Zhao Yun Holds Heaven's Secrets

Former dynasty princess x new dynasty emperor

The Jin Cang dynasty fell, and the gates of Daizhou City were breached. The joys of the past now seemed like a dream from which she had awoken.

Yin Zhaolan, a princess of the former dynasty, was forced to change her name and identity. Overnight, she became Xu Tiao, daughter of Xu Chengzhi, the new dynasty's Grand Diviner, and entered the palace as a consort.

Rumor had it that Emperor Li Xingyun of the Jiaxu dynasty had no interest in women. Though half a year had passed since he ascended the throne, he had yet to set foot in the imperial harem. So Yin Zhaolan tried every trick in the book to seduce the new emperor.

After all her struggles, Yin Zhaolan assumed the emperor would treat her differently from everyone else. But when she stepped out of character, she saw the emperor's composed, indifferent scrutiny. It turned out he had never felt even the slightest trace of affection for her.

Yin Zhaolan gave up on the act. “Right. All that effort for nothing.”

From then on, she went back to being herself. No more flattering words, no more tea and snacks, and no more offering herself up to share his bed. She settled into a lazy, do-nothing routine and waited for the others to tell her what came next.

But as time passed, and Li Xingyun went to the battlefield, to disaster-stricken regions, and into seclusion in the mountains, Yin Zhaolan gradually realized that he might not be the bloodthirsty, stone-faced King of Hell that people described.

Li Xingyun became a prince in his youth and spent years lying low in the provinces. During the chaos of the Minglin Rebellion, amid clashing blades and warhorses, he fought his way through bloodshed to unify the realm. In an instant, he became the young emperor whose achievements surpassed all others.

When he first met Yin Zhaolan, he thought her tricks and schemes were crude, and that she must be a spy planted by his dear elder brother. So he patiently played along for a while.

He thought he was merely an onlooker, enjoying a performance carefully staged for him. He never expected to be drawn onto the stage and become one of its players.

A fake romance became real.

Amid truth and illusion, love took root.

The ruthless emperor, always calculating and decisive in battle, finally lost control. Beneath his haughty gaze, a turbulent storm could no longer be concealed. His long hands, capable of drawing a bow and killing enemies even while wounded, now trembled uncontrollably. “We both know better than anyone why they came near me!”

The woman he held captive raised her eyes. Her voice was resolute, each word like a cold sword piercing his heart. “And how am I any different from them?”

Dead wood blooms again in spring; all things are renewed. The old and the new are destined to clash.

Between them, only life or death remained. Neither could give in.

Reading guide:

1. This story is set in a fictional world. Its main historical reference is the Han dynasty.

2. Zhaozhao is her childhood nickname. Once her identity is revealed later in the story, she will go by her original name.

3. I'll keep adding to the reading guide as the story goes on. Hope you all enjoy reading!

Theme: Only sincere hearts can win true affection.