After the Crown Prince Set His Sights on Me

Eastern Palace Crown Prince x commoner's daughter, a story about stealing someone else's betrothed

After her father worked his way up from county deputy to county magistrate, he made a grand gesture and arranged for her to marry He Ming, the most outstanding young scholar in the county.

He Ming passed the first three levels of the imperial examinations and traveled to the capital to sit for the final exams. Qing Yuan went with him as his betrothed, staying in a villa provided by a wealthy merchant who was investing in her future husband's prospects.

He Ming said that once he passed the palace examination, they would marry in the capital. So Qing Yuan bought property there and took meticulous care of him, dreaming of celebrating his success with a wedding night.

But after he passed the exam, she tried on her crimson wedding dress in front of the mirror, only to hear that her betrothed had been thrown into prison. There would be no wedding night.

The villa's owner came in the dead of night, walking into her bedroom with striking familiarity. He smiled and said, "He's not coming."

But he wasn't some kindhearted merchant. He was Zhou Ye, the Crown Prince of the realm.

The third time Zhou Ye encountered that woman in the span of ten days, he decided she was a beauty sent by the great clans to seduce him. He treated her with cold disdain and no mercy.

But his spies soon reported that she was merely a commoner's daughter, with no ties to those people. She had come to the capital to marry someone.

Zhou Ye felt relieved. When he saw her again, he was even able to offer her a gracious smile.

He didn't know that, when he later spotted her strolling hand in hand with her betrothed along the main street, laughing and exchanging tokens of affection, he would lose his composure and crush his teacup.

He Ming had become famous at a young age and was shrewd and calculating. The Crown Prince had originally planned to recruit him, offering him a high-ranking position, generous pay, and a lavish residence.

But one day, while visiting the villa, he caught sight of He Ming's delicate, lovely betrothed.

She patiently soothed the drunken He Ming, her pale neck like the finest white jade.

She was nothing like the sharp-tongued, calculating woman who stood up to him.

From then on, the beauty haunted his dreams night after night, tender and lingering.

At first, he thought that whatever he wanted, he should take by any means, whether she was willing or not.

Later, with his arm around her waist, eyes red, he nibbled her earlobe and coaxed her softly: "See? He Ming was never anything but heartless. Qingqing, you and I are the ones made for each other, aren't we?"

1. The leads are both sexually inexperienced. There are some coercive elements.

2. A groveling-for-love story. Sweet overall, with a happy ending.

3. Shares a setting with the author's previous novel, "Concubine's Schemes." The male lead is the young Crown Prince Zhou Ye from that novel.

Theme: Life always finds a way to turn toward the light.