Above the Painted Qilin Pavilion

[Complete. Bonus chapters will drop from time to time]

Tough little vine rabbit × cold-faced powerful official wolf. Marriage first, love later / regret and reconciliation

Her whole body ached.

Zheng Bilu opened her eyes and turned her face. A long arm stretched out from behind her pillow. The man was breathing evenly, already fast asleep.

Two hours ago, the Emperor had decreed that she marry her father's political enemy, Fang Suining of the Qinghe Fang clan.

Rumors about Fang Suining were everywhere:

They said the Six Ministries had competed to recruit him before he even came of age, but he had chosen the Ministry of Justice alone. His methods were ruthless, and the entire court trembled at his name.

They said he deliberately targeted the Zheng family, stopping at nothing in the name of investigating cases.

They said he bore the fate of the Seven Killings, destined by heaven to a lonely life without a spouse...

She wanted to escape, so she followed Hong Fu's example and rode out of the city in the dead of night.

That reckless night was as fleeting as dew and lightning. She hadn't even seen the face of the man with whom she'd spent that wild night.

A few days later, she took her leave of the family temple and married into the Fang clan, watched by the whole court.

On their wedding night, she saw the legendary Fang Yama for the first time. The man looked down at her, shards of ice seeming to drift slowly in his eyes.

"Just take care of yourself."

After all the twists and turns, Zheng Bilu finally got her wish: she ended the marriage, and the two of them went their separate ways.

Years later, they met again in the misty Jiangnan region. Fang Suining stopped her carriage, unwilling to let her go. "Why didn't you tell them about our relationship?"

She lowered her eyes quietly. "Have you forgotten, my lord? We have nothing to do with each other anymore."

She didn't know that Fang Suining had gone to great lengths to make his way back to her.

He had once despised the world's insatiable greed. Now, he wanted to take back what was lost.

[Little Scene: Wedding Night]

On the honeysuckle trellis, every red candle had burned halfway down. Wax dripped in uneven pools, and the night had grown deep.

The embroidered curtains were drawn aside, and the bride lowered her fan. The groom was strikingly handsome, yet there was not a trace of warmth in his gaze.

"The bedroom is no court of state. There's no need to put on an act here."

They had not drunk the nuptial wine. They lay fully clothed, their sleeves not even touching.

The bride's coiffure had come undone. She seemed to dream of something, her cherry lips slightly parted as an unconscious murmur escaped her, like the sound of a little beast.

That faint sound was like a feather, teasing the most sensitive place in one's heart.

Fang Suining furrowed his brow, his throat suddenly dry and itchy.

The wine's warmth rose through him, his collar felt tight, and he tugged at it without thinking.

The person on the bed was still asleep, a lock of dark hair resting against her neck, her beauty strikingly vivid in black and white...

His gaze sharpened, and strange, disjointed scenes flashed through his mind.

Just like that night.

#Zheng Bilu

#HE, 1v1, primarily from the heroine's point of view

#A marriage in name only, pursuing his wife during marriage, pursuing his wife after divorce

#There is a plotline. All laws, official systems, and the like in this story are fictional. Please don't nitpick the details.

#For those who came here from To Laiyi's story: This novel takes place about seventeen years before Not a Tree Without a Phoenix. It is set during the Great Qi's golden age. Bilu and Laiyi grew up in very different circumstances. If any timeline or setting details differ, consider them separate and don't worry about it!

The next novel I'll start is Slanted Painted Beams. Please add it to your library!

Theme: Those who love themselves will always be loved