【Empress + coming of age + political intrigue + Mary Sue】
Shen Qingtang is the most honored Grand Princess of Great Qi, blessed with unparalleled favor. When the emperor dies, she helps her younger brother ascend the throne. But the Prince of Yong's faction is watching like a tiger waiting to pounce. To help her brother secure his reign, she wins over Jiang Jiaoyuan, a Hanlin Academy scholar who placed first in all three imperial examinations, only to be drawn unexpectedly into a shocking conspiracy. In the end, her young brother dies, and she is forced to take the throne, becoming the first empress of Great Qi.
Later.
The cool, restrained chancellor kneels before her, eyes red, begging her for forgiveness. “I know you hate being deceived, Your Highness, but I had no choice but to avenge my family's slaughter. I am willing to die by your hand...”
Her ruthless, cruel imperial brother grips her throat, his gaze frighteningly obsessed. “Tang'er, look. Wasn't he deceiving you...?”
The legitimate son of a duke's household, who lost his mother young and was never valued, only wants to make money. He wanders the world, yet spends his entire fortune for her and willingly enters the court as an official.
The former crown prince, trapped in a desperate plight and unfailingly loyal yet humble, willingly stays by her side as a hidden guard, serving at her command and letting her do as she pleases.
PS: The heroine is irresistible to everyone, but this is not a harem. At first, she's clever, with a touch of foolishness.
The plot is novel and I think it's still very interesting so far.