Xie Su had spent her days causing trouble along the northeastern border, fighting crickets and stealing dogs, frequenting brothels, and snatching young men from one household after another. The young men dared not complain. What could they do? She was the only daughter of the Grand General Who Guards the Nation.
The Grand General Who Guards the Nation commanded an army of three hundred thousand and ruled the northeastern frontier.
But even the happiest days must end. Xie Su's father suddenly died, and her powerful backing was gone.
What was she supposed to do now...?
With her backing gone, she could only find herself a new one.
You could say she was born lucky. A blessing really did fall from the sky: the old emperor in the capital was a benevolent man, and with an imperial edict, he summoned her, the orphaned daughter of the Grand General's household, to the palace.
Old Emperor: “These are all my sons. Take your pick. Whichever one you choose, I'll make him Crown Prince and you Crown Princess.”
Xie Su looked at the princes, from a forty-year-old prince down to an infant, and asked, “If I become Crown Princess now, will I be empress later?”
Old Emperor: “Yes.”
Xie Su: “Is the Crown Prince guaranteed to become emperor? Could he be deposed? Could his brothers kill him?”
Old Emperor: “...” Well, not exactly guaranteed.
Xie Su: “Then I'd rather just become empress directly.”
And so Xie Su became the old emperor's empress.
Well, she was one step closer to her goal.
