[Genuinely Frail Female Strategist & Falsely Disabled Prince of a Different Surname]
In the twenty-eighth year of the Tianguan era, in the depths of winter, heavy snow blanketed the entire capital. Then the sky changed, dark clouds gathered, and thunder and lightning roared. Torrential rain flooded the moat, washing away the city walls.
That night, in the rear courtyard of the Yun residence, Madam Qin gave birth to a daughter. She suddenly fell into a deranged state, biting everyone she saw, and blood flowed through the Lili Courtyard.
Yun Zhengzhong, Minister of Works, was impeached by the officials over the collapse of the city walls. The Yun family seemed on the verge of ruin.
An old Daoist suddenly appeared outside the gate. Tapping a wooden fish, neither monk nor layman, he danced and sang before the Yun residence: "Look at this pretty little doll, meant to be cherished in your palm. Her form is a white skeleton, and her birth brings disaster. I can only lament that your mortal eyes cannot see ghosts. Come roam the mortal world with me instead, and I will ensure your Yun clan prospers for a hundred years!"
The old Daoist left the Yun residence at dusk, carrying a swaddled baby girl in his arms. Laughing and acting the fool, he disappeared into the vast snow-covered capital.
**
That same year, the old border general, Prince of Zhenbei, was trapped in Huairong Valley. Before half a day had passed, the border fell, and mud and blood filled the ditches.
His ten-year-old son, Pei Huaizhen, was thrown into prison. After seven full days of torture, he emerged to find that everything had changed.
His father's body was never found, and he was branded a traitor. His mother died of grief, while people laughed that a courtesan had brought the nation to ruin.
Thus, the Prince of Zhenbei's household was wiped out overnight.
Ten years passed in the blink of an eye. Pei Huaizhen rose from a homeless stray to become Emperor Tianguan's right-hand man, stirring up trouble throughout the court and throwing the realm into turmoil.
He was ruthless and vicious in his methods, especially fond of pulling out tendons and flaying people alive. His name alone made people tremble. He loved wearing red and singing opera, earning him the nickname Red Yama!
"I was born a hero, yet weighed down by power;
Ten years on the battlefield, my blade stained red.
Cold winds shroud the frontier, horns sound through the camps;
However unwilling I may be, I can only die a hero.
Now I worry for my country, and once more ask the people for their lives;
In the next life, I will be yellow sand, covering the vast mountains and plains."
Content warnings:
1. The male lead is deaf. His hearing was damaged in prison. He can read lips, so no one has ever found out.
2. The female lead is extremely frail, the kind of extremely, extremely frail. Being physically weak does not mean she is weak-willed. A powerful spirit is what makes a great female lead.
3. The story begins with domestic power struggles and revenge. Later, she helps the male lead clear his name and overthrow corrupt rule.
Theme: Leading by example and upholding justice
