After I Transmigrated, I Became Empress by Raising Fish

Chu Taoyao has the most beautiful face in Wangjing, and also the ugliest.

Half celestial beauty, half rakshasa.

Everyone says, "What a shame."

If she didn't have that half of an ugly face, her peerless beauty alone would let her soar to success and enjoy all the wealth and splendor in the world.

Chu Taoyao: The whole kingdom is about to fall. What good is wealth and splendor now!

Disasters are sweeping the land. A rebel army has appeared out of nowhere, capturing city after city.

The emperor's troops failed to crush them, so he decided to negotiate.

The rebel leader, Li Xiao, made one demand: "I want the most beautiful woman in Wangjing!"

In an instant, all the women of Wangjing were on edge.

Someone advised the emperor: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Who knows what kind of woman that upstart leader likes? Why not let him choose for himself?"

When a stack of portraits showing beautiful women's profiles was brought before Li Xiao, he chose Chu Taoyao.

Everyone thought Chu Taoyao would be tormented by that uncouth brute and wouldn't survive a day.

Later, Chu Taoyao became the most exalted person in the land, and they all had to prostrate themselves at her feet and look up at her.

On the day Taoyao was brought before Li Xiao, everyone already knew that the leader wanted to choose the most beautiful woman, but had picked a disfigured one instead.

Everyone was trembling with fear, afraid he'd kill her the moment he laid eyes on her.

Sure enough, as soon as the carriage arrived, their boss stormed up to it with a livid face and flung open the curtain.

His voice was full of resentment: "When you drove me away back then, did you ever think that one day you'd end up in my hands?"

Everyone: This is bad, they have a grudge between them! She's done for!

They didn't see how their boss's eyes turned red the moment he saw the person in the carriage. His gaze was burning and stubborn, and there was even a hint of hurt on his face.

[If she says the word, he'll turn the world upside down for her.]

[He's her loyal dog, guarding her, and a mad dog who'll sweep away every obstacle in her path.]

A scheming beauty with a golden finger for infrastructure building X a rebel leader with overwhelming martial prowess

A friendly reminder:

1. She doesn't rely on keeping men around her. She also has her golden finger and her own abilities.

2. The plot and romance are equally important. The male lead doesn't have particularly lofty ambitions; he loves beautiful women more.

3. The ending may have the male and female leads ruling the realm together, with the female lead handling politics and the economy, and the male lead handling the military. (This may be a bit idealistic, so readers who dislike that should steer clear.)

4. I'll add more if I think of anything.

Theme: No matter what kind of adversity you face, keep fighting to survive