Midnight, the moon is bright, the stars sparse, and all is quiet.... more>>

A lone pear blossom is in half bloom before the window, its covert fragrance gushing with words unspoken.

The wind is cold. The eyes of the one in the yard are also cold.

……

I wanted to perish together, yet who would’ve thought we’d return together, hand in hand.

—

Return Together is the fifth (and last) book in Yu Xiao Lan Shan’s Jianghu/Strategy series. It takes place right after The Bandit’s Strategy, after the gang has settled into their new lives in the Imperial Capital. Lu Zhui is the protagonist. Each book is standalone, but there are character cameos and mentions that don’t disrupt the flow of the main story of each book.

1st book: Everywhere in Jianghu is Wonderful
2nd book: Everywhere in Jianghu are Tycoons
3rd book: The Bandit's Strategy
4th book: The Emperor's Strategy
5th book: Return Together <<less

“Welcome to the Punishment Zone, scums.”... more>>

“Please tear the masks of pseudo-gods into pieces here.”

“However, you must remember—the time for slaughter takes place only after sunset.” <<less

"There are trees in the mountains and there are branches on the trees,... more>>

I adore you, oh! You do not know."

~From Song of the Yue Boatman

—

Hundreds of rivers converge, the thousand-mile rise of Taishan’s bluffs, and a myriad of waves surge in the Eastern Sea.

All beneath the heavens, is the extent of the ruler’s land. All within the territory of a state, are each the ruler’s subjects.

Beacons light up all over the Divine Land, danger lurks in every corner of the State of Yong.

After reuniting with Geng Shu, Jiang Heng begins to put all his effort into assisting the ruler of Yong State’s plans, but he unexpectedly falls into perilous situations time and time again. Geng Shu, who always accompanied Jiang Heng by his side, is acutely aware that the various mishaps all appear to be closely related to Jiang Heng’s past—was Jiang Heng really his own blood-related younger brother?

These two extraordinary young men wander throughout the country from state to state, experiencing trials, however, the truth obtained uncovered a cruel and unexpected past that couldn’t be erased. The lingering heroic spirits each possess their own unfulfilled long-cherished wishes. With the great Divine Land finally unified, how would they confront their own choices of the future?

The seven stars of the Northern Sky bore witness to the end of a stormy period of history; until the ruins once again transform into the richly ornamented tall towers of a manor.

When the blazing city lights languidly flicker, those people and events worth engraving into memory, will forever be preserved within every stroke of ink in a painting of this vast expanse of rivers and mountains. <<less

They first met at Yueya Correctional Facility. He was a criminal who was imprisoned on behalf of someone else. He behaved frivolously, an unbridled look in his eyes. At first glance, he didn’t seem to be a good person.... more>>

She and he belonged in two different worlds. One light, one dark. Destined to collide.

The next time they met, the sky was overcast. It was raining and foggy. At the intersection, the world outside the car windows was chaotic and blurry.

She appeared suddenly, a ray of poignant purity.

It was then he knew, he had long been waiting for this uncertain reunion.

After words, without batting an eyelid, he quietly advanced. Using the crudest, most overbearing and straightforward maneuver, he entered her life.

She approached him little by little, and stepped closer and closer to the truth.

He said, “One day when you find out the things I did, give me a chance. Don’t leave, ever.”

He said, “If you can survive, I’ll put up offerings to the gods and prostrate before Buddha, I’ll abstain from meat and alcohol, recite scriptures and kowtow my gratitude in front of that Old Man. If you die, I won’t continue living alone either, I’ll follow you to the afterlife.”

His embrace was a warm enclosure, sheltering her from the wind and rain lest she be cold and helpless.

To call this love would barely scratch the surface.

— As luck would have it, during times when you were cold, I was able to give you warmth. — <<less

No one in the antique artefacts industry isn’t scheming. Both the Shou and Gong are extremely particular.... more>>

Take a step back and it’s brotherhood and friendship, take a step forward and it’s eyes for each other only. Another step forward and it’s a life together forever. To live to a ripe old age in conjugal bliss happy ending.

Ding Han Bai: “Those in this industry love jade the most. Materials have ranks, humans also have ranks. Since I’m named Han Bai, I’m deserving of jade.”

Ji Shen Yu: “Shi-ge has always been exceptional.”

