with a distant gaze.

Yao Yi has no wish to ingratiate herself with him. She has nowhere else to go and only needs a place to stay for a while.

She is always careful to keep her distance, never going to bother Zhan Duo, and waiting for a suitable time to leave.

Zhan Duo visits his maternal grandfather's home for a birthday celebration, but someone persuades him to drink a cup of wine. Afterward, he loses control and takes a woman.

As a proud son of a noble family, he should take responsibility for his mistake. But as a member of the Zhan clan, he could never marry her.

She is poorly educated and knows nothing of music. Even her voice is soft. Still, she is well-behaved, so he plans to take her as a concubine after some time, figuring that would not be unfair to her.

But after returning from a trip, he finds a wedding invitation from the countryside waiting for him at the gatehouse.

The invitation says that the kind old Madam Zhan has found Yao Yi a match. The man is respectable, and the wedding date has been set.

When Zhan Duo hurries to the little courtyard in the countryside, he finds Yao Yi sewing her wedding dress by candlelight.

She rises when she sees him, smiling brightly. "Young Master, you've got the date wrong."

Zhan Duo's eyes darken. He pulls her into the bedchamber and holds her tightly, just as he did on the day he was tricked. She pushes him away again and again.

He pulls her into his arms. By his ear, her trembling voice repeats, "You can't. You can't..."

Theme: Time flows downstream, while life is a boat rowing upstream.