The Wicked Woman Captures the Emperor's Heart, but the Virtuous Consort Only Wants to Win the Palace Battle

[Clear-headed, career-driven scheming heroine + flawed characters + no good people + palace intrigue + heroine focused solely on her career]

Born into a merchant family, yet convinced she was destined for greatness.

Zhou Muxue was born a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

She saw things clearly: Wei Qiheng married her for the endless wealth behind her, while she entered the Eastern Palace to protect her family fortune.

Each had their own agenda and got what they wanted. They cared only about profit. Feelings meant nothing.

But the women in the Eastern Palace saw it differently. They thought she had bewitched the Crown Prince with her seductive looks, and joined forces against her.

The Crown Princess was deeply calculating, gentle and kind in public, yet secretly capable of every kind of wickedness.

Consort Qi came from a military family, and her maternal family had the Crown Prince’s backing. Arrogant and domineering, she was hard to get along with.

Zhao’s Attendant Lady was her cousin’s cinnabar mole, while Sun’s Attendant Lady was her first love’s moonlight. Not one of them was a pushover.

And beneath them, a whole host of concubines watched like hungry tigers.

Fortunately, Zhou Muxue was no pushover either. By day, she navigated the women of the inner court; by night, she became a tender confidante, clinging tightly to Wei Qiheng’s favor.

When Wei Qiheng ascended the throne as the new emperor, Zhou Muxue rose above all the noblewomen and was made Imperial Noble Consort, second only to the empress.

But she was not content to stop there.

“Second to the empress” might sound impressive, but second was still second. She had come this far, so if she was going to hold the title, she would be the real empress.

And so she kept fighting, becoming the champion of palace intrigue and ultimately being appointed empress.

At last, Zhou Muxue was satisfied. Her family’s businesses were thriving and bringing in mountains of money, and her healthy, well-behaved son and daughter were doing well. She felt she could finally rest.

Then she realized Wei Qiheng seemed to have changed.

Wasn’t he coming to Kunning Palace a little too often?

P.S. This is a wish-fulfillment palace-intrigue story. Readers who want a chaste heroine, stay away.