Male substitute | Bitter husband literature | Cold-faced washing of the bellyband | A little coercive romance | Lots of melodrama
*
Just three months after marrying the Crown Prince, Wen Yao's portrait, hidden in her room, was discovered.
Looking at the figure in the painting, who bore a seven- or eight-tenths resemblance to himself, Gu Mingzhang flew into a rage.
"Every time I handle official business in my study, you stay by my side. Is it only because he was a scholar?"
Seeing that she could no longer hide the fact that she had used him as a substitute, Wen Yao said nothing. She picked up the portrait he'd thrown to the ground, knelt outside the hall all night, and the next day was sent to a temple outside the city.
She was said to be entering the temple to cultivate, but in truth she was as good as a deposed consort.
As she was carried out of the Eastern Palace in a small sedan chair, Wen Yao, who had maintained a calm expression until then, finally shed tears.
At the time, she thought she would never again meet anyone who looked so much like the beloved she'd lost to a violent death.
But before long, as if moved by her longing, the heavens let her meet someone else.
And this time, he happened to be a scholar.
*
A substitute, after all, should look as much like the original as possible.
Compared to the man in the Eastern Palace, this one was not only gentler in nature, but also often wore a mask over the lower half of his face. Every gesture of his was more like that person.
So she ate vegetarian meals and recited prayers by day, then drew the curtains and indulged in pleasure at night.
Gazing at the familiar features beside her on the pillow, Wen Yao nestled into his strong, broad arms and fell asleep at ease, thinking that it would not be so bad to let her days pass this way.
Until one night, bandits broke into the temple.
A band of desperate men stormed the side courtyard, their sword points aimed at the man beside her. They shouted that they would kill him to avenge themselves.
Still shaken, Wen Yao pressed him about his identity.
He rose unhurriedly, put two fingers to his lips and whistled. Guards in heavy armor immediately flooded in from all directions, surrounding the temple and the bandits alike.
"Since you've found out, come back to the Eastern Palace with me."
The man remained seated on the bed. When he lifted his head slightly to look at her, the eyes visible above his mask looked just like those of the person she thought of day and night.
"A Yao, I'll be your substitute."
*
When Gu Mingzhang first learned that he was only a replacement in her eyes, he was furious.
But whenever his longing became unbearable, he was grateful to have been born with this face.
So what if he was a substitute? Given enough time, he would one day replace that man, become him, and stay by A Yao's side forever.
And A Yao would always be his Crown Princess.
*Both leads are chaste, happy ending (the male lead is pure in body and mind)
*The plot serves the romance, so please don't overthink it
Theme: If you can't change the world, change yourself
