Older Sister

[Main story complete] A long time ago, her father brought home the orphaned child of an old friend and raised him. Years later, the boy who had once lived under another family's roof became a rising star at court. The ailing Xue Yutang came to the capital to seek treatment and took up residence at the Gu estate. She was grateful that, back when Gu Ruzhang had been living under someone else's roof, she had looked after the boy who was a year younger than her. When they met again, they treated each other with great courtesy. Gu Ruzhang did everything he could to find her a doctor and cure her. He respected and cherished her, softly calling her, “Sister.” Xue Yutang thought they would get along as harmoniously as they had before, until one day she discovered a secret passage in her room, which led to his. Every wall of his hidden room was covered with portraits of her. The silk handkerchiefs she had lost and the discarded drafts she had thrown away were all there. A little notebook recorded her likes and dislikes, as well as every detail of her daily life, from her clothes and food to her comings and goings. It turned out that from the moment he met her, he had harbored feelings for her that went beyond sisterly affection. Xue Yutang was terrified and uneasy. She tried to escape, only to discover that Gu Ruzhang had locked the door tight. The man closed in on her step by step. “Where are you going, Sister? Now that you've seen it, are you trying to run away?” * In the eyes of the world, Gu Ruzhang was disciplined and proper, a favorite of the emperor and an untouchable flower growing on a lofty peak. But only he knew how base his feelings were for the sister who had once looked after him. He had been wondering how to bring her to the capital, and then fate had handed him the perfect opportunity. Gu Ruzhang had held back for years, intending to confess his feelings once he had made his name. But before he could speak, one day he saw her out on the lake with a young man from a noble family. The water rippled around their boat as she held a bundle of peonies and gazed at the man beside her with tender affection. He gave a cold, sinister smile, consumed by obsession. So Sister wanted to marry someone else. That could never be allowed. * Xue Yutang got married, but lost a stretch of her memory. She could not remember what had happened and only knew that her husband was a rising star at court who had been her childhood companion. After the wedding, they were loving and affectionate, as sweet as honey. But little by little, Xue Yutang sensed something was wrong. When her memories finally returned, she realized that the man she had wanted to marry was someone else. Xue Yutang packed her things and fled, but a galloping steed blocked her path. Gu Ruzhang stared at her coldly. The swell of her belly beneath her dress could no longer be hidden. “My lady, now that you're pregnant, do you still plan to run away?” Note: The heroine is one year older than the hero. They are both each other's first. The story unfolds from the heroine's perspective, and the previous generation's entanglements are gradually revealed as the plot develops. The romance is the focus, with little court intrigue. Premise posted on May 29, 2024. Blurb dated July 2, 2024. Cover authorized by Shili Changhuan · Reis. Coming soon: The Golden Hall's Broken Sandalwood A favored consort angered the emperor and was sentenced to die by the white silk. To repay the consort's kindness, the palace maid Yutan devoted herself to caring for the young Fifth Prince, accompanying him as he rose from discarded pawn to Crown Prince, and finally to the throne. They depended on and supported each other. They were sovereign and subject, yet more like siblings. Tired of the endless struggles, Yutan had already promised her beloved that once the new dynasty was secure, she would leave the palace and find a quiet place where they could spend the rest of their lives together. But on the eve of her departure, the man she loved suddenly vanished. Then one day, she wandered into a forbidden part of the palace. Every painting in the room was of her, and behind the paintings, her beloved was imprisoned, barely clinging to life. The scent of dragon's incense drew near behind her. The young emperor held her captive in his arms, his voice gentle yet obsessive. “You taught me to fight for what I wanted. I learned. And now, what I want to fight for is you.” She met the sinister gaze in the new emperor's eyes and suddenly understood the chill that had lurked beneath their relationship all along. Yutan could no longer escape the palace. From then on, she was a beauty imprisoned deep within the palace, summoned to his bed night after night. The man she had raised with her own hands had become a nightmare she could never escape. - In the third month of spring, the emperor and empress were wed. The empress, dressed in splendid robes, accepted the people's homage. Beneath her phoenix gown, however, were shackles specially made by the emperor, which Xiao Qi had fastened around Yutan's ankles himself. From abandoned prince in the Cold Palace to the Son of Heaven, Xiao Qi had won everything he had ever fought for. Yutan was no exception. They ate and slept together, and on countless cold nights, they had held each other close to keep warm. They were made for each other. #Years later, she would wonder when their sibling-like affection had changed into something else #The obsessive emperor had coveted her for years Note: They are not biological siblings. Five-year age gap. Coercive possessive romance. The male lead has no prior sexual experience, and both leads are inexperienced in love. Theme: Overcome difficulties and embrace a better life.