Breaking the Spring Crabapple

[Coming soon: Cursed by a Miaojiang Boy, After My Divorce, I Married My Ex-Husband's Elder Brother, I Saved the Underworld by Making Clay Figurines]

Novel Blurb: [Unconventional little princess x upright, proper, aloof and virtuous minister] [Rivalry for her affections / fake teacher-student relationship / aloof paragon falls from his pedestal]

*

Li Huaixi is the most esteemed princess of the Qing Dynasty. Cherished by the emperor and empress and indulged by the empress dowager, she grew up with a domineering temperament. So when her uncle launched a coup, not a single court official stood by her.

When she opens her eyes again, she has only one goal: seize power and ascend the throne. To that end, she does three things.

First, she reins in her usual temperament and appoints a recently inducted official as her junior tutor.

Second, she leads a group of people into a prince's residence and rescues a slave covered in blood.

Third, she gets close to the deeply calculating new top scholar before her uncle can.

No one but her knows that:

The upright, proper, aloof civil official will one day become a virtuous minister renowned throughout the world.

The poor slave drenched in blood will one day become a young general feared across the four seas.

The handsome, triumphant top scholar will one day become a treacherous minister who manipulates power.

In this life, she has seized every advantage.

*

After using the three men to seize power, Huaixi suddenly discovers that things are becoming difficult...

The aloof, virtuous minister pins her against the desk, gripping her wrist tightly and pressing her hand to his lapel. His voice is hoarse as he says, "Your Highness, there is still so much I can teach you..."

The iron-blooded general, feared by all outside, kneels at her feet and carefully wipes the dust from her shoe with his sleeve. His eyes red, he says, "You promised you wouldn't abandon me..."

And the beautiful top scholar, whose thoughts are ever-changing, wears a deranged, obsessive smile. He leisurely wipes the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Your Highness, why don't you... just kill me?"

Li Huaixi: Oh wow, what is this spectacular case of all my fish getting away?

*

Since being reborn, Li Huaixi has incurred a number of romantic debts, yet she's always passed through the garden of flowers without a petal touching her.

Only Shen Jingzhou, with his noble and refined bearing, adheres so strictly to the principles of a learned man. During the days he served as her junior tutor, he cleared her name, taught her to let go of her lingering resentment, and devoted himself to guiding her toward goodness.

Until she reveals her ruthless ambition. The man before her is shocked and confused. For the first time, he avoids her gaze and takes two steps back, his voice heavy as he says, "Your Highness, I was wrong about you..."

Later, she uses herself as bait in a plot, and conflict and war erupt once more. She is caught in the middle, but through flashing blades and shadows, she sees him galloping toward her. His broad blue robes billow in the wind, his pale cheeks are stained with blood, and his gaze is unwavering as he rides to her.

Amid the howling wind, Shen Jingzhou's jade-like hand, once accustomed to holding a brush, grips a long sword and cuts a path through the enemy. Hot blood splashes across Li Huaixi's face as he reaches out to her...

That upright gentleman ultimately falls into the mire for her, turning against the world and staining his hands with blood.

[Bonus Scene One]:

The day Shen Jingzhou learned of Li Huaixi's ambitious schemes, he went home and stood in the cold wind for half the night, unable to understand where his daily lessons and guidance had gone wrong.

He wanted to guide the little princess back to the right path, but somehow his own path grew more and more crooked...

[Bonus Scene Two]:

At first, Shen Jingzhou avoids Li Huaixi's bright, intense gaze and taps the desk with his fingers. "Your Highness, don't look at me. Read your book."

Later, Shen Jingzhou pins her against the desk and kisses the corner of her mouth tenderly. "What, are they more handsome than me?"

And in countless midnight dreams, Shen Jingzhou looks down at the person in his arms and thinks, "My Huaixi belongs alone on the high throne, receiving the worship of all."

[Reading Guide]:

1. I am a famously terrible blurb writer in all the surrounding villages, so please come give the novel a try!

2. Chapter One covers her previous life, so the pacing may be a little slow.

3. The main story should have both plot and romance racing ahead together. The romance moves a little slowly at first, but takes off later!

4. If you like it, please add it to your favorites. Love you all!

Coming Soon: Cursed by a Miaojiang Boy

When Jiang Jinyue wakes up, she is in a dark cave. Her forehead aches faintly, and she can't remember a thing...

When she comes to her senses, the faint moonlight reveals a foreign-looking youth leaning against the cave wall.

His features are exquisitely beautiful and almost demonic, his skin pale and cool. A silver ring snake coils around his wrist, endlessly flicking its scarlet tongue at her...

He looks at Jiang Jinyue with an enigmatic smile, his phoenix eyes growing even more bewitching. "You're... awake?"

Jiang Jinyue asks nervously, "W-Who are you?"

A sly smile glints in the boy's eyes as he watches the girl's bewildered, rabbit-like gaze. His voice is full of temptation. "Come here."

He lifts a hand, the silver ornaments all over him jingling. His smile deepens. "Help me..."

Only after leaving the cave with him does Jiang Jinyue learn that this vast, mysterious land is none other than Miaojiang.

*

Shi Ye brings home a fair, delicate little girl, intending to use her blood to feed his gu insects. Instead, he ends up with a little tyrant who is more trouble than he can handle.

Her meals have to be just right, her blouses and skirts have to be pretty, and even the poisonous scorpions and snakes he has carefully raised are tied up with pink bows...

Gradually, he wears fewer and fewer silver ornaments, while the little girl's clothes and accessories grow ever more luxurious.

Then one day, Jiang Jinyue disappears from Miaojiang without a trace, as though she'd never been there at all.

He hears people say that Jiang Jinyue is a little princess from the Central Plains who was lost outside the palace and has now been brought back. She is sure to marry a fine man and enjoy a life of wealth and honor.

"Marry?" A black snake slowly climbs onto his wrist, hissing and flicking its scarlet tongue. Shi Ye's smile grows colder.

How can he let someone else marry the little girl he raised with so much care?

*

In a secret chamber of the imperial palace, Shi Ye closes in on Jiang Jinyue. Several soldiers' corpses lie at his feet, and countless little snakes slither toward the girl. His face is pale, his eyes filled with fury. "Do you want to try the Lover's Gu too, "

The next moment, Jiang Jinyue rushes into his arms with red-rimmed eyes, her voice choked with tears. "Why didn't you come sooner..."

She looks up at him through tear-filled eyes and says plaintively, "Did you put a gu on me? Why have I been thinking about you all the time lately..."

Shi Ye awkwardly holds the person in his arms. After a moment's silence, he thinks: I wanted to, but I haven't had the chance yet...

[If this sounds interesting, please add it to your favorites!]

Theme: Be self-reliant and strong.