I’ll Rise in Status Through My Child, and I Can Get Rid of the Father Too

An alternate setting, so don't overthink the details. Not a story where both leads are romantically inexperienced. A satisfying read with a mix of traditional palace intrigue and wild imagination, plenty of court scheming and political maneuvering, a fast pace, and a clear-headed heroine. Neither lead is a good person in the traditional sense. A battle of wits against a transmigrated villainess with a System. Zhong Ruosu from a thousand years ago and Zhong Ruosu from a thousand years in the future switched lives twice, and they also acquired an object that lets them share “gossip” across time. Isn’t that a life with cheat codes? The Zhong Ruosu from a thousand years ago transmigrated into the body of the Zhong Ruosu from a thousand years in the future, living freely on the inheritance her parents left her. Meanwhile, the Zhong Ruosu from a thousand years in the future transmigrated into the body of the legitimate daughter of a deceased minister in the ancient state of Dayan, and entered the palace as a consort. In terms of schemes, she couldn't match the legitimate daughters of powerful families; in terms of intelligence, she couldn't compete with the noblewomen from illustrious clans. Fifteen years later, one was murdered and the other died in an accident. The two switched lives once more. One thought it was a shame, while the other felt relieved. But they had always been living each other's lives. Now that she was back, Zhong Ruosu naturally intended to become the champion of palace intrigue. There was a trick to it. Too much imperial favor invited trouble; without it, she would be walking on thin ice. She had been taught how to become a pawn fit for purpose, had watched countless palace-intrigue dramas, had even dealt with two mistresses, and could “foresee the future” thanks to a jade pendant with cheat-code powers. It would be best to gain status through her son. If all else failed, she could just keep the child and get rid of the father. She really wanted to experience life as the Empress Dowager. The Emperor: “My beloved consort, must you really be so cruel? I couldn't bear to lose you, even if our son became noble.” Zhong Ruosu: “Your Majesty, a woman has to be ruthless if she wants to hold on to her position.” When she first entered the palace, Zhong Ruosu still pretended to be a sweet, helpless type and faked being ill. Later, she simply stopped pretending. After all, she and the Emperor were ultimately headed in the same direction.