A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Chapter 40Book 1: : Practice Makes Perfect

# scumtorturing # rebirthShe was a daughter of the general’s family and a gentle woman. She fell for Prince Ding and offered to be his wife. After supporting him for six years, she became his empress.After risking being a hostage in a foreign country, she returned five years later to find that she no longer had a place in his imperial harem. Lying in his arms, the new consort said with a sneer, “Sis, now that the country is stable, it’s time for you to die.”Her daughter died a tragic death and her son was removed as crown prince. The Shen family had been loyal, but they ended up being slaughtered.Shen Miao never thought that their marriage and mutual support all this while would end up being just an act Prince Ding put on! Prince Ding said, “On account that you’ve been with me for twenty years, I’ll allow you to die with your entire body intact. Now you may thank me and hang yourself to death.”Before she hung herself, Shen Miao made a resentful oath, “When I perish, I will haunt you day and night!”She was reborn as her fourteen year old self when the tragedies had yet to occur and her family was still intact. She was still the delicate and elegant daughter of a general’s family.Her relatives were evil, her cousin sisters were vicious and ruthless, and her aunties were eyeing her possessions. She had to protect her family, take revenge, and get back what belonged to her. In this life, she would be the last one standing!However, the Xie family’s young marquis, an unruly youth, pushed her up against the wall and said arrogantly, “Remember, the world belongs to you, and you belong to me!”The thirteen cities of You State… belong to you.The city of Dingyuan in Mobei… belongs to you.Yuzhou by the Yangtze River, the East Sea of Dingxi, the Green Lake of Lin’an, and Luoyang City… they all belong to you.If they all belong to me, what will you take, Xie Jingxing?Hmm… you.At first, he said impassively, “There has always been a clear distinction between the Shen and Xie family. For the Shen family’s daughter to suddenly show us goodwill, she must have ill intentions!”Then, he said calmly, “We're all on the same boat. Shen Miao, behave yourself. Who would have the audacity to force you into a marriage while I’m around?”After that, he said proudly, “Overthrowing an empire isn’t that hard. My dear, how shall we divide this great piece of land?”Finally, he waved his hand domineeringly. “Sweetheart, dividing them is too much work. Forget it! They’re all yours, and you are mine!”Shen Miao yelled, “Get out!”A domineering empress who was reborn and a young delinquent marquis. Both leads are righteous and they dote on each other.

I’m an imperial uncle; his imperial majesty’s uncle.

Once, someone with nothing better to do took a comprehensive survey of the current dynasty, and summed up the imperial court’s three great cancers.

Wang Qin leads in corruption; the treasury is never full.

Yun Tang favours a few, forming cabals; leading to corruption in our politics.

Prince Huai plays with power, and serves as the head of a hundred poisons — thus causing instability to the throne.

When they talk about the most venomous of vipers, the wicked one who plays with power, the biggest cancer of them all, they’re talking about me: this insignificant prince, Prince Huai, Chengjun.

I can only say that I feel rather hapless in the face of these theories.

In truth, I have been ever dutiful, ever devoted, devoid of intention to monopolise power, and possess even less of a heart to covet the throne. In the entire imperial court, I dare say there is no loyal subject more loyal than I.

But, most tragically, in all the realm, the matter of my being a loyal subject is something that not many would believe.

- Description from Novelupdates

Lao Chen was just an old, underpaid security guard in a rundown apartment complex, living a miserable life under a stingy, ungrateful boss.His wife left him, his daughter wanted nothing to do with him, and poverty was his only constant companion.In the end, death came in the form of a drunk driver, leaving him broken and forgotten on the cold pavement.But fate wasn’t done with him. In his final moments, he prayed—desperate, pleading to any deity who would listen.And someone did.The God of Wealth and Love took pity on his wasted life and granted him a second chance.Wake up again as Zhao Yiming, a 25-year-old gambler and alcoholic drowning in debt with nothing but a good face and a strong body to his name, he was given the Affinity Money Maker System—a mysterious power that let him gain wealth and influence by forming relationships, whether as lovers, friends, or even enemies.Before he knew it, he had stumbled his way into unimaginable riches.But things never go as planned. One moment of recklessness—one affair with the wrong woman—led to an unexpected murder.Now, the system has thrown him onto a new path: The Villain Route. With a negative perk that keeps the police off his trail but tightens the noose around his future, Zhao Yiming is faced with an impossible choice.Will he claw his way to the top and become the billionaire he was meant to be? Or will his second life end behind bars, just as tragic as his first?

This is the love story of the 2nd brother of the Dragon Family. He is one of the most successful businessman in the capital and one of the Emperor’s favourites – he is the most eligible bachelor in the capital and every lady in town wants to marry him.

The story starts with the female lead, Ju Mu Er, a blind teacher of guzheng, who goes to pay a visit to Long Yue to ask him to build an awning on his popular business street so her friend, a flower seller, will not get wet and fall sick. Long Yue laughs at her (because he loves money and is calculative) and she makes a bet with him that she can allow him to escape from a pesky female suitor without making it obvious.

She successfully wins the bet and from then on, Long Yue constantly makes her life a trouble (since she costs him so much money)…. not realizing he is slowly falling for her.

- Description from Novelupdates