Synopsis
A decisive regent who kills without hesitation x a quirky young master of a secretive clan
Lu Ning, son of the Marquis of Dingbei of Great Chu, has spent years fighting on the frontier, earning countless military honors and striking fear into the borderlands.
With turmoil rocking the imperial court, Lu Ning, the emperor of Great Chu's own nephew, is summoned back to the capital. An imperial edict orders him to marry the Fifth Miss Xu of a scholarly family.
The Xu family of Chenzhou is a renowned clan. Before she married, Fifth Miss Xu, Xu Shuyu, was already famous for her literary talent. Her poems were celebrated throughout the capital, and everyone knew her name.
After their wedding, the two treat each other with respect. With the support of the Xu family's connections, Lu Ning helps the emperor purge the court and reclaim imperial power.
Xu Shuyu, meanwhile, stays in the prince's residence every day, diligently tending to its affairs and keeping out of worldly matters.
Until one day, the emperor of Great Chu dies. Lu Ning leads troops to suppress a rebellion in the imperial city, and treacherous officials are executed.
A young child ascends the throne, and Lu Ning becomes regent, taking control of the imperial court.
That night, Lu Ning returns to his residence covered in blood. His young wife, who would normally have gone to bed long ago, is sitting in his study. She holds out a thin sheet of paper in her pale hand.
"The matter we agreed on has been settled. We should get a divorce."
*
In Chenzhou, alongside the Xu family's celebrated academy, stands the secretive martial world organization known as the Abyssless Pavilion.
The Abyssless Pavilion sells secrets from far and wide. Each piece of information is worth a fortune, and no client is turned away. The pavilion master has been in seclusion for many years, so the young pavilion master now handles all its affairs.
According to the rumors of the martial world, the young pavilion master has inherited the pavilion master's teachings. Her martial arts are unfathomable, and her whereabouts are shrouded in mystery.
Whenever she appears, she wears white robes and a veil, drifting about like an immortal. Few people have ever seen her true face.
A few months pass. After disappearing for months on an errand, the young pavilion master returns to the pavilion. For some reason, she keeps sitting by the window in a daze, no longer her usual cheerful self.
When the lady of the Xu family next door hears the news, she grabs a stick and chases the young pavilion master over two mountains before finally dragging her back to the Xu residence.
Not long afterward, the regent is invited by the Xu family to visit their academy in Chenzhou. The Xu family patriarch personally hosts a banquet at the family estate.
During the banquet, someone tries to sneak out. As she walks down the corridor, someone suddenly grabs her wrist.
A low, hoarse voice sounds by her ear. She turns around to see the regent, dressed in black robes embroidered with a python, fixing her with a dark gaze as he asks:
"Where do you think you're going, Shuyu?"
*
In Lu Ning's eyes, his new bride is always meek and compliant. Whatever he says goes, and she never talks back.
Whenever she looks up at him and calls his name with a faint smile, her almond-shaped eyes shine brightly.
Especially at certain moments, she is like a flower bud in bloom, whispering sweet nothings in his ear and making him want to cherish her.
But Lu Ning knows this isn't the real Xu Shuyu.
He knew it the night she handed him the divorce papers with a cold expression.
He just never expected that one day he would see Xu Shuyu in flowing white robes, sword in hand, standing in front of him and killing countless black-clad assassins in the blink of an eye.
The cold night wind howls. Her white robes remain unstained by a drop of blood. She says in a low voice, "Who dares lay a hand on him?"
Bonus scenes:
1
On the second day of their marriage, Lu Ning returns to the prince's residence and sees a table laden with delicious dishes in the main courtyard. His new bride sits beside it, head bowed as she twists a handkerchief round and round in her hands.
He walks over and sits down. His bride seems nervous, sitting obediently beside him as she watches him pick up a bite of food and chew it. Her eyes widen as she asks, "How does it taste?"
He nods. "Very good."
To his surprise, his bride pouts and silently starts eating, ignoring him.
2
Before bed that night, after they have finished, Lu Ning carries his sweaty darling to the back room to wash up.
When they return, he climbs onto the bed and pulls her into his arms. He hears his bride mumble sleepily, "...Blockhead. You don't even know how to compliment someone."
Lu Ning's arm around her goes still. After a long moment, he pulls up the covers and tucks her in snugly.
3
A few months later, Xu Shuyu returns to the regent's residence. That evening, she shows off her skills and makes another table of delicious food.
She has just picked up her chopsticks and is about to take a bite when the man beside her suddenly says, "My wife's cooking is peerless, transcendent, beyond anything in heaven or on earth, just like... Ahem. In short, it's delicious."
At the crucial moment, the regent, who always prides himself on staying calm, has completely forgotten what to say.
Xu Shuyu freezes with a bite of food between her chopsticks and stares at him in astonishment.
She looks at the man, who hasn't even picked up his chopsticks but has turned red at the ears, and asks in confusion:
"Are you really Lu Ning?"
- One-on-one romance, both leads' first relationship, happy ending
- Court politics and the martial world, a powerful couple working together
- I really want to write a sweet romance. I swear it'll be sweet. It has to be sweet!
Theme: What you long for will surely find its way back to you
