The Lovesick State Preceptor Is Always Wooing Himself

[The title may change before publication because of the character limit.]

Princess Lu Jia of Yong'an was the most exalted princess in all of Daye. Her father the emperor and her mother doted on her, raising her to be fearless.

The emperor was at his wits' end, so he wanted the ethereal, otherworldly Imperial Preceptor, who cared nothing for worldly affairs, to discipline her.

The Imperial Preceptor, Guan Ming, had lived for an unknown number of years. Rumor had it he was peerlessly handsome, with incomparable grace. Yet he was frail as a willow in the wind, coughing blood three times with every step. Whenever he performed rites to Heaven, his face was so pale he looked as though a gust of wind might knock him down.

He was also the source of countless bedtime ghost stories told to Princess Yong'an when she was little.

Lu Jia was horrified. From then on, she kept three paces away from him, covering her face and turning aside whenever she spotted Guan Ming from afar.

Guan Ming: ...

Huh?

Then one day, he found a book of stories.

[Princess Yong'an of Daye is to be married! Her betrothed is the renowned heir of the Marquis of Jingyuan. The people all say it's a perfect match.

But no one knows that Princess Yong'an is being held by the waist by the inscrutable Imperial Preceptor Guan Ming, his eyes red, as he asks, "Lu Jia, do you really want to marry him?"

The princess weeps so pitifully that the next day she comes down with a cold and a raging fever. Worried, the Imperial Preceptor uses the emperor's name as an excuse to visit her, then pins her against the headboard...]

Guan Ming: Absurd.

He meant to treat it as a joke, read it, and forget about it. He had no idea where the book had gone by now.

On the first day, nothing happened.

On the second day, nothing happened either.

On the third day, the emperor arranged Princess Yong'an's marriage to the heir of the Marquis of Jingyuan.

Guan Ming was on his way to the palace to see the emperor when he stumbled. He comforted himself: It was just a coincidence.

Then, during their audience, the emperor anxiously told him that the princess had caught a cold and asked the Imperial Preceptor to go out of the palace and visit her on his behalf.

Guan Ming: Outrageous!

*

After thinking it over with no success, Guan Ming asked his disciple, "Why would someone go out of their way to avoid another person?"

Ertao was thirteen or fourteen, at the age of first love. She beamed. "If it's a girl, either she hates him, or she's secretly in love with him and embarrassed to admit it."

Guan Ming: Oh no. The princess might have a crush on me.

*

After going to great lengths to break off her engagement to the heir of the Marquis of Jingyuan, Lu Jia did succeed in ending it, only to get entangled with the Imperial Preceptor instead.

A love-struck, stoic man who looks frail but can really fight X a sunny princess who seems a little silly but has excellent instincts.

The storybook is just a fanfic that happens to come true (and there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why!).

The Imperial Preceptor isn't an arrogant fool! He's just a beautiful, stoic man who talks himself into believing she's in love with him!

The image is from the BS forum. If it infringes on anyone's rights, please contact me and I'll remove it. Wishing the artist who kindly shared it happiness every day and success in everything!

Theme: Stay clear-headed in love.