Modern-day psychological counselor Su Wanning unexpectedly wakes up in a palace-intrigue novel as a supporting character who shares her name: a doomed consort who is sentenced to death in the third chapter for framing the heroine. Faced with the despair of becoming a villainess, she decides to use the scheming, tea-loving side of her nature beneath her “kind angel” exterior to save herself from the start.
She acts like a meek, harmless wallflower who avoids competing with anyone in front of the harem, while using her knowledge of psychology to elegantly deliver face-slapping comeuppances to one villain after another, escaping danger time and again.
What she doesn't know is that Emperor Xiao Jingxuan, rumored to be aloof, ascetic, and uninterested in women, has unexpectedly become linked to her thoughts and can clearly hear every one of her inner monologues.
Thus, this is how Su Wanning appears in the emperor's eyes:
On the surface, she trembles with tears in her eyes. “Your Majesty, this concubine is foolish. It's all my fault.”
In her heart, she rants furiously: [These idiots are worse at palace intrigue than kindergartners. Acting is exhausting. I absolutely need an extra chicken leg tonight!]
On the surface, she shyly presents him with a purse she sewed herself as a “token of affection.” “May Your Majesty enjoy a thousand years of health.”
In her heart, she calculates: [I'll cling tight to this biggest, strongest thigh. No one's taking away my wealth and glory!]
Xiao Jingxuan goes from initial shock, to being amused by the adorable contrast between her outer and inner selves, to gradually falling for her genuine, vibrant soul. Before he knows it, the aloof emperor has become utterly doting, raising her step by step to the position of empress and granting her a lifetime of favor and glory. In her time with him, Su Wanning also moves from using him to giving him her true affection. In the end, they join hands to rule their vast empire.
