(Both leads have had past lovers! Traditional palace intrigue! The heroine is not a strong-willed type! A favored consort who plays along for show × a scheming, pleasure-loving emperor)
A year after entering the palace, Helan Zhen was still the emperor’s favorite, outshining all the other consorts.
Her father and brothers held power over the court and doted on her. She never had to compete for the emperor’s favor or fight for personal gain. They only wished for her to live peacefully and without worry in the deep palace.
She smiled as she watched the emperor spread his favor among the harem, smiled as she listened to a man’s endless lies, and smiled as she played along with him.
Pei Zun ascended the throne as a young man. Deeply calculating and accustomed to weighing every advantage, he expertly kept the court in balance. Yet Helan Zhen, so vivacious, bold, and unlike anyone else, stirred an overwhelming possessiveness in him.
Looking back, it was a time of palace intrigue that began with calculated flattery, became tangled in love and desire, and ended with a daughter seizing power.
Scene One
The emperor summoned the favored Consort Helan Zhen to his bedchamber for the night. She scoffed at the summons.
“What? The Consort refuses to attend the emperor?”
“Tell me more.”
“Go on, she’s grown tired of His Majesty.”
“The Consort must have lost her mind. How dare she grow tired of the Son of Heaven?!”
“So what? His Majesty still dotes on her, doesn’t he? What rare treasure doesn’t go straight to the Consort?”
Scene Two
“Go invite the Crown Prince to dinner.”
Empress Helan Zhen sent someone to the Hall of Diligent Governance to summon her daughter, who had spent all day reviewing memorials.
At that moment, officials from all six ministries were gathered to discuss state affairs. The Empress’s unexpected order rang in the ears of the royal father and daughter, and the entire hall fell silent.
“My esteemed officials have worked hard. We’ll continue tomorrow.”
The emperor hurried off with the Crown Prince, leaving the ministers feeling uneasy.
“Didn’t Her Majesty invite only the Crown Prince?”
“His Majesty is using the Crown Prince as an excuse to see the Empress.”
“Is it proper for the Son of Heaven to debase himself like this?”
“Who doesn’t feel small before the Empress?”
I just watched half of it, and I think it's okay. The emperor loves the heroine, and the heroine is not a dodder. She has her own opinions and is clear-headed. The heroine comes from a good family and has caring relatives. I think the background of the characters is okay. I'm actually a little curious when I see that the introduction says "double unclean". I look forward to the appearance of new male guests 🤔 The author, please work hard to write the article 🤭