Eighty Thousand Springs in Half a Moment

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[A resourceful noblewoman strategist × a battle-hardened, handsome general]

[A textbook example of an older-woman-and-younger-man romance + a black-sesame-tangyuan male lead secretly in love with the heroine: sweet on the outside, dark within]

In the bitter winter of the eleventh year of Taiyuan, Jianye saw an unusually heavy snowfall.

Looking down from a high terrace, Xie Chang saw a woman in a dark green cloak, holding a paper umbrella as she stood amid the goose-feather snow.

Her striking black-and-white eyes glistened with tears. Her lips were red without rouge, her brows black without paint. She was like a peony veiled in mist, and even more like a jade statue with a warm, glazed sheen, walking over fallen plum blossoms through the snow toward him.

His attendant said that the plan for this southward migration had been proposed by this young lady.

At a single glance, Xie Chang sensed a kindred spirit: just as clear-headed and self-possessed, just as perceptive and astute.

Wang Miaoyi had long heard of the Xie family's sons. Among their peers, Xie Xu was frail but handsome and charismatic, while Xie Lian was aloof and reserved, with a gift for philosophical debate. Yet neither was as famous as the young Master Xie.

An unknown man is a mere ant; a famous man is doubted by the world. He would kill any god or Buddha who stood in his way, yet everyone said he did it only for profit and position.

Xie Chang sat astride his tall horse, his official cap and robes in place, spear in hand and brows furrowed as he faced them coldly:

[A true man leads an army into a place of certain death for the sake of his country and its people. Why would he do it for personal fame?]

*Reading guide

1. Fictional setting, inspired by the Eastern Jin. If you care about historical accuracy, this isn't the story for you.

2. Everything I write is one-on-one romance! No angst!

3. The heroine is delicate but far smarter than everyone else. She's not a silly, naive sweetheart.

Upcoming novel divider

There are several upcoming novels on my profile. Feel free to browse and add the ones you like to your collection!

[Upcoming historical romance: "Marrying the Powerful Eunuch"]

[Proud young empress dowager × sickly, possessive eunuch of immense power]

[A fox who loves teasing kittens + dark, obsessive, forced love + a careful, step-by-step plan to lure him in + a man who swears he'll never fall in love, only to lose himself in it]

Pei Baozhu was famous for her beauty. Her father offered her to the old, ailing Emperor Hui as his new empress to bring him good fortune and secure their survival.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Hui died of illness right after the coronation ceremony.

And just like that, she inexplicably became empress dowager.

Even more inexplicable was the man who kept coming and going from her chambers: Xiao Chi, Commander of the Imperial Guard, whom everyone revered as the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old.

Pei Baozhu had heard of his notorious reputation. He had countless lives on his hands, and his ruthless methods struck fear into everyone.

She had also heard his glorious reputation: everyone said he was exceptionally handsome, with a dark, incomparable beauty.

He overstepped his station, gripping her chin and threatening her to obey him.

Yet whenever she was in danger, he always managed to save her.

Gradually, things began to spiral out of control.

Scene 1

Xiao Chi seized the young woman's pale ankle, his fingers wandering. "Your Majesty, did you twist it here?"

His shamelessness startled Pei Baozhu into scolding him. "Let go! I'm the empress dowager. How can you behave so improperly?!"

"The empress dowager?" Xiao Chi tugged her hard, pinning her beneath him. His foxlike eyes traced her features as he chuckled. "Now that impropriety has become proper, don't you think it's too late for Your Majesty to try to escape?"

Premise: Born into an age of chaos, one is destined to rule.