The Cunning Emperor’s One True Love: His Reborn, Discarded Empress

Also known as Beneath the Phoenix Crown, I Set Up a Game of My Own. No one stays young forever; things can never be as they were in the days of carefree youth. A fire in the Cold Palace brought Mu Qingwan’s wretched former life to an end. Reborn, she hears the broken jade of her phoenix crown ring in response, and the game of fate begins anew. Old grudges and new moves pile up, layer upon layer. The deep palace conceals poison, the court hides blades, the previous dynasty guards its secrets, and the Nine Provinces lie under a looming calamity. The Blackwater Pavilion controls the world with poison. The Grand Princess stakes her life on a bid for power. The vassal princes harbor ambitions to restore the old dynasty, while the Netherworld Path seeks to overthrow all living things. She turns the tables in desperate straits and makes her way through political intrigue, dismantling an astonishing conspiracy that spans a century, one step at a time. He stands above the masses and reserves his favor for her alone. With imperial power as his shield and sincerity as his armor, he stands by her side to break through every scheme. Their children inherit the mandate of destiny, and the next generation takes the world into its hands. Xie Chang'an is born amid wind and snow, heralded by the twin stars of literature and war. He is tempered by the martial world, takes control of the Nine Provinces, unites the peoples of the four seas, and battles the darkness of the Abyss. From palace intrigue in the mortal world to the contest between martial and literary arts; from the survival of the Nine Provinces to the beginning of a journey across the sea of stars. One day, the phoenix crown returns to the dust. For a lifetime, the realm remains at peace. Across the cycles of reincarnation and the dictates of fate, they ultimately protect the Nine Provinces and keep them peaceful for generations to come, all as mortals. [Strong heroine + reborn + political intrigue + satisfying power fantasy + mastermind pulling the strings. See how the heroine plans every move and takes control of the world.]