The Heir's Wife Only Wants a Divorce

Gu Jinyu is the legitimate youngest daughter of a Grand Academician in the capital, beautiful enough to captivate a city and bright and charming.

When she married Zhao Chengyan, heir to the Duke of Dingguo, a man renowned for his cool restraint and glorious military exploits, countless noble young ladies envied her.

Only Gu Jinyu understood that her marriage to Zhao Chengyan was merely an alliance arranged by their families to protect themselves.

At their first meeting in the bridal chamber, she met Zhao Chengyan's deep, impassive gaze.

His phoenix eyes, cold as a deep pool, reflected snow and wind on the frontier, the lonely vastness of the desert, and a dark, inscrutable depth she could not understand.

Gu Jinyu thought that now she was his wife, she would respect and love him, and stand with him through every storm and hardship.

Later, Gu Jinyu learned by chance that Zhao Chengyan had had a beloved woman in his heart long before their marriage. Her presence had kept the two lovers apart.

Only then did Gu Jinyu understand why, despite giving Zhao Chengyan everything, he had always remained cold and distant toward her.

It was not that he was naturally like that. It was simply that he did not love her...

After that, Gu Jinyu stopped fussing over Zhao Chengyan and pining for him. All she wanted was a dignified divorce, so that her husband and his beloved could rekindle their romance.

[Bonus Scene 1]

Zhao Chengyan returned late at night to find the main room dark. His little wife was no longer there, drowsy but still insisting on waiting for him to come home. He could not help furrowing his brow.

A maid came out of the side room and led him toward the courtyard entrance. "Please forgive us, General. Madam is unwell and has gone to bed. I'm afraid you'll have to make do in the study tonight."

When Zhao Chengyan heard that the main branch of the family was giving Gu Jinyu a hard time for having no children, he hurried over, ready to go in and help her.

But then he heard his usually clever little wife quietly agreeing: "Sister-in-law is right. The general's heirs are what matter most. Tonight, I'll send these two fertile young women you brought over to the general's room."

Zhao Chengyan assumed this was just his little wife's way of placating them by pretending to give in. But as soon as night fell, he saw the two women.

Zhao Chengyan panicked.

Later, he received a divorce letter from the Gu household.

[Bonus Scene 2]

Many years later, Zhao Chengyan finally found Gu Jinyu, riding freely along the frontier.

He rode up and blocked her path, reaching out to her. "There's fighting here. It's too dangerous. Listen to me. If you want to ride, I'll go with you to the camp."

But Gu Jinyu's clear almond eyes held only a stranger's wariness. Gripping the reins, she backed away and asked, "Who... are you?"

Only later did Zhao Chengyan learn that his little wife had suffered a terrible ordeal not long before and forgotten everything about her past.

She no longer remembered him.

Theme: Even in adversity, be brave and strong, and move toward a better future.