Spring Breeze Never Fails

[If you prefer romance, read my completed novels "The Dangerous Bodyguard Is a Little Sweet" or "Raising a Fox." Both are very sweet. Don't rush into this one: it's mainly about revenge and career, with romance appearing later. It also starts slowly, has lots of details, and contains some typos and minor plot holes that need fixing...] * The fourteenth year of the Yuanjia era, in the depths of winter. The entire Lin family was executed for their involvement in the Crown Prince's rebellion case. Lin Yun was struck by a fire-tipped arrow and fell into the Cai River. Five years later, she returned under the assumed name Luo Huaizhu, having changed her appearance. She hosted a literary gathering as the niece of a recluse famed throughout the land. There, Shen Wangchuan, the son of her enemy, tossed her a flower and wrote, "Having seen such peerless beauty, how could my heart not break?" From then on, every high-ranking official's son knew Luo Huaizhu. Everyone knew how infatuated Shen Wangchuan was with her. Including... Her childhood sweetheart and fiance, Xie Jingming. In five years, Lin Yun had changed from a bright, elegant girl who could mount a horse and wield a broadsword with one hand into a delicate, stunning, dignified woman, wise, far-sighted, and immensely talented. Xie Jingming had likewise changed from a gentle, tolerant, steady young man into a cold-blooded, ruthless official whom everyone despised. They glimpsed each other many times: a profile in the soft spring light, a figure seen from behind, half a face. But they never reunited. * When they finally met again, she was already Shen Wangchuan's wife. In a narrow lane in late spring, wind and rain swept through the streets. They were separated by a dense, damp curtain of rain and by the crowds rushing past with sleeves raised to keep dry. She happened to see the young man lift his umbrella. His thick lashes rose slowly, rain speckled his clothes, and his brows and eyes appeared even more gentle, like those of an immortal. Her hand clenched tightly beneath her sleeve, but her expression remained calm and composed. He had grown much thinner. He saw a dazzlingly beautiful woman, like a rose swaying beneath the moonlight, shrouded in a hazy mist, mysterious and distant. The hand he held behind his back trembled faintly, but his face remained aloof and impeccably polite. She didn't seem to be sleeping very well. * Notes: 1. The male lead, second male lead, and second female lead all love the heroine deeply. There's no need to doubt their feelings. 2. The synopsis only mentions the angsty parts. The romance between the leads is actually quite sweet too. 3. The story includes overthrowing the current emperor and helping a female emperor take the throne. Possible trigger points: 1. The heroine marries the second male lead, but they never consummate the marriage. During their marriage, the leads don't get entangled romantically. They remain self-disciplined and proper, doing everything for revenge and to investigate clues. In the end, the male and female leads are each other's only partners, in both body and heart. (P.S. The heroine doesn't change bodies, only her appearance.) 2. The male lead doesn't stop the heroine from getting married. He knows what revenge plan she has chosen and respects her decision without interfering. 3. The setting is a fictional world inspired by the Tang and Song dynasties, with original worldbuilding. 4. Suggestions are welcome, but personal attacks are not. --- Coming Soon --- "Mistaking My Husband for a Frail Scholar" --- Coming Soon --- [A sweet post-marriage slice-of-life story: A capable, jealous minister mistakenly thinks his wife likes frail scholars. He keeps playing the fool to coax her into kissing and cuddling him, while getting jealous of his own frail-scholar act every day.] Ye Jindian married a teacher. Her husband, Zhang Baishi, had a handsome, refined appearance, elegant manners, and a tall, graceful figure. He looked as if he couldn't lift anything or even carry a burden. She wouldn't even let him fetch water, afraid it would be too much for him. * Maybe he was too clever and saw through her little intentions. He kept finding chances to show off, so much so that he always had dark circles under his eyes the next day. Sigh, he really didn't have to. She didn't care about that. What she cared about more was that her husband was going to serve as a retainer under Zhang Min, the Right Chancellor. Zhang Min had followed the late emperor in conquering the realm and was ruthlessly decisive, having taken the heads of countless colleagues. They said his moods were unpredictable and his retainers lived in constant fear and anxiety. How could her frail husband possibly handle that? * Ye Jindian: Husband, I heard the Right Chancellor has a demon's face and fangs, enough to make a six-year-old cry. Her husband's hand trembled as he held his cup. Ye Jindian: Husband, the Right Chancellor executed another innocent person today. He's truly terrifying. Her husband's face turned ashen with fright. Ye Jindian: Husband, I heard the Right Chancellor plans to seize eighteen beautiful young women from among the common people as concubines. Her kind-hearted husband was so furious he smashed his beloved inkstone. * Zhang Min returned to the chancellor's residence, his eyes dark, and looked at his retainers. "Whoever's been ruining my reputation, step forward." He was going to beat those little brats to death! * [Extra Scene] Zhang Min (slamming the table, making the cup bounce): What's so good about a frail scholar? He can't lift a thing or carry a burden. I really don't understand what my wife sees in him! Retainer (carefully): Chancellor, that frail scholar... might be you? Zhang Min (glaring, as if it were obvious, his tone fierce): Well, who else? My wife has a handsome husband like me. Would she really be interested in some other ugly fool? Retainer (pressing his lips together, staying silent): ... [Just then, there is a knock at the door, followed by a clear, sweet voice calling, "Husband."] Zhang Min (in a high-pitched voice): Yes, darling, I'm here. Retainer (mouth twitching): ... Ye Jindian: Husband, are you free? I need to talk to you. Zhang Min (quickly getting up and pushing the retainer toward the window): I am, darling. Wait just a moment, I'll be right there. (He opens the window, grabs the man by the collar, and throws him out one-handed. In a fierce whisper, he threatens him.) Get lost. Don't come back for at least two hours. (He slams the window shut, straightens his clothes, hurries to the study door, opens it, and smiles gently in a high-pitched voice.) Sorry to keep you waiting, darling. Retainer, whose nose hurts from the wind (rubbing his nose): ... All right, then. [Reading Guide] 1. The leads grew up together and have some history. Both are each other's only partners. 2. The heroine comes from an ordinary background. She has a sweet appearance but a strong, resilient personality, and can even draw a bow and shoot eagles from horseback. 3. The male lead is both scholarly and skilled in martial arts. His ruthlessness is real, his frailty is fake. How could the male lead possibly be weak? What a ridiculous idea. Theme: Good and evil, and one's fate, aren't in heaven's hands. They're in your own.