(Part of a series. The stories share a similar setting, and some characters are connected, but you can read this one on its own.)
Everyone sighs when the Seventh Princess of Yue, Nan Louyu, is mentioned.
When she was born, a priest of the Qingjue Sect prophesied that calamity was written in the princess's fate, and that she might not live to old age.
Only by living in seclusion, far from the imperial family, could she avert this fate.
From then on, Nan Louyu lived at the Qingjue Sect for ten years without ever leaving the mountain, and never showed her true face.
Then, ten years later, a portrait of Nan Louyu accidentally made its way into circulation.
The woman in the painting was breathtakingly beautiful, with a seductive, bewitching allure. Yet her clear, watery eyes were still as a lake, revealing not the slightest emotion.
The portrait was presented to the new emperor of Li. The ruler, said to be gentle and refined, lazily lifted his eyelids and said with amusement, "The princess is a peerless beauty. I have been thinking of her very much."
Everyone knew that the new emperor had long been at odds with Yue.
Held hostage as a child, then kept under house arrest for ten years.
How could he truly care for Nan Louyu?
But Li had grown powerful and was no longer what it once was. The Emperor of Yue, though reluctant, could only send his beloved, innocent daughter away with tears in his eyes.
When the news reached the Qingjue Sect, Nan Louyu nodded without sorrow or joy. For once, a trace of complexity crossed her otherwise placid gaze.
On their wedding night, the man slowly undid her sash. Nan Louyu sat obediently, then suddenly spoke. "Your Majesty has kept your true nature well hidden."
"Perhaps I should call you Senior Brother?"
Reader's guide:
1. There are secret identities. Childhood friends to lovers, love that grows over time, both leads are sexually inexperienced, happy ending, one-on-one romance.
2. The heroine is a cold, unattainable ideal; the hero is a madman hiding behind a gentle facade, and has been plotting this for a long time. There are a few elements of possessive coercion, so read with caution if that's not for you!
3. The story has many original settings. Please don't nitpick the details.
4. This is part of the same series as "The Crown Princess." Some events and characters are connected, but you can read this one on its own.
Theme: Love can help people overcome hardship and become better versions of themselves.
