Musician × Powerful Minister: The Male Lead Is Pure Evil
Forced possession / coerced love / stealing a friend’s wife
In this life, Huayin believed in only one thing.
Her love with Zhao Yi would surely survive the prejudice of their different social standings.
But the legitimate son of a prince’s household and a low-status musician from the Music Bureau were worlds apart. His mother looked down on Huayin, so she cornered her in an alley and hurled a torrent of cruel words at her.
Huayin felt her heart grow heavy. Zhao Yi clasped her hand and said, “Wait for me. I’ll pass the civil service examinations, and then no one will be able to stand in our way.”
His palm was so warm it brought tears to her eyes. She believed him.
Qi Yao only smiled.
His sister had grown up with Zhao Yi and had been in love with him for years. She was set on marrying into the prince’s household. The place at Zhao Yi’s side belonged to his sister alone. How could a lowly courtesan be allowed to take it?
He never hid his contempt for this ridiculous love affair. Yet he quietly donned the guise of a kind and gentle man, pretending to be a gentleman who despised social prejudice more than anyone. He comforted Huayin with gentle words and pretended to befriend Zhao Yi, drawing closer and closer to the alley where the two lived, and to the two of them.
How easy those two fools were to deceive! He won their complete trust without the slightest effort.
-
The perfect chance to strike came soon enough.
Qi Yao watched it all from the shadows, his gaze cold.
He watched the prince’s servants drive her from the alley. He watched her shiver in the bitter wind, clad in thin clothes. He watched her useless brother fall into the trap he had secretly laid and commit a terrible crime, landing behind bars.
He also watched as… she clutched at his hem as if he were a piece of driftwood.
She was begging him for help, her eyes red-rimmed.
Qi Yao seized his chance. “I’ve been infatuated with you for ages. I fell for you the first day I saw you play the pipa. Come with me and be my mistress. I’ll take care of your brother’s case, get you registered as a free woman, and solve every problem you have.”
He claimed to love her, but there wasn’t a trace of affection in his eyes. Huayin clenched her teeth and refused.
Qi Yao bent close to her ear. His breath was scorching, his voice soft and tender, but his words were cold as ice. “If you refuse, I won’t just leave you to suffer. I’ll make things worse for you.”
Huayin looked at him as if he were a beast finally baring its fangs.
She agreed to give herself to him.
She thought it was nothing more than a transaction.
But only when she learned the truth did she finally understand: from beginning to end, it had all been a scheme Qi Yao had orchestrated to separate her from Zhao Yi and keep her by his side.
-
Qi Yao had known he could separate them. He had never imagined that one day he would be unable to let her go.
She wanted to escape somewhere he couldn’t reach. How could he allow that?
He had grown accustomed to having her by his side, to the clear notes of her pipa strings, to the stubbornness beneath her seemingly gentle nature, and, more than anything…
to having her all to himself.
On the first night he imprisoned her, he held her tightly in his arms, his forehead pressed against hers. “Do you hate me?”
Huayin turned her face away. Even looking at him made her feel dirty.
Qi Yao held her tighter. His expression was cold and fierce, and he couldn’t help saying bitterly, “Then hate me.”
“If you hate me long enough, you’ll forget him and remember only me.”
“Remember only me.”
-
Reader’s guide:
1. Our girl Huayin has a rough life.
2. Qi is pronounced “chee.”
Advance notice for the upcoming novel posted on 2026.04.02 (screenshot saved)
-
One-line summary: When a single thought of anger arises, a million obstacles spring forth.
Theme: To be filled in
