The Zither Concubine's Allure

[One-on-one romance, no rebirth, no transmigration, strong male and female leads] In the 1304th year of the Tianhe Dynasty, heroes rose up and the realm split into five kingdoms: Junlin, Tianqi, Dayan, Shangwu, and Heshu. This story takes place a hundred years after the realm was divided into five. [Divider] Ten years ago, Tianqi’s imperial power changed hands, leaving behind only a six-year-old princess of peerless beauty. The Prince of Zhenbei, a powerful lord of a different surname, took the throne and promised the princess a position as Crown Princess. A year later, after a quarrel with the daughter of a great general, the empress banished the princess to Hanshan Temple south of the city, claiming she needed to cultivate her character. But less than six months later, a great fire reduced the temple to ashes, and the princess vanished without a trace. Nine years later, the princess returned, dressed in red and holding a seven-stringed zither burned away at one corner. Her beauty was peerless, her expression cool and distant. An imperial decree sent her far away to Junlin for a political marriage. The crown prince, who had promised her a lifetime of favor, turned a blind eye. [Divider] The Regent of Junlin, Junlin’s God of War. Rumor had it his eyes were crimson, like a demon reborn. After a great victory in battle, Tianqi sent a princess to marry into Junlin. Apart from its young emperor, Junlin had only one other member of the imperial clan, so the marriage naturally fell to him. Tianqi was descended from the Tianhe Dynasty, and Princess Qingcheng, the last living heir of that dynasty, was true imperial royalty. When people heard that such a woman was to marry the cannibal prince, they all lamented the waste. Sure enough, on their wedding day, the groom disappeared after the ceremony, and the bride was sent to the coldest, loneliest courtyard in the Regent’s manor. Others laughed at her, unaware that this was exactly what she wanted. [Divider] Everyone knew that Princess Qingcheng was breathtakingly beautiful, with a cold expression and no smile to be seen. Everyone also knew that the Valley Master of Ten Thousand Poisons had mastered the art of the zither, possessed unfathomable martial skills, and was ruthless. Anyone who had seen her fight was already dead. What they did not know was that she was one and the same. Her marriage to Junlin was forced upon her, but it was also her own choice. [Divider] A realm divided for long must unite; one united for long must divide. A century ago, the Tianhe Dynasty fell and the realm split into five. Now, a hundred years later, the five kingdoms are destined to unite once more. He had crimson eyes, and people kept their distance from him. None knew that one day he would give his heart to someone, for all eternity. She was cold and unsentimental, but once she gave someone her heart, she was wholly devoted. He wanted the realm, and she would give him her all. He wanted the realm, but only so he could protect her and keep her safe for the rest of her life. [This story is entirely fictional] Recommended: Yu Xuan’s completed novel, The Mysterious Doctor’s Shadow Queen, an urban supernatural story. Yu Xuan’s only reader group: Xuan Family Club. Group number: 301415054. To join, give the name of any character from Yu Xuan’s works.