The Thirteenth Princess Consort

Thirteenth Prince Ling Jingyue is said to be breathtakingly beautiful, a beauty beyond compare. Born with delicate, feminine features, he is neglected and has a fate as tragic as that of a beautiful woman. An imperial edict makes the fourth daughter of the Chancellor's household the beautiful prince's official princess consort.

One is a prince whose fame and beauty have spread across the land; the other is an obscure daughter born to a concubine. A year later, the prince, who was expected to die soon, has been transformed. Not only has his health and appearance improved, he has also been blessed with twins, a boy and a girl, leaving countless people stunned. But rumors soon follow: the children born to the Thirteenth Princess Consort are not the Thirteenth Prince's!

The Crown Prince falls from power after the Thirteenth Princess Consort implicates him, and all one hundred or more people involved are executed. The Thirteenth Princess Consort is caught up in the scandal, stripped of her title and demoted to concubine. Prince Xuan returns to the capital, where political turmoil sweeps through the city. On the surface, another imperial edict orders Prince Xuan's only daughter, Commandery Princess Qingping, to marry the Thirteenth Prince as his principal consort. Before one wave has settled, another rises. The Thirteenth Princess Consort enters the palace and attempts an assassination, but fails, and is sentenced to execution.

He visits her in prison, bringing a letter of divorce. On the day she is executed, he marries another principal consort.

Three years later.

The former Thirteenth Prince ascends the throne and makes the Fourth Princess of Xichu his empress. But why does the Fourth Princess, who appears before everyone holding a child, look so familiar?

Character introductions:

Ling Jingyue: A beauty like a flower reflected in a mirror or the moon reflected in water, with features as gentle and soft as ink wash.

The bond between Mu Qianrou and Ling Jingyue grew out of their care for one another. If the Thirteenth Prince had been just an ordinary prince, their story would surely have had a happy ending, but fate had other plans. Ling Jingyue's life is full of twists and turns. Poisoned as a child, he was bullied for his delicate features and treated worse than a servant despite being a prince. Their misunderstandings and the paths their different fates forced them onto drove them farther and farther apart. Eight years later, these words still echo in their ears: “If you no longer want me, I will leave. If you no longer love me, I will let you go.”

Rong Hua: Handsome and dignified, with striking features and a noble bearing.

When they first met, he was a destitute beggar, sick and unable to afford treatment. Her mother and she took him to a clinic and saved his life. He knew her only as “Mu'er,” not by her full name, Mu Qianrou. When they met again, she was a plaything entrusted to him by his master. Then he discovered that she was the Mu'er he had searched and waited twelve years to find. He loves her, so he is willing to take punishment to protect her. His happiest moment is when she gives birth to their twins, a boy and a girl. But he is destined to be unable to stay by her side. When she is imprisoned, he pleads desperately just to see her once. When he learns someone can save her, he is willing to trade his life for hers, as long as she is safe.

Si Yan: Long, narrow eyes, a high nose, and an elegant, striking appearance.

He met her before the others, but in the end he could not hold her hand and grow old with her. The famed physician Si Yan is said to be a man whose ambition reaches the heavens, but when it comes to Mu Qianrou, he can never bring himself to be cruel. For her sake, he uses his own blood as a medicinal ingredient to save his romantic rival. When she is imprisoned, he uses his influence for the first time to break into the imperial prison. It seems that from the moment they met, their fates were bound together.

Bai Jinghua: Handsome features, clear eyes, and well-defined brows. Regal and radiant, with an imposing presence.

He is the noble Second Prince of Xichu, a symbol of power and status, and a figure admired by all. He is captivated by her pure smile at first sight and never recovers. He leaves his four most capable subordinates behind just to keep her safe and happy. When she is imprisoned, he directs events from a thousand miles away and gets her out of the imperial prison. But in the end, she is not his.

Excerpt

“Jingyue, all I need is your love, meant for me alone. I won't ask for what you can't give me. I'll take everything you can give.”

“What if I don't love you?” Ling Jingyue asked hesitantly.

Mu Qianrou asked, “Do you mean now, or forever?”

“What's the difference?”

“If you mean now, then I'll wait for you to fall in love with me. If you mean forever, then you wait while I prove that falling in love with me is the right choice.”

With a soft sigh, Ling Jingyue said slowly, “I can't afford to lose.”

Mu Qianrou said earnestly, “Loving you, how could I...”