The Concubine's Guide to a Comeback

Please add After Getting Burned by Feel-Good Fiction, I Became a Workaholic in Ancient Times to your collection!

Blurb

Xiulan buried her father in the depths of winter, then followed the heir of the Marquis of Zhongyong into his estate. It was cold there, and within a few days her hands were covered in chilblains.

The heir was cold-faced, and his heart wasn't much warmer, day or night.

By day, Xiulan watched the sun through the window, hoping for warm spring to come soon. But what came instead was the emperor's decree betrothing the heir.

Xiulan was sent to a manor, where she discovered she was pregnant. She concealed it and asked to leave, but the heir coldly refused. He only added, "Don't worry."

However, at the old madam's instigation, the heir's fiancée made a scene at the marquisate's spring banquet. At the banquet, Prince Jin, the emperor's eldest legitimate son, recognized Xiulan as the daughter he had lost thirteen years earlier.

Xiulan returned to the prince's estate. No matter what the heir did, he never saw her again.

Prince Jin was framed and placed under house arrest, and the heir managed to get Xiulan out. Only then did he discover that Xiulan had a child with her.

It was another bitter winter when Xiulan returned to the marquisate. Her room was beautiful and warm, but her heart was colder than snow and frost. She never set foot outside.

The heir tried to take a concubine right after his wedding and was beaten eighty times with a rod by the emperor, demoted, and stripped of his title, becoming an idle young master of the marquisate.

Before his injuries had healed, the young master went to Xiulan's room and knocked. When no one opened the door, he crouched outside to listen to the child's babbling.

But the old madam said the offspring of a criminal were unworthy of a fine house, so the young master had Xiulan and her child moved to their old room. The child caught a cold that very day, with no doctor or medicine to be found.

Later, Prince Jin had his title restored, was named Crown Prince, and eventually ascended the throne.

In the warm pavilion of the princess's residence, Xiulan watched the early spring sunshine outside the window and slowly drank a cup of rich, fragrant pear-blossom wine. When a maid came to announce another visitor, her gaze turned cold.

"If he's here to ask me to intercede, tell him to give up. But the stable is short a low-ranking servant. Ask him if he'd be willing to take the job."

*

After Getting Burned by Feel-Good Fiction, I Became a Workaholic in Ancient Times

[A workaholic heroine who's tough in every way x a reserved, scheming hero who gives his wife ideas for how to "get" him]

Workplace expert Bai Xiaobai transmigrated into the tragic legitimate daughter of the marquisate, Bai Qingzhu, but she didn't lose her composure.

She had a dream-based golden finger with no discernible pattern, and an engagement to the sickly crown prince.

Most importantly, she knew all three thousand face-slapping tricks from feel-good fiction.

There was still plenty to look forward to.

But she soon discovered that the tricks were useless.

For example, when her concubine-born aunt saw her mother's "ghost," she wasn't scared at all and absolutely refused to admit she'd switched the concubine-born son with the legitimate son.

And with witnesses and evidence right in front of her, her grandmother remained as steady as a rock, insisting that her daughter-in-law had willingly handed over her dowry.

In the end, Xiaobai had her scumbag father severely punished for "disobedience," but nearly lost her life in the process.

Feel-good fiction, you led me astray!

Wiping away her tears, Xiaobai gave up on her fantasies and began building her career in ancient times one step at a time.

She thought 007 was too low-class, so she planned to play two roles herself and become an ancient-world workaholic.

Bai Qingzhu got promoted and earned a raise at the marquisate.

Meanwhile, Bai Xiaobai built a thriving side business outside the estate and made a close friend who always had her back.

*

At last, thanks to her excellent performance, Xiaobai earned the honor of attending the palace's annual banquet.

During the festivities, her cold and arrogant fiancé unexpectedly told her, "I have no feelings for you, but as long as you behave yourself, I will ensure you enjoy a life of glory and wealth."

Wow!

A signature line from the ultimate male lead in feel-good fiction!

Xiaobai's fantasies about feel-good fiction were reignited, but another ominous dream soon warned her.

In the dream, the damn crown prince became emperor, and she, who was supposed to be empress, was chewing tree bark in the cold palace!

Feel-good fiction, you led me astray again!

That damn crown prince tricked me!

Xiaobai was furious. "I'll risk everything and drag the emperor off his throne!"

Just you wait!

*

Her close friend asked, puzzled, "Why the long face?"

Xiaobai sighed. "Someone's demanding that I behave myself, and it's not easy to hit back."

Her friend's expression shifted from surprise to something inscrutable.

Then he came up with a plan for her.

Xiaobai continued diligently pursuing her career, and diligently going after that damn crown prince.

But she noticed something was off.

At the emperor's birthday celebration, the damn crown prince was supposed to marry a powerful general's daughter to form an alliance, incurring the emperor's suspicion.

Instead, he said, "I will have only one wife in this life, and she is Qingzhu." This not only cleared away suspicion, it also made Xiaobai's career prospects smooth sailing.

During a drought in the northwest, the damn crown prince was supposed to botch his disaster-relief mission and be scorned by the officials.

Instead, he strongly recommended the Bai family's well-digging method and promoted the double-wheel water cart. The officials praised the heir to the throne, while the family business gained both fame and fortune.

With bandits causing trouble in the south, the damn crown prince, who was leading troops to suppress them, was supposed to end up trapped in enemy territory.

Instead, he quickly put down the bandit uprising and discovered a "divine stone" carved with a bamboo pattern. A sage deciphered the stone's meaning: the crown princess-to-be was born with the destiny of a phoenix and would protect the dynasty for thousands of years.

Xiaobai spotted the signs and bared her teeth at her close friend. "Give me one more idea, and I'll become Empress Dowager early and reach the peak of my career!"

Her close friend, who was also the damn crown prince: ...

Theme: Always keep your wits about you