Yang Liu'er was once the most celebrated courtesan in the brothel. One distant glance from upstairs had made the legitimate son of the Cui family fall hopelessly in love with her, and he bought her freedom to keep her as his mistress.
But the Cui family would never allow a brothel girl to tarnish their reputation. To put an end to their son's infatuation, they made her change her name to Cui Changliu and enter the palace selection as a daughter of the Cui family.
No one asked whether Cui Changliu was willing. No one had ever given her a choice.
She had already saved enough money to buy her freedom. She was so close to seeing her younger siblings again. Now all of it had become an impossible dream.
When she first entered the palace, the emperor disliked her.
That was all right. She didn't need family glory or genuine affection. All she wanted was wealth and honor, and a peaceful life with her younger siblings.
She served the Empress Dowager devotedly, and then she had a child to rely on. For reasons she couldn't understand, her rank kept rising.
She used imperial power to take revenge, and got a taste for power, too. No wonder the women of the harem fought for it. She'd have to fight for it herself.
When Xiao Chu Qian first met Cui Changliu, he felt nothing but disgust.
The Cui family had taken in a beautiful woman and sent her to the palace. Did they think the emperor was some lecher?
It didn't take long for Xiao Chu Qian to realize he was wrong. She wasn't just beautiful, but clever and ruthless, too. Anyone who crossed her met a bad end.
He couldn't help drawing closer to her, favoring her, and making plans on her behalf.
Before he knew it, she had become the most illustrious person in the palace.
Of course, Xiao Chu Qian was the emperor. He was surely first in her heart, and no one else could ever take his place.
[Little Scene]
Xiao Chu Qian: Why did you decide to make me boots? Wait, did you get my size wrong?
Cui Changliu: Your Majesty, don't ruin them. They're for Xiao Shu.
Xiao Chu Qian: (Sets the boots down and pretends nothing happened.) Goodness, I already have a pine-scented sachet. Why are you embroidering me a persimmon pattern for good fortune, too?
Cui Changliu: That's for the Empress Dowager.
Xiao Chu Qian: I'm a grown man. Why are you making me a cloth tiger?
Cui Changliu: (Can't help rolling her eyes.) Stop trying to take the children's toys.
Xiao Chu Qian: Don't I get anything at all?
Content warnings: 1. Harem intrigue. The male lead is not a virgin.
2. Neither lead is a good person. If you have high moral standards, this isn't for you.
Coming soon: The Concubine's Daughter Rules the Realm
Shen Wanzhu had lived on a country estate outside the capital for as long as she could remember, laboring alongside the servants. She might have had a beautiful face, but it wouldn't make the crops in the fields yield an extra bushel.
Still, everyone said Shen Wanzhu was the second young lady of the Shen family.
The Shen family had two daughters. The elder was dignified and proper, and had been chosen for the palace at a young age. The younger was peerlessly beautiful, but ill-mannered and sickly, so she had been sent to the estate at the age of three to learn discipline.
What a joke. She was only three and couldn't even remember anything. How could anyone have judged her character?
Then, one day, word came from the palace that the sister she called her own had miscarried and been confined. Only then did the Shen family remember to bring Shen Wanzhu back to their home.
The Shen family all wore false faces, pretending to have her best interests at heart. All they wanted was for her to agree to enter the palace and compete for favor on her elder sister's behalf.
Of course she would enter the palace and compete for favor, but not for some sister. She would take back everything they had owed her all these years.
Theme: Life is about striving.
It's too cheap for Concubine Qiao. Confusing the royal bloodline is just a demotion.
Pre-receipt of "The Concubine's Mother's Appreciation of the World", please collect it Shen Wanzhu has been living in Zhuangzi outside the capital for as long as he can remember, working with the servants of Zhuangzi. She has a hibiscus face for nothing, and the crops in the field will not grow a stone thicker because of her face. But they all said that Shen Wanzhu was the second young lady of the Shen family. The Shen family has two daughters. The eldest daughter is dignified and observant of etiquette. She was selected into the palace as a concubine early. Although the second daughter was bright and beautiful, she had bad character and was frail and sickly. She was sent to Zhuangzi for training at the age of three. What a joke. She was only three years old and didn't even remember anything. How could she tell her character? It wasn't until news came from the palace that day that Shen Wanzhu's nominal sister was grounded due to miscarriage that she was finally remembered and brought back to the house. The Shen family all wore a mask and pretended to be good to her, just to get her to agree to enter the palace to win favor for their eldest sister. Of course she wants to enter the palace to compete for favor, but it's not for any sister, she wants to get back everything she has been owed to her over the years.
The progress is really fast 😂 but the story is still quite interesting [Caidog]