Husband, Be Patient. Don't Lose Your Mind

[Complete]

Cui Yingying was the most treasured young lady in the Minister of Rites' household. For years, she had loved the Grand Secretary, Pei Mingguang, without ever winning his heart.

When all of the capital mocked her for being too old to marry, she decided to go all in and had her father enter the palace to beg the emperor to arrange a marriage. Pei Mingguang had no choice but to welcome her into his home in grand style, making her the Grand Secretary's wife.

She had assumed they would be husband and wife in name only, but they consummated the marriage that very day...

Cui Yingying spent ages puzzling over it. Wasn't the Grand Secretary in love with the Noble Consort, which was why he had refused to marry all these years? She moaned softly, "Husband, the Noble Consort is suffering from heart palpitations. You should go to the palace and see her."

"You, Cui, who debases herself, why are you pretending to be virtuous and magnanimous now?" He showed little concern for her and stubbornly stayed until dawn before leaving her chambers.

Born into a poor family, Pei Mingguang had clawed his way to the top. He knew the emperor had already decided to kill him. He had no choice but to accept this marriage, yet this woman kept calling him "husband" and would not stop trying to drive him away.

Pei Mingguang rubbed the red marks on his neck, his eyes dark and a smile playing at his lips.

This Cui lady was no well-bred maiden.

Once everything was settled and the new emperor had ascended the throne, he would settle accounts with her properly!

After going three days without sleep, Pei Mingguang returned home only to find that his wife had left him a divorce letter. The woman who had constantly professed her love for him had vanished without a trace.

He spread the word that the Grand Secretary's wife was pregnant and had left home after quarreling with him in a fit of pique. He asked everyone to help reconcile them.

"Who is he trying to disgust?" Was he hoping to live happily ever after with Noble Consort Mu, while continuing to use her as a cover to preserve his dignity as Grand Secretary? Cui Yingying tore the reconciliation letter to pieces. "Lord Pei, can we stop pretending between us?"

Male lead: The way this woman cuts off everyone without a second thought really does make it hard to let her go...

[Bonus Scene]

On the day of their divorce, Cui Yingying threw a grand banquet at the best tavern in the capital to celebrate. Male guests eager to steal her away flocked to the event. Her former husband came to see her, dragging his injured body and pale-faced.

"Have you come to the banquet too, Lord?" Cui Yingying gave him a cold laugh and glanced at him casually. "I don't think there's any need for us to sit down together and calmly share a farewell meal."

Later, the proud Grand Secretary Pei finally set aside his pride and humbled himself for her. Beneath the moonlight, Pei Mingguang coughed up a mouthful of blood. "My lady, don't be angry. Even if you're upset, please don't torment me like this. Won't you come back to my side?"

Cui Yingying: "Who said I was angry..." Her former husband was a complete lunatic.

[Marriage first, love later; the husband chases his wife to the crematorium]

[Next book: reborn historical romance, Eunuch's Favor. A proud Noble Consort X a former crown prince disguised as an eunuch]

For the fifth year of her reign as the most favored woman in the imperial harem, Zhang Pianran remained arrogant, domineering, and spoiled as ever.

Everyone said she was ungrateful, reminding her at every turn that although she held the rank of Noble Consort, she was treated just like the empress.

Then one day, the unease in Zhang Pianran's heart proved justified. She unexpectedly learned one of the emperor's secrets! The emperor's true love was indeed not her, but the palace maid who had relied on him when they were both nobodies. His relationship with Zhang Pianran had been nothing but an act.

She tearfully complained, "When we first met, Your Majesty was merely the lowliest of princes. If the crown prince hadn't died so suddenly, and my family hadn't supported you with everything we had, you would never have ascended the throne!"

"Noble Consort, have you gone mad?"

Why had that little palace maid been exceptionally promoted to Consort Rou as soon as she entered the palace, and showered with the emperor's favor ever since?

When Zhang Pianran fought with other women for his affection, she was called mad? Once, she too had been someone's precious darling, but that upright, proper person who had always followed the rules was long gone.

That night, for the first time, she felt utterly disheartened. She finally gave up on competing for the emperor's favor.

A heavy rain began to fall. Just as she was about to faint, the chief eunuch at the emperor's side steadied her. "Your Highness, be careful."

She gave a scornful laugh. "Look at that. Even the chief eunuch, who used to be at odds with me, feels sorry for me now."

As the emperor's powerful chief eunuch, Huo Xiyou was refined and noble, like a fine jade from Langya, and nothing like a eunuch. Stranger still, there was an indescribably tender look in his eyes whenever he looked at her. Zhang Pianran felt like there were needles pricking her back. Surely she wouldn't have to become a eunuch's lover just to make that wretched emperor kick the bucket?

Huo Xiyou gently wiped away her tears. "Your Highness, do you want revenge for the crown prince? Then this servant will grant your wish. What does it matter if I become a sinner for all time?"

[Click to read the completed older novel The Noble Wife at the Gate: a fishmonger's daughter turned young madam X a cool, reserved page who pretends to consummate the marriage for her]

[Click to read the completed older novel Hidden Golden Branches: a forthright county lady from Lingnan X a regent king disguised as a monk sentenced to exile]

[Click to read the completed older novel My Cousin Is So Delicate: a shark-like villainess X a cool, darkly clever official]

Theme: Sincerity for sincerity