Ying Heyii is a princess.
She was born with a beautiful face and a poisonous heart.
Though she has always been favored, she has made countless enemies.
She pushed Crown Prince Ying Zhaoxi into an icy lake, leaving him with a chronic chill that still has not healed.
She poisoned the Regent Ying Shenyue's adopted daughter, leaving him white-haired overnight and unmarried to this day.
She fell out with Ji Yu, heir to the Duke of Suzhuang, and exposed his cruel treatment of his younger half-siblings to the Court of Judicial Review. After being punished, he became a very different person.
She used to pay no attention to what others said about her. No matter how resentful they were, they still had to kneel when they saw her.
But now she can't afford to ignore it, because she may not be His Majesty's biological daughter after all. One day, she fell asleep in the afternoon and had a vivid dream. When she awoke, she was terrified. She had become the villainess in a book, destined to die of illness after being confined, without even the consolation of a peaceful death.
That wouldn't be a problem. She could plot to kill them all and still protect herself. But then a Reform System appeared and threatened her life, forbidding her to lay a hand on anyone.
Because of the System, Ying Heyii had no choice but to interact with these people.
She thought a storm of bloodshed was in store, but instead they each pounced on her like they were fighting over food.
Scene One:
The usually dignified and restrained Crown Prince broke into her chambers late one night after drinking. The bronze mirror reflected the mess strewn across the floor and the dark look on his face. His tall frame loomed over her as Ying Zhaoxi pinned the struggling girl before the vanity, gripping her jaw and forcing her to meet his gaze in the mirror.
He smeared the pale red color from her lips with a rough thumb, then lowered his head and brushed his lips over the stained fingertip. Dark emotion swirled in his eyes, and his voice was gentle and hoarse. “Ayi is so wicked because Your Imperial Brother didn't raise you properly. But don't worry. From now on, I'll keep you by my side and teach you day and night.”
Scene Two:
The Regent galloped down the main street, his raised whip grazing Ying Heyii's temple and shattering the pebble at her feet. She had no interest in arguing with him and turned to leave, but the whip coiled around her slender waist and pulled her onto his horse.
The wind roared past. His iron arm squeezed her until she could hardly breathe, and he ground his teeth against her ear. “Little Princess, I told you. We'll keep tormenting each other until one of us dies.”
Scene Three:
Ji Yu clutched the scented sachet she had given him as a child and cornered her against the wall. His foxlike eyes still curved with a smile, but there was no warmth in it. “I hear Your Highness has been beset by troubles lately. I advise you to cherish the one right in front of you.”
After she slapped him, his true nature emerged. He gripped the back of her neck and pulled her close, his handsome face twisting with anger. “Just apologize. If you apologize, we can still be the closest people in each other's lives!”
Content warnings: 1. The female lead is the only one with no prior sexual experience; the male leads are all inexperienced.
2. The female lead is naturally cruel in love.
3. She only seems universally disliked, but is actually universally adored.
Theme: A time of rising ambition.