I Died, So Why Is My Archrival So Upset?!

[The title may change before the story begins due to the character limit.]

Jiang Yanshi was taken in by the Jiang family.

More precisely, he was picked up by Jiang Xu, the Jiang family's young lady.

Impressed by his intelligence, Master Jiang treated him like an adopted son. All he asked was that when Jiang Yanshi grew powerful, he protect Jiang Xu.

He had judged him correctly. Jiang Yanshi went on to earn the top honors in all three imperial examinations, rise to the cabinet, and become a man of great influence.

Sadly, he failed to protect Jiang Xu.

Childhood sweethearts turned into sworn enemies.

Jiang Xu truly hated Jiang Yanshi. She hated his cold-hearted ingratitude, and she hated that he had fallen for her close friend.

As rain poured down, Jiang Yanshi looked at her coldly through the curtain of rain. Their bond was severed, and all that remained between them was loathing and contempt.

Master Jiang had been an incorruptible official and had offended many powerful nobles. Just days after his death, a great fire engulfed the Jiang residence. The Jiang family's beloved daughter perished in the flames.

The sky burned red. The young chief cabinet minister charged into the fire.

He barely escaped with his life, but he failed to save her.

*

"Good grief, the chief cabinet minister nearly died in the Jiang residence..."

The storyteller rambled on from above. Jiang Xu listened, baffled. How strange. Weren't we sworn enemies? Why is he so heartbroken now that I'm dead?

In the eyes of the world, they had been sworn enemies. No one expected that after one of them "died," the other would nearly die too.

*

A story about a rabid poor boy who can't stop thinking about an innocent young heiress.

The two are plagued by misunderstandings, but the male lead only loves the female lead (this is important!).

There should be a groveling arc.

Theme: Honesty and keeping one's word.