A Sprig of Spring

The main story is complete.

Qiao Ditang is the legitimate daughter of Count Taiping. She has a sweet voice and beautiful features. After her parents divorced, she followed her mother into a new marriage and settled in Jiangnan. When she grew up, her father summoned her back to the capital for a political marriage to consolidate his power.

Gu Xianting is the heir of a marquis's household and a serving official in the Ministry of Justice. Born to a noble family, he is handsome, aloof, and uninterested in women.

When they first met, Qiao Ditang was secretly flirting with Prince Cheng. Gu Xianting assumed she was just like her father, currying favor with the powerful, and looked down on her.

The next time they met, Qiao Ditang had found a new target for her attentions: the young master of the Marquis of Yongning's household. Gu Xianting summed her up in four words: “Fickle and flighty.”

Not long afterward, Qiao Ditang appeared before Gu Xianting. Looking at her smile, as lovely as spring blossoms, and hearing her melodious voice, like an oriole singing from its valley, Gu Xianting suddenly felt that her request wasn't all that unreasonable.

As they spent more time together, he discovered that she was clever and courageous, with a resilient spirit, and his opinion of her changed.

He had always thought Qiao Ditang wanted him for himself. He never expected that once the case was resolved, she would leave behind a large sum of silver and vanish without a trace.

Gu Xianting was furious.

So she had been using him all along!

When Qiao Ditang first arrived in Jiangnan with her mother, everyone disliked her. Fortunately, the eldest daughter of the Su family stayed by her side, year after year. Later, the Su family's eldest daughter married into a marquis's household in the capital and met with misfortune. Qiao Ditang resolved to move heaven and earth and use every means at her disposal to avenge her.

You protected me in life. In death, I will clear your name.

“Jiangnan has nothing to offer, so I send you a sprig of spring.”

Next story: Marrying the Male Lead's Uncle

Jian Yunning woke up one day to find she had entered a novel about a concubine-born daughter. The male lead was the heir of a marquis, and the female lead was a concubine-born daughter from a prominent family. They were in love with each other.

Unfortunately, Jian Yunning wasn't the heroine. She was the villainess who used her brother's friendship with the male lead to scheme and make him marry her.

Later, she was cast out after poisoning the male lead's concubine, and the hero and heroine finally ended up together.

Looking at the rosewood canopy bed before her, Yunning thought, “Are fine silks and satins not beautiful? Is sumptuous food not delicious? Why would I fight the heroine for one man? The male lead can go to whoever wants him. I just want a simple, comfortable life.”

Still, it would be best to retrieve the purse she'd given away yesterday as soon as possible. Fortunately, the male lead was staying at their residence, so there was still time.

That day, she was about to sneak into the male lead's room and steal back the purse when she turned around and suddenly met a pair of eyes as deep as a cold pool.

The man's presence was so imposing that no one dared look him in the eye. She suppressed her fear and struck first: “Who are you, and how dare you come to the outer courtyard of my home?”

A glimmer of amusement passed through the man's eyes.

The guard beside him scolded her: “How dare you! This is Lord Meng, Minister of Personnel!”

Yunning was stunned.

This was Meng Yuzhi, the male lead's uncle. He was Minister of Personnel and would one day become prime minister. Eight words summed him up: high-ranking and powerful, uninterested in women.

Later, however, Yunning learned that Meng Yuzhi's power and status were real, but his indifference to women was not.

Reading guide:

1. The leads have a ten-year age gap.

2. A powerful male lead versus a heroine who only wants to make money.

Theme: Long live friendship.