After He Pretended to Be a Stand-In

Yuan Jia should have been a noble princess, a favored daughter of heaven, yet no one dared become her prince consort.

Until one day, she accidentally barged into an engagement banquet.

In front of everyone, a young woman, hazy with drink, stepped down from her phoenix carriage. She had barely taken a few steps before she stumbled into the arms of a handsome young man in a rather intimate way... He was the groom-to-be.

The lord of Fengrao City, a man of immense wealth and talent, was the dream lover of countless young women. But when their eyes met, she mistook him for someone else.

Afterward, the story of the princess stealing another woman's groom spread throughout the imperial capital. Under pressure from the throne, the lord of Fengrao City became the princess's live-in consort, a complete humiliation.

On their wedding night, the unhappy consort asked, "Your Highness went to such lengths to make me your consort. What is it you want?"

"From today on, your name is Song Linsheng. You're his... substitute."

Song Linsheng was the leader of the former dynasty's rebels, devoted to restoring the old regime and known as a fiend incarnate. But three years ago, Yuan Jia had killed him.

*

Three years after faking his death, Song Linsheng changes his appearance and returns to the imperial capital as the lord of Fengrao City.

He resolves:

First: If he runs into Yuan Jia again, they'll each go their own way.

Second: He'll completely cut off the delusional feelings he developed for her three years ago.

Who could have guessed that one day a former-dynasty rebel would receive a secret order to visit the princess's residence and meet their leader, only to be stunned by the sight before him?

The young woman walks ahead, speaking to the young man behind her, who is carrying a large stack of brocade boxes. "Consort, Song Linsheng is strong and bad-tempered. He's nothing like you, so frail. You should imitate him properly next time."

The consort smiles faintly and leans closer. "Should I imitate him by secretly kissing the princess, too?"

She turns red. "W-what nonsense are you talking about? You may only comb my hair every day."

The rebel's eyes go wide. The consort flirting with the princess is none other than their leader, Song Linsheng.

He almost... failed to recognize him.

*

Yuan Jia thinks her consort is acting very strangely.

Before they married, he clearly liked her, but refused to admit it. After they married, he kept comparing himself to the real Song Linsheng.

How odd. She's told him many times that she hates Song Linsheng and loves her consort.

She even said that from now on, he never has to be anyone else's substitute. He only has to be her husband.

Coming soon: "The Aloof Gentleman and the Widow"

A wealthy young man chosen by the family x a widow living under someone else's roof

Xu Rou is the county magistrate's only daughter. For twenty years, she's lived a life of comfort and luxury, enjoying herself in the county town.

She obeys her parents' wishes and marries a husband of equal standing. Their life is wealthy and peaceful.

Who knew the family fortunes would change overnight?

Her husband is killed by bandits on his way back to the county town. Before his funeral arrangements are even complete, her father loses his position, and the whole family is left destitute and unable to survive.

With no other choice, Xu Rou takes her parents to the capital to seek help from a distant relative. Fortunately, the relatives are kind, and no one looks down on her for being a widow who has already been married.

Her cousin is about to get married, so she takes Xu Rou to the front hall, saying she wants to see her future husband with her own eyes.

Through the beaded curtain, Xu Rou peers out and sees the powerful official seated at the head of the room, composed and solemn. He slowly sets down his cup, and his gaze happens to sweep over to her.

Their eyes meet. Both freeze.

Xu Rou quickly makes an excuse and flees in a panic.

Chen Zheng was once the lowliest impoverished scholar in the county town.

The craziest thing he ever did was fall in love with his classmate Xu Rou and get the chance to marry her.

The most humiliating blow to his pride came when Xu Rou's mother stormed their wedding hall and declared that his poor family was unworthy of her daughter. The marriage was called off then and there.

After ten years of hard study, he finally made his mark. Years later, Chen Zheng holds great power in the capital.

Everyone knows he's proud and will only marry the capital's most esteemed young lady. But they don't know that a woman from a county town keeps piercing Chen Zheng's heart again and again.

Until one day, at the home of the capital's most esteemed young lady, Chen Zheng sees Xu Rou again.

From then on, Chen Zheng tries to keep himself from revisiting the past. But whenever he sees her, a restless heat rises within him, impossible to bear.

Theme: Clear up misunderstandings and embrace the light