The Empress Grows Arrogant on the Strength of the Emperor's Favor

[Not a palace-intrigue story. Historical romance, one-on-one. The heroine isn't a virgin; the hero is.] On the eighth day of the ninth month, the third year of Yuanzhao, the whole country held a selection to recruit eligible young women for the imperial harem. Yet at that very moment, an imperial edict arrived at the Duke of Rong's residence, naming the duke's legitimate eldest daughter, Song Mingyi, and ordering her into the palace. Everyone knew she had only just returned to the capital after her divorce. The Duke of Rong's family was an illustrious clan of high office, wielding great power and boasting a long record of military achievements. Their influence had even threatened to overshadow the emperor. Everyone assumed the new emperor meant to reprimand and intimidate the Song family. But no one knew that Song Mingyi and the current emperor, Lu Yancheng, had once been lovers. Later, she left him. Lu Yancheng had truly loved Song Mingyi once. Later, he truly resented and hated her, too. For the years after they parted, he deliberately avoided seeking out any news about her. He thought time could make him forget everything, including her. Until he heard again that she'd returned to the capital after her divorce. Only then did Lu Yancheng realize he'd been deceiving himself all along. Now Song Mingyi had to come back to his side and properly atone for the wrong she'd done him. [The original blurb was written on November 18, 2025, and replaced on January 27, 2026. Screenshots have been saved.] Content warnings: 1. The blurb isn't the opening scene. 2. The heroine isn't a virgin; the hero is. (They are both emotionally and physically faithful to each other.) The heroine and the second male lead once loved each other and were genuinely married. 3. More warnings to be added later. Theme: Live for yourself.