#jade palace lock heart

[dangermousie]

Oh, brother...aka keeping it in the (royal) family

I recently realized that for some reason “multiple brothers one girl” seems to be a popular category in costume dramas. I am not sure why such sharing is necessary in a polygamous society for fancy royals each of whom can get himself a whole harem, but I am not complaining that it appears any remake of the Hollywood classic “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” would clearly be changed into “One Bride for Seven Brothers, and Some of the Brothers Spit Blood and Die” if it were a cdrama. Here are some of the dramas at issue. 

Liu Shi Shi appears to be the queen of this subgenre to such an extent that I am vaguely wondering if it’s in her contract. We are gonna start with THREE of her dramas:

Bu Bu Jing Xin - Liu Shi Shi has not one, not two, but THREE hot royal brothers, played by Nicky Wu, Kevin Cheng and Lin Gengxin, pine for her time-traveling self. Since this is an exquisite (no, seriously, it’s amazing) period piece about loss and longing, she ends up with none of them, instead of a hot vagely-’cesty gangbang as one might expect from that set-up.

Lost Love in Times - poor Liu Shi Shi, she’s a sexy witch having to pick between William Chan and his shady brother Joe Xu. To make it even trippier, the two actors look like each other, to really hammer the whole “siblings want her” theme.

The Imperial Doctress - why bust what’s not broken? It’s the true and tried Liu Shi Shi and hot royal brothers formula. She’s a doctor who spends most of her time practicing medicine, escaping barbarians and creating feminism, not noticing that as she pines for one royal brother played by Huang Xuan, another royal brother, played by infinitely hotter Wallace Huo, is pining for her.

Gong/Jade Palace Lock Heart - if Liu Shi Shi is the queen of that set up, Feng Shao Feng is the king, what with this and Military Seal, both of which star Yang Mi. Clearly, there are worse ways to make a career than stealing Yang Mi from a royal brother. Here, Yang Mi is a spunky time traveler in the middle of Kang Xi’s sons’ fight for the throne. She first falls for Four but ends up with Eight. In between, she offers to bang Four to save Eight as one does. Gives a whole new meaning to sharing is caring and “have you brought enough for the entire class?”

Legend of the Military Seal - Yang Mi and FSF strike again. FSF is madly in love with his brother’s wife, and since she’s not afflicted by blindness, she shares his feelings. Surprisingly, but delightfully, happy ending ensues. 

Who Rules the World - more like which brother rules awesome Zhao Lusi’s heart. Going by the rule of “hottest brother wins,” Yang Yang gets the girl in a drama that is pretty yum yum.

Colourful Bone - one hot seriously whumped out royal brother and one whiny immature one, oh who should the heroine pick? This drama stands for the proposition that you should protect and save abused people, especially if they are hot men, since they will always turn out to be an emperor in disguise. This drama btw is one giant kinkfest for yours truly.

The Eternal Love - you could make THREE whole seasons out of timetravel and brothers into the same girl, who knew.

Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty - if you’ve seen Gong or BBJX, you know the drill. Horde of queued brothers queueing for the heroine.

(Mine and all my brothers’, that is -Ed.)

Princess Jieyou - Yuan Hong narrowly escaped the curse of fancying his brother’s woman in BBJX, being about the only sibling not in love with LSS in that one. But clearly, you can’t fight fate and shortly thereafter he’s got to be a sister-in-law luster in a drama of his very own. He is a barbarian general who falls in love with a woman only to discover she’s to marry his brother. Angst and deliciousness and eventual happy ending (the husband fulfilled the uglier brother’s duty by eventually kicking the bucket.)

The Promise of Chang’an - if you want to watch brothers with the same woman but no happy ending, and have already watched BBJX, I present this recent drama where Cheng Yi gets to, as always, suffer beautifully watching the woman he loves marry his annoying brother. Pretty much everyone dies at the end of this one, going off to a great big threesome in the sky.

Twisted Fate of Love - will Sun Yi pick the delicate Tan Jianci or the sexy as fuck bastard that is Jin Han? Being a smart woman, she picks the latter and my hormones rejoice.

Go Princess Go - this is a drama that parodied every cliche there is, so why not brothers into one woman? Who is actually a man in a woman’s body making it even more delightful!

Ashes of Love - even being divine, with women from three separate realms available will seemingly not prevent love interests being a scarce resource leading to sibling love rivalry. Deng Lun and Luo Yunxi duke it out ostensibly for Yang Zi but in reality for who can suffer more prettily. Deng Lun might get the girl, but LYX wins the suffering crown, so it all more or less evens out.

Princess Silver - are siblings in love with the same woman not spicy enough for you? How about TWINS in love with the same woman? One awesome (Aarif Rahman) and one psychotic (Jing Chao) want our heroine and both marry her at one point. Only the awesome one gets to bang her though. (But the psychotic one gets to stick meathooks through his brother in compensation for not being able to stick...ummm...meathook through the heroine, so it’s all OK.)

Secret of the Three Kingdoms - and now we are gonna go REAL PERV! If twins are not enough for you, seekers of strong sensations, how about IDENTICAL twins? Ma Tianyu replaces his dead identical twin brother as the last Han emperor and gets to woo Wan Qian (whose plan it was in the first place.) At least she doesn’t need to get used to a new face?

We are gonna end here and not get into father and son sharing the same woman a la Empress of China.

(Congrats to Aarif Rahman for getting to bang both his brother’s and his father’s wives on screen. That is an interesting niche.)

[zefile]

Jade Palace Lock Heart EP01

[renewedmotionforjudgment]

Man, Jade Palace Lock Heart would have never gotten the green light in 2023 (in fact it’s 1/2 of the reason for the transmigration ban) BUT THIS SCENE IS FOREVER

Yes, that is basically the makeover scene from Boys Over Flowers and it’s great.

