The One in My Heart Is the Empress

The Hua family has been an eminent and distinguished clan for generations. Having produced five empresses in a century is a rare distinction indeed.

The legitimate daughter, Wanning, was beautiful, intelligent, and raised from childhood in the inner chambers to become a future empress. At last, in the year she came of age, an imperial decree sent her north to marry the Crown Prince.

But the times were changing, and imperial power was wavering.

The bridal procession was ambushed by river bandits while passing through Shu. Wanning narrowly escaped being violated and killed, and was saved by the Qingcheng Stockade, where she managed to cling to life.

With armies in control of the roads and passage blocked, she was forced to stay there and recover.

Witnessing the hardships of a troubled age, where lives were as worthless as blades of grass, she went from a sheltered noblewoman who knew nothing of the common world to a righteous woman who punished the wicked and championed the good.

Sang Qingye was a burly, dark-skinned man of Bashu, and the leader of Qingcheng Stockade.

By chance, he rescued the fallen noblewoman. Unable to stand her haughty, pampered, lazy ways, he repeatedly mocked her.

But the noblewoman was simply too beautiful, erudite, and skilled in medicine. She could teach the mischievous children of the stockade to read and write, and even help him govern the stronghold. Before long, he willingly became her devoted admirer.

The two pretended to marry and joined forces to overcome one obstacle after another.

Just when Sang Qingye thought he had everything he could want, he learned that the woman he loved was destined to become empress.

Now the court had sent people to take her back. He refused to accept his fate, and, afraid she might marry someone else, decided to defy the imperial decree and keep her there.

Sang Qingye: "So what if you're going to be empress? I'll seize the realm for you, and you'll still be empress. How about it?"

Here's my completed novel, Spoiled Princess Snatches the Moon, for you all!

The emperor had a daughter late in life, and he treasured Princess Ji Yao, plump and rosy, like a precious jewel.

He raised her with every indulgence, and when she came of age, it was only natural that marriage should be discussed.

But when the emperor surveyed the court...

The empress's maternal relatives had handsome young men, but they were too slick and calculating. No!

The third son of the Xue family, the Grand Tutor's clan, was widely read, but he spoke in nothing but classical allusions and had no romantic sensibility. No!

The eldest son of the Huo family, a general, was brave in battle, but he was far too bloodthirsty. He might frighten the princess. No!

The newly appointed top scholar was handsome, talented, and of noble character, but he came from a humble family. No!

Seeing how the emperor was worrying himself sick over the princess's marriage, Chief Eunuch Cao Yu offered a suggestion:

"Your Majesty, I hear that Yi Zhizhou, the Marquis of Wu'an's legitimate son, is handsome, good-natured, and about the princess's age..."

The emperor mused: The Marquis of Wu'an?

A prosperous, wealthy family with plenty of sons. Not a bad choice.

At the spring banquet, apricot blossoms fell all around them.

Yuan Ji Yao and Yi Zhizhou gazed at each other across a carved corridor.

The chief eunuch had spoken truly: a handsome young man in a blue robe, with dark hair, a face like jade, and a figure like a fine tree.

The young princess's heart skipped a beat, caught off guard.

But life is full of surprises.

Though a magnificent marriage lay within reach, Young Marquis Yi was like the bright moon in the sky: distant and untouchable, his light lonely and cold.

The young princess secretly gave him her heart, but had no idea how to get closer. So, with advice from her many scheming friends, she embroidered a mandarin-duck sachet and sent him a hairpin inscription in elegant script...

At the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, the emperor and empress tried to bring them together. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Princess Yuan blushed shyly, but the young lord remained as cold as ice!

Again and again, her resentment grew.

The princess could no longer swallow her frustration. "Even if you really are the moon in the sky, I don't want you anymore!"

At the year-end palace banquet, fireworks blazed brilliantly.

In the same carved corridor where they had first met, the young lord watched Yuan Yao accept the jade scepter offered by the Wusun prince.

That night, the palace was silent.

An uninvited guest entered the princess's boudoir, dressed in a blue robe and jade belt, his eyes dim. "You went to all that trouble to pluck the moon from the sky. Now you think he's too cold and distant?"

Theme: Love is an adventure that takes perseverance.