Matriarchy: The Brutal Regent and Her Sweet, Gentle Husband

Women are the first sex [Women-centered, women are strongest + all the men in the harem are chaste early on + melodramatic, painful romance + men fight for favor in the household + a long road to win her back]

Xue Rong,

The Regent of the Ying Dynasty, with power enough to command the whole court, and the maternal aunt of the current emperor. Cherished by the Empress Dowager since childhood, she was specially granted the title of Prince Kang. She held power over the court even in the previous emperor's reign, and the rules of the imperial court made way for her alone.

But for some reason, even though the throne was almost hers for the taking, she made no move.

After Jun Yao ascended the throne, he specially appointed Xue Rong Regent, elevating her above everyone else.

They say she stands nine feet tall, has the strength of ten stones in her arms, and can hit a target with a hundred paces. She is a heaven-sent general. They also say she is cursed by fate and brings death to her husbands. The men brought to the Regent's manor never survived more than seven days, so to suppress her deadly aura, the court carefully reviewed the birth details and pasts of eligible men in the capital, then selected several handsome men whose birth charts matched hers.

And so, she chose him.

Note:

* The rules of the Ying Dynasty sometimes conflict. This isn't the author contradicting herself; the inspiration comes from real life. If anything seems strange, try looking at it in reverse. Some characters have had their radicals changed; switching “man” to “woman” gives the original character. Some are homophones.

* The woman is not a man, and everyone who develops feelings for Xue Rong is chaste.

* All gender-neutral words refer to women. Only men are called out specifically as male.

* Only women have imperial coffins and give birth to girls. No character who appears gives birth; the world will refresh with little girls instead.

* Set in a fictional world, with no historical basis for the clothing. A self-indulgent hodgepodge.