A refined, emotionally intelligent man who rose step by step from obscurity to become Chancellor

vs.

a cold yet seductive princess with a terrible temper.

The heroine is scummy. The hero is scheming to the core.

One day, while compiling the official dynastic history, historians began discussing Princess Danyang and her husband—the current Chancellor, Yan Shang. Curious about how their relationship began, the court historians sought clarification from the princess herself.

The princess sneered:

“At the start, our relationship was nothing more than a subordinate offending a superior and a superior bullying someone beneath her.”

The Chancellor merely smiled gently.

“There’s no need to record that in the national history.”

Later, the Chancellor reminisced:

“In the beginning…”

—

At the beginning, after the death of Princess Danyang Mu Wanyao’s former husband, she traveled to Lingnan to recover in peace, temporarily staying with a local gentry family.

The rain drizzled endlessly.

Awakened by the sound of someone reading aloud, the princess lifted her bed curtains and saw a handsome young scholar studying diligently beneath the window. Through the hazy rain, his brows stretched like distant mountains.

The princess stared blankly for a moment. Then, fanning herself, she leaned close behind him and remarked:

“You only memorize by rote without understanding the logic behind the text. Your writing lacks force and flow.

Your family has neither power nor influence, and you make no effort to socialize.

If you continue studying like this, forget ten years—even then you still won’t pass the imperial examinations.”

Amid the pattering rain, the young man looked up at her, blushing under her gaze—yet secretly relieved that this princess was finally acting somewhat human.

Years later, thanks to the princess’s guidance, the young man entered officialdom.

Eventually, he married the princess, became Chancellor, and stood peerless in the realm.

Overview

The novel tells the story of Yan Shang, a poor scholar from Lingnan, and Princess Danyang Mu Wanyao, who had once been married for political reasons. The two meet in Lingnan and gradually develop feelings for one another. After returning to Chang’an, Yan Shang later travels there again to take the imperial examinations, reuniting with the princess.

Through Yan Shang’s rise in officialdom and repeated clashes with the princess, he slowly comes to understand her, and the two eventually fall in love. Yet the chaos of court politics and their inherently unequal social standings mean their relationship is destined to face countless hardships.

The novel uses an ensemble-cast style, portraying the lives of many talented young figures against a rich historical backdrop filled with culture, scenery, customs, romance, family bonds, and friendship. Its prose is elegant and concise, while the plot is dramatic and emotionally engaging.

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