(The groveling ex chases after love, gets a taste of their own medicine, and is left eating their words, 1v1)
Xue Nuan was the daughter of the City Lord of Fufeng. She was exceptionally beautiful and gentle by nature, yet she fell for a guard at the city gate.
Though his family background was humble, the guard was handsome and tall.
At first, he was very cold toward Xue Nuan.
But Xue Nuan kept finding excuses to spend time with him, and eventually he began to respond to her feelings and slowly accepted her.
On their wedding day, Xue Nuan thought she had finally reached her moment of happiness.
Who could have known that the groom she'd been longing for was actually the leader of the rebel army, waiting for this chance to take Fufeng City?
He captured the city with ease.
Later, he rose to power. He reserved the empress's position for the woman he loved and the title of Noble Consort for a noblewoman who could be useful to him.
Only Xue Nuan, a discarded pawn he'd already used, was left with the lowly title of Talented Lady.
She saw through everything. Her tears were long gone, and she no longer hoped for anything from him.
She voluntarily left the palace to cultivate at a temple.
*
Emperor Xie Ge came from an aristocratic family and excelled in both scholarship and military strategy. He had been a general stationed in Nan Commandery, where he watched the country descend into war and be carved up by various factions.
With the support of many generals and soldiers, his resolve to unite the realm was kindled.
Fufeng City was strategically important, situated at the border between north and south.
It had long been guarded by the Xue father and son, its defenses so strong that it seemed impregnable.
Xie Ge didn't want to waste troops there. He meant to take it by strategy alone.
When Xue Nuan took a liking to him, how could he let such an opportunity pass?
After enduring countless hardships, he finally achieved his ambitions, but Xue Nuan grew ever more distant and even asked to leave the palace.
The usually cold and heartless emperor panicked for no reason and could only stubbornly refuse.
But she resisted by refusing to eat.
Once again, he gave in to her.
After half a year of enduring life without Xue Nuan by his side, he went to the ancestral temple and discovered she had already fled.
When he found her again in Fufeng City, all that remained was a lonely grave.
At that moment, his world crumbled with it. He shed all his disguises and threw himself over the grave, weeping uncontrollably.
Later, everyone said the emperor had gone mad. He dismissed his entire harem and never took another concubine.
He posthumously granted the title of empress to a dead woman's memorial tablet.
Theme: Carrying the mission of ending war and welcoming warmth through to the very end
