The Concubine Rises to Power

[The main story is complete. You can save the author's next book, The Noble Consort Rises Through the Ranks, to your library.] In the thirtieth year of Yuanfeng, the imperial consort selection ended. Zhou Yun, daughter of a third-rank vice minister, entered Prince Xian's household as a secondary consort. With her captivating beauty, soft, sweet voice, and winsome nature, she won Prince Xian's exclusive favor. After entering the household, she earned a far-reaching reputation as a beauty who brought ruin, jealous and unwilling to tolerate anyone else. She only sneered. "What a joke! We're all His Highness's women. If we want his favor, we each use our own methods! Just because she's the principal consort, does that mean I have to yield to her?" "Being virtuous, considerate, and understanding is the principal consort's job. Since I don't hold that position, why should I shoulder her responsibilities?" Zhou Yun knew she wasn't a good person, and there were no good people in the prince's inner courtyard or the imperial harem. Kindhearted people had long since drowned in the well in the inner courtyard. A ruinous beauty · affected · petty · unapologetically wicked · female lead Content warnings: The female lead uses every trick in the book to win favor. No transmigration, no being reborn, and no thoughts of virtue or benevolence. A proper domestic-intrigue-to-palace-intrigue novel. The male lead favors her, but she is not his only favorite. He is not a virgin, so proceed with caution! Slow-paced! [Save the similar upcoming novel, The Noble Consort Rises Through the Ranks, to your library~] Synopsis: In the third year of Hanyu, the emperor held a consort selection. Gu Han, the legitimate daughter of the Rongyang Marquis's household, entered the palace by imperial decree. In three years, she climbed from Noble Lady to Noble Consort, and kept the emperor's favor for years on end. Gu Han knew what she wanted: wealth, splendor, and a thriving family. When new consorts entered the palace, Emperor Lu Yu most often visited Noble Lady Gu's quarters. She was beautiful and delicate, with a playful, coquettish nature, yet she never competed for his favor. Later generations all said that from the moment Noble Consort Gu Han entered the palace, she had always reigned supreme in the emperor's affections. Only Gu Han knew how precarious every step of her journey had been. If she had shown even a trace of compassion or hesitation, she would not have been the one left standing. P.S.: A palace-intrigue novel. The male lead is not a virgin. The female lead senses danger and strikes first. [Character inspiration: Ran Shuanghua, from Powder and Paint] Theme: Whatever your circumstances, proceed with caution.