Marrying Again to Become Empress

A self-conquering type of male lead who often makes domineering declarations but is extremely protective of the heroine, with an emperor's bearing.

A beautiful heroine who seems cool on the surface but is actually full of vitality.

[Emperor's Version]

The new emperor was born into the prominent Yuan clan of Hedong. At twenty-two, he raised an army to overthrow the last emperor's tyrannical rule. After years of warfare, he ascended the throne at just thirty-four. His wife had died young, leaving him with only one son. With the imperial harem empty, noble families and powerful clans eagerly vied to provide candidates for the new dynasty's first selection of palace consorts.

Emperor Qianyuan passed by the consorts' quarters and decided to take a look at the daughter of Grand Secretary Gao.

The Gao family was the foremost of the noble clans, a distinguished house of scholars and officials. Half the scholars in the realm were said to be their followers. By rights, the Gao daughter was the most suitable choice for empress. Rumor had it that the second Gao daughter was so beautiful she rivaled Xishi of Eastern Wu, and none of the hundreds of consorts could compare.

Yuan Wang glanced at her through the trees and thought the Gao daughter was nothing special. She was beautiful, to be sure, but only on the surface.

Instead, he noticed a lively young woman tucked away in an inconspicuous corner, nibbling away at dried meat. She reminded him of a calico cat he'd kept as a child.

"Whose daughter is that?"

Following the emperor's gaze, a palace attendant replied, "She is the eldest daughter of Grand Academician Cui. Her name is Xue Chao."

The Cui family...

Yuan Wang recalled the records of the consorts' backgrounds and knew that, given her qualifications, this woman was suited only to one of his ministers.

He hadn't expected her to be so ambitious as to insist on entering the palace, going to great lengths to catch his attention.

Yuan Wang scoffed inwardly. He happened to need someone to keep the Gao woman in check. Since she had presented herself, he might as well go along with it.

But before the decree was issued, Yuan Wang discovered that the Cui woman was playing both sides. She was trying to become a consort while also clinging to the Marquis of Anyong as a backup plan.

What a cunning move!

Yuan Wang ground his teeth in anger and exposed her scheming face to her. "The Marquis of Anyong is one of my most trusted ministers and has rendered outstanding service to the court. Give up on that idea!"

Even after leaving her with those harsh words, Yuan Wang still couldn't rest easy.

Unable to sleep at night, and unwilling to let one of his ministers be deceived by the Cui woman, he had no choice but to bring her into the imperial harem.

It was just a matter of rank...

The Gao family had been acting up lately, relying on their power. It was time to put them in their place.

"The Cui woman is gifted and virtuous, refined and wise, and has won my favor. I hereby name her empress."

The news spread beyond the palace walls, and the entire capital erupted!

[Xue Chao's Version]

After her divorce, Cui Xue Chao was living a quiet life on the outskirts of the capital when, by a twist of fate, she ended up on the list of candidates for the new emperor's selection of consorts.

Her father, the second Grand Secretary, told her to settle for marrying a general. "The imperial harem is a dangerous place! With your temperament, you'll be named a consort at dawn and dead in a dry well by dusk."

Cui Xue Chao glanced at her younger sister, whose eyes were full of ambition, and felt her father had given his warning to the wrong daughter.

Rumor had it that the new emperor, who had fought his way into the capital, was sinister and cold-hearted. He had once shot and killed his own parents without so much as blinking. Such a man was certainly no ideal match.

At the palace banquet, the refined and elegant Marquis of Anyong, with his gentle smile, seemed like a suitable husband. Cui Xue Chao carefully arranged to meet him in a secluded place.

But the one who arrived was the sinister and ruthless new emperor. His voice was cold as ice as he looked her up and down with scorn, making her face go pale. "You're getting greedy, reaching for Shu after obtaining Long. You want to be the Marquis of Anyong's wife? Give up on that idea!"

Reaching for Shu... she could understand that much...

But obtaining Long... where was Long?

The new emperor was imposing even when calm, his presence as sharp and cold as a blade. He stood motionless right in front of Cui Xue Chao.

Cui Xue Chao was completely baffled. If she remembered correctly, she had only met the new emperor three times, and each meeting had been brief...?

[Content Warnings]

* The male lead is not sexually inexperienced and has a child. The heroine has been married before, for reasons explained in the story (additional clarification added on May 19).

The second-marriage premise is not meant to highlight the male lead's devotion or diminish the heroine's social standing. It instead highlights the heroine's resilience and free-spirited growth through troubled times. The heroine is sexually inexperienced, but this is absolutely not meant to suggest that only a pure and chaste woman deserves a man. On the contrary, the male lead goes from arrogance to understanding as he learns the heroine has been married before. This develops their relationship, while also showing that he feels unworthy of her because he has a child of his own.

I respect readers who prefer both leads to be sexually inexperienced. This story is based on the idea that two adults with their own pasts will cherish each other more when they come together.

If you can't accept this, please leave politely and read something with the premise you prefer. This is simply how this story is written. There's no need to comment that the author is making excuses. If you haven't even finished the free chapters, don't leave a review! If you've been told not to read it and still leave a comment, that's hard to understand!

* A lighthearted style. Comments are welcome, but please don't attack anyone. Everything said in the story comes from its characters and plot, not the author's personal views.

* Check out my upcoming story: The Noble Consort's Abduction, a possessive love story featuring a mad prince.

Theme: Learning changes your fate.