Beneath the Weight of Power

She was a discarded daughter of the Cold Palace, clawing her way to the pinnacle of power over a mountain of corpses. She secretly studied the classics at seven and planted informants at ten, rising from the dust to the clouds over the bodies of her enemies.

Betrothed by imperial decree to the legitimate son of the Wen family, she found herself caught in a game between the aristocratic clans and the throne barely after her wedding. He kept a mistress and showered courtesan singers with attention. When he tacitly approved an assassination attempt against her, her heart turned to stone.

The regent who had clawed his way out of a sea of blood and bones insisted on breaking into her cage and tearing away every disguise she wore. He placed the tiger tally in her hands himself and whispered in her ear, "I bet you’ll win."

She conquered the realm, yet could find nowhere to call home. Until someone staked his life on a wager and asked if she dared to trust him just once.

[Political Intrigue + Strong Female Lead + Equally Matched Leads]