Qingtang transmigrates into a hugely popular palace-intrigue novel. She is neither Consort Lin, who already rules the imperial harem, nor Beauty Yu, who has only just entered the palace and will one day become the new empress.
She's just an ordinary palace maid, one sent by Consort Lin to drug Beauty Yu and sentenced to death after Beauty Yu catches her.
As Qingtang racks her brains for a way to survive, her System finally arrives. Her only golden finger is the ability to gossip.
Qingtang: ...
Oh well, something is better than nothing. Maybe gossiping will help her dig up a brighter future.
As she keeps gossiping, Qingtang discovers that she's somehow escaped her original ending.
*
Qingtang even gets caught up in a feud between brothers, and complains nonstop.
[You drag me here first thing in the morning to grind your ink. Am I part of your little game? And you're still getting jealous over each other! Prince Jing is about to rebel!]
The Emperor: !
Prince An: !
Should they deal with the rebellion first?
When she learns that Consort Lin poisoned Beauty Yu and Beauty Yu poisoned her, Qingtang laughs in exasperation.
[Great, just great. You poison her, she poisons me, and the three of us all go down together while the empress reaps the benefits!]
Beauty Yu: !
Consort Lin: !
Maybe they should make peace for now?
The Emperor confesses his feelings to Qingtang.
Qingtang: ???
[Has that dog of an emperor lost his mind?]
The Emperor: ...Does Qingtang have any objections?
Then the Emperor sees Qingtang, who's cursing him in her heart, smile more radiantly than the sunlight outside. Blushing, she says, "Of course not. It would be my good fortune to be with Your Majesty."
At that moment, Qingtang's inner thoughts are: [**** Emperor ***]
The Emperor: ...
Theme: A brighter future will always arrive in its own time
