The Road to Becoming a Side Consort

This is my first time writing this kind of story, so please bear with me. Thank you so much!

On the day of the imperial selection, Shen Qingci, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jing'an's household, is examined by a matron, who praises her: “Perfect waist-to-hip ratio, and built to bear sons.”

She assumes that, with her family background and beauty, becoming the Crown Princess is all but guaranteed.

But the Emperor fears the military power of the Shen family, and an imperial edict makes her a secondary consort instead.

The primary consort is Liu Yunyi, whose status is beneath hers and who is on guard against her from the moment they meet.

The other secondary consort, Zhao Wanyi, is an even more dangerous smiling tiger. She secretly plants a curse doll in Shen Qingci's courtyard, hoping to kill her.

The Eastern Palace is a treacherous place, and none of its consorts are easy to deal with.

Shen Qingci neither cries nor makes a fuss. She eats when she should and sleeps when she should.

When the Crown Prince deliberately tests her over a game of chess, she turns the tables and defeats him completely.

When someone poisons her, she sends the untouched bowl of poisoned porridge right back to them.

At first, the Crown Prince thinks she's just an obedient pawn. Later, he realizes...

In the entire Eastern Palace, she's the only one who dares to beat him, talk back to him, and brew him a cup of tea when he's exhausted before quietly leaving.

Later still, the Crown Prince starts visiting her courtyard of his own accord. He stays late into the night, then says with red-rimmed eyes, “Here with you, I can finally be a person.”

Shen Qingci sets down her book and smiles faintly. “Your Highness, I'm only a secondary consort. You shouldn't act this way.”

[Clear-headed noble lady × a Crown Prince who says one thing and means another, palace intrigue + political scheming + satisfying face-slapping. The heroine never goes out of her way to harm anyone, but she certainly won't let those who hurt her get away with it.]