In her previous life, she was the most insignificant pawn in Ziao City. On a frigid night deep within the palace, she swallowed an apricot pit and died, her life ending in the Cold Palace.
In this life, at ten years old, she nearly died in a freezing pool. A flood of memories, carrying all her hatred, came rushing back. An Lingrong opened her eyes and found herself back at the turning point of her fate.
In the twelfth year of the Qianyuan reign, the imperial selection began once more. This time, she was the legitimate daughter of a vice minister in the Ministry of Personnel. Her clear, melodious yueqin performance won the Empress Dowager's approval, and she entered the palace as a Sixth-Rank Beauty. In Mingshe Hall at Changyang Palace, she was as calm as still water. At her side were the memories of her former life and the loyal servants she had carefully chosen in this one: Qingdai, meticulous and skilled at management, and Qingshuang, well versed in medicine.
The palace gates concealed an ocean of depths, and trouble soon arose. The brash Lady Xia provoked Consort Hua in front of Fengyi Palace and was dragged away after Consort Hua made an example of her with the One-Zhang Red. Shen Meizhuang, radiant as the moon, was the first to win the emperor's favor, earning promotion to Consort Hui and lavish rewards. Meanwhile, the clever Lady Wan Zhen Huan, shocked by the gruesome scene at a palace well, quietly claimed illness and withdrew from the world at Tangli Palace.
Some envied, some were jealous, some afraid, and some kept their thoughts hidden. Only An Lingrong watched this familiar yet unfamiliar beginning with cool detachment. She knew that Consort Hua's smiles concealed daggers and the Empress's gentleness concealed needles. She knew the price behind every favor and the sharp edge hidden in every silence.
In this life, she would no longer rush to curry favor or place her trust too easily. The emperor's favor? There was no need to hurry. What she wanted was to first survive, securely, in this man-eating palace of nine tiers. She would proceed with care, plan every step, listen for thunder in the silence, and build her strength amid the undercurrents.
As the wheels of fate began to turn once more, how would An Lingrong, armed with the bloody lessons of her past life and the meticulous plans of this one, find a way to survive in this treacherous inner palace, and perhaps even... turn the tide of destiny?
So far, it's very interesting. It's a rare original novel. There are no obvious bugs in the plot, there are no big cheats, and it's not cowardly. The writing and pacing are great. Keep going!