Plucking the Tender Hibiscus

[Big, rugged warlord vs. delicate, pampered flower]

A Fu was born with the beauty of a celestial maiden and raised as the apple of everyone's eye. That all changed when her family fell into ruin, and she was treated like a plaything and sent to the residence of the Grand Marshal, a man with power over the entire court.

Rumor had it that Grand Marshal Qin Yi had no interest in women and was ruthless in his decisions. A Fu trembled with fear, dreading that he might casually give her away to someone.

But Qin Yi merely glanced over the many beauties without a care. When his gaze landed on her, he walked straight down the steps, lifted the jade pendant at her waist, and asked, "My lady, are you from the Lin family?"

From then on, A Fu not only remained in the Grand Marshal's residence, but rose to a life of glory, becoming Qin Yi's only wife.

Everyone said A Fu was blessed. As a child, she had casually given a slave a bowl of soup, and in return she had gained endless wealth and a happy marriage.

But A Fu was often uneasy. Her fear reached its peak when she saw Qin Yi break the limbs of a guard who had lied to him.

That was because the woman who had given the slave soup all those years ago had not been her, but her half-sister, A Yue.

Yet years into their marriage, after A Fu gave birth to a son and a daughter and her husband became regent, her worries gradually vanished without a trace.

That is, until Qin Yi returned from his final campaign with several prisoners, among them a young lady.

It was her half-sister. Adorned in pearls and jade, she stood behind Qin Yi. When she looked over, her expression was smug and mocking.

A Fu lowered her eyes, a chill rising within her. She knew the lie could no longer be concealed.

Content warning: The male and female leads are each other's only love.

Theme: Finding spring in the depths of despair