In Lan Jianing's seventh year at Prince Yan's residence, Prince Yan Lu Chengyuan won the struggle for the throne and ascended to the supreme imperial seat.
Before the people in the inner court could even bask in the excitement of their rising status, they noticed that the new emperor had not visited the harem in a long time.
Someone sighed, "They say the seven-year itch is real. His Majesty's status is growing ever more exalted, so perhaps he's about to bring a new beauty into his life."
Only Lan Jianing held a pastry, her expression complicated. "You need love before you can get tired of it. His Majesty used to visit the inner court like a soldier reporting for roll call. I doubt he even remembers who's who."
Otherwise, after all these years, he wouldn't still mistake her for a beauty sent by his subordinates to whisper in his ear, reminding her every time not to play clever tricks.
As time went by, Lan Jianing's desire to repay his kindness faded.
Never mind. His Majesty possessed an entire empire. Surely he wouldn't care about a little orphan like her offering a few words of comfort, a bit of embroidery, or a bowl of soup.
Once she'd made up her mind, Lan Jianing ate and drank as she pleased and stayed out of the competition for favor, so as not to cause Lu Chengyuan any trouble. Though, in this peaceful, uneventful harem, there wasn't much to compete for anyway.
*
Only the new emperor Lu Chengyuan's trusted aides knew that he suffered from face blindness and usually identified people by their build and voice.
The struggle for the throne had been full of complications, and Lu Chengyuan had always conserved his energy by forgetting useless people. A month after his coronation, with the court gradually settling into order, he finally turned his attention to the harem.
Just as Lu Chengyuan was silently sketching the increasingly clear image of a gentle, lovely face in his mind, he realized that someone had given up.
He had seen through her ploy of playing hard to get, and yet he willingly took the bait, sweet as it was.
"Who sent you?" As he kneaded the boneless fingers of the person in his arms, the emperor's grip unconsciously grew a little less restrained. "Tell me what you want. As long as it's not unreasonable, I can give it to you."
"Your Majesty, you... you have no heart!"
Lan Jianing's rosy cheeks paled, disbelief filling her expression. With tearful almond eyes, she sent him straight out the door.
She might not care about the emperor's favor, but she couldn't bear such a terrible injustice!
*
By the next day, everyone knew that the Son of Heaven had been shut out by his beloved consort in the middle of the night.
Only after a trusted aide hinted at it did Lu Chengyuan belatedly remember that during a military campaign, he had once saved a poor, helpless farm girl.
She was grateful to him, but she did not love him.
Lowering his head, he brushed his taut lips against Lan Jianing's peaceful sleeping face. At last, Lu Chengyuan gave a faint smile. "Didn't A Ning want to repay my kindness? Then stay by my side for the rest of your life."
"A Ning isn't saying anything, so I'll take that as a yes."
Before she entered his heart, he had thought his life would be nothing but cultivating himself, governing his family, ruling the country, and bringing peace to the world. Lan Jianing's arrival made him care, for the first time, about the names that would stand side by side on the portrait of the emperor and empress painted by future generations.
Notes:
1. As the blurb says, the male lead was unfaithful. After realizing he loves the female lead, he devotes himself to her alone. That's just how this story is set up, ah. The last line of the blurb roughly reveals the male lead's emotional journey. My other works include couples who are both virgins, as well as ones where the female lead isn't a virgin and the male lead is.
2. A pure historical romance, and the female lead isn't a powerhouse. I wanted to write something that doesn't require too much brainpower, so come on in for a sweet little romance.
3. I had trouble getting two other openings right, and couldn't bear to waste my best saved-up idea, so I started this one instead. TAT
4. Feel free to check out my completed neighboring works, The Third Prince I Raised Ascended the Throne and Springtime in the Emperor's Heart. (^-^)
Theme: Learn to love others
No more updates? 😭 😭 😭 😭 This idea is really good