A Ruler's Favor Is Hard to Accept

Completed novel in my collection: "The Emperor Is the Golden Finger of a Poor Little Thing"

[Ten-year age gap, both leads are sexually inexperienced]

[A pure, gentle yet strong-willed young lady 🐬 x an arrogant emperor who later regrets everything 🤡]

1.

In the tenth year of Yuanchu, a group of ministers jointly submitted a memorial urging the emperor to expand his harem and produce heirs.

Shen Chengliang, Left Assistant Minister, went so far as to search the entire country for beautiful young women, have their portraits made, and personally deliver them to the emperor's desk.

Looking at the mountain of portraits on his desk, Xiao Zheng was thoroughly annoyed. He suddenly remembered that the heir of the Marquis of Yongyang was still unmarried. He pulled out a portrait at random, glanced at the woman's name, and issued an edict marrying her to the heir without even seeing her face clearly.

For three days in a row, he practically paired off every unmarried young man at court.

This completely put a stop to Shen Chengliang's plans to send women into the harem, and Xiao Zheng became increasingly convinced that his approach had been wise.

Shen Chengliang: "Your Majesty was far too casual about this. There's no guarantee you won't regret it."

Hearing this, Xiao Zheng laughed. "I care not for gain or loss. My resolve is as firm as a rock. What could I possibly regret?"

2.

The following autumn, the emperor went to inspect the border defenses. On his way back to the capital, he was caught in a sudden downpour and had no choice but to send someone to knock on the door of a nearby household.

A short while later, the door opened from within.

Still mounted on his horse, Xiao Zheng glimpsed through the narrow gap and the layers of figures a peerlessly beautiful young woman standing warily and uneasily beneath the eaves.

His heart, dormant for years, surged to life for her. But when his gaze fell upon the young woman's hairpin, it was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over him, bringing him instantly back to his senses.

She was married.

After returning to the palace, Xiao Zheng threw himself into his duties, reviewing memorials day and night. Everything seemed just as it had before, but only he knew how he tossed and turned every night, unable to stop thinking of her.

One night, Xiao Zheng suddenly sat up in bed. He regretted it!

3.

With a single decree of marriage, Wen Yue went from being the eldest daughter of the Yangzhou governor to the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Yongyang. Unlike the mutually respectful marriage she'd expected, the heir seemed dissatisfied with their union.

Fortunately, Wen Yue hadn't hoped for much. She only wanted to live out her life peacefully. But why was the heir growing colder toward her?

It wasn't until she accidentally fell into the water one day that she learned that this seemingly perfect, refined young lord had always wanted to get rid of her and make room for the woman he loved.

After the fall, Wen Yue fell gravely ill. She took the opportunity to move to a country estate to recuperate, far from the Marquis's household and its troubles.

She wasn't about to get involved between the heir and the woman he loved!

Knowing that all of this had happened because the emperor had impulsively arranged her marriage, she could do nothing to resist and could only hide away at the estate.

But why wouldn't the emperor leave her alone?

This story could also be called:

[He Arranged a Marriage on a Whim and Ended Up Losing His Wife]

[The One Time I Meddled, I Regretted It So Much My Guts Turned Green!!!]

My next novel, "It's Easy to Marry Into a Family", has this blurb:

Bright, adorable little flower 🌷 vs. a scheming, deep-voiced old fox 🦊

The story of the Great Liang dynasty's most powerful official's evolution into its top son-in-law.

To fend off a swarm of admirers and successfully marry into a family, this wicked minister who once stirred up the court begins earnestly studying the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, so he can marry in easily and get everything right.

---The proper blurb---

As Wen Shan lay bedridden with a lingering illness, he entrusted his only precious daughter to Meng Heng, a man who had once been indebted to him.

Meng Heng looked at Wen Shan with a gentle smile but didn't answer, silently refusing. He had no desire to marry.

Seeing this, Wen Shan felt a little disappointed. He was about to ask Meng Heng to take Bao Yue under his wing instead, so she wouldn't be devoured, bones and all, by her pack of ravenous clansmen, when Bao Yue suddenly rushed into the room.

Bao Yue had been eavesdropping outside for a long time. She carefully looked the man over from head to toe. He had clear, open features and a tall, upright figure, dressed like a refined scholar. The only drawback was that he was a little old.

Thinking of what her father had just said, Bao Yue didn't hesitate. She lifted her skirts, knelt down, and bowed respectfully to Meng Heng, calling out:

"Godfather!"

Meng Heng: ...

Though Meng Heng had spent years maneuvering through the court and controlling the government, he still couldn't figure out what this father and daughter were up to. So he went along with it, accepting the role of Bao Yue's godfather in earnest.

When Bao Yue reached marriageable age, Meng Heng, as her godfather, had no choice but to worry about her future. But Bao Yue didn't want to marry. She insisted on taking a husband into her family instead.

Naturally, Meng Heng had to find her a son-in-law who suited her.

But no matter how many candidates he considered, not one met his standards. He couldn't bring himself to entrust Bao Yue to anyone else. After thinking it over, Meng Heng decided he would tidy himself up and marry into the Wen family instead.

There was no one in this world who could care for Bao Yue as much as he did.

Meng Heng once swore he would never marry. Then he met Wen Bao Yue, and the dead wood within him began to bloom again. Year after year, flowers blossomed on the barren tree in his heart.

P.S.:

1. The male lead really is powerful and influential, and he really does marry into the heroine's family.

2. Fifteen-year age gap, both leads are sexually inexperienced.

3. Not a story about an overpowered heroine, just an ordinary, sweet little romance.

Theme: Missed chances and regrets are the beginning of learning to cherish what you have.