In her past life, Zheng Xiangyi ignored the late emperor’s warnings and insisted on marrying the Second Prince, Feng Yu. Four years after Feng Yu ascended the throne, a new imperial consort entered the palace and became pregnant, putting Zheng Xiangyi’s position as empress in jeopardy.
The late emperor, who had always worried for her the most, held her hand on his deathbed and asked:
“Xiangyi, do you regret insisting on marrying him?”
“No regrets,” she answered firmly at the time.
But in the end, she did regret—regretting defying the emperor’s will to marry Feng Yu, regretting angering the late emperor to the point of making him vomit blood, and most of all, regretting that the warmth in his eyes, which had always held affection for her, was replaced by disappointment in his final gaze.
Zheng Xiangyi set fire to the Fengyi Palace. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back at the age of fifteen.
At this time, Feng Yu had not yet risen to power, she had not promised herself to anyone, and she had not caused the emperor’s illness.
In this new life, she coldly pushed away the overly attentive Second Prince and instead threw herself into the warm embrace she had not felt for four years.
…
Emperor Jingzhao was a man who excelled at restraint in his lifetime.
Only when it came to Zheng Xiangyi did he break all the rules.
She was merely a young girl entrusted to him by the late empress dowager, yet he doted on her more than his own daughters. He taught her calligraphy and painting, fastened her cloak in the midst of a snowstorm, and the entire court knew she was the jewel in the emperor’s heart.
He had originally planned to select a good husband for her when she came of age, to ensure her a lifetime of peace and stability.
But when Xiangyi, tipsy and cuddling into his arms, mumbled, “Your Majesty is better than all of them,” all his plans were overturned in an instant—
The young girl he had personally raised and cherished, why should she be sent into someone else’s hands to suffer?
…
Feng Yu despised Zheng Xiangyi for her pride and willfulness, yet he was infatuated with her stunning beauty and coveted the emperor’s favor she enjoyed.
For the sake of his ambitions, he feigned affection, and amid her repeated coldness, he truly fell for her.
“Father, I humbly request permission to marry Xiangyi,” he finally knelt in the Zichen Hall to seek approval.
But when he looked up, he saw—
Zheng Xiangyi, who had always treated him with disdain, lazily curled up in his father’s embrace, her eyes glancing indifferently at him, her red lips alluring and tender.
And his supreme father held her close, raising an eyebrow calmly at his request:
“Unfortunately, I have the same intention.”
Please Note the Following:
1. The male lead is not a virgin and is 18 years older than the female lead.
2. The female lead and male lead have no blood or adoptive relationship; the male lead only raised the female lead due to the late empress dowager’s wishes.
3. At the point of rebirth, the female lead is 15 and the male lead is 33.
4. If these points bother you, it’s best not to read further. This story is simply the author indulging in personal preferences.
