The Eldest Princess Spoils Her Little Shadow Guard

[Female-led + highly intelligent + political intrigue + the most beautiful woman under heaven + strong heroine + empress] A puppy who is obedient, sweet, and darkly obsessive. Yin Tang’s perspective. White-camellia-style writing. If that’s not your thing, feel free to skip. An ambitious princess * a sweet, darkly obsessive, insecure little shadow guard Rong Zhaohua, the most exalted eldest legitimate princess of the Great Li dynasty. If she wanted it, she could have the finest things in the world. Everything but the throne. “But I insist on taking that seat. As for those who stand in my way...” “Your Highness is a very reasonable person. I never force anyone. Truly.” After that night, Rong Zhaohua discovered that Jiu was very obedient and did whatever he was told. Playing with him made her happier than anything else. So the pleasure-loving princess made a decision: every night before bed, she would do something to make herself happy. “Do you want it?” she asked. “...I do,” Jiu replied, his voice hoarse. “Beg me.” “Please... show me mercy, Your Highness.” She told me my name was Yin Tang. That day, she leaned against a chaise longue, turning a crabapple blossom between her fingers. Its petals scattered over her sleeve. “Crabapple blossoms are beautiful, but what I like is the endless cold and damp behind them, like something growing out of rotten soil. Jiu, from now on, you will be called Yin Tang.” I didn’t understand. No, I did. I understood every word she said, but I couldn’t understand why she wanted to give me a name. The shadow guard camp had no names, only numbers. Jiu. Dogs didn’t need names. But she gave me one. Yin Tang. Something growing out of rotten soil. That was me. I was the rotting root buried in the mud, never touched by sunlight, yet I bloomed into the flower she wanted.