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Blurb:
The Pei family earned no merit in helping the emperor ascend the throne, but their outstanding governance won them the title of Marquis of Dingyuan. With a hereditary title that would pass down unchanged, they became rising stars at court.
The young ladies of the marquis's household also saw their standing in the capital rise, and many more families were eager to cultivate ties with them.
Just then, the Third Branch of the marquis's household became the subject of plenty of jokes.
The two young ladies of the Third Branch had lost their parents early, and the family's achievements and title had nothing to do with them. Yet they were wildly ambitious, hoping to marry even better than the marquis's own daughters.
The third young lady, Pei, was especially notable. Though she was less talented than the marquis's daughters and even less so than her own younger sister, she still wanted to climb the social ladder and outshine them all.
For a time, the capital buzzed with gossip, and people secretly mocked the third Miss Pei for being ridiculously ambitious and beyond her station.
Pei Huiyin picked up a chess piece, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
From the moment she decided to enter the game, she had never expected to earn a good reputation.
If you want to stir up trouble and draw attention, a scandalous romance is the quickest way.
Stepping out of the crowd and into the limelight was only the first step of her plan.
What she intended to do was not lose herself in romance, but clean up the imperial court.
She just hadn't expected that once someone latched on, he would cling like a plaster and never let go.
She had merely tugged at his sleeve a few times and said a few ambiguous things, and now he refused to leave her alone.
Reader's Guide:
1. Not a power-fantasy heroine, and she does not become empress. Not pure wish fulfillment either: she schemes her way forward one step at a time. This is not an outstanding political-intrigue novel, so please don't set your expectations too high.
2. The heroine is neither kind nor gentle. She has a sharp tongue, a ruthless heart, and a very high opinion of herself. She looks down on plenty of people, equally.
3. The heroine holds the upper hand in the romance. She trains him like a dog.
4. Entirely fictional setting, no logic, so please don't overanalyze.
Theme: Enjoy life.
