A self-deluded emperor versus a fake heiress who loves money and power
When Emperor Yuan fell gravely ill, the fight over the position of Crown Prince reached a fever pitch. Prince Qing even launched a coup and fought his way into the imperial palace. But Prince Chen, Song Ji, who had been stationed far away in the northern deserts, returned with his troops and put a stop to the rebellion.
The princes most likely to inherit the throne had all died by Song Ji's blade during the coup, so it was obvious who would become Crown Prince.
The disgraced prince who had been demoted and sent to guard the border had suddenly risen to become the exalted Crown Prince.
Now that he'd turned his fortunes around, many people grew uneasy. When he was exiled, the ministers who had sided with Prince Qing and Prince Yi had done everything they could to bring him down.
Thinking of this, they felt their good days were over. The Shen family was especially worried, since they had submitted more memorials impeaching Song Ji than anyone else.
So, amid the tense atmosphere, the entire court waited gleefully to see the Shen family confiscated and exiled by the new emperor.
A month passed. They heard that when Miss Shen went to the Marquis of Yu'an's residence to plead for her elder brother, who had been imprisoned, she encountered a lecher. Then the Crown Prince, who had appeared from nowhere, kicked Young Master Gao, who had tried to harass Miss Shen, three zhang away. Miss Shen was unharmed, and according to witnesses, she was carried away in his arms.
Three months passed. Miss Shen entered the Eastern Palace. They said she had gone to the kitchen to work as a palace maid tending the fire, but at the palace banquet she appeared in full finery and became a consort of the Crown Prince. Not only was she safe, she'd been promoted.
A year passed. The emperor ascended the throne, and Miss Shen was made empress.
The officials of Great Zhou: ...Your Majesty, just admit it. You like her!
[Bonus Scene]
Song Ji sat by the window, motionless for a long time.
Her elder brother had been in the Dali Temple prison for almost half a year, but she still hadn't come to him.
One day, Song Ji visited the Marquis of Yu'an's residence and happened to catch sight of a familiar figure. He took a closer look. Wasn't that Shen Mingxue?
Seeing her obediently following a servant of the manor with her head lowered, he felt an inexplicable surge of anger rush straight to his head.
So she wasn't incapable of asking for help. She just wouldn't ask him.
With that thought, he strode into the room and kicked Gao Xing out the door.
Outside, Gao Xing clutched his backside and howled in agony.
Inside, Song Ji ground his teeth and said, "Shen Mingxue, have you ever considered that the person who can decide whether your second brother lives or dies isn't the Gao family, but me?"
After a long silence, he curled his lips into a smile and said slowly, his voice dark, "Since that's the case, why don't you ask me?"
[Reading Guide]
1. An imaginary dynasty.
2. Not a female-led story.
Theme: Reason comes after love.
