Blurb:
Rong Chen's greatest ambition in life is to live off his older brother. After all, his eldest brother is the youngest vice minister in the Court of Judicial Review, with a bright future ahead of him.
But things don't go as planned. His eldest brother is suddenly thrown into the imperial prison. The family tries everything to get him out, but to no avail. For the first time, Rong Chen hates how helpless he is. He knows nothing of literature, can't fight, and isn't an official, so he doesn't even have the right to examine the case files. How can he help his brother?
After staring at himself in the mirror for a long while, he decides his face is the only thing he has going for him. With nowhere else to turn, Rong Chen grits his teeth and makes a decision that would make his ancestors turn in their graves: enter the palace selection and try to sweet-talk the most powerful person in the land.
Unfortunately, he can't even get near the emperor after entering the palace. As desperate as an ant on a hot griddle, Rong Chen happens to meet a greedy guard in the imperial garden. In a panic, he pays a hefty sum for the guard to teach him how to become a favored consort.
Rong Chen takes his lessons seriously and feels he's acquired all the basic qualities of a favored consort. He confidently goes to pay his respects to the emperor, only to discover that the person on the throne is the very guard who has been teaching him day and night.
Rong Chen's mind goes blank. Damn that lying swindler, taking both his money and his heart!
Remembering that he still needs help, Rong Chen swallows his pride and begs the emperor to investigate his brother's case. Wei Zhiheng helps him up and reveals the truth: his brother was investigating the case under a secret imperial order.
Rong Chen thinks, Fine. As long as my brother is all right, becoming empress doesn't sound so bad.
Later, his brother goes missing, and Rong Chen immediately leaves the palace to rescue him.
A few days later, the officials at court petition once again for the emperor to appoint an empress. This time, the emperor doesn't refuse. Instead, he says leisurely, "The empress is away on official business. We should wait until he comes back."
Wei Zhiheng's side:
Wei Zhiheng finds a palace candidate in the imperial garden who brazenly declares that he wants to become the emperor's most favored consort, yet doesn't even recognize the emperor himself. It's ridiculous.
At first, Wei Zhiheng only means to tease him. Somewhere along the way, teasing turns into indulgence.
Watching Rong Chen clumsily learn how to be a good empress, Wei Zhiheng suddenly feels his throat tighten. Someone so full of life shouldn't be forced into the rigid mold of palace rules.
So he sends Rong Chen out of the palace, letting him investigate his brother's case himself.
"I'll keep the throne of empress open for you." Wei Zhiheng watches him ride away, then suddenly calls out, "But remember, Rong Chen, even my patience has limits. It should last until you're seventy or eighty, at most."
"I know! Stop being so annoying!" Rong Chen's voice comes back from far away, muffled and nasal.
Wei Zhiheng watches his figure grow smaller and, facing the empty road, quietly adds the rest: "I was lying. I can wait a lifetime."
Theme: Love can overcome any obstacle.
