Fake puppet, real madman emperor vs. scheming consort who fools people into falling for her
Everyone in the capital knew that the eldest daughter of Minister Wen was renowned for both her beauty and talent, but few knew that he had a second daughter, whose beauty could be called absolutely breathtaking.
Lu Guyao, an abandoned prince who had spent years in the Cold Palace, ascended the throne and began recruiting eligible women from across the realm for the imperial selection, catching the great clans completely off guard. Wen Sui'an was among the candidates.
Who could have guessed that this obscure second daughter would become the new emperor's favored consort, enjoying his exclusive affection night after night?
But no one could have imagined that, even as they shared a bed, both of them would be harboring their own motives and plotting against each other.
● The heroine's perspective:
Wen Sui'an's birth had been a mistake from the very beginning, as far as her mother was concerned. Yet she never felt the slightest resentment and was often burdened by guilt.
Then her mother unexpectedly lost a child and never recovered, her spirits and health steadily declining. Everyone in the household said the death of her younger brother, Wen Rencheng, had been an accident. But during the years she spent pretending to be crazy and foolish, she uncovered the truth. She was only waiting for the right moment.
Later, she entered the palace and was made a Noble Consort. Knowing her chance had come, she pretended to be entirely sincere and used Lu Guyao, just as he used her.
When she was finally ready to walk away, she realized she might not be able to leave.
● The hero's perspective:
People said the new emperor was a foolish, immoral ruler who cared only for pleasure and let the Empress Dowager's relatives monopolize power. With him at the helm, the Jing Kingdom was bound to fall sooner or later.
In truth, Lu Guyao played the pig to eat the tiger, dismantling his enemies' power step by step and securing his throne.
He did not care that his methods were less than honorable or that he was reviled by everyone. But a little liar named Wen Sui'an told him he should learn to be a wise ruler and wanted to spend every year of her life with him.
At first, he dismissed her words. Then, before he knew it, he realized the little liar had claimed a significant place in his heart.
For her, he learned to be a wise ruler, working diligently and caring for his people. He sheathed his claws and listened to the people's concerns.
Just as he was falling deeper and deeper, he carefully planned a grand ceremony to make her empress. But the day before it was to take place, he saw the little liar standing atop the city wall.
She was as gentle and serene as the day they first met, but her eyes were utterly indifferent. She left him with only six words.
She said they would never meet again in this life.
Afterward, everyone said the emperor went mad after the Noble Consort died. Only Lu Guyao knew that she was the one who kept him grounded.
● A little extra scene:
Beside a great willow tree in a water town south of the Yangtze, there stood a residence. All the neighbors knew a beautiful widow lived there.
One day, imperial guards surrounded the place. No one knew which powerful person she had offended.
Lu Guyao held the widow tightly against his chest with one arm and stroked her face with the other. His voice was full of aching tenderness. "Sui Sui, is imprisoning you the only way to stop you from running away?"
Note: The historical setting is fictional, with some inspiration from the Tang and Song dynasties. No need to look too closely at the details.
The blurb does not reveal the ending, and there are twists!
One-on-one romance, both leads are each other's first.
Theme: Cherish the present
