Beloved of the Imperial Terrace

Shu Yun had been betrothed to the heir of Prince Huaiyang for a year—a match envied by all. She guarded the engagement with utmost care, diligently pleasing her fiancé, hoping only to secure the marriage and win a measure of honor for her branch of the family. But none of the Shu daughters could stomach such fortune falling into her lap. At the annual flower-viewing banquet, her cousin schemed to entangle herself with the heir, forcing Shu Yun to withdraw. Watching her fiancé brazenly embrace her cousin, Shu Yun’s eyes burned red. She turned away and flung the betrothal token back into his hands. Heavy-hearted, she slipped into Zhaixing Pavilion to drink. Tipsy and muddled, she stumbled upon a tall, commanding man. In the dim night, he stood like a mountain—serene, restrained, yet radiating quiet brilliance. She gazed at him, spellbound, and before she knew it, seized him and pressed a kiss to his lips. The reigning emperor, Pei Yue, was the retired emperor’s youngest son and his only legitimate heir. Since his father’s abdication, Pei Yue had expanded the realm, reformed governance, and excelled in both civil and military affairs. Meanwhile, the former emperor and his elder sons indulged in wine and pleasure, leaving only one thorny matter unresolved: the sovereign, now twenty-seven, remained unmarried. The court and the retired emperor schemed endlessly to coax him into attending the flower-viewing banquet. Pei Yue went—and in Zhaixing Pavilion, a strange girl had dared to steal a kiss. He held onto the handkerchief she left behind, suppressing the sudden stir of desire in his heart. He let it pass. Yet one day at a palace feast, he saw that same girl again—her eyes bright, her laughter vivid—and for once, his steady gaze flickered. Her suitor, Prince Linchuan’s heir, led Shu Yun forward. “Yun Yun, this is my imperial uncle.” Shu Yun smiled sweetly and bowed. “Greetings to Imperial Uncle.” Pei Yue narrowed his eyes, fingers tightening around the imperial edict he had been about to bestow in marriage. (A highborn, aloof man brought low by love; age gap, height difference, sweet indulgence, both leads devoted.) Locked chapters start @c16 Schedule: 1 chapter every Friday — Description from novelcodex.orgFull novel: Beloved of the Imperial Terrace — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