Also, the next episode, because he’s the dumbass that he is, he’s like “oh I know your objection is that I asked you to be my concubine I’ll ask my dad to make you my official wife”

I still kinda shipped her with 4 for a bit though. But I’ve always got a soft spot for Rui. Even a zither playing evil one.

[smittenskitten]

Finally finished it. Ngl did have to fast forward a lot. Thank you @dangermousie for the rec

I am so used to seeing Yang Mi in costume that when she showed up in shorts I really did go who dat? LMAO! Even Feng Shao Feng looks so different!

Things I always look forward to in my transmigration dramas:

- Main lead becomes a god/fairy as soon as they land in new era

- start a runway and fashion trend

- makes rollerblades for a consort so the said consort can skate her way into the emperor's bed

- makes every single prince fall in love with the ml

- lot of comedy

- obvious distortion of history

- rollerblading consort getting random dude to knock her up so she can baby trap the emperor. Which honestly happens more than you might think

- random dude was also at one point in love with ml. No surprise there

- family drama

- forgetting how many wives/children you have. Again very normal in this kind of drama

- plot twist ml and her mil are from the future

- double plot twist: actually has a happy ending. Which was actually surprising. I don't remember the last drama where you transmigrate and get a happy ending 🤯

[gizkasparadise]

i can safely say this is the first time ive seen a concubine rollerskate in during a costume/historical palace drama

edit: it really cut from a sweet rollerskating routine to her in the emperor’s bed the next morning LMAO what kind of 90s seduction is this???

[haechansdoll]

morning - lhc x reader

Pairing : Lee Dongyuck x f!Reader

Description: morning fluff , cute and soft. (I am lately having this cute aggression towards haechan, I just wanna squish him, bite him and nom nom him AGHHHH STOPP skskks)

Warnings : none

It was a frizzy autumn morning the first feeble ray of the rising sun peered through the window surpassing the light green curtains billowing softly in the wind, two lovebirds were still nestled in the soft bed placed against the wall of the room as the wind brushed over them they burrowed  better in the cocoon made of blankets of nay color.

He hugged her closer to his chest, his touch like a feather as he brushed aside a dark rebel lock covering her cheek he took his time admiring his princess the one and only woman who he has ever loved and who has ever showed anything but the deepest tender love she held only for him, he lost track of time as he stared in awe at her gorgeous features when her eyes fluttered open softly, sleep still clinging to them as she slowly focused her gaze on him, her eyes a bright shade of light green melting with light crinkles of golden he would have stared at all day never getting tired, affection and love dancing in them making them shine like fresh honey on a sunny day,  tenderness dripping over her smile as her hands curled on his heart leaping up with mirth at the soft intimate touch of her Queen taking her place on her throne that has always belonged to her alone, she was an irresistible temptation he felt drawn to like a bear to honey, he leaned closer disclosing his lips only to brush an achingly reverent kiss on her forehead .

“Good morning my princess.” his voice a soft murmur for her alone to ear

“Good morning my bear.” his fingers bolder as he brushed her dark locks in their proper place, his gaze full of promises as he melted his lips on hers.

She loved kisses of any kind for every time he disclosed a side of him for her alone to discover, precious treasure for them both was every kiss they shared, soft, deep and long, savored slowly like a spoonful of honey but way more sweeter.

It was a lovely kiss slow and unhurried as they took their time showing off their love to one another not caring about anything else, the world outside fading out, time slowed almost to a stop not bothering to disturb them in the slightest it would have been useless anyway to desire them to rush over, after a while, they desired to last longer, reluctantly they pulled away only to take breath, their gaze locked to one another mirroring nothing but lovestruck affection, bright green melting with chartreuse in a peculiar color that was only theirs, he hugged her closer to his chest leaving a kiss full of devotion on her hair making her smile even brighter, their voices murmuring sweet nothings to each other with light tender caress, the soft sound melting with the birds chirping outside.

His voice low and deep, sweet like honey as he professed his love unable to keep it hidden in his heart any longer

“I love you y/n.” her smile brightened her features, warming his whole heart with the scorching heat of her love

“I love you too Haechan.” it was unbelievable how these words always manage to make his heart melt completely, making him so happy as he never was unable to know what to do with himself, ready to obey her every order, doing everything and even more just to see that smile reward and precious treasure for his love, he so generously spoiled her with, unable to stay way from showering her with all his love.

They did not rush, nor hurried there was nothing to be anxious for anyway no one chiding him with duties, letting them savor each second of their married life away from the ruckus of the palace, who risked breaking them apart, nestled in a far away village in a cozy cottage hidden amidst the forest, their official duties was to strengthen the border, when needed, and keep an eye on the frontiers with Jade, cultivating in the meanwhile the good relationship between their countries.

Their heart beating in sync, filled with gratitude for that magical story they began to write since their childhood, their friendship nurturing the bud of that tender feeling bloomed to the fullest, a sweet continuation to his messy past, a balm and a reward to them both for sticking close no matter what, strengthening an unbreakable bond forged in blood and written in the stars like in a fairytale whose destiny they choose themselves, the beautiful and passionate tale of the bear and the princess written by their love.

[hiroshiii13]

I need Bingge yuan harem. Concubine SY, especially if he was bride napped. I want Bingge jealous of his own harem bcus it feels like punching cotton the way SY’s well adjusted and unbothered.

Bing: WDYM HE’S NOT ANGRY I HAVEN’T TURNED HIS NAME PLATE?? WHY IS HE NOT SCHEMING?

I want all the hallmarks of palace intrigue!!

SY getting sick from a lack of firewood in his palace. ZZL, his servant, stopping BH’s palanquin at the risk of death. Bowing to the emperor to ask for an imperial physician.

And Bingge trying to be nonchalant, but follows after the physician, asks the royal kitchen to make the most precious nourishing soup. ((He eventually cooks it himself after being so worried)).

Bingge’s interest starts to build. Secretly going (peeping) in the royal gardens as SY spends his time observing the flowers in full bloom. Trying his best to casually make an entrance.

