The Real Heiress Takes the Blame and Becomes a Palace Maid? She’s the Tyrant’s Most Beloved

[Harem intrigue + scheming + intense push and pull + winning hearts + a palace maid’s rise through the ranks + a little of the real-and-fake heiress trope] Jiang Suihuan is brought back to the Marquis’s household, only to discover they intend to make her take the blame for the fake heiress. Sent to the palace to wash clothes for three years, she becomes a lowly convict slave. Unwilling to accept her fate, she seizes her chance, seduces the emperor, and transforms herself into a consort and the Empress Dowager’s confidante. She climbs the ranks one step at a time, testing the emperor’s limits every single day. With every move carefully calculated, she keeps the entire harem in the palm of her hand. Even the ruthless tyrant becomes a shield she can use to protect herself. New women enter the palace, ready to compete for the emperor’s favor. But one look at the pampered consort nestled in the emperor’s arms leaves them all stunned. “She’s already this spoiled? What’s the point of us even competing?” [Things to know before reading] 1. The dynasty is fictional. To keep things simple, the ranks are: Empress, Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort, Consort, Concubine, Noble Lady, First-Class Attendant, and Answering Lady. 2. The heroine is greatly favored early on and receives the emperor’s undivided attention later.