To Hell With the 100% Capture Rate Male Lead

The funny, sweet historical romance The Empress’s Record of Favor is coming soon. The blurb is below. Please add it to your reading list!

[Blurb]

Chen Ruyi takes part in a transmigration experiment called “Win the Male Lead, Guaranteed.”

Her mission is to find the male lead and do whatever it takes to marry him.

But she never expects that finding him will be easy and marrying him will be hard.

The male lead has his heart set on court affairs and pays no attention to her advances.

At her wits’ end, she decides to retreat in order to advance. She spreads romantic tales everywhere, claiming he would live and die for her and even eat shit to make her happy.

Rumors have real power.

That very day, he can’t take it anymore and sneaks into her room through the window.

They flirt back and forth, their affection growing deeper, and everyone thinks the two of them are about to make it official.

But then the male lead, arrogant and self-deprecating, openly exploits her feelings, destroys her hideout, and kills the woman she considered a sister.

All for the sake of building his career.

Enough is enough.

To hell with “Win the Male Lead, Guaranteed”!

She’s done trying to win him. If that means she can’t go home, so be it.

##

Later, she saves up enough silver to leave the palace and buys a little courtyard in the city.

As luck would have it, that awful male lead buys a little courtyard too, right next door.

What happens next is even stranger.

One morning, a light drizzle falls from the sky and somehow washes away the wall between their courtyards (?)

There isn’t a single brick left.

The male lead, perfectly serious: “Maybe the ‘rain’ was so heavy, it washed everything away.”

Chen Ruyi: “I don’t believe a word of it! I’m hiring someone to rebuild the wall tomorrow!”

The male lead, talking nonsense: “I’ve checked the signs. It’ll be windy tomorrow, so it’s not a good day for construction.”

Chen Ruyi: ...

Reading notes:

A versatile palace maid who is a martial arts master x a resourceful, innocent-but-dangerous Imperial Guard

An innocent, sweet little empress x a little emperor whose words say one thing but whose heart says another

Upcoming book blurb:

[The Empress’s Version]

The Empress of Great Qi is the Emperor’s sole favorite, but she has not conceived in three years. Word is that she’s been trying to seduce the Emperor again, hoping to cancel this year’s selection of consorts.

The news spreads across Great Qi like the wind.

The palace walls are high and deep, keeping the rumors from spreading any further.

The Empress, deep in the palace, knows nothing about it.

She has been troubled lately. In the three years since she became Empress, the Emperor has never shared her bed when he visits. Now she hears that he has refused to select consorts again. Could her suspicion be right? Could the Emperor be unable to perform?

This can’t go on. It seems she’ll have to find a way to test him tonight.

[The Emperor’s Version]

Qi Wei has loved a certain girl since he was young.

He loves her dearly.

So when he ascends the throne, he makes her Empress.

But her family has taught the little girl too well. She’s determined to be a virtuous empress, manage his harem, bear heirs for the royal family, and set an example for all the women of the realm!

She doesn’t love him at all!

She only wants the empty title of “Empress” that will let her go down in history and win everlasting fame!

In a fit of anger, Qi Wei grabs his little quilt and begins sleeping in a separate bed from her.

They sleep apart for three years.

Then one day, the Empress, who has never taken the initiative before, sends word that she has personally prepared a feast and wants him to join her for dinner.

That afternoon, he has just heard the Empress’s father bring up the question of heirs. Qi Wei is sure this gesture is because of that.

Perhaps tonight will finally be their wedding night, three years late.

Qi Wei is secretly delighted. After lighting incense, bathing, and changing clothes, he leisurely makes his way to the Empress’s palace.

*They are secretly in love with each other

Theme: Be brave enough to pursue the person you love