Bingge’s bday banquet comes along, with priceless gifts stacked as far as the eye can see.

SY (w/ no powerful backing) procuring a small jade charm and medicinal sachet with hand embroidered details. Bingge directly asking for where SY’s gift is and keeping it on his person.

And every time after they meet Bingge thinks SY would invite him to stay the night, but he doesn’t. Bingge doesn’t need to ask, he knows. Taking SY as a concubine was a joke. But now he was getting serious about wanting him, to want it. For wanting SY to ask for it.

So he pulls his wild nature back and pretends to be soft and harmless. He always flips his name plate but never stays the night. Sometimes SY plays the qin for him, or sings, sometimes it’s just sending gifts or conversations during meals. Bingge wants his company the most.

Hell, maybe I can introduce a common enemy which allows the northern and southern kingdoms to unite (and get my moshang fix).

SY decides to follow Bingge in war while the rest of the harem stays back. He says he isn’t as delicate and he would follow Bingge through this hardship

Bingge doesn’t allow this but SY sneaks out anyway. With only the clothes on his back, some food and a dagger he travels up north to be w/ Bingge.

(Angst) Of course he’s captured along the way. And forced to become a courtesan. They meet again with SY under a new identity as a gift in the name of diplomacy.

Bingge feels betrayed, all this time? Was it all for this? Was he meant to fall in love and give away his kingdom?

After months of not seeing each other, all the hurt, confusion and longing was surmised in Bingge’s “is he good in bed?”

And he didn’t mean to say that. Especially seeing SY’s eyes glisten and his lips upturned in a sad smile. But the diplomat said how well behaved he is, how good he is.

SY bowed down and answered “my services have always been top notch.”

They fuck. Not in the way he imagined; Nothing of that sort of slow and careful lovemaking w soft whispers and laughter. There was no tenderness at all.

As SY expertly swallowed his dick, rather than bliss there was a feeling of loss in his heart. His most precious treasure, how did he become like this?

‘Was this your plan, all along?’

‘You can think what you want.’

And with that there were no more words between them. Only heavy pants and bruising bites and lots of kisses.

There were time when Bingge thought SY loved him. Maybe it was when he tried pulling out and SY locked his ankles around his hips begging him to stay inside. Maybe it was when he willingly put his arms above his head as Bingge restrained him roughly or maybe it was how he looked at him, tears falling, back arched trying to accommodate all that Bingge could give.

But Bingge would not think of that anymore. The peace talks commenced, the world condemned this stupid emperor. Honey trapped!! By a male courtesan at that!!

Most changed their mind and thought that they would be better off being a vassal state, cursing the emperor.

What the world didn’t know was the rivaling kingdom never meant to let them off. As drought became worse and tithes more absurd, the people only suffered.

Of course SY has had been slowly feeding the North intel with the help of ZZL. 🤩 He used his unique position to learn their schemes but did not tell Bingge.

At this time Bingge was essentially on house arrest, to ensure that they would push through with the treaty.

The Northern Consort schemed while his husband raised their joint army, readying to storm the rivaling kingdom.

They battle it out, and the forces of LBH and MBJ win decisively.

SY looks for Bingge, afraid of being left behind, of being disdained for the rest of his life.

In true palace intrigue fashion, he comes in time, just as someone was about to plunge a dagger into Bingge. He sacrifices himself instead.

There was no need I love yous or I’m sorrys. He knew he was loved. maybe it was a change of heart? Bingge thought.

But talking to MBJ, Bingge realized how wrong he had been. How painstakingly he helped, hiding in plain sight. And through it all, how he carried it all alone.

ZZL tended to his master choking back sobs. He could not help but feel aggrieved.

‘I should have stayed with him, this was all my fault. I should have never listened to him.’

‘What do you mean?’ Bingge arrived shortly after.

‘My master, told me to buy food in the city. I knew he was hiding something.

He left me a letter saying not to worry, that he’ll be running after the emperor’s envoy.’

‘I looked for him but only found his horse and drag marks in the soil. Later I heard he was taken by force.’

Bingge’s knees buckled from the weight of this revelation but he still crawled towards SY’s bed. How harsh had he treated him the first time they met again. How cruel were his words?

As Bingge grasped that gift SY painstakingly made for his birthday, he whispered, ‘SY, wake up, I will never wrong you again in this lifetime. Please wake up.’

But there was only a deafening silence in response.

SY woke up 5 days later, thank god that dagger was not poisoned or it would’ve been a different ending!!

Bingge tended to SY since then, practically a roundworm in his belly. The harem could NOT even visit him for long periods of time lest they draw the ire of a very jealous emperor!

Food was always prepared by Bingge. A truckload of new exquisite clothes was received. It was rumored that SY was so favoured that his palace was inlaid with gold, silver and precious stones.

But more than changes since then, they’ve decided to return to how they were. Bingge would visit him while SY played for him or sang. SY would frolic in the royal gardens, but this time Bingge would accompany him.

And when Bingge was invited to stay the night? They lay a white sheet on top of their bed rather quickly, yet spent the night in an almost torturous simmer. Getting reacquainted w e/o bodies between lots of hot kisses, bruising grips and soft laughter.

The outside world thought it was a truly ridiculous situation. A foolish emperor who surrendered it all for a male courtesan. And a male courtesan who was worth a whole kingdom, yet haphazardly threw his life for an impending puppet emperor.

But as the story was passed on, and the truth was revealed, the once absurd tale was changed to a story of an enduring love between the emperor and his favored male concubine.

(END)

[gildedcageif]

Gilded Cage

Nothing but ashes remain of your home. Your loved ones have all been taken from you overnight, leaving you all alone in the world. 

Fight, flee, cry, scream, rage. Seek revenge, find forgiveness, fall in love, break hearts. Poison, lie and sleep your way to the top of the imperial harem.

The golden chains wear down heavy on your pretty little neck. And they will do so until you break them.

You were still a child when the Zephyran hounds razed hell on your homeland. Overnight, everything and everyone you knew and loved withered before your eyes, claimed by the flame and the ashes.

