Shen Zhaoning, Xiao Yan
She is the legitimate eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's household. Her father died on the battlefield fighting for the Great Liang, while her mother was persecuted to death by her stepmother. To protect her younger brother and preserve the family estate, she endured humiliation for sixteen years. In the end, her stepmother and half-sister conspired to send her into the Eastern Palace, where she became the Crown Prince's pawn.
She helped the Crown Prince ascend the throne, only to see her entire family condemned to death. Her stepmother accused her of colluding with the enemy, her half-sister took her place as empress, and her younger brother was poisoned in prison. As for her, she was burned alive in the Cold Palace.
Reborn, she returns to the year she was fourteen, just after her father's death and as her stepmother is plotting to steal her betrothal.
In this life, she sheds her meekness and bares her claws. She takes on her stepmother, kills her half-sister, seizes military power, and advances with every step carefully planned. The despicable Crown Prince proposes to her again and again, but she only sneers: “You want to be my husband? You think you're worthy?”
When the flames of revenge have consumed everything, the hostage prince from an enemy kingdom, the one she overlooked in her past life, steps in front of her and smiles. “I hear you need someone to back you. I may be down on my luck, but I offer you an empire as my bride-price. Is that enough?”
