The Legacy of Shangyang

A scheming beauty blessed by heaven VS a ruthless, ambitious young lord

Villainous couple unstoppable / A battle of wills between two traitors

[Heroine's blurb]

Liu Shike died at eighteen, in the very prime of her youth, spirited and carefree.

When she opened her eyes again, everything had changed.

Wei Sheng Yu painted a new face for her, giving her a new identity. "From now on, there is no more Liu Shike in this world."

From then on, there was no longer a daughter of the Liu family, only the strategist Yan Mingqing.

In the five years since she changed her face and identity, Yan Mingqing had been a bandit chief and a strategist in the martial world. Then her former fiance, the current Prince of Liang's heir, came looking for her and personally asked her to come out of retirement.

After all these years, Lou Shaojing was no longer the spoiled young master he had once been.

Lou Shaojing's expression darkened. "Your strategies are truly flawless, sir. But what I intend to do is a treasonous crime punishable by decapitation. If you agree to help, what do you seek in return?"

Facing the young lord she had once personally rejected, Yan Mingqing remained unruffled.

"I am loyal neither to the emperor nor to the state. My heart is narrow, with room only for the people of this land."

When the authorities drive the people to revolt, they have no choice but to revolt.

Since the path to petitioning on behalf of the people is blocked, she will enter the game herself, storm the emperor's stronghold, and fight a bloody path to secure a future for the people.

If she succeeds, her name will be remembered for generations. If she fails, she will be reviled for all time.

Is she afraid? No.

No matter how others defame and sully me, my heart remains pure.

-

[Hero's blurb]

Lou Shaojing calls himself a madman. Everything he does, he does for Yan Mingqing.

When her hatred cannot be quelled, he avenges her.

When she wants the truth set right, he clears her name.

When she wants to overturn the court, he is willing to cross seven rivers and ride through thirteen prefectures to help her raise an army and turn against the throne.

She says, "I want to protect the people of this land."

He replies, "I'll protect them for you."

She says, "Then I want to divide the realm equally with you."

Without hesitation, he says, "Then I'll give you the entire realm."

"You ascend the Nine Tripods, and I guard the eight directions. Yan Mingqing, I want to be the sharpest sword in your hand."

"One rebel and one traitor. We're made for each other."

***A short scene***

After faking her death and having her identity exposed, Yan Mingqing is backed into a corner by Lou Shaojing, with nowhere left to retreat.

His expression is dark. "Yan Mingqing, do you think you're so clever, playing me in the palm of your hand? Does that satisfy you?"

"What do you take me for? A dog that comes when called and leaves when dismissed? I'm the heir to the Prince of Liang and the Great General of Jiang, for heaven's sake. Do you think I'd be happy to be a dog at your skirts?"

Yan Mingqing frowns tightly. She opens her mouth several times, about to say something, but Lou Shaojing grabs her by the waist and pulls her into his arms with blinding speed.

He buries his face in the hollow of her shoulder, his voice muffled. "...I would."

Yan Mingqing freezes. "What?"

"...If it's you, Yan Mingqing, I'd be more than happy to be your dog."

Then he immediately adds, "I'd beg for the chance."

P.S. This story is tentatively a prequel to Strange Tales of Xuanyang. The blurb is provisional and may be revised later (note from 2024.6.3).

The story is tentatively planned in two volumes: The Prodigy Arc, focused on growth, and The Strategist Arc, focused on romance.

There is a growth arc. Neither lead is purely good; they simply stand on different sides.

Note! The secondary pairing is a female general x female physician, portrayed as kindred spirits in a chaotic age and allies as women. They won't take up much of the story. Please don't complain if that's not your thing!!!!

Don't be fooled by the serious blurb. It's actually a silly, power-fantasy story with childish political scheming, hahaha.

Here's a preview of my next historical romance, Her Sick Sparrow, with the blurb below:

[Powerful, villainous female official VS the sick sparrow in her cage (he's pretending)]

Shen Peizhu is a female chancellor who wields immense power, backed by the Grand Princess. Yet, against all expectations, she marries a low-ranking son of an un favored civil official.

In other words, she should be the one taking a husband.

On their wedding night, with candles lit in the bridal chamber, Shen Peizhu loosens the sash around his waist, rolls it up, and lightly smacks it against his face. "In public, you're my husband. In private, you're just my dog."

"A dog should know its place. Do you understand?"

Lu Weiming is briefly taken aback, then lowers his head and leans closer. Careful and eager to please, almost as if bewitching her, he rubs his face against Shen Peizhu's palm.

"I'll obey your orders, my lady."

For a long time, Shen Peizhu keeps Lu Weiming well trained, watching him grovel and give her whatever she wants.

But she forgets that even a cornered dog may leap over a wall.

So she waves a hand and has Lu Weiming, who has been plotting against her, thrown into the dungeon. She doesn't torture him or charge him with a crime; she merely humiliates him.

Until Lu Weiming, who has always been submissive and soft-spoken around her, as though he had no temper, finally grits his teeth and says, "Shen Peizhu, may you die a miserable death!"

Shen Peizhu suddenly laughs.

She grabs Lu Weiming by the hair and forces him to look her in the eye.

"To hate someone, you have to be their equal. Lu Weiming, you don't even have the right to hate me."

Shen Peizhu thinks that Lu Weiming, this brazen sick sparrow, may have sharper claws now, but he still can't escape her grasp.

Until after the palace coup, when Lu Weiming intercepts Shen Peizhu as she hurriedly escorts the Grand Princess out of the city, then forcibly takes her back to his residence.

The dungeon of the past, the residence of today, but the positions of master and servant have long since been reversed.

As candlelight flickers, Lu Weiming binds Shen Peizhu's hands tightly, shoves her onto the table, then presses himself over her and whispers in her ear:

"Chancellor Shen, do I finally have the right... to talk about hate with you?"

P.S. The heroine is truly the one in power; the hero is putting on an act (not really).

A romance in every sense of the phrase, "love grows with time."

I will always stand by power-couple stories!!

Theme: Give the people a heart