You were fortunate enough -or unfortunate, depending on how you see it- to survive that fateful night. Instead, heavy chains were placed around your wrists and you were sent away to whoever would pay to own you.

Some masters were kinder than others. But captivity tastes just as bitter regardless of how opulent your cage is. 

And this is the most opulent cage you will ever be locked in. The Jade Palace is where you being shipped off to this time. The capital of the grand Zephyran Empire. The very same that ripped your childhood apart.

You have been selected to join the imperial harem of Sultan Ahmad, an honor bestowed only upon the most beautiful and worthy of servants.

Regardless of how you feel regarding this great 'honor', you are every bit as powerless to fight against it as you were to defend your homeland when the Zephyrans came for you.

Don't despair yet, child of the Ancients. There are many opportunities in the Jade Palace for those who wish to seek them. 

You may find yourself pulling the strings and changing the course of history, whispering in the ears of royalty, marching bravely into battle, even escaping and claiming your own freedom once and for all, away from this mess that was inflicted upon you. If you play your cards right, you may even one day become the parent of the next Sultan.

Beware however. There are many who will stand in your path. The worst enemies are hidden not in the shadows but amongst our closest of friends.

Gilded Cage is rated 18+ for explicit language, explicit sexual themes, graphic descriptions of violence and depictions of slavery. 

FEATURES 

•Create your MC. Anything from what they look like to how they feel about their years of servitude and their arrival to the Jade Palace is for you to choose. Are you a conniving courtesan, set on claiming the crown for yourself? Do you merely wish for a life of peace after all these years of hardship? Do you have a single-minded focus on achieving your own freedom? If so, what are you willing to risk for it? 

•Define how others perceive you. You are no ordinary servant after all, you are a member of the Sultan's harem, and those around you are eager to watch your every move? The nobility, military and common folk will all form opinions based on what they hear of you, as will many important political figures like the Valide and the Grand Vizier. And of course it is better to be admired than mocked, ridiculed and despised...

•Engage in a world of intrigue and danger. The Zephyran Empire is deadly. The harem even more so. One wrong step and it will be off with your head, if the Sultan is feeling generous that day. Many plots and schemes are already in place by the time you arrive to the Palace. Some of which may or may not involve you. It is on you to uncover secrets, distinguish enemy from ally and keep yourself safe from the vipers of court. In these halls, few are truly innocent and you might be forced to get your own hands bloody.

•Climb the ranks of the imperial harem. How you achieve that is up to you! You may ally yourself to Valide Sultan, act as a mole for the Grand Vizier or even become a tutor for the young Prince! And of course, if you are willing to participate in some old fashioned seduction, the Sultan's bed -and his heart, if you are capable enough- is the road to unimaginable power and wealth, but also danger.

•Change the course of history. Raise the next Sultan, assassinate your enemies, encourage a military uprising, cause a shift in the religious establishment, become a general, an advisor, even a Haseki. If you are daring enough to bare the consequences of failure. Your actions will have farfetched consequences for the future of the Zephyran Empire and the wider world. So be wary. History has its eye on you.

Romantic Options

The Sultan of the Zephyran Empire: Ahmad

You have heard of him only in hushed whispers and screams of terror. He rules en empire stretching far across the east and west. He is the master of the hounds that raided and destroyed your home. He took everything from you and now he owns you. Still, your very survival depends on his whims.

Yet, when you come face to face with the Lion of the East, he seems less monstrous than you had expected...

The Grand Vizier: Selim

He has had an eye on you since you first entered the palace. And not for good reasons. He may very well be the second most powerful man in the empire-after the Sultan of course- and he seems to have decided you are a threat to his master.

Getting him on your side might just be the thing you need to propel yourself in the court. If you manage to do that anyway. Selim is known as a tough man to charm, but who knows what hides underneath.

The Valide Sultan: Nazli

The Sultan may rule the world, but have no doubt his mother rules the harem and she does so with an iron fist. She controls everything. Who does the chores, how much gold each maid is afforded, who gets to enter the Sultan's chambers. She has her finger on the pulse of the harem. She wants things a certain way and she will have things a certain way. This Queen Dowager is every bit as much of a lion as her son.

She is distant, but not unkind. Most importantly, she can raise you to the highest of highs or doom you to the dungeons in less than a glance. You will have to earn her respect before she accepts you into the inner circle.

The Favourite (?): Meryem

Meryem is the most beloved of the Sultan's concubines. Or rather she was. For unknown reason, it seems she has fallen out of his favour. Rumor is it has been a year since he asked for her.

Still, her position remains significant as the mother to the only son of the Sultan. Her son, Mustafa, in combination with the support she receives from the Grand Vizier has helped her hold onto her power.

But her position remains insecure while the Sultan's eyes wander. You could intergrate yourself amongst her closest companions. Or you could be the downfall she so fears.

The Artist: Emil De Angelis

Emil is a... controversial presence at court to say the least. He was raised from a starving artist to the next big sensation by the Sultan overnight. He has been involved in several projects ever since, whether that be art, poetry, singing or architecture. Known around court for his -perhaps a bit too daring- wit and charming smirk, it is hard not to notice him.

He is also the closest to a friendly face you have at court. Emil has handpicked you as his next side project of sorts. The new thing he will concern himself with to fill up his time. You will have his support in whatever you strive for.

Be warned though. Emil acts with ulterior motives as much as anyone else at court.

The Childhood Friend (shouldn't they be dead?): Helena

You thought you had lost them. They died in your arms. You held her body. You carried it. You buried it.

Now they are back. Somehow they have returned from beyond the grave.

The worst part?

They don't even remember you.

