Please Ascend the Throne, Princess

Zhu Jiayi transmigrates into the body of the immensely noble legitimate princess of Great Wei.

She thought she wouldn't have to struggle in this life and could spend her days reclining in luxury. But she never expected to arrive at the dynasty's end. Disasters plague the empire, leaving the people destitute. Rebellions erupt everywhere, officials and local gentry are corrupt, factional strife is fierce, and the treasury is so empty a horse could run through it. Beyond the borders, foreign armies threaten with iron hooves, and the empire's forces collapse at the first clash. The dynasty faces annihilation.

If Great Wei falls, can she, a princess, escape its fate?

One look at the court, where officials care only about fame and profit, and the princes, all consumed by the struggle for the throne, is enough. Zhu Jiayi kicks them aside and decides to save herself: train a new army, upgrade weapons, revive agriculture, drive back the enemy, build waterworks, bring down the tyrants, redistribute land, establish new schools...

The princess's reputation for good governance and military leadership spreads farther and farther, and men of talent flock to her.

Seeing that her momentum is unstoppable, some court officials panic and remonstrate unto death: "Princess Ning'an is a wolf in sheep's clothing, ungrateful and ruthless. If she continues to wield power, she will rule as a woman and turn the natural order upside down. Great Wei's downfall will be near!"

Zhu Jiayi merely smiles. "I will command the power and the armies, and I will sit upon the supreme Dragon Throne as well. Just watch. If I become emperor, will this splendid land really fall into ruin under my rule?"

Xie Ciying comes from a family of scholars and farmers, a line distinguished for generations. He is the family's brilliant prodigy, graceful and handsome, and determined to make his mark at court and reform its corrupt politics. But just when he places first in the imperial exams and is at the height of his success, a beggar Taoist reads his fortune and declares that he is destined to be a phoenix. Xie Ciying is furious. He is no woman, so how could he have such an absurd fate? How could a man submit to another man, even if that man is the emperor? No way. But he is narrow-minded and would rather kill the wrong person than let a threat go unchecked. He regards every prince with a chance of becoming emperor as a thorn in his side and keeps his distance from them.

Just then, Princess Jiayi bursts onto the scene, leading her newly trained army to its first genuine victory over the Tartars, taking countless heads and shocking the court with her military achievements. While everyone looks on in confusion and regret, Xie Ciying volunteers enthusiastically to join the princess's new army: The princess is a woman, and if he stays by the side of this powerful princess, the princes won't dare demand that she hand him over.

But as he goes about his work, he begins to realize something is wrong. Princess Jiayi has unified the realm and become an empress...

The princess, however, is quite the flirt, showing particular tenderness toward handsome men.

On the day the empress ascends the throne, Xie Ciying drinks until he's tipsy, his face flushed, then grabs the newly enthroned ruler, whose aura is utterly commanding. "Your Majesty, now that you have ascended the throne and the position of empress is vacant, may I recommend myself?"

A plot-focused story set in an alternate history. The general setting is inspired by the Ming dynasty, with elements from other dynasties mixed in. Please don't nitpick the historical details. The romance is minimal.

Theme: Strive and become self-reliant