The Nine Dragons Seal

A Xiu's young husband left her a letter of divorce, ran off with a huge fortune, and took the money to go enjoy himself in a brothel. A Xiu went after him. Catching him was secondary; what mattered was getting the fortune back, because it could determine the fate of the realm. Tao Jing divorced the empress, not because he had no feelings for her, but because he was dying, and in her eyes he would always be just a subject. And not even her only subject. Everyone in her sight was her subject: loyal subjects, treacherous subjects, strategists, sycophants, powerful ministers, scholars, diplomatic envoys, close attendants, record-keepers, and those who served her in bed... It may be a little ungracious to run off right after climbing into the emperor's bed, but you were never gracious to me, either. Content warnings: The female lead is selfish, cruel, cold-blooded, calculating, and utterly self-important, even if she keeps these flaws hidden. She is also a bit of a mess in love, constantly wavering from one side to the other, and never devoted to just one person from beginning to end. The author is a little twisted and likes tormenting the male lead. All three male leads, good and bad alike, get put through the wringer, so please don't flame me... [The full text has undergone extensive revisions. Pirated versions are not updated in real time, so please read the revised story on an official platform if you can.] An arc titled "No Thoughts of the Past" appears in the main story, chapters 76-140. I recommend finishing the main story before reading the arc, or reading the whole arc first and then the main story, so the narrative won't be interrupted. Arc blurb: The little prince of Beiqiong is given by his imperial elder brother, the emperor, to the Empress of Xilin as her male consort. The empress is devoted to her empress, so the little prince is sent packing. Nine years later, their positions are reversed. The empress is toppled from the throne, then the little prince takes her back and keeps her hidden away in a golden house. Heh heh... Theme: Cultivate oneself, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.