You Were Born Alone and Unadorned

Tang Zhixuan was already married when the eldest princess forced her husband into marriage, reducing her from the mistress of the household to a secondary wife. The old madam of the household and the princess made life difficult for her, and her husband, Cui Wei, did nothing to defend her, concerned only with his own future. She struggled to survive in the cracks, with only Cui Zhan, her husband's elder brother, looking out for her. Tang Zhixuan wanted to divorce Cui Wei, but everyone in the Cui household opposed and obstructed her. Cui Zhan wanted to save her from her misery, but his status held him back. To gain power, he returned to official life and the battlefield. To save herself and avoid dragging others down with her, Tang Zhixuan finally resolved to join the Solitary Fragrance Pavilion.

The Solitary Fragrance Pavilion was a special organization for women. Its members could leave their pasts behind and move through the world like men, even serving as officials at court. But they could never marry again or fall in love with a man. Anyone who broke the rules would be killed.

Tang Zhixuan became a director in the Armory Bureau, determined to root out corruption and ensure it would never taint the bureau again. She provided vital support and supplies for the troops at the front. Her ex-husband, Cui Wei, became her colleague and made trouble for her at every turn, hoping to make her regret her choices and submit. Cui Zhan continued to support her, both openly and behind the scenes. Together, they faced shifting court politics, changes of power, threats from enemy states, and more. Their feelings deepened, but the Solitary Fragrance Pavilion's strict rules kept them apart.

In the end, Cui Zhan found a way to resolve their predicament, and he and Tang Zhixuan finally joined hands for good.