Marrying the Crown Prince

Jiang Chaoying was a noble young lady from a powerful family, stunningly beautiful and proud to a fault. Even as a girl, she had secretly made a vow:

A fine young woman of such illustrious birth as her could never be a swallow nesting beneath the eaves.

She would be a phoenix perched on a branch, and if she married, she would marry the Crown Prince.

So in public she was the very picture of gentleness and refinement. Everyone said she was destined to become the Crown Princess, and even the emperor and empress seemed to approve.

Only one person saw through her disguise.

One day, as she was scolding a maid and raising her riding crop to strike, she heard a cold sneer and saw a strikingly handsome young man standing by the shore.

"Everyone says the legitimate daughter of Chancellor Jiang..." He glanced at her, his features cold and aloof. "Is gentle and wise, with a heart like a bodhisattva's."

"But you're nothing like that." His tone was scornful, as if he already knew she was spoiled and willful by nature.

He was Pei Yunjian, the seventh prince, who had been neglected by the emperor since childhood.

Jiang Chaoying's face twisted in an instant.

From then on, she saw him as a thorn in her side, her sworn enemy born to ruin her. Whenever she got the chance, she bullied and humiliated him, both openly and behind his back, wishing he would vanish from the world forever.

*

Three years passed in the blink of an eye. Jiang Chaoying's relationship with the Crown Prince grew ever closer, and all that remained was an imperial edict naming her Crown Princess.

Who could have known the court was so treacherous? Crown Prince Pei Xunzhou made a misstep, and the emperor stripped him of his position and appointed Pei Yunjian as the new Crown Prince.

Jiang Chaoying: ???

Jiang Chaoying's vision went black. From then on, she kept her head down, terrified that he would settle the score when the time came.

The imperial edict still arrived, delivered by Pei Yunjian himself.

The young man smiled brightly, but looked every bit like the King of Hell come to claim her life. Just as she expected, he said, "Yingying, it's time to settle the score."

-

It was still the same resplendent Eastern Palace, but it had a new master. The incomparably handsome man before her was nonetheless familiar.

"Why aren't you calling me 'Crown Prince Brother' anymore, Yingying?" Pei Yunjian gripped her soft waist, his voice low and hoarse. He asked again and again, "Doesn't this count as marrying the Crown Prince now? Hmm?"

Jiang Chaoying's face flushed, her eyes unfocused, until at last she couldn't help bursting into tears.

"I was wrong! Stop bullying me, boohoo..."

#She successfully married the Crown Prince, but he wasn't the one she'd imagined

#Her sworn enemy settles the score, but... not quite the way she'd imagined

[Arrogant, domineering airhead beauty X gloomy, possessive prince]

Theme: Break free of restraints and discover your true self.