Ding Han Bai: “Since I’m exceptional, then am I deserving of being your husband?” (Gong is quite shameless, always forcing others to be nice to him)

Brash and troublesome young master; top quality gems specialist Gong X high EQ IQ beautiful; antique artefact manufacturing expert Shou. <<less

As a student, Jiang Xiche was self-disciplined and stable in the eyes of everyone, he was like a proud child of heaven. Everything about him was good, except that his family background was not strong enough and his personality was too cold.... more>>

Years later, the former Qing Leng Xueba[1] became the biggest name in the business world, but he married the second lady of the Yi family who was not favored and had a bad temper.

But no one know, why Yi Yan married Jiang Xiche. There were three reasons; First because of money; second because of how handsome Jiang Xiche looks and the last reason was to annoy her elder sister.

Unfortunately, after marriage, she was ridiculed by her elder sister as a “living widow”, because she lived separately from her husband for a long time.

But one early morning, Yi Yan was shocked to find herself in the arms of a handsome man, “Why are you here? When did you come back?”

The person who flew back from Italy overnight said with a low expression: “I arrived in the middle of the night, after finishing my work.”

Yi Yan and Jiang Xiche slept in the same bed for two months, and Jiang Xiche’s physical desire for her remained at kissing.

Even when she took the initiative to seduce him, he would be the same; calm and relaxed.

Seeing this, Yi Yan started to think that her charm was not enough, and she slowly began to lose her self-confidence, due to which she became quite frustrated.

Until one day the two had a conflict, Yi Yan came home at night and lied to Jiang Xiche that she had cheated on him and that she had just come back after having fun with other men.

The man who had always been calm and self-sufficient suddenly seemed to have changed. Confining her to the wall, like an awakened demon, he looked extremely dangerous.

Yi Yan was frightened and asked Jiang Xiche, “What do you want to do?” The other party’s voice was deep, “It’s exciting to play with you.”

[1](清冷)Qīnglěng is a word meaning cold (学霸)Xué bà is a slang used to refer top student or bookworm. Here the author is referring Jiang Xiche as a cold top student. <<less

Sun Zheng ran into Lu Xia on his way to the dentist. Enigmatically, they stumbled into the Cave in Xieji Private Hospital on Aegiceras Middle Road together. With an invisible barrier keeping them away from the real world, they were stuck in the infinite darkness.... more>>

The laughter of babies, the footsteps on the stairs, the laments that kept haunting them... Unknown danger was lurking in the dim, desolate hospital.

The two of them came across the Record of Dark Occurrences, in which all the strange things that had happened in the hospital was recorded. With the Record as the only clue and a flashlight as the sole source of light, they groped for a way out of this dimension.

In every city, there were sins and curses that could never be eliminated, and the cavern was where they clustered. There was no way those who broke into the Cavern could put an end to what was happening in there. Escaping was the only option. <<less

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, Lu Feng announced: I can’t get it up anymore.... more>>

Teacher Cai: My chance has come.

Toward this shou who was bouncing at the thought of counterattacking, the gong thought, “The fact that you still have the strength to crawl out of the bed is my loss.” <<less

Ming Jing woke up and transmigrated into an otome game as a Mary Sue female protagonist. Due to the virus invasion, the male protagonists in the game have all blackened with extreme personalities, doing everything they can to have her to themselves.... more>>

The male protagonists with their innocent expressions: We just want to fall in love with you!

Ming Jing smiling brightly and charmingly: Fall in love?

No, this father here just wants to teach you how to be human! <<less

She is stubborn and tough. He is cold and indifferent. In difficult times, she and he went through life and death. In his arms, he embraced another woman. In this life, she is his most hated woman; In this lifetime, he toppled her feelings of this whole life. Because of this desperate love, tears are all over the place, enough to unite seven summers and autumns. Old clothes are weak, red lotus has fallen. In the end who for whom covered each other’s younger years? Suddenly realizing in a dream that they are separated by the other end of the world. So it turned out that some love has long ago entered the bones……
... more>> 40px;"> Su Qing Qian’s gentle yet tenacious courage went in a battle of wits with a loved one through the autumn’s wind and the monthly flowers. Plotting and calculating to help the loved one reign the world. Cold emperor became an affectionate husband. Unable to distinguish if the enemy’s country hostage prince is a friend or a foe, is it exploitation or protection? Even with an oppressive heart and deep feeling is not enough to describe this story.

