Ember Tang’s Joy (Reborn)

A clever, strategic heroine x a restrained, devoted prince

On the eve of their wedding, Pei Yanzhi clasped Su Youtang's hands before the prime minister and his wife, promising, "I will never let you down in this life." He didn't know that, before the power of the throne, vows were as flimsy as the wind, false and fragile.

On their wedding night, an emergency arose in the northwest. Pei Yanzhi left for the front that very night. Half a year later, he returned victorious, bringing not only military honors and the title of Marquis of Dingxi, but also a woman he treasured above all else. Only then did Su Youtang see the tenderness in her husband's eyes, a tenderness he had never once shown her. She finally realized that his gentle gaze had never been meant for her.

Consumed by jealousy, she lowered herself to fight the concubine to the death, only to suffer a crushing defeat and meet a tragic end.

When she opened her eyes again, the crimson room stabbed at them.

She thought that, given a second life, she would make the concubine pay. She had no idea that the truth of her previous life was far more complicated than she had imagined.

The Crown Prince stopped at nothing to claim the throne: he plotted to murder the prime minister and colluded with foreign enemies. The Empress, determined to protect her legitimate son's position, harmed the consorts and poisoned their food.

Caught up in the turmoil of the court and the battle over the heir, she had nowhere to hide.

Later, she stood atop the imperial palace, beside the cold, proud young man whose power ruled the land. His eyes were as frosty as his features, yet he lowered his gaze and smiled gently at her.

In these treacherous times, she began writing her own fate anew.

On the eve of her wedding, they returned to Chanqing Temple.

The boy who had made a wish before the Buddha all those years ago had, after all their twists and turns, finally waited long enough to stand beside the one he loved and behold the flowers of Chang'an together. The mountain wind stirred the copper bells beneath the eaves. Unable to restrain himself, he raised a hand and tucked her loose hair behind her ear.

Xiao Jinyu raised an eyebrow as he read the secret report and smiled. "The Su woman claims to be ill to avoid favor and still hasn't shared a bed with him."

He murmured, "Su Youtang, what are you up to?"

The day her great revenge was complete:

"Thank you for your help, Your Highness."

"Your Highness? You came to me on your own this time. Do you think you can run away now?"

"Xiao Jinyu, what exactly are you plotting?"

"You. Nothing but you."

When Xiao Jinyu was a prince, he pretended to suffer from a hidden ailment to avoid the emperor's arranged marriage and the officials' attempts to win him over. The entire court believed him, and no one dared bring up marriage alliances again.

To secure a divorce, Su Youtang claimed in public that she was barren...

But who could have guessed that Xiao Jinyu's repeated confessions would make Su Youtang fall for him too?

Later...

On their wedding night, red candles shone over a room filled with passion.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, the Empress is with child!"

Xiao Jinyu raised an eyebrow. "Isn't my empress 'barren'? Hmm?"

Su Youtang raised her eyes, the corners of her lips lifting. "And isn't Your Majesty suffering from a 'hidden ailment'?"

The missed chances and years of waiting in their youth were all for the happiness they would find at last. Fate had quietly written the ending from the moment they first met.

[Before You Read]

1. One-on-one romance, happy ending.

2. Inspired by multiple dynasties, entirely fictional. Please don't overanalyze the history.

My Boat Returns in the Rainy Night is now underway. If you're interested, please visit my author page and add it to your collection.

[Assertive and headstrong x Resilient and clear-eyed]

[Both each other's first and only / Seven-year age gap / Love at first sight]

Xu Shining first met Zhao Zhouyang in the director's office.

The moment she opened the door, she saw someone sitting opposite the director. The man had his back to the door and his face was turned slightly, as if he were looking at the old locust tree outside the window.

She didn't think much of it. She walked in and set the files on the desk. In the corner of her eye, the man turned toward her.

Xu Shining would wonder many times later what might have happened if she hadn't looked up that day. But she did.

His was a face she would never forget. His gaze made her uncomfortable, and she looked away.

She didn't know who he was, much less that from that day on, she would never escape his grasp.

Later, when he happened to find out she had a boyfriend, he had someone look into the man's background.

After that, he helped her out of a difficult situation. "Break up with him." Zhao Zhouyang's shadow fell over her as he leaned in. He stood before her, his gaze fixed on her, leaving her nowhere to look away. "Be with me."

Faced with reality, family status, and class, she chose to go abroad.

Four years later, Xu Shining returned to the country as a product design director. At the product launch, she was poised and professional, leaving no room for criticism. The girl Zhao Zhouyang had once shielded had grown into a woman who could stand on her own.

She thought she had put the past behind her.

After the launch, she was organizing materials backstage when a man walked in and casually closed the door behind him.

He leaned against the door without hurrying over. He simply watched her, his gaze so deep it seemed he wanted to see every moment of the past four years. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"

His tone was calm, as if they had never been apart, as if those four years had never happened.

"Mr. Zhao, this is just work."

She turned to leave. The next second, he pinned her against the desk. One hand gripped her waist, while the other rested against the back of her head, caging her in his arms.

They were too close. She could smell the familiar cedar on him. She turned her face away, refusing to look at him. "Zhao Zhouyang, we're over."

He lowered his head, his eyes locked on hers, leaving her no chance to look away.

"Xu Shining, you ran away once, and I waited four years. Do you think I'll let you run away a second time?"

[Reader Notice]

1. The characters are not perfect. The heroine has some personal growth.

2. The setting is entirely fictional. Please don't compare it to real life.

Theme: The wheels of fate are always turning