After I Was Ordered to Marry the Stern General

Upcoming novel: Tempt Her Into My Arms: a cool, scheming cousin and an innocent cousin who doesn't understand his feelings. Blurb at the very end.

Blurb:

Shen Zhaowei is the youngest daughter in her family, doted on by everyone. Unfortunately, she was born frail and sickly. More than one imperial physician has shaken their head and sighed, saying she won't live past twenty.

One day, a lame Taoist came to beg for alms. He made a few calculations and asked with a smile, “Does your household have a young lady who is bedridden with illness?”

Everyone was startled and uncertain, but nodded.

The Taoist went on at length, even accurately identifying the mole on her lower back. At last, he laughed up at the sky. “Simply marry the young lady to the Pei family's young general, Pei Jingzhou, and her illness and misfortune will be dispelled.”

The Shen family was half-convinced. Hoping against hope, they made inquiries again and again. The young general had won countless battles and was a man of integrity. It did seem a fine match.

*

Pei Jingzhou had followed his father to war since childhood, making a name for himself on the battlefield. Shortly before turning twenty, he was summoned back to the capital. To his surprise, an imperial decree arrived, pairing him with a woman he had never met.

The proud young general flatly refused to marry a sickly woman, rejecting the decree before the court. General Pei flew into a rage and beat him soundly.

On their wedding day, Pei Jingzhou was bound hand and foot as he went through the wedding ceremony.

On their wedding night, he looked down at Shen Zhaowei with disdain. “You think someone like you can tie me down? Know your place.”

*

Late at night three days later, Shen Zhaowei's childhood friend, Xie Fuguang, beat the lame Taoist until he was bruised and battered in the street.

“You stupid donkey! I paid you, and you ended up matchmaking her with someone else!”

After that, Xie Fuguang couldn't accept it. He had people watch the couple every day, hoping Shen and Pei would fall out and divorce so he could take advantage of the situation.

The results:

On the fourth day of the fifth month, the two went boating together and chatted happily.

On the twenty-eighth day of the sixth month, Pei Jingzhou went to Yipin Zhai himself and brought back her favorite plum-blossom pastries.

On the eighth day of the eighth month, Pei Jingzhou gently coaxed her into taking her medicine. When she was done, he bent down and washed her feet.

Xie Fuguang was so furious that he threw the report into the brazier and cursed Pei Jingzhou as a scoundrel.

*

[A little scene]

One day after court, Shen Zhaowei left the empress's palace and waited outside Cheng'an Gate for Pei Jingzhou so they could go home together.

Xie Fuguang and Pei Jingzhou came out one after the other.

She naturally linked her arm through Pei Jingzhou's and told him about something amusing that had happened at the empress's palace. “Her Majesty gave me a pair of jade bracelets. They're so pretty. You, ”

She got no further before a kiss landed on her lips.

“Mm.” Pei Jingzhou spoke with a smile, glancing sideways at Xie Fuguang, whose face had turned red with anger. “My wife looks beautiful in anything.”

The heroine's illness will be cured. Both leads are each other's only partners, happy ending.

Tempt Her Into My Arms

Song Qing lost both her parents when she was young and went to live with her uncle's family.

Her cousin Jiang Che was five years older than her, like snow on the eaves and moonlight among the clouds: beautiful to behold, but impossible to reach.

She knew her place, so she did her best to avoid him and keep from making him dislike her.

When she turned seventeen, her aunt and uncle began arranging a marriage for her. That was also the year she started seeing Jiang Che more often.

She was out with friends when the rain suddenly began, leaving them stranded on the road.

His carriage appeared at just the right moment, and his cool voice came from inside. “Get in. I'll take you home.”

She was drinking with friends at a tavern. When she was tipsy and dazed, she found herself leaning on a broad, warm back, the delicate scent of orchids and angelica lingering beneath her nose.

Only after she sobered up did she learn that he had carried her home.

Then came the most embarrassing incident of all.

One evening after dinner, she went to return a book, but heard the sound of water inside. Hesitating, she tentatively called out to her cousin. When no one answered, she grew worried and pushed the door open. She saw the silhouette of a well-built man cast upon the screen.

She hurried to apologize and turn to run, but a wet hand abruptly caught her wrist. Hot breath brushed the back of her ear. “You saw me, and now you want to run?”

*

When Song Qing first came to live with his family, Jiang Che thought she was short and thin, quiet, and always timidly avoiding people's eyes.

He was naturally indifferent and disliked socializing. He didn't care that his family had gained a younger female cousin, and for many years he barely gave her a second glance.

Until her seventeenth birthday banquet, when she appeared gracefully before everyone's eyes. A spring breeze tousled the loose strands at her temples, making the faint smile at her lips flicker into view.

In that moment, he was faintly surprised. The inconspicuous little girl who used to hide in the corner had grown up so much.

After that, someone new appeared in his dreams, impossible to forget.

So he did many outrageous things, all just to tempt her into his arms.

Theme: Spring comes to deadwood.