He is standing with his sword, his eyes are full of cold mu*derous aura. In the moment between life and death, a few words from the woman beside him saved her. This woman is his favorite fei and also the only one in his heart over these past years.

It turned out that she is someone who keeps hanging on her brother in law without any sense of shame and is a woman being disgusted by the world.

She has the appearance enough to cause the fall of a land and has been identified by the people as a demoness.

He is cold to the absolute, a lone person with fierce ambitions. Because of one catastrophe, feelings have been planted in her heart for him. Touching love, went through life and death together, but she was still unable to break the ice in his heart.

She is his most obscure secret; she is also the woman he hates the most. All his love he gave to another woman, except he was reluctant to let her leave…….

Inside the dragon curtain, he is embracing the woman he loves the most while she is silently waiting outside the chamber.

Desire or temptation? Addiction or monopolizing? Meeting by chance or consigned to eternal damnation?

In this life, she accompanied two men. One took her life with one strike. The other pushed her in the abyss of deception…… <<less

"Demons live in this mountain. They appear wearing mask on foggy days after the rain or at nights when the moon is full. If a girl gets lost in the mountains and sees the demon's face, she will be taken away to become its bride, and she will never come back!"... more>>

Lost in the dense forests and thick mist, Lin Tian came across a young demon wearing a mask made of animal bones. Trembling with fear, she offered all the food she had— apples and chicken legs— and begged tearfully, "I'll bring you delicious food every day, please don't eat me!" <<less

Lu Shenxing was selected by the system 222 to travel through worlds to change the tragic fate of others.... more>>

At the same time, a door was also obtained. You can play in the door as much as you want.

But one day, Lu Shenxing discovered that the door he obtained was getting smaller and smaller, and he felt the malice of the universe. <<less

In the capital, the young owner of the Su Ji Coffin Shop is Su Li Li (苏离离 - the li is significant in her name because it represents leaving). As spring was just beginning, on one early morning, she by chance saved a woodblock that had met trouble. However, no one knew that she was the daughter of the previous empire's Grand Tutor (akin to the Imperial Adviser), and the other was the current empire's Lin Jiang King's son. They overcome many obstacles, to hide in this small town, to become forgotten by the people, they exchanged their hearts and wanted to never part even till their hairs turned white. However, even before anything could... more>> start, Mu Tou who had his own birth secret suddenly disappeared.

In this world of chaos and power struggle, Su Li Li's identity was discovered by Qi Feng Xiang, his heart is scheming, his actions are cruel, he wants to reign supreme over the lands, he forcibly retains her by his side. But in the midst of using her then distancing from her, his heart gets clouded. But the road to become an Emperor is a lonely road, will he be able to give her the peace she wants, will she be able to give him his empire, and how about Mu Tou who said "If I can fly out, I can also fly back", where did he fly to and can he fly back?

In this chaos, who is aiming to rule the sky, who is aiming for an ordinary life, who can without hesitation make the emotional attachments, and whose hand will she hold to look back on these memories of upheaval and peace? <<less

Liang Cheng: Is there anything in this world that you dislike, Qiao Yuanlin? ... more>>

After pondering for a moment, Qiao Yuanlin replied, "Failure."

Ironically, it was soon after this exchange that Qiao Yuanlin, who despised experiencing setbacks, encountered the biggest setback of all at the hands of Liang Cheng.

After several years had passed, Qiao Yuanlin found himself face-to-face with Liang Cheng again, this time at his father's second marriage banquet.

To his utter shock, Qiao Yuanlin discovered that Liang Cheng had become his stepbrother.

Father Qiao announced, "From this moment forward, you shall be brothers. Best of luck to both of you."

Unimpressed by this newfound familial connection, Qiao Yuanlin lashed out in frustration, exclaiming, "Damn you!" <<less

Time travel from the past to the present. A fictional mainland setting. A story of reconciliation and reunion after separation—picking up the pieces and starting... more>> anew. <<less

There is a trust confrontation between two young people — a retired special-forces soldier & an undercover agent. They are a pair of super partners... more>> who have striven through the hot-blooded battlefield. <<less

He lost everything.... more>>

No name, no body, no voice.

Finally he received his redemption.

But he was still unsatisfied, because of his greed… he still wanted more!

It doesn’t matter if he’s treated as a madman.

He’s got nothing to lose anyways.

She was the only one he had left. <<less

What is the world like after death?... more>>

Cong Sheng didn’t know others but he knew his own.

