Matriarchy: The Top-Ranked Player Is Still Trying to Act Useless Today

Reincarnated into a matriarchal tragic romance novel as a throwaway assassin who dies as soon as he appears, Jiang Che has just one thing to say: “Whoever wants to follow this stupid plot can do it themselves!”

To stay alive, he turns to Yue Jiuyuan, the infamous hostage princess said to be heartless, loveless, and utterly merciless, whom he had just “rescued,” and launches into a passionate confession: “Your Highness, this humble servant has admired you for a long time!”

And so, he goes from a corpse about to be buried alive to the mad princess’s one and only “male favorite.”

By day, he’s a sickly, clingy good-for-nothing, warding off unwanted suitors and putting arrogant young masters in their place for the princess. By night, he’s the former number one on the Heavenly Slaughter List, forced to sleep on the floor in the princess’s spotless study. He plays his role to perfection, waiting for the day he can take his “severance pay” and make a clean getaway.

Then, on a rainy night, their enemies close in to kill them, and the woman he thought was a demoness collapses, poisoned.

Jiang Che looks into those usually calm eyes as they begin to ripple with emotion, and sighs inwardly.

Forget it. I can’t keep pretending.

He draws the silver thread that once struck terror into the entire martial world and steps in front of her.

Later, all of Xuandu is abuzz with the news: the powerless male favorite by the hostage princess Yue Jiuyuan’s side is actually Wu Chang, the number one assassin on the Heavenly Slaughter List!

Later still, Yue Jiuyuan ascends to the highest seat of power, ruling the court with an iron hand. At the victory banquet, with the officials gathered to offer their congratulations, she corners him against the wall and lifts his chin with a fingertip, smiling faintly.

“Jiang Che, didn’t you say you’d admired me for a long time? Then stay by my side and finish acting out this role for the rest of your life.”