The Empress Only Wants to Have Fun, but the Tyrant Wins the Nation’s Support

Shen Leyao, the third legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongning, is the good-for-nothing young lady everyone in the household looks down on. She has no interest in political schemes or household intrigues, and spends her days eating, drinking, and having fun, taking life as it comes. Her family sees her as a useless pawn and sends her to Beiyuan to marry Xiao Linyuan, the tyrant feared by all.

After she enters the palace, the consorts all regard her as a thorn in their side, convinced she is unworthy of her position. The empress dowager, who is not the emperor's mother, is determined to support her niece from the powerful maternal clan. She repeatedly harasses and frames Shen Leyao, then seizes the chance to make a vicious attempt on her life while the tyrant is away, hoping to take her place as empress. When Xiao Linyuan returns, he investigates and uncovers the truth. Enraged, he sends the empress dowager to a nunnery, where she is forbidden to return to the palace for the rest of her life.

At first, Xiao Linyuan is certain Shen Leyao is a spy with murderous intentions, but her frank, desire-free nature wins him over. She may seem frivolous and useless, but she is perceptive and always gets straight to the heart of the matter. When war breaks out at the border and the ministers have no answers, she draws parallels between military strategy and the ratios, heat control, and adaptability involved in mastering cuisine, offering a brilliant plan to defeat the enemy.

Xiao Linyuan follows her plan and personally leads the campaign, winning a great victory and reclaiming lost territory. The court and the entire imperial harem are thoroughly convinced, and sincerely support and respect her.

When the Marquis of Yongning learns she has become the emperor's favorite, he brings his exceptionally talented eldest legitimate daughter to the palace, hoping to replace her. But father and daughter can only look on in shock and regret. The daughter they once discarded has become the tyrant's cherished empress, a legend no one in the empire can hope to displace.