Asks: Open

Demo: https://href.li/?https://cookie-bun.itch.io/gilded-cage

[aquagirl1978]

Longing for the Love We Left - Gilbert von Obsidian x Reader (Ikemen Prince)

A/N: Based upon the card for his upcoming birthday story event

Pairing: Gilbert von Obsidian x Reader

Prompt: Gilbert's second birthday

Tags: none

The bell rang loudly, announcing the arrival of yet another customer. You put your quill down - you would have to finish transcribing the list of newly acquired books later. Looking up, you felt a stab of disappointment as you saw a woman and her young child enter the store.

One year.

It had been exactly one year since you had celebrated his birthday. One year since you parted as you finished your role as Belle. One year since you returned to your old life at the bookstore. 

One year since you had last seen him, touched him.

He had one year to find you. You knew he certainly could if he wanted to; he had eyes and ears everywhere in the palace. With one eye, he saw more than what most saw with two. 

He saw more in you than anyone ever before. 

You pushed those thoughts out of your head as you helped the customer select a fairy tale to read to her child at night. Soon after she left, you resumed your duties at the desk, your mind plagued by him. Sighing loudly, your breath puffed up a loose strand of your hair, memories of Gilbert seared in your head.

As time dragged on, more and more customers stopped in. An elderly couple. A teacher. A group of friends. With each new customer came another sharp stab of pain straight through your heart. 

“Are you going to be okay here alone?” your boss asked as he was getting ready to close the store. 

“Yeah,” you replied, your eyes glued to the parchment before you, your quill scratching softly on its surface. “I want to get this inventory finished. Christmas is in a few days; I expect things will be very busy the next few days.” No ulterior motives in staying late, you told yourself.

“Goodnight then. See you tomorrow.”

The bell rang again, this time announcing you were all alone. All alone with your thoughts of the worldwide disaster who refused to leave your mind.

“This is ridiculous,” you muttered aloud to no one, as you gazed sadly out the window. “He’s not coming.”

Your lids felt heavy as you continued to work; words blurred on the page as the sky turned from blue to black.

The ball rang again, loudly disrupting your thoughts.

“I’m sorry, we’re closed,” you said without looking up, mildly annoyed that your boss had neglected to lock the door.

“Even for me?” 

A delicious chill crept up your spine as you slowly lifted your head; your lips lifted into a small smile as your eyes met his. He came; he actually came. 

“You see, today is my birthday,” Gilbert said as he slowly approached you, his cane loudly tapping the wooden floor. “And I was looking for a certain book.”

He pulled the book on top of the pile of those remaining to be inventories. “This.” He handed you the book, its rich leather cover ornately engraved in gold leaf. “This is the one.”

“Bedtime Fairy Tales from the Kingdom of Jade,” you read aloud. Stifling a laugh, you returned the book to the pile. “I’m sure this is what brought you here.”

He stood there, clad in black, leaning on his slender cane; his gaze soft and tender as he stared straight into your soul, stirring up everything you had been feeling that day. 

Staring back in silence, your insides twisted. Gone was the fear you once felt when alone with this man.

But what was it replaced with?

He smiled at you wistfully as he turned on his heel and began to walk away. Just as I thought, you heard him mutter. 

Or did he say - just as I feared?

Letting out a shaky breath, your heart pounded as you pushed  aside the books. Rising out of your seat, you followed after the Obsidian prince. It took him a year, but he came back for you; you weren’t about to let him go now.

“Don’t...” You wrapped your arms around his waist, his cloak thick and cool. “Don’t go.” You pressed your cheek against his furry collar, holding his body close to yours. Sighing, you breathed in his familiar scent; how you longed for this, to be this close to him once more.

He turned his face, his rose-red eye glancing down at you, your small figure tight against his. He twined his gloved fingers in yours and pulled your arms tighter against him, enjoying your warmth.

“How will you celebrate this year?” he asked, his lips parted in a small smile “Of course, you won’t run away… ?”

Tagging: @redheadkittys @alixennial @rhodolitesrose @atelieredux @kissmetwicekissmedeadly @chaosangel767 @queengiuliettafirstlady @queen-dahlia @devildomwritersposts @talfollowingstuff @kpop-and-otome @kisara-16 @altairring @lucyw260 @lordsisterxotome @violettduchess @umi-adxhira @bellerose-arcana @yarnnerdally @crypticbibliophile @gilbertvonobsidian

He turned in your arms; cupping your cheek in his hand, you nuzzled against his cool touch. You looked up at him with a smile. No intentions of ever running away again, your mind now was only filled with thoughts of how to celebrate him this year and every year after.

[qserasera]

almost-autumnal weather has me in some kind of mood, so i'm looking for some harem cdrama recs, or at least ones that adjacent to that in a social intrigue/courtyard drama way

i know @tavina-writes Tried to help me with this previously (unsuccessfully :'')) seeing as i had seen like. most of them ; w ; but im just listing out most of the ones i Have seen so maybe someone has some other suggestions?? (*whispers* if @dangermousie has some recs i would love them)

harem/courtyard/social intrigue-related cdramas i have seen legend of zhen huan/empresses in the palace story of yanxi palace story of ming lan (my beloved!!) bu bu jing xin jade palace lock heart the sword and the brocade (went over halfway, dropped) chang feng du love like the galaxy unchained love the eternal love (watched s1 and s2 dropped later) the rebel princess aka monarch industry (watched like 60% of this, dropped)

bonus mention of not harem dramas, but extra dramas i've liked a lot twisted fate of love a dream of splendor new life begins (enjoyed this a reasonable amount) joy of life im not fond of super-tragic endings and prefer happier endings overall, so i've been avoiding legend of ruyi. also prefer competent heroines with all things considered so.....any help with any recommendations??

[dangermousie]

My Top 50 cdramas

Someone asked me to make this and my previous list is way out of date (it was made in Jan 2020.) I will never claim these are the BEST cdramas, just that they are my favorite (for example, I fully realize that The Wolf is far inferior to Chang’an, but it’s a list of favorites, not bests.) If you look at this list and hate half of them, it doesn’t mean you have better or worse taste, just that you probably shouldn’t take my drama recs.

