The Resentful Couple

[A carefree former empress who enjoys life x a wise emperor drowning in a sea of love] Feng Nange had always been frail. After serving as empress for three years, she finally left the palace and went to White Horse Temple to recuperate. The emperor appointed a new empress: her younger sister. Feng Nange considered herself and the emperor divorced, and thought they could each go their own way in peace. That night, rain poured down. After the servants brought in the young man she had taken a fancy to the day before, they hurriedly left. Feng Nange didn’t have time to make out the young man’s face before the chill of the rainy night set off a fit of coughing. The young man brazenly stepped forward and patted her back. “Who gave you permission to move around on your own?” Once Feng Nange caught her breath, she displeasedly knocked his hand away and scolded him. When she saw his face, she was astonished. She couldn’t understand why he wasn’t in the palace at this hour and had come to White Horse Temple instead. The man looked her over. Her face showed no sign of longing or guilt. Just as the rumors said, once she had left the palace, she had put everything inside it behind her and devoted herself to good food and fine clothes. Now she even had a lover. He gave a cold laugh and lowered his head. Then he bit down on her lips, as soft as ever. He pressed hard, and when she cried out in pain, he held the back of her head and wouldn’t let her struggle or escape. Heartless woman. So this was how she was recuperating. 1. One couple, both sexually inexperienced. 2. The ex-husband stops at nothing and takes her by force. 3. Set in an imaginary world, with a very, very, very slight inspiration from the Northern Wei dynasty. Coming soon: Not Gentle Proud, fallen noblewoman x spirited young man Li Yirou was three years older than Xu Qingyan. Normally, age wasn’t anything to worry about. But her father had placed her in the Duke of Wei’s household to be raised. Her father had once saved the Duke of Wei, and everyone knew she would one day marry the duke’s only son, Xu Qingyan. Once, by chance, Li Yirou heard him telling someone what kind of wife he wanted. One or two years younger than him, bright and cheerful, carefree, and, ideally, able to ride a horse. Li Yirou was none of those things. She was older than him and didn’t like to smile. Even when she did, her smile was faint. She was in poor health and couldn’t ride a horse. Unfortunately, he could only marry her, so he was destined to be disappointed. … Later, the two married. Their intimate life was sparse from the very beginning. Just as Li Yirou had expected, Xu Qingyan had no feelings for her. Their marriage had been arranged by their parents and matchmakers, but the two of them had never fallen in love. Her mother-in-law came to advise her, too. If things were already like this after less than two months, perhaps she should take a concubine into the household to help her win her husband’s favor. Li Yirou quietly nodded and agreed. Without a sound, she burned the painting she had drawn by hand of a young man drawing his bow. On the night the concubine went to serve him, Li Yirou went to bed early, settled in comfortably, and fell asleep. Deep in the night, someone suddenly yanked open the bed curtains. Before she could open her eyes, she felt someone barge in. “Li Yirou, how virtuous of you! Truly, you’re the very picture of virtue!” She bit down hard on the back of her hand. Her hair, damp with sweat, clung to her face, but she muffled her voice and didn’t make a sound. Wasn’t that the kind of woman he liked? Then she would give him one. *We’re both too proud, so neither of us should ever bow to the other.* Reader’s guide: 1. One couple, both sexually inexperienced. 2. Marriage first, love later. 3. The hero is madly in love, but his mouth is even harder than his heart. Theme: Love is not a shackle