Playing on Your Heartstrings

A female office drone dies unexpectedly and transmigrates to an unknown pre-Qin era, becoming Jiang Yan, an obscure young prince of the Zhou kingdom.

Along with an extra appendage, he also gains a family that's hard to describe:

His biological father, King of Zhou, bedridden for years and still refusing to die despite everyone's expectations;

His biological mother, the queen, who favors her eldest son, fled the kingdom, then returned in glory;

His perfect elder brother, the crown prince, seemingly gentle as jade but a pervert at heart;

His childhood sweetheart, whom he thought was his wife but is actually his sister-in-law, the crown princess;

And a pregnant fiancee whom his original self had fought desperately to marry, only to earn himself a cuckold's hat.

For a wage slave, what could any of that matter, as long as he can avoid work and spend his days eating, drinking, and waiting to die? All he wants is to cling to someone powerful and live a simple life.

So he tugged on Wei Che's sleeve and asked:

“Lady Wei, do you need a male companion? Why not keep me? I'm easy to support.”

Wei Che, a princess of a fallen kingdom and now the adopted daughter of the Minister of Justice, had a scar on her face and a bold, spirited air. Her only flaw was a heart of stone, hard as a rock.

“You? You're too frail. You don't look very useful.”

He puffed out his chest. “I'm still young. I'll grow taller, and I can work out.”

Wei Che thought he was a useless little dog, all looks and no substance, forever daydreaming and acting crazy. But this little dog was beyond her understanding.

Yet in this age of collapsing rites and music, anyone who wants to be a lazy fish can only become a dead one.

If he doesn't want to be at others' mercy, he has no choice but to give up lying flat. Reluctantly, Jiang Yan must press on, carving out a wide-open path for himself and those who share his ideals.

[Reading Guide]

1. A woman transmigrates into a man's body (female mind, male body). At first, he procrastinates and makes snarky comments; later, he grows and is forced down the path of developing the realm and vying for power.

2. HE, 1v1, two strong leads

3. Fictional setting, with a touch of an ensemble cast

Thanks to No-chan for the cover and to @CatWhoLovesBirds for the calligraphy.

[Completed Previous Novel] The Best Way to Punish a Cheating Ex

Getting dumped is no big deal. I'll go seduce his mother instead.

The son pays for his father's debts; love debts are repaid with love. Age gap, younger partner is sharp-tongued, older partner is chaste.

Theme: It's better to have something of your own than to rely on others. Even when mired in the muck, use the wisdom of a modern person to carve out a path to freedom.