Get Up, Honey, It's Time to Grind

Ye Tian was forced to marry the Fifth Prince, Xia Jiangli, as a fool, to bring him good fortune.

Rumor had it that the Fifth Prince was lame and impotent.

On their wedding night, Xia Jiangli said, "Once I achieve my great ambitions, I will set you free."

Ye Tian blinked, looking utterly aggrieved. "Your wife will never let you down in this life, my lord. Please don't send me away."

In her heart: I want to cling to you and live the easy life, but you're kicking me out to wander the world?

Xia Jiangli's heart melted completely.

A year later, after losing the battle for the throne, the foolish wife Ye Tian narrowly escaped prison.

On the night before his execution, Ye Tian visited him in prison, carrying Dongpo pork, Wansan pork knuckle, and plum wine she'd brewed herself after their wedding the previous winter.

Xia Jiangli had grown so thin he was barely recognizable. He took the plum wine, tilted his head back, and drained it. Looking dispirited and full of remorse, he said, "Everyone knows you're a fool, so you couldn't possibly have taken part in the struggle for the throne. I've begged Father Emperor to spare your life. After, after I die, go wherever you like. Just don't stay in the imperial capital."

Ye Tian grabbed the Dongpo pork and shoved it fiercely into Xia Jiangli's mouth. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Hubby, eat up, get back on your feet, and we can keep grinding!"

The next day, his execution turned into imprisonment.

The day after that, imprisonment turned into a retrial.

Half a month later, the Fifth Prince, Xia Jiangli, was acquitted and released.

At midnight, Ye Tian sat by candlelight, biting the tip of her pen, her mouth full of ink. The paper on her desk was covered in densely packed mind maps. She muttered, "Who should fill the vacancy for Minister of Revenue?"

Unable to figure it out, Ye Tian turned and jabbed the pen into the sleeping Xia Jiangli, waking him up. "Hubby, stop sleeping. Get up and grind. It's time to fight for the throne!"

Later, Xia Jiangli ascended the throne as emperor in the name of legitimacy, and Ye Tian became empress.

Rumor had it that the current empress was both foolish and lazy.

Xia Jiangli: ...

Theme: If you want a good life, you'd better work hard!