(I'm going to scrap the setup and rewrite everything. When I got the contract, I hadn't thought the romance through carefully. One day I'll come back and rewrite the whole thing! Historical romance! I will return!)
In the twenty-fifth year of Shunchang, a long-buried case came to light.
Xie Rugu's father was accused of embezzling military funds, causing over a thousand soldiers of the Yunqi Army to starve to death while fighting the Western Rong.
The court and the capital were shaken.
Chu Yunxiao, general of the Yunqi Army, knelt before the court and pleaded with the royal family, every word soaked in tears, to give his wrongfully killed comrades justice.
And so, the vermilion towers came crashing down.
On the day the Xie residence was confiscated, a sudden fire broke out, and the eldest Xie daughter, Xie Rugu, died in the flames.
When she opened her eyes again, Xie Rugu discovered she had returned to seven years earlier, before the old case had taken place.
To find the mastermind who framed the Xie family for colluding with the enemy and save the Yunqi Army, which defended their homeland, she disguised herself as a foreign Hu woman physician named A Li and ventured deep into a den of danger to uncover the truth behind the case.
But she never expected to run into Chu Yunxiao.
At the time, he was still a carefree young man who wouldn't stop following her.
Chu Yunxiao's good friend once read his fortune and said he had the fate of the Three Orphans. If he didn't marry before turning twenty, he would spend his life lonely and desolate.
In the year he turned twenty, he was caught up in a conspiracy while escorting prisoners to the capital for peace talks.
As he investigated the case, the lively Hu girl A Li made him fall in love for the first time.
But the person he thought shared his feelings, the one he believed he would spend his life with, left without a single word and vanished without a trace.
Later, his father arranged a marriage for him and kept him confined in the capital, forcing him to marry a noble family's daughter he had met only once in order to break the curse. The day before the wedding, Chu Yunxiao finally found an opening in the guards and rode through the night back to his fief.
So on the wedding day, the capital found itself with a fresh topic of gossip: the eldest Xie daughter, Xie Rugu, had been jilted on her wedding day.
Waiting in the capital for that young man to marry her, A Li ripped off her veil. "Chu! Yun! Xiao!"
After fleeing his arranged marriage, Chu Yunxiao returned to the army camp. Hearing that a new star had recently risen through the ranks, he immediately asked to become sworn brothers with them.
"Chu Yunxiao, do you really want to be my sworn brother? You won't regret it?"
Chu Yunxiao nodded without a moment's hesitation.
His "younger brother" smiled, her almond-shaped eyes curving, then bowed to him and said:
"Elder brother, please accept A Li's respects!"
[Once a noble family's darling (crossed out) proud young lady X a sly, cunning young general]
[Thanks to my two friends, @Jinjiang Xuanbei and @Jinjiang Sixun, for staying up late with me to revise and organize this blurb!]
I promise regular updates and quality. I will never abandon this story! Please add it to your favorites, heart you~
[Coming soon: My Lady Wants to Kill Me Again Today, a tale of two beautiful, powerful, and tragic mad people who love and fight each other]
Baili Chanyi has one rule: save a life, take a life in return.
But one person broke her rule.
The person lowered his eyes and said, "I have nothing. All I have is this worthless life. Take it whenever you want."
Later, that person kept his promise and gave her his life.
But by then, she no longer wanted it.
**
The Eastern Palace was selecting a crown princess, and the daughter of Chief Councillor Jiang was chosen.
Before she entered the palace, a shadow slipped into her carriage.
"I can save your lover's life, but you have to give me your status as crown princess."
The soon-to-be crown princess, Jiang Yeyue, immediately took off her wedding clothes and gave up her title without a trace of regret.
The current Crown Prince, Dugu Yan, was fated to be alone, bringing death to everyone around him. She had no desire to enter the Eastern Palace and keep company with that ill-omened man.
**
On their wedding night, "Jiang Yeyue" watched the expressionless man lift her veil.
Her groom had exactly the same face as the man who had once saved her life.
That man was his shadow. When a shadow died in its master's place, no one cared.
Holding a golden cup, she smiled brightly.
"I would be honored to share a cup with you, my lord. From this day forward, whether a thousand miles or ten thousand miles apart, let us grow old together."
The poisoned wine in her hand was a gentle little knife, an embrace that would last until death.
**
At first sight, Dugu Yan thought his wife was merely a spoiled young lady, a political bargaining chip.
But then he personally watched the woman strike with a blade and send every person who came to harass her off with a cup of poisoned wine.
For the first time, he thought a woman was genuinely interesting.
Baili Chanyi took the handkerchief he offered and wiped the blood from her face, smiling at him.
Tender and affectionate, though the smile never reached her eyes.
"Don't be in such a hurry, dear husband. You're next..."
Theme: Kindness, courage, and perseverance can be the North Star of life. Even in the hardest times, they keep us from losing our way.
Will there be updates? [Let me be healthy] It's really good-looking 😚