50 Twisted Fate of Love

49 Little Fairy

48 Red Dust

47 Ice Fantasy

46 Glamorous Imperial Concubine

45 The Virtuous Queen of Han

44 Chinese Paladin 3

43 Princess Agents

42 General and I

41 Secret of the Three Kingdoms

40 Luoyang

39 Siege in Fog

38 Love In Between

37 Jade Palace Lock Heart

36 One and Only

35 Nirvana in Fire

34 Vigilantes in Masks

33 Nirvana in Fire 2

32 Listening Snow Tower

31 Sound of the Desert

30 Return of Condor Heroes 2006

29 Heroes

28 Young Warriors of the Yang Clan

27 Three Kingdoms 2010

26 Battle of Changsha

25 The Advisors’ Alliance seasons 1 and 2

24 Love Like the Galaxy

23 The Ingenuous One

22 Till the End of the Moon

21 Word of Honor 

20 Legend of Condor Heroes 2008 

19 Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms

18 Novoland Tribes and Empires

17 Bu Bu Jing Xin

16 Royal Nirvana

15 Love and Redemption

14 Lan Ling Wang

13 The Untamed

12 The Longest Day in Chang’an

11 Ever Night 1 

10 The Wolf

9 Go Ahead

8 Goodbye My Princess

7 The Rise of Phoenixes

6 Joy of Life

5 Love Between Fairy and Devil

4 The Myth

3 The Rebel Princess

2 Novoland Eagle Flag

1 The Story of Minglan

[splendentmoon]

I have some questions if that is okay 👉👈 If you don’t want to answer that’s totally fine, they are a bit long 😂

Did the Jade emperor do worse things to MK than just comment on his appearance and force him to stay in the palace? Those things are already bad enough, but did do more damage to him ?

Did Jade prince ever get punished ?

MK gets burned, so he was there when the samadhi fire was reforged. Was he there because he wanted to help or because he was forced ?

MK is Macaques son. So does that mean he has super hearing ? He is blind now (except if he uses hit gold vision. But he doesn’t know he has that yet). But maybe he can hear people’s heart beats or other things. Imagine him getting attacked by someone very quiet but he hears something like the arm or weapon of his attacker moving and he gets out of the way in the last second.

I just love the angst and this au so much. I am so happy whenever I see new updates :))))

I love answering questions so I'm not bothered.

1. The most severe punishment Jade Prince had was psychological punishment, he was locked in the trigama oven for days or weeks as punishment leaving him with guilt and fear of loneliness.

2. He was punished by being locked in the trigama oven or even without dinner.

3. I haven't decided that yet, so you'll have to wait.

4. No he doesn't have super hearing that would be Bai He, since if you see the drawings I made of the cute shape of both of them, Bai He is the one with six ears, MK only has them colorful like some colorful lines, in fact the only thing I can use from macaque are his shadows that's the only thing I can use.

I'm glad you like it, after all I put a lot of effort to make everything coherent.

[renewedmotionforjudgment]

Me seeing my moots watching Legend of Zhen Huan/empresses in the palace:

But as I was telling @mercipourleslivres and @silviakundera, one of my favorite fun fact about Zhen Huan is that the director got some flack for casting at the start, because people didn’t think Chen Jia Bing was attractive enough even though he’s considered to be an excellent actor. Bc at the time, Jade Heart Lock Palace and BBJX just aired. And the director’s rebuttal more or less was “that’s the point. Nowadays there’s too many attractive princes in historicals. This is what a 40 year old emperor is supposed to look like.”

It’s the opposite of the discourse on casting of lan ling wang the same year, aka that Feng Shao Feng wasn’t attractive enough to play the IRL Prince which by historical accounts was so attractive he had to wear a mask in battle.

[mejomonster]

Anon watching Love and Redemption here. OMG thank you so much for your incredibly thoughtful response. On the topic of misunderstandings, people get so heated and I was really looking for a more measured perspective so thanks for that. Also, your reply has me HYPE so I wanted to share some of my thoughts (I'm till ep 9 now)- I adore the romance but I also love the space this show gives to friendship. Minyan and Linglong being excited about reuniting w Sifeng and being just as hurt as Xuanji by his aloofness.

Xuanji and Sifeng both saving/protecting each other is just something I'm absolutely loving. Also, the inversion of gender roles- this was something that drew me towards the show, like Xuanji being on a traditional (male)hero's journey . But what you said about Sifeng's lover's curse being about purity/chastity and comparing Linglong and Jiang Cheng has my mind blown! I can't wait to see more tropes being turned upside down, already we had Sifeng defying the notion of all demons being Evil. Lastly, here's some spoilery speculation- Hao Chen definitely strikes as someone with an ulterior motive, he has some connection to Xuanji probably in their past life?

Is Sifeng the star of mosha maybe? I know some spoilers about him being a demon. Don't tell me though!

I see and appreciate you, life is just busy ToT

Okay so I'm not spoiling star of mosha but would LOVE to hear what you think once you find out -3-)/

I'm also curious how you feel about who the villain/s are and how those feelings change as it becomes more obvious who the villains are.

Also Mickey He, who was a hottie in Jade Palace Lock Heart, plays Sifengs sect leader legendary drama queen <3 which is a fun fact

I do love rhe friendships in this show. I feel the whole core friend group cares a lot for each other. If you've ever seen Good Omens, the friendships in that and the way of solving problems with love and desire to help also drew me to Love and Redemption.

