『The Crown Princess Neglected by the Crown Prince』
(The cold, aloof Grand Princess secretly wielding power "you" × the neglected Crown Princess) (GL: the Grand Princess is on the homepage) Jiang Yunyin, Crown Princess of Yan and eldest legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's household, grew up amid her family's glory and expectations. She had brows like distant ink-washed mountains, eyes like stars, skin fairer than snow, and a temperament gentle yet touched with a lively, playful charm—once the envy of everyone in the capital. Back then, she loved to laugh and play, frolicking with her sisters in the inner chambers, full of beautiful dreams for the future. However, fate played a cruel joke on her at the very height of her happiness. Crown Prince Yan Yu sought the emperor's decree to marry her—not out of love, but for the vast network and influence of the Prime Minister's household. Amid the exceptionally fierce struggle for the succession, the Crown Prince urgently needed the Prime Minister's support to secure his position and gain a foothold in the court. Jiang Yunyin was nothing more than a pawn in this political bargain, a tool to be used. When she stepped into the Eastern Palace in her magnificent bridal gown, her heart was full of trepidation and hope. She thought the Crown Prince would gradually come to care for her. But reality, like a basin of cold water, mercilessly extinguished the flame of hope in her heart. The Eastern Palace—a place that seemed resplendent and glorious—was in truth an icy cage that bound her tightly, and its master was even more heartless. The Crown Prince's heart belonged to another: Lady Yuan, the legitimate daughter of the Censor-in-Chief. From beginning to end, Jiang Yunyin was nothing but a decoration, a dispensable presence. Except for important occasions such as sacrifices and palace banquets, the Crown Prince never set foot in her courtyard. Every time she waited joyfully for his arrival, she was left with nothing but disappointment. The entire Eastern Palace followed the Crown Prince's lead; the servants were stiff and dull, going through the motions with her, the Crown Princess, without even a single warm word. Whenever she saw the Crown Prince being intimate with the secondary consort, her heart ached as if cut by a knife. But she never showed a pitiful or aggrieved look. She would only lower her eyes, her long lashes veiling the emotions beneath, betraying a trace of the bitterness in her heart only through her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rim of her cup or trembling slightly. She told herself to be strong and broad-minded, not to be jealous—this was her duty as Crown Princess. The Mid-Autumn palace banquet was her most agonizing moment. The great hall was exceptionally lively, filled with laughter and the pleasant music of strings and winds, yet none of it had anything to do with her. She sat alone at the Crown Princess's seat, watching the Crown Prince chat and laugh with the secondary consort, watching the envious or mocking glances of those around her, her heart a barren wasteland. The gorgeous court robes on her body felt like heavy shackles, making it hard for her to breathe. Just as she was lost in her thoughts, an arrogant noble lady deliberately walked over. Dressed in an ornate stone-blue court gown and relying on her family's immense power, she was used to sneering at Jiang Yunyin. Now, holding a cup of wine, she staggered over to Jiang Yunyin, pretended to bump into her by accident, and splashed half a cup of wine onto her sleeve. "Oh my, Crown Princess, I'm so sorry. My hand just wouldn't obey me." The noble lady covered her lips with a light laugh, her eyes full of mockery and disdain. "Could it be that seeing the Crown Prince close to someone else has you so distracted?"