Looking at the huge wheel in front of him that was shining with pale white brilliance, he stretched out his hand without hesitation.

So…

He traveled through countless worlds, experienced all kinds of (dog blood) (wonderful) (hard) life, and struggled (extraordinarily hard) on his long road to becoming a god… <<less

My name is Wang Shou Ning and I’m 26 years old this year. Maybe some day in the future you will pass by me on the street, but you have forgotten my name; if that is the case then you can call me a passerby {stranger}.... more>>

When you pass by me you might see a handsome man walking right next to me. You will not need to wonder or doubt because yes, he is actually with me; he is my boyfriend. <<less

Arranged marriage, betrayed family, stifled dreams ......... more>>

In his last life, Li Xin had been trapped in suffocation and anger, until the moment before he died, when he saw the goodness that man had hidden for him underneath his indifferent attitude.

He will never trap himself in place nor be foolishly used again.

That man's goodness, he would not fail it again!

"Major General, madam has brought you dinner!"

"Major General, Madam has invited you to try out the new products!"

"Major General, Madam has contracted out the base's cafeteria ......"

"Madam, isn't this ...... too much?" The assistant's expression was aggrieved, the tone even more so, eyes blinking so hard he wanted to cry.

"How is it too much? Isn't it only natural for me to be nice to my own partner?" <<less

Shen Yuqing and the Emperor had a secret arrangement—... more>>

She was his pampered consort, and she would hit wherever the Emperor directed her to strike;

The Emperor “loved and favored her forever”, and she could do whatever she wanted.

Later, she set her eyes on the Empress who had the same type of marriage only in name… <<less

Ning Xingzhou is bound with a “healing system”, dedicated to conveying truth, goodness and beauty, and to influence villains from all walks of life.... more>>

Under his guidance, the apocalyptic bosses are dedicated to benevolence , the campus gangsters are admitted to the world’s prestigious schools, and the cultivator puts down the butcher knife to become a god…

Ning Xingzhou asked himself to play the role of a life mentor to the fullest, but…

Ning Xingzhou met those cold and paranoid eyes, he rubbed his sore lower back, wanting to cry without tears.

He obviously took the route of innocence and healing, how come all of them are blackened!

Before every villain went black, they walked through a rough road. The road was dark and they couldn’t see their fingers. They became panicked, gloomy, sick, and paranoid. Finally merged with the darkness.

But one day, there was a light in the darkness.

They went mad, crazy, and by fair means or foul just wanted to hold the light firmly in the palm of their hands and hold on to it till their deaths.

(I could have tolerated the darkness, if I had never seen the light.) <<less

He is someone who would reply to every one of Qing Kong’s Weibo status updates, as well as sit in front of his laptop waiting in the Qing Kong channel with other people to listen to every one of Qing Kong’s songs at the fan gathering time, he would listen to every audio drama that Qing Kong participated in and then he would write a very long review under the audio drama post.... more>>

He may do all of that but he would never knock on the other man’s door to say: “Hi, Qing Kong-sama, I’m your number one die-hard fan!” <<less

Mid-Autumn Festival. A short and sweet story about a rabbit and a leopard.

His Mother was tormented to death from prolonged drugs poisoning , his father thought to send him away to a small village (Zhuangzi) in Jing Jiao so he could serve his filial duty to his mother (mourning), everyday he was bullied by servants. Xu Chang An, in this life, he could only watch the little man (villain) who had harmed his mother and was being depressed living in the small village. However, he did not expect to suddenly be given a wedding decree from the emperor to make him become the wife (Wangfei) of the first prince, Xiao Qing Yan.... more>>

He knew in his heart that this matter was his salvation but to Xiao Qingyan, who has a great prospect, this was a disaster. After the great wedding, he took advantage of his new status to avenge his mother and himself. Xu Chang An was aware of the emperor’s intention that time when he was sanctioned a marriage, he all along tried his utmost to support Xiao Qingyan. Until by a lucky coincidence that the imperial government rewarded him, who’d performed great merit. The emperor promised to fulfill his wish, Xu Chang An without hesitation knelt down to request imperial decree to accomplish Xiao Qing Yan’s greatest wish.

“Your servant have no other request, please Your Majesty to bestow decree to allow your servant leave His Highness peacefully. Thank Your Majesty’s benevolence. Long live the emperor, long live for thousand of years.” <<less