Something you'll notice about this show and demons is... demons are used in this a lot like dixingren were used in Guardian. Which is very unlike the usual trope. The more demon situations play out in LaR, the more apparent it becomes they're not actually evil in any particular way, not any more than any human generally is, with some bad leaders just like some Sects have awful leaders, and then well. Extend that realization to the Heavenly Realm. This story does a lot to critique absolute power, following leadership blindly and what it means to figure out morality based on your own experiences and explorations versus just believing what you're told, and it does quite a job of using what you Expect each trope to function as/symbolize/get treated in this type of romance three lives xianxia story to comment on such things. Like. Sifeng is a demon. In this type show, like say Eternal Love, typically the demon is the second love interest who never gets the heroine. Who is inevitably corrupted or evil or pitiful and can never escape ultimately that he Is the demonic lesser "bad" one role. (Love Between Fairy and Devil actually also subverts this trope with the "demon" as the main love interest and hero, but it's definitely not the norm it is the exception and I love when this particular trope is changed like this). To extend this, in Eternal Love the "ultimate" bad guy is the Evil Demon King who wants revenge and to destroy the world. His princess and prince demon children might be better and have good intentions, but as his kids they get an extension of his bad ultimate fate. That can be contrasted to what Sifengs story will turn into later: how much does he bear suffering because humans dislike demons, Heavenly realm dislikes demons, despite whatever Sifeng has actually done (good or bad). In fact which demons even committed the kind of evils they're being punished for in LaR, and does LaR paint it as inevitable and acceptable pain they endure. Or as something that should NOT happen and is morally fucked up (like when Xuanji defends Sifeng and starts realizing how much she's been taught that is actually perpetuating harm and not helping innocents). In LaR when the star of mosha is revealed, the Evil Demon King from Eternal Love parallel, is the star equally painted as evil without a backstory? Is the star evil at all, does LaR paint the star as evil like Eternal Love would, or does LaR do something else with the star? Is it fair to assume just cayse the stars role is "evil demon king" that the star is actually evil, or was that just an assumption audiences were likely to make based on the usual tropes of these shows, an assumption that will be shattered and used differently. (There's so much this show does in terms of trope you expect versus how LaR will actually be using the character, which involves expecting the audience to Expect the usual trope outcome then instead LaR veers in a way different direction).

I absolutely love that Liu Xueyi was cast as Hao Chen. He does such a good fucking job and made me feel a Lot

A (minor) spoiler I am giving you is:

The show ends happy. I just wanted to put that out there because I know one never knows with a show like this

[gizkasparadise]

lol damn here we go

[p4latinus]

crimson jade | childe/tartaglia x reader [angst fanfic]

characters: childe/tartaglia

genre: !gn, angst fanfic

tw: sfw! infidelity/cheating

he was made of cerulean blue eyes and saltwater kisses. the summer you yearned, and the winter you grew with. he was the air you breathed and the flower that bloomed. the raging tides that saved you through every storm. ajax had always been your everything.

the morning dew traced his face - his beautiful face. oh how lucky you are to wake up next to him every morning. your fingers grazed over the fading cuts and healing wounds on his bare back. if only he’d be a little less reckless, you thought to yourself. it wasn’t easy being fatui harbinger. you saw every ounce of toll it took on his body. you recall his fear in confessing this grave, dangerous secret, that he fought to keep from his family.

a family that acknowledge you as your own.

anthon, tonia, teucer and the others had always welcomed you. back when your unkempt hair swayed after a busy day at preschool with ajax, right up until your small, intimate engagement with the renowned fatui harbinger. his father loved you with every beat of her heart, and his mother had always dreamed of a lovely person like you meeting ajax.

everyone noticed how you had always brought out the best of him. even through his savage behaviour, slaughtering for debts and unwavering devotion to the tsaritsa. despite their fear in him, they knew you kept him levelled. the same man who would write to his family diligently, sending herbs back to his father. they knew you kept him grounded through your childhood, right up until your adult years.

with a gentle smile to yourself, you folded his clothes and placed them into his wardrobe. you stayed up for 3 hours to scrub away blood and resew torn pieces of fabric. his nose crinkled at the slightest noise and disturbances.

“i thought a fatui harbinger would be too tired to wake up at this time.” you cooed, stretching your tired arms above your head.

“never too tired to spend a moment with you, my love.” he breathed into your hair, sinking his weight around your body.

“don’t forget we have a dinner reservation by the palace.”

“i won’t forget.” his voice muffled into your neck. his strong arms wrapped around your waist.

carefully, you turned to face him. your fingers crept into his tangerine locks and you lured him closer for kisses. soft, passionate kisses that grew with a blazing flame. you had only heard of eternity through his visit to inazuma, but you knew that this was the eternity you desired. an unchanging world between you and ajax.

“i’ll be back. i’ll be with my dad.” he broke away in a whisper. a devilish smile stretching across his face. “what?” you smiled back with curiosity.

“nothing, i just think you’re the most beautiful person i’ve ever seen.”

that was arguably unrealistic, but you believed him anyway. he had seen you through your rough days and best ones. even on days when you cried over scraped and bruised knees - he had always been there to protect you. fighting over a crayon? he would let you have any colour you wanted so you wouldn’t cry. he loved you through your childhood.

and what about your adulthood? he wrote letters to you diligently, every single week. he talked about his travels and everything you would love. he wrote about how strenuous work was, and how much he missed your jasmine scented hair. he missed everything about you - and a man who was in love, would never put you in a position to lose you.

hours had passed since your last embrace with ajax. you and his mother were handling laundry loads, pile after pile. it felt endless but the both of you settled with hot peppermint tea and some stew. she helped you get ready for a promising night; picked your outfit and taught you about the varied wine available by the palace.

bedazzled by your beauty, he stood by the door. ajax leaned against the frame, smiling at the sight of you and his mother laughing. you were too engrossed by the many embarrassing stories of ajax to notice that he cleared his throat, saying, “darling, it’s time to go now.”

you nodded politely and thanked his mother. she winked at the both of you, leaving you two in each other’s arms.

“you are breathtaking, did you know that?” he whispered into your ear.

“you’re quite a catch too, my love.”

