After Catching the Prime Minister's Daughter's Embroidered Ball

The main story is complete.

Gu Jin gets a steel rebar dropped from the sky through his head and goes from a promising young business upstart to a penniless beggar with no household registration, no home, and no wife.

He opens his eyes to a pitch-black, ruined temple and a horrifying start with half his body stuck in the dirt.

Begging won't keep him alive. After three days of gnawing on steamed buns, Gu Jin decides he can't go on like this. Drawing on his past-life experience, he starts from scratch once more.

Performing magic tricks at the Shangyuan Lantern Festival, first pot of gold secured √

Buying a house, getting registered, winning over all the beggars in Shangjing √

Fooling a sucker (not really) into investing and starting a newspaper √

Gu Jin works hard for a better life, step by step. But one day, while chasing a front-page story for his newspaper, he accidentally catches the embroidered ball tossed by the daughter of the Prime Minister.

Gu Jin, still dressed like a beggar at the time: "...Can I return this? Help, I need an answer ASAP."

The Prime Minister's daughter, who threw the ball: "...I don't want to marry a beggar QWQ"

*

So the plan Gu Jin had carefully written out for his future has to be revised to account for this embroidered ball that came out of nowhere. His life now includes the sweet and delicate Ji Wanwan, the Prime Minister's daughter.

Gu Jin, back then: "...Don't worry. Once things die down, I'll divorce you and let you be with your cousin."

Gu Jin, later: "...Let you be with him? I don't even know how to write those words." [smile]

Pairing: Gu Jin x Ji Wanwan

Upcoming story: His Majesty Is Always Getting Wooed

Shao Yi is the emperor of the Great Yang Dynasty, a master of letters and arms. Through his own efforts, he expanded the territory of Great Yang threefold, laying a solid foundation for the future Huaguo to become the nation with the largest territory in the world. History knows him as Emperor Shaowu.

In the third year of Great Yang, rumors spread that Shao Yi was violent and quick-tempered, peerlessly handsome, and disliked his empress, whom he'd married in a political alliance between powerful families.

So, on the once-every-three-years selection day, countless women who had transmigrated arrive, captivated by his reputation. Each believes she's the chosen heroine and uses every trick in the book to enter the palace as a consort, hoping to become Shao Yi's one true love and beloved white moonlight, and make a name for herself in the history books alongside him.

On the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first month, Transmigrator No. 1 sings a lilting rendition of Prelude to Water Melody and gazes at Shao Yi with tender affection...

Shao Yi looks utterly amazed.

Transmigrator No. 1 thinks excitedly: It worked!

The next moment, Shao Yi's voice rings out across the imperial garden, full of nostalgia: "That piercing voice reminds me of the crow my empress kept back in the day... Guards, prepare the carriage for Fengyi Palace. I'm going to see the empress!"

Transmigrator No. 1: "..."

Transmigrator No. 2 dances gracefully beneath the moonlight. When the dance ends, she sees Shao Yi staring intently at her. She lowers her eyes shyly, ready to accept the decree promoting her.

The next moment, Shao Yi says thoughtfully: "That dress looks nice. I wonder what fabric it's made from. My empress's wardrobe could use an update too."

Transmigrator: "???"

How did things turn out so differently from what I imagined?

Also known as:

#Everyone keeps trying to drive a wedge between me and my empress#

#What, the history books are going to record my daily life with my empress? Absolutely not. Such private matters belong in our shared tomb!#

#All those years we were misled by the history books#

A note for readers: This story was written by the author's cat. If you come across melodrama, absurd plot twists, or illogical writing [emphasis added], please scold the kitty, not the author QWQ

The new cover features the young lady, by artist Yingzi~

Theme: There are masters in every walk of life.