Reborn Before the Green Tea Chief Councilor Makes His Name

My next novel is titled After My Cousin Took Me by Force.

Mu Jiaojiao had a benefactor who risked his life to save her. After being reborn, she devoted herself to repaying him.

She took care of everything for her benefactor and his family, down to every last detail, managing their food, clothing, and daily needs even more than the Zhan family's legitimate daughter-in-law did.

Everyone thought she was in love with one of the Zhan family's young masters.

But in the seventeenth year of the Yan Jing era, after Zhan Qiyu passed the palace examination and became the top scholar, she left a letter and disappeared. Her debt of gratitude was repaid, and she had no more ties to the family.

The new top scholar, dressed in a red robe and wearing a palace flower in his hat, galloped through the streets of the imperial capital on a fine horse and brought back the woman he had claimed as his wife.

"Mu Jiaojiao, if you leave today, I'll die today."

"Only with you here can I stay alive."

*

Mu Jiaojiao thought Zhan Qiyu was sick.

The cool, aloof gentleman, as bright and clear as the moon, had become a frail invalid who might collapse at any moment. She couldn't leave his side for even an instant.

Gradually, she finally learned what kind of man he was. In the eyes of outsiders, that delicate man was a treacherous minister with absolute power, capable of getting even a third-rank official's entire family executed.

Everything was different from what she had imagined. She needed to pack her things and run as fast as she could.

But life is full of surprises. On the very same day, the Mu family received marriage proposals from two men of great influence at court.

*

This time, the man who held the whole court in his grasp reached out and pinched her chin. "Jiaojiao, do you want to be the Crown Princess? Too bad he may not get to become Crown Prince."

Mu Jiaojiao looked at the ribbon tied around her wrist and said helplessly, "I have no romantic feelings for him. I only see you as my benefactor."

But Zhan Qiyu could no longer turn back. "Jiaojiao, I've told you before. Without you, I'm as good as dead."

She surrendered. Immediately.

Bonus scene:

Everyone in the capital knew that the wife of Chief Grand Secretary Zhan never attended any gatherings.

So few people had ever seen Mrs. Zhan that everyone began to speculate that she was either disfigured or afflicted with some hidden illness.

Then someone saw the Chief Grand Secretary with a breathtakingly beautiful young woman. The entire court started gossiping, thinking the Chief Grand Secretary's reputation as a devoted husband was finished.

Who would have guessed that the very next day, Chief Grand Secretary Zhan would once again say in court, "My virtuous wife supports my lofty ambitions. I beg Your Majesty to grant my wife a first-rank title."

Everyone wiped away their sweat. Sure enough, Lord Zhan's home flag was firmly planted, while his outside flags fluttered freely.

The red flag at home, rubbing her aching waist, heard that she was about to receive a first-rank title and flopped onto the bed. Help! I don't want this!

My next novel is titled After My Cousin Took Me by Force.

Blurb: Pei Donglan, the eldest son of the Pei family, held tremendous power and was famous for his filial devotion to his mother. A year ago, he had taken in Cui Bingbing, the only surviving descendant of his maternal family.

He knew the girl had assumed another person's identity for money.

A year later, with his mother's health much improved, Pei Donglan feared the little fraud might bring disaster upon the Pei family, so he planned to deal with her himself.

He promised her that he wouldn't let her die in too much pain.

But the impostor cousin said, "Young Master, I have no way to prove my innocence, but I do have one last wish."

She parted her fragrant lips and said she wanted to spend one night with him before she died.

For reasons he couldn't explain, Pei Donglan agreed.

From that day on, every night she found a way to crawl into his bed and take off his clothes.

In the study, in the garden, in the carriage, even in the banquet hall, she kept seducing him and wouldn't let go.

The plan to kill her had to be put on hold.

Just when Pei Donglan thought she loved him to the point of obsession, he heard her tell a servant, "I've made all the arrangements. I'm leaving the Pei residence tonight, and I'll never come back."

He crushed his jade thumb ring, and blood dripped onto the white jade hairpin he'd meant to give her.

In this life, she'll never escape the Pei residence unless she steps over his corpse.

Theme: Repay a drop of kindness by digging a well.