“i will never find anyone like you.”

his chest rose and collapsed again as he spoke with such sincerity.

no one had ever loved you the way he loved you. fabric swayed as he took your hand, guiding you to a chariot. everything had been a fairy tale with ajax. your eternal life, your fantasy. he was the prince you had read about during your early years. never could you imagine such a lucky encounter - that the man of your dreams was, in fact, your reality.

the journey to the venue felt too short despite the distance. snow blanketed carefully along the sidewalk. snowflake drifted swiftly with snezhnaya’s bittersweet winds. the breeze scraped your skin but you were used to the cold, unlike ajax whose nose burned for warmth. he pressed a sweet kiss onto your hands, then using it to warm himself. “that’s a laugh i’ll never get tired of hearing.” he uttered to himself, low enough for the hush breeze to listen.

“good evening, we have a reservation under the name ‘tartaglia’.” you watched him flash a heart-throbbing smile at the hostess.

“ah master childe, back again so soon?” the hostess queried, gathering menus for you and him.

“i can’t leave my darling waiting for too long. i knew i had to return to the motherland.” he slipped a hand around your waist.

“with another darling for the week i see.” she tutted, guiding the both of you to a secluded room.

another darling for the week? that did not make any sense. he had only been back for a week. he had spent the entirety of his trip with you, otherwise with his father. and his father had accounted for every moment spent.

your heart quickened at the thoughts of him meeting another person.

he secured a firm grip on your hands, slipping his fingers to meet with yours. the gentle compassion when he intertwined his fingers with yours - it was enough to prove that he loved you, and only you.

you had never, ever doubted him before.

the hostess dissolved your thoughts as the curtains drew.

illuminated by a crystal chandelier, you caught glimpses of mirrors and the doting smile from ajax. the secluded room surrounded you with plush, crimson walls. the seats were crafted with the finest workmanship and velvet. tablecloths had soft, faded symbols of the fatui and the tsaritsa’s court.

“have a look at the menu, dearest. there are exquisite wines here.” he pulled a chair out for you.

“i know, love. mother was just speaking about these. especially this one, under krasny.”

“oh? krasny is fancy. i didn’t know my darling liked luxurious brands.”

“i mean, how often do i get to see you anyway, darling? also—“ you cleared your throat and took a deep breath, “what was the hostess talking about?”

“oh love, don’t worry. i was here for a while after fishing with my dad. i had to meet with a client.”

“oh, but you didn’t mention it to me.”

“i know. it was an insignificant meeting. she was asking about debt collection processes and if the laws would apply in liyue as well. she could’ve literally just asked any fatui member.”

“when did you meet this client?”

“oh, it was today.”

you nodded. it would explain why he was so hurried.

a waiter took your order as you both gazed lovingly at each other. his callused hands and fingers slipping over your engagement ring. a glimmering jade, rimmed with intricate gold and diamonds. it probably costed a fortune - but money was infinite when it came to you.

“why did you choose jade?” you queried.

“it reminded me of the story we read as children - about the dandelion sea.” he replied, watching your lips curl at the sweet memory.

“speaking of which… i have another present for you, my love.”

ajax presented a silk pouch from his suit. as he slipped it into your hands, you noticed the unexpected weight. it felt like a shard of cor lapis. incredibly heavy given its minuscule size. however, reluctance taunted you for an argument. you shifted uncomfortably at the sight of the generous gift, still a hidden mystery under a fine layer of silk. ajax has bought you expensive presents and given you something new almost everyday. it wasn’t unusual of him to pamper you however you did find it excessive. nevertheless, you were grateful and accepted everything graciously.

“is something wrong?” he asked, rubbing his thumb reassuringly over your hands. the present - you hadn’t opened it yet. no wonder he questioned your well-being.

“nothing, my love. i was just thinking about how much you’ve spent on me. but thank—“

“shh. i will spend as much as i can on you, and our family. so now open it.”

another ring.

crimson agate stemmed at the core, rooting its blood along the band. carefully carved dragons decorated its side. strangely, the ring was temperate. almost like a summer i could carry with - its iridescence and warmth was indescriable. it was breathtaking. such a unique and beautiful ring.

“you don’t have to wear the jade one always, my love. you can use this one instead whenever i am away. it’ll feel like i’m holding your hand.”

“ajax, thank you. i love it.”

he removed the jade one, replacing it with the crimson agate ring. it complimented your skin - an eternal glow of youth, happiness and belonging. that the burning desire you felt in your heart only belonged to him. the youth that stemmed from endless laughter. indeed, he was the deepest source of your serendipity.

sounds of clangs and scrapes interrupted your train of thoughts.

an assortment of dishes arrived. crispy, aromatic cheese dishes with a variety of meat. delicate pastries flaked with the slightest movements and crumbled in your mouth. every bite was sinful yet deserved after waiting tiresomely for your fiancé. the both of you had a pleasant dinner with heartfelt laughter and conversations about the future. he spoke of his travels; proverbs and knowledge from different regions; how to apply them for your future family and his recent encounters with archons.

you truly are beyond lucky to be with him.

nightfall fell gently with snezhnaya’s breeze as you both journeyed back home. you shut your eyes and rested your head on ajax’s lap. his gloved hands stroking your hair, tracing greying strands that sprouted from stress. truly, his absence was taking a toll on your emotional and mental well-being. you craved for him with every minute apart. but you understood his obligations; he couldn’t ever just come back when he felt like it. not when he had to represent the tsaritsa and fulfil his duties.

afraid to wake you, he shifted slowly to slip his arms under your legs and back. he carried you back to your shared bedroom. the familiar scent of rosemary, jasmine and winter’s musk filled you. ajax placed you carefully on the bed, changing you into comfortable attire and removed your shoes. he took the liberty of cleaning your face as well - he always took the best care of you.

finally, his cold lips met your forehead. slightly chapped, but you felt his warmth on your skin.

“can we go now?” a voice whispered. “where is it?”

“it’s in my pocket, darling.” he responded.

your heart stopped for a moment.

curiosity gnawed.

despite your tired eyes, you jolted yourself awake…

to watch him slip the jade ring onto a blonde girl’s finger.

thank you so much to staris1 for this request <3 i really hope you enjoy this!! stay safe & have a lovely day!!