- Married-life pursuit|Love after marriage|A husband wins back his wife
Cui Youning, a young lady of the prestigious Cui family, was renowned throughout the capital and stood out above all others. Not for any particular reason, but because her liveliness was astonishing, though also the envy of many.
What people loved to talk about most was that her heart and eyes were full of Crown Prince Rong Chen, even though His Highness felt no affection for her and was as immovable as a rock. Even three-year-olds had heard about it.
Cui Youning didn't deny it. If she liked someone, she liked him. Why hide it?
Rumor had it that the Eastern Palace was soon going to choose a Crown Princess from among the daughters of high-ranking families. People were talking, and even the underground casinos were taking bets. Few people chose Cui Youning; almost everyone bet on someone else.
In less than half a day, an unexpected bettor placed several hundred taels on Cui Youning becoming Crown Princess.
Everyone guessed it must have been Cui Youning herself.
But just two days later, another unexpected sum appeared, with over a thousand taels bet on the legitimate daughter of the Xiao family. This time, everyone clearly saw that the bettor was the Crown Prince's personal guard.
His bet was the Crown Prince's will.
Rumors spread everywhere.
Cui Youning hadn't believed them, until the man's cold, disgusted eyes and his words, "It could never happen in this lifetime," nailed her to the spot.
Even the warmest heart can grow cold.
On the day Cui Youning decided to go out and clear her head, an imperial edict granting a marriage arrived at her residence just before she left.
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Crown Prince Rong Chen had been named Imperial Grandson by the late Emperor. Favored by Heaven, he was dignified and self-possessed.
He'd heard the rumors that a young lady of the Cui family had set her sights on him. Rong Chen paid them no mind, saying only, "Don't repeat rumors and ruin someone's reputation."
Rong Chen hadn't expected the rumors to be true, or that the person in question wouldn't care in the slightest. In her own words, she wished the whole empire knew.
When it came time to discuss candidates for Crown Princess, the Empress's first choice was Cui Youning.
Rong Chen frowned at this.
A woman with such a willful temperament was the opposite of what he wanted in a Crown Princess.
So Rong Chen decided to rein her in.
But he hadn't expected Cui Youning to refuse to play along.
* Bright-eyed, beautiful noblewoman x aloof, chaste, and old-fashioned Crown Prince
* Love after marriage, and a husband trying to win his wife back
* A fictional setting blending different dynasties, with a mountain of original worldbuilding. The leads aren't perfect. Feel free to discuss civilly, but don't be abusive.
* The characters' actions don't represent the author's views, and their values don't represent the author's values.
Next novel: "A Land at Peace" (princess of a fallen dynasty x young general)
------Blurb------
In the twentieth year of the Yuanhua era of the Li Dynasty, the land was desolate and the people lived in misery.
In this time of crisis, Princess Duanyang was ordered to govern in the Emperor's absence.
But the Li Dynasty had long been rotten to its core. On the day the rebels attacked the city, Princess Duanyang, Qiao Shuyan, led the troops into battle. When she saw the rebel leader approaching with his army, she lost herself for a brief moment.
Once, they had depended on each other and shared a bed. Now they were sworn enemies in the eyes of the world.
The city fell, and the dynasty changed hands.
What awaited Qiao Shuyan was an imperial edict from the new Emperor, ordering her to become Zhou Yiheng's concubine.
The half cup of poisoned wine didn't take Zhou Yiheng's life. It took hers.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Zhou Yiheng's bare chest. The warmth beneath her hand told Qiao Shuyan that it was all real.
She had returned to the age of sixteen.
She was still the beloved Princess Duanyang, and Zhou Yiheng had yet to become the general leading the rebels.
*First draft of the blurb written on September 24, 2025, and saved.
Theme: Finding your way back to who you were
