My Cousin Is No Angel

(Dear readers, the bonus chapter has two everyday-life extras. If there's anything else you'd like to read, leave a comment.) Shen Zhiyi was poisoned to death with a cup of wine. The culprit was none other than the current Crown Prince, Xie Yunjue. Back then, Shen Zhiyi had been raised by the Empress in the central palace. She and the Crown Prince had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, sharing a deep affection. When she first fell in love, she had even hoped to marry her Crown Prince brother. As she lay dying, Shen Zhiyi swore that if she ever got the chance, she would take Xie Yunjue's life. When she woke again, Shen Zhiyi had become Gu Yao, a distant cousin from the countryside who was living in the Duke of Yue's mansion. She was also the concubine of the duke's eldest son. Qin Heng, the duke's eldest son, was born into a distinguished family and possessed impeccable character. A true gentleman, he seemed like a safe person to rely on for now, until she could leave when the time was right. But fate had other plans. In the spring of the second year of the Zhaoqing era, a strange case occurred in the capital, one involving the Crown Prince. The emperor ordered Qin Heng to get to the bottom of it. Who could have known that, as he investigated, all the evidence would point to... the woman in his bed. That night, the main residence of the duke's mansion was brightly lit. For the first time, the couple, who had always seemed "deeply in love," dropped their pretenses. "You certainly planned this well, madam. You used me and now you're leaving." After a long silence, the young nobleman gave a gentle laugh, his tone indulgent. "But if you kill the Crown Prince, do you really think you'll get away unscathed? Why not stay? I'll help you take his life." [A seemingly delicate beauty with a hidden dark side, out for revenge vs. a gentleman skilled in both letters and arms, who is bewitched by the heroine alone] #Blurb posted on 2025.3.18 #The male lead is Qin Heng. Neither lead has been with anyone else, and their romance develops after the heroine enters the household. #They are not biological cousins. #The blurb withholds some information and contains foreshadowing. #Weibo: @Jinjiang Qiao Yan Coming next: A Marquis's Household, A Wife's Everyday Life. Please add it to your collection Blurb: (A historical romance about the love between parents) Everyone in Chang'an praised Li Wan's good fortune. She had been married into the marquis's household for twenty years, and she and her husband were on good terms, with a son and a daughter. In the past, Li Wan had often felt lucky to have married Pei Qing. He fulfilled every fantasy she had ever had about a husband while she was still living in her parents' household: a distinguished family background, a handsome face, outstanding talent, and an elegant, refined air. Only after marrying into the family did she discover that he was not quite what she had imagined. He would stand up for her when others mocked her, then personally teach her how to be a good mistress of the marquis's household. He would also take devoted care of her when she was sick and gently comfort her when she was upset, the very picture of a good husband. But if she so much as looked at another man for too long at a banquet, his expression would darken. In the dead of night, he would repeatedly press her to tell him who she really loved. He would even grow unhappy when she devoted too much of her attention to their children. At first, she thought this was simply the way they were as a couple. But as their children grew up, she came to realize that the man was a lunatic. So once the children had married, Li Wan handed over the household accounts to her daughter-in-law and claimed she was unwell, using that as an excuse to return to her hometown in Qingzhou to recuperate. That night, heavy rain poured down amid flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. A man whose years had only made him more refined and composed walked in slowly. His deep-set eyes locked firmly on the pale woman on the bed. "Wanwan, are you trying to hide from me?" "Do you think you can?" Coming next: The Substitute Bride. Please add it to your collection Blurb: Liu Zhiyu was sickly and had been raised in the countryside from a young age because of her frail health. When she finally returned to the capital, it was because her elder sister had died unexpectedly. Her family could not bear to give up the excellent marriage match their ancestors had arranged for her sister, so they made Liu Zhiyu take her place and marry to preserve the family's prestige. After the wedding, Liu Zhiyu was constantly on edge. Despite all the hardships she endured, she never let her husband or his family discover her true identity, afraid that she would bring trouble upon her own family. But in the third year of their marriage, Liu Zhiyu's identity was exposed. Her family cast her aside, and her husband's family would no longer tolerate her. They drove her out with a letter of divorce. On her way back to the countryside, with a huge fortune in tow, she met with an accident. When she woke again, it was the first year of her marriage into the marquis's household. This time, she refused to sit back and wait for things to happen. The first thing she did was find her good-for-nothing husband, explain who she was, and then divorce him so she could live a good life. Whoever wants to be the heir's wife can take the job. Pei Xuan, the heir of the marquis's household, was born into wealth and had lived in luxury since childhood, turning him into a spoiled playboy. In his previous life, he had married a woman from the Liu family because of an engagement made by their ancestors. Since his wife was so frail, he did not even dare touch her with a finger. So he threw himself into his studies day and night, hoping to pass the imperial exams and better protect her. But just as he finally earned his degree, his wife met with an accident. He never married again. Reborn, Pei Xuan vowed to protect his wife. He went to propose early and cared for her in every possible way. At the beginning of their marriage, they were very much in love. Then one day, his wife told him she wanted a divorce. The smile vanished from Pei Xuan's face. [A gentle, delicate beauty like a willow in the wind vs. a marquis's heir who seems like a spoiled playboy but is actually ambitious] Theme: One hardship after another, yet we overcome them all. The road ahead is long, but it will be bright.