[The emperor discovers you having an affair with a guard. Enraged, he has you beaten to death.]
[The emperor discovers you meeting the chancellor in the west garden. Enraged, he throws you into the palace's punishment chamber. The palace attendants mistreat you, and you die of illness.]
[The emperor discovers your affair with the Prince of Dongping. Enraged, he summons the empress dowager, who rushes over and has you executed. You are dead.]
[The emperor discovers you fooling around with the chief eunuch. Enraged, he gets so worked up that he drops dead.]
[Grim scene unlocked: "Death by Cuckoldry." ]
Honey, honey, say something! You can't just die like this!
I haven't become empress dowager yet. You can't die!
Wait, if you don't die, how am I supposed to become empress dowager?
But you can't die now! At least wait until I become empress before you die!
[Achievements earned: "Heartbreaker," "Cuckold-Maker," and "God of Adultery."]
Zhu Yueying transmigrated into the palace as its lowest-ranking Beauty.
Unlike the undercurrents in the period dramas of her previous life, the infighting in this palace was far more vicious. Poisoning and beating people to death were done out in the open, while secret plots to poison and frame one another were endless.
Zhu Yueying fell silent.
She was bad at reading people, and couldn't beat a game without looking up a walkthrough. Her best friend had even said she'd never survive three episodes in a palace-intrigue drama.
She figured she was doomed.
Fortunately, there was always a way out. Her golden finger had arrived.
[Palace Intrigue Simulator bound...]
[Survive to the end, become the last winner of the palace intrigue, and rule from behind the curtain as empress dowager.]
[The Beauty Xie, who lives in your palace, gives you a plate of osmanthus cakes. You choose...]
[A. Eat one. Surely she wouldn't openly try to kill me.]
[B. Don't eat any. That's how it always goes in palace dramas.]
[C. Flip the plate and cakes into her face. Who the hell do you think you are?]
Zhu Yueying thought it over. C was definitely out, and either A or B could work. She'd take a gamble.
Choose A
[The cakes are poisoned. You die on the spot.]
[You are dead.]
Choose B
[You chat with Beauty Xie without touching the cakes.]
[Beauty Xie thinks you're scheming and will become a serious threat if you grow in power. She immediately goes to her cousin, Consort Hua, and twists the story. Consort Hua is furious and orders her attendants to drag you off and beat you to death.]
[You are dead.]
What's your problem?!
So I'm dead whether I eat them or not?
Zhu Yueying was furious. She decided to let off a little steam: Choose C.
[You flip the cakes into Beauty Xie's face and point at her nose, cursing her out. Beauty Xie is furious, but can't attack you without ruining her image, so she storms off.]
[Her maid wants to seek Consort Hua's support, but she stops her.]
[Beauty Xie thinks you're an idiot who acts without thinking. You're no threat, and there's no need to go to her cousin. She can keep you around and use you instead.]
[You survived.]
Are you insane?!
Kill them. Kill them all.
Every concubine in the palace dies by your hand. Ending achieved: "Poison Empress."
You join forces with eunuchs and officials to crush the palace in a bloody coup, install your young son on the throne, and rule from behind the curtain. Ending achieved: "Dragon Slayer."
You win the trust of the concubines, the respect of the ministers, and the emperor's favor through your "virtue" and "kindness," quietly expanding your influence in your own way. Ending achieved: "Virtuous Empress for the Ages."
From the day you enter the palace, the emperor favors only you. He spends every night feasting and reveling, neglecting state affairs. Years of drought bring the people to ruin. The rebel army soon storms the palace, and amid cries of "wicked consort and tyrant," you and the emperor die together. Ending achieved: "Calamity to the Nation and Its People."
Theme: Strive hard
