Sorry, everyone. I keep disappearing on you.
When Yun Yiqiu was little, she asked her mother, "Mom, where's my dad?"
Her mother would always stroke her head and sigh. "Your father is somewhere far away."
When Yun Yiqiu grew a little older, her mother stopped mentioning her father altogether. Yun Yiqiu understood: her father was dead.
The imperial succession was in disarray, aristocratic clans fought among themselves, warlords held their own territories, and heroes rose everywhere.
Her mother came from humble origins and guarded a territory. She was a thorn in the side of both the aristocracy and the imperial family.
Yet her mother insisted on resting and rebuilding, refusing to act whether the enemy did or not.
As Yun Yiqiu grew up, she couldn't understand it. If her mother wouldn't act, she would!
Just as she was riding out openly at the pleasure quarters and secretly training troops and preparing for war,
the old emperor arranged a marriage for her: a royal princess rumored to be unable to consummate a marriage.
Sixteen-year-old Xia Nanzhi arrived along with the imperial edict.
Yun Yiqiu couldn't yet openly defy the emperor, so she reluctantly accepted. Besides, she'd seen her new groom, and he was pretty enough.
She could take other people to bed while he kept up appearances at home. It wasn't as though she couldn't afford to support him.
On their wedding night, her charming, beautiful groom suddenly took her hand and said he wanted to give it a try.
Yun Yiqiu, who had loved beautiful people since childhood, chose "He's a spy!" over "He's my husband!" After all, he was just a man. How much trouble could he really cause?
Who could have guessed that her soft and delicate husband could turn the whole world upside down, yet act cold and heartless in front of everyone else?
Xia Nanzhi had grown up among men, and knew all about rouge, tricks, and smiling snakes.
In his eyes, women were frivolous and lustful, the easiest people in the world to manipulate.
With everything he'd learned in his first sixteen years, Xia Nanzhi was certain he'd already tied Yun Yiqiu firmly to his side.
He could not fall in love, yet he did. The moment he gave his heart away, it shattered into pieces.
Xia Nanzhi's heart turned to ashes, only to burn again.
But only then did he learn that the bright moon hung high in the sky, shining on one person alone, and it wasn't him.
All his dilemmas and tangled feelings were no more than a backdrop to their love and hatred.
By then, Xia Nanzhi had nothing left. He had lost everything.
A warm-faced, cold-hearted, sweet-on-the-outside-but-dark-within heroine vs. a gentle, sweet husband who turns cold and aloof, then deeply devoted
P.S.:
The male lead's true nature is that of a sweet husband!
No matter how independent and self-reliant he seems at first, he's still a sweet husband in the end!!!
Men should be sweet husbands!!!
Warnings:
1. The woman has experience, the man does not. The story is mostly one-on-one, including the ending.
2. The man gets put through the wringer. (Do not identify with the male character, feel sad for him, and then criticize the author!)
3. Don't criticize the heroine either.
4. More warnings will be added if anyone gets triggered...
Theme: Daughters should be strong and self-reliant
