Walking Into Spring

Cui Yan was a noble young lady, radiant as spring flowers and bright as the autumn moon. From childhood, she had been the envy of every woman in the capital.

People in the capital all said that the Cui family's daughter would one day marry her childhood sweetheart, live as a noblewoman untouched by worldly affairs, and enjoy a happy life.

Unexpectedly, a single imperial decree sent her plunging into the abyss. Her father died unjustly in prison, and she disappeared for years. When she returned, she wore a long robe and had her hair bound up.

She addressed him respectfully as "Lord Xie."

The son of a military family, Xie Li, was dashing and spirited, a model admired by every young man in the capital from an early age.

People in the capital all said that the young master of the Xie family would one day welcome his childhood sweetheart as his bride with a grand procession, become a general who fought on the battlefield, and grow old with her.

Unexpectedly, after they parted in the capital, they never saw each other again. Cui Yan vanished without a trace, and he searched for her in vain. When they met again, he had shed his armor and taken up the brush.

He heard her say, "We have never met."

At the crown prince's birthday celebration, Cui Yan was tricked by someone. Her smooth, fair face was unnaturally flushed.

The young woman looked at him with tender eyes and parted her vermilion lips. "Xie Li..."

That night, their music and passion were perfectly in tune, their embrace lingering and tender.

Xie Li held her in his arms.

"Didn't you say, Lord Cui, that you and I had never met?"

Later, Cui Yan rose to become chief minister. When she heard the emperor planned to arrange a marriage for her, the young man raced back to the capital from the border.

Bearing the glorious military achievements he had won at the frontier, he looked up at the woman he had longed for atop the city gate tower.

Seated on his warhorse, he paid no heed to the civil and military officials lining both sides and declared that he wanted to marry the chief minister.

Cui Yan stood atop the tower and looked down at him. Behind him stretched a line of carriages with no end in sight.

They were the spoils he had won during his campaigns at the border.

A voice she had not heard in a long time reached her ears.

"How have you been, Chief Minister?"

"I came in a hurry and have only these vulgar things behind me. Would you be willing to marry me, Chief Minister?"

A frail, delicate chief minister who is easy to push over x a persuasive, scheming general

Reader's Guide

1. Both leads are virgins, 1v1, HE.

2. Fictional historical setting. Please don't nitpick.

3. Slightly more plot-focused, with lots of setup, so the story develops a little slowly at first.

4. The heroine disguises herself as a man. Very sweet romance throughout!

Theme: Heaven has its own way. The loyal and righteous will not be wronged forever.