As both women sprinted along the path leading to the rumored camp of the Sixth Prince, the frantic pace proved too much for Dong'er's companion. In her desperate haste, she stumbled, her foot catching on an unsafe root, and she tumbled onto the carpet of fallen leaves, the impact jarring her head.
Qiang Xinyi, her eyes widening with astonishment, pointed to the unfolding scene before her. "Is that... me?"
Lao'an beamed with delight. "None other than you, Miss Xinyi. From this moment on, you are the esteemed eldest daughter of the Chen household, Chen Mengmei!"
A shiver coursed through Qiang Xinyi's body as she struggled to process the shocking revelation. The name Chen Mengmei had not only reached her ears once but countless times before.
It was the name that leaped out from the pages of the novel she had immersed herself in before the strange intervention of the system and the appearance of Lao'an.
All of sudden, the familiarity of the unfolding scene now made sense because it was a vivid recollection from the very book she had been engrossed in!
If she had known this thing would happen, Xin Yi would have been wiser and not signed that stupid agreement. Or better, she should have avoided reading that online novel to pass the time and escape her boredom!
The online novel that Qiang Xin Yi read that day to alleviate her boredom is called 'Captivating the Prime Minister's Heart.'
The story revolves around a male lead who comes from the Wei Clan. When he was just eight years old, his entire clan was assassinated, but the truth of their deaths was concealed by the perpetrators, who claimed that a fire had taken their lives.
Miraculously, the male lead survived the massacre with the help of his father's old friend. With a new identity, he grew up excelling in various achievements such as the imperial examinations, and consequently became an official.
Once he secured a position in the palace, his quest for revenge began. He meticulously planned and plotted, showing kindness and warmth on the outside while secretly devising ways to torment his enemies. His character is much like a wolf hiding in a sheep's skin.
On the other hand, the female lead of the story embodies the ideal traits of a lady in the society of the Li Dynasty—kind, gentle, beautiful, and talented.
She is praised with every positive adjective one can think of. However, her life is far from easy. Born as the daughter of a low-ranking concubine, she is considered less privileged compared to those born to the main wife.
Within the household, the female lead endures constant bullying from her half-sister, who is envious of her. Yet the challenges and mistreatment she faces, the female lead remains kind and humble, always striving to understand her sister.
Some may see her forgiveness as a virtue, while others may perceive it as naivety to continually absolve someone who brings suffering to you. And so, the female lead's forgiving nature unwittingly creates an opportunity for her vicious half-sister to lock her up in the basement, concealed from the world.
The sister, consumed by her jealousy and resentment, sees this as the perfect chance to eliminate her rival once and for all. With the female lead imprisoned, the sister believes she will regain what she perceives as her rightful place and erase any trace of her sister's existence.
However, little does the vicious sister know that her actions inadvertently lead to a fortunate encounter between the female lead and the male lead.
It was a moonlit night when the wounded male lead flees from the clutches of pursuing guards after stealing the valuable ledger, he stumbles upon the hidden shelter where the female lead is confined. In a twist akin to the tales of old, the male lead found solace and love in the arms of his unforeseen savior.
As the story unfolds, the male lead and female lead face a series of challenges together; where the disloyal political landscape, riddled with deceit and power struggles, becomes a formidable barrier to their happiness.
Yet, their love grows stronger with each hardship they overcome. The male lead, driven by a desire for justice, ascended to great heights, becoming a loyal prime minister to the newly appointed emperor.
When he gained power, he started to annihilate all his enemies for once, and a dark secret was revealed: the father of the female lead was one of the perpetrators behind the assassination of the Wei Clan.
Driven by his strong determination, the male lead is famous for seeking revenge without showing mercy. This causes cracks in the relationship of both characters. However, because they are the character leads of the story, they will still be together at the end.
And, upon the sincere pleas of the female lead, who embodied compassion even in the face of her own suffering, the male lead granted clemency to her family. They were spared the ultimate punishment, instead banished from the kingdom, their past sins echoing in their exile.
Despite this resolution, the vicious sister cannot overcome her jealousy and deep-seated belief that everything the female lead possesses rightfully belongs to her. She believes that all the privileges and opportunities bestowed upon the female lead should have been rightfully hers as a [1] di-born daughter. She despises the female lead for usurping what she believes is her birthright, igniting a fierce rivalry.
On the day of their exile, amidst tearful farewells and bittersweet goodbyes, the treacherous sister, fueled by resentment and twisted desires, unsheathed a knife, aiming to strike the heart of her innocent sibling.
However, the male lead, with the swiftness of a heavenly warrior, drew forth his gleaming sword and intercepted the deadly blow. The clash of steel resounded, sealing the sister's fate as the male lead's blade found its mark, piercing the very heart that harbored envy and malice.
That's originally how Chen Meng Mei's tragic end unfolded, a testament to the perils of unchecked ambition and the shadows that lurk within human hearts.
As Qiang Xin Yi reflected upon her decision, a deep realization washed over her — one way or another, she was meant to die in the hands of the male lead.
[1] di-born daughter - a daughter whose mother is a zheng shi or Di wife, also known as the official wife, based on the Dishu system
YOU ARE READING
Destined Hearts
Historical Fiction"In a scripted world, she must pick: safety in lines or a heart's composed destiny." Qiang Xin Yi was just a regular woman living in the modern world. However, when she hit her head and somehow transferred her soul into a novel she had been reading...
