Beneath the Capital's Gates

The story "Dressing as a Man and Becoming a Strategist" is currently updating. If you're interested, feel free to visit its page in the author's collection. Please add it to your favorites!

Story blurb:

A scheming emperor who commands the situation from behind the scenes x a cool-headed, resolute female general and loyal minister

The Changning Prince's Mansion has been a family of generals for generations. It is the emperor's trusted household, a pawn in his hand and, at the same time, a sharp blade.

In the winter of the fifteenth year of Taian, Great Zhou was defeated. Emperor Taian ceded seven prefectures of Lingyun to Great Yue, and the fourth prince of Great Zhou, Yuan He, was sent to Great Yue as a hostage.

That night, in the fine, unending rain, Song Ning stood alone outside the gates of Jinling City. Dressed in black and holding a blue oil-paper umbrella, she stopped the carriage about to depart for Great Yue.

"Song Ning of the Changning Prince's Mansion volunteers to accompany Your Highness. Would Your Highness be willing to accept?"

Yuan He would always remember Song Ning that night, and the words she spoke in the dark. They kindled hope in his heart.

Beneath the gates and towers of the enemy kingdom's capital, red plum blossoms lay scattered across the snowy ground, stained with blood. On that bitterly cold day, she dragged him all the way back to the palace by herself.

Burning with fever, he called Song Ning's name again and again, and each time Song Ning answered him.

Later, after enduring the full three years of his hostage term, he ascended the throne. She led troops to guard Qingzhou. Five years later, when she returned to the capital and met the man from Jinling City again, he no longer wanted to let her leave.

"I have resolved to spend this life conquering the world, reclaiming our lands. A Ning, this time it is my turn to ask you: would you join me in watching the nine provinces unite and the lands beyond the seas enjoy lasting peace?"

Bonus scene 1

The current emperor defied tradition and intended to make the daughter of a prince with a different surname his empress. People across Jinling City gossiped, saying the emperor had been bewitched by that Song woman.

But who could have expected that the imperial decree appointing her empress would reach the Changning Prince's Mansion, only for Song Ning to refuse it in front of everyone?

He took her delicate hand helplessly and met her bright eyes, speaking with tender concern. "A Ning, if you don't want this, how could I bear to force you?"

"I only indulged my own selfish wish. I wanted to announce to the world, openly and honorably, that I would take you, Yuan He's wife, as my bride!"

Bonus scene 2

An envoy from Western Xia arrived, saying that their country wished to form an alliance through marriage with Great Zhou and maintain peace forever. It was said that the Western Xia princess was beautiful, virtuous, and worthy of becoming Great Zhou's empress.

In the boudoir of the Changning Prince's Mansion, the emperor was pinned beneath someone.

"I hear you're interested in that Western Xia princess? Hmm? Explain yourself!"

The emperor smiled faintly. "Isn't this exactly what A Ning wants?"

After a back-and-forth, Song Ning lost her patience and detained the emperor in the mansion. The emperor of Great Zhou gazed fondly at her furious expression.

"If A Ning doesn't want to enter the imperial harem, then I'll marry into the Song family instead. How about that?"

Reading guide:

1. Happy ending, both leads' first relationship, one partner for life.

2. The court and romance storylines run in parallel.

3. Both leads are career-minded. They are two years apart in age.

5. This is an imaginary historical setting. Please don't overanalyze it.

The story "Dressing as a Man and Becoming a Strategist" is currently updating. Please add it to your favorites!

* A cross-dressing, seemingly gentle but secretly cunning strategist x a ruthless, bloodthirsty crown prince from an enemy kingdom

* Career-minded leads fall in love, and both want to kill each other

Story blurb:

Reading guide: Xie Muyun is a student at the National University of Defense Technology who unexpectedly transmigrates into the body of the legitimate son of a general's family.

To save the decaying Southern Zhao, she disguises herself as a man, enters government service through the imperial examinations, and rises step by step from Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to Chancellor.

Along the way, she meets Prince Yong, Xiao Jingming, who shares her ideals, and becomes his strategist. Using her schemes, she kills Yan Hui, the ambitious crown prince of an enemy state who is bent on marching south to conquer Zhao.

A peaceful realm and happy people are her ultimate goal in this life.

But the person she loved, who had died, suddenly comes back from the dead. Hiding his identity, he comes to take revenge, blocks her promotion, and throws all her plans into disarray.

*

Yan Hui, Crown Prince of Northern Yan and the legitimate son of the empress, is a brilliant young man of striking beauty.

He went to war at fifteen, and before he was twenty, he had seized six prefectures of Southern Zhao for Northern Yan.

Marching south to conquer Zhao and claiming its vast lands was his lifelong ambition.

But he stumbled at the last moment, fell in love with someone he should not have loved, and nearly lost his life.

To take revenge, he disguises himself, gets caught up in the factional struggles of Southern Zhao, secretly makes attempts on her life, and obstructs the person who deceived his whole-hearted love at every turn.

That day, she opened her dazed eyes and pressed close to his ear to ask, "Why are you treating me like this?"

He held her tightly and said coldly,

"Perhaps we owed each other something in a past life."

*

Later, the truth came to light, and his identity was exposed.

The two became enemies and broke with each other. She completed the shot she had failed to finish before, leaving another hole in his right shoulder. Yet by a twist of fate, she still did not kill him.

As Yan Hui fell, he thought:

This woman is far more ruthless than any man.

#She is the moon in his heart, and also the blade that leaves him covered in wounds.#

1. The heroine's disguise is exposed early; the hero's is exposed later.

2. Four-year age difference, both leads' first relationship, one-on-one. Romance is the main focus, with the plot secondary.

3. Some inspiration comes from the historical Sweet Dew Incident and Heyin Incident.

4. The hero is extreme in temperament and somewhat unhinged.

Theme: Saving each other