[Qing Dynasty transmigration + inner thoughts + mind-reading + the struggle among the Nine Princes + Fourth Prince + play the pig to eat the tiger]
Shen Yao transmigrates into the lowest-ranking maid in the Crown Prince’s residence. She plans to save up eight hundred taels of silver, fake her death, and escape to Jiangnan. Who knew her inner thoughts would come with a built-in “broadcast” feature?!
With a master’s degree in Qing history, she knows how brutal the struggle among the Nine Princes will be.
Every day, she keeps her head bowed and pretends to tremble with fear, while her inner thoughts run wild:
[Kangxi’s imperial schemes are basically one giant entrapment operation. The Eighth Prince getting all those officials to nominate him is just asking to die!]
[The Crown Prince will be deposed twice sooner or later. The Crown Prince’s residence is a pit of fire. When will I save enough from my two-tael monthly allowance to run away?]
[The Fourth Prince looks like a lone loyalist now, but he’ll become Emperor Yongzheng and go on a killing spree. He’s dangerous. Better to avoid him than to provoke him!]
And so, everything takes an unexpected turn.
The Emperor of All Time on the dragon throne fingers his prayer beads, full of suspicion, and secretly treats her as an “oracle” who can predict the court’s fortunes.
Meanwhile, the usually cold and restrained Fourth Prince quietly shields her from attacks within the household every time he “overhears” her thoughts, even carving out a way for her to survive amid the bloody struggle for the throne.
Until one day, Shen Yao finally saves enough money to run away and happily plans her retirement in Jiangnan in her head.
The future Emperor, rumored to be merciless, pins her against the door of a secluded estate.
His jade thumb ring tips up her chin, his fingertip brushing her trembling eye. His voice is low and possessive. “Eight hundred taels buys fifty mu of farmland, and you leave me out of the rest of your life?”
Shen Yao is horrified: [Help! How does this living devil know even that?!]
