Phoenix Dream

[Seeking bookmarks for the upcoming novel, Kidnap the True Crown Prince as a Lover]

Dreaming himself into falling for her + a noble, aloof man turned dark + taking her by force + an ex’s arduous road to winning her back

Jiang Yu is the daughter of the prime minister. She entered the palace as a study companion when she was young, and her beauty is dazzling. The emperor has decreed that she will become the crown prince’s future consort.

Once the crown prince returns from fighting in the Western Yi lands, Jiang Yu can rightfully enter the Eastern Palace and become his consort.

A year later, Crown Prince Pei Youjue returned in triumph as expected, but disappeared on the day of his wedding.

Meanwhile, the ever-gentle and refined Second Prince Pei Youding married the bride in his brother’s place, then declared that the crown prince had rebelled and imprisoned the crown princess.

Late that night, in the Second Prince’s residence, Pei Youding gripped Jiang Yu’s chin and demanded:

“Defying the natural order and the rules of propriety? A younger brother showing respect for his elder?”

“You were the one who came after me first. Why pretend to be so pitiful now?”

*

The Second Prince, Pei Youding, was refined and gentle, noble and virtuous, and praised by the court. He had never intended to usurp his brother or compete for the throne.

That is, until the night his future sister-in-law, Jiang Yu, appeared in his dreams.

In his dreams, Jiang Yu was tender and affectionate, confessing her love for him, nothing like the reserved woman she was outside them.

From then on, she appeared in his dreams every night, without fail.

He sought medicine, kept his distance, remained alone, and even asked to leave the palace and travel.

Pei Youding didn’t want to upset his elder brother, but Jiang Yu kept crossing his path, and once saw him at his most wretched.

At that moment, Pei Youding thought he heard her call him “Huaian,” just as she did in his dreams.

From then on, he could no longer resist, and let himself go all the way down the wrong path.

*

The new emperor ascended the throne and announced his empress at the coronation ceremony.

But the former crown princess Jiang Yu, who should have been sent away to guard the imperial tombs, was nowhere to be found. Rumors that she had been coerced spread throughout the capital.

The new emperor was furious and sent a large force to hunt down the escaped empress. When they finally caught her, he treated her gently, remained as devoted as ever, and left the imperial harem empty for her sake.

Everyone thought the new emperor’s love was so deep it had made him a fool, but no one saw him kneel and beg her to look back at him on that cliff’s edge.

His caged bird was, in truth, the one holding the reins.

Reading notes:

1. No harem, one-on-one romance. The heroine’s betrothal to the hero’s elder brother has not yet been formally decreed, so it has no legal force.

2. Special thanks to the lovely and kindhearted Teacher Xue for helping with the blurb!

The first version of this blurb was finalized on 2023/04/11 and has been saved as a screenshot.

Seeking bookmarks for the upcoming novel, Kidnap the True Crown Prince as a Lover

Blurb:

Su Zhaolu is as radiant as spring blossoms, the envy of all as the emperor’s eldest daughter. After spending more than a decade wandering among commoners, she returned to the palace and was showered with affection.

Only Su Zhaolu knows that she is the cat in the switcheroo story of the cat and the crown prince. The real crown prince is the newly appointed top scholar, Cui Yunye.

Soon, Cui Yunye will be reunited with the emperor and reclaim his identity as crown prince, while she will become the fake princess, despised by everyone and made to suffer in prison.

Even so, after getting a second chance at life, Su Zhaolu still stole Cui Yunye’s jade pendant and went to claim her place in the palace. This time, however, she decided to take Cui Yunye under her wing and keep a close eye on him.

To her surprise, after waking from a dream one day, Su Zhaolu saw Cui Yunye standing by her bed. By day, he was cold and kept everyone at a distance, but now his eyes were like flames, burning with heat.

Su Zhaolu parted her lips, but before she could speak, Cui Yunye leaned down, gripped her chin in his broad palm, and pressed her against his cold lips. His voice was utterly humble:

“Your servant longs for Your Highness day and night. Why have you not come?”

“The nights in Zhaoye Hall are cold and damp. Your servant feels safe only by Your Highness’s side.”

*

Cui Yunye is the new top scholar of the court, with a bright future ahead of him, but the emperor grants him to the crown princess, leaving him no chance to pursue an official career.

Cui Yunye refuses to play along with her wishes. He lies low, waiting for the right moment to make her pay tenfold.

But when he remembers the version of himself who had not appeared for ten years kissing Su Zhaolu, even the usually composed and self-controlled Cui Yunye loses his composure.

Cui Yunye suddenly recalls the taunt from a former classmate not long ago: “What top scholar? You’re just a kept man the princess decided to take on a whim.”

He wants to become crown prince again, but another version of him only wants to be the kept man waiting for Su Zhaolu’s favor.

*

A little scene:

Su Zhaolu watched Cui Yunye dressing her hair and makeup, then stopped his hand and said coldly, “Don’t pretend to be him.”

Cui Yunye laughed in fury, bent down, and whispered in her ear. He fixed his eyes on her slender, pale neck, his voice more cutting than ever:

“He’s just a fool. What makes him think he can compete with me for you?”

After saying this, Cui Yunye took Su Zhaolu’s hand and placed it over the sachet she had sewn for him herself, tied at his waist. His expression softened, and his voice grew gentle.

“Your servant knows that Your Highness’s feelings have always been constant. Surely you wouldn’t be swayed by a villain and change your mind overnight?”

Theme: Escape the shadows of one’s family of origin and find the courage to love.