[The blurb has been screenshotted and saved]
Jiang Tingxian was pushed onto the throne at the age of six. Just like the name her imperial uncle gave her, she spent her days as a carefree ruler, indulging in food, drink, and entertainment and never bothering with state affairs. Everyone at court complained bitterly about it.
On the day of her fourteenth birthday banquet, Jiang Tingxian got drunk and passed out in her chambers.
She dreamed that her country had fallen, her family was gone, and everyone was dead.
Her ancestors formed a circle around her, cursing her as a useless emperor.
·
Wei Shu was the seventh prince of Wei, an unloved son with a bewitching beauty. Sent to Jin as a hostage, he was supposed to seduce the emperor and bring about Jin's downfall.
He had thought seducing a good-for-nothing would be easy. But just as he reached for the emperor's belt, the emperor blushed and turned him down with righteous indignation.
"My beloved consort, you mustn't! I have to work hard so the people can live in peace and prosperity!"
Then the little emperor spent the whole night diligently writing and reviewing memorials.
Later, he stood behind the little emperor with a dagger in hand, ready to strike. But the fourteen-year-old ruler pointed at a character in a memorial, eyes red as she looked at him.
She was on the verge of tears.
"My beloved consort, how do you read this character?"
·
Everyone in Jin knew the emperor had changed her ways and started handling state affairs day and night. They thought there was hope for Jin, but just a few days later, she began summoning the Seventh Prince Wei to her bed every night.
The old ministers shook their heads and sighed, convinced there was no saving the emperor.
Everyone thought she had become obsessed with beauty, but the palace attendants on night duty saw the emperor and Seventh Prince Wei at the desk, both sporting dark circles as they worked on state affairs.
After reviewing a memorial, Jiang Tingxian would hand it to Wei Shu to check. The once-arrogant emperor stood before him, utterly humble.
"My beloved consort, I used to be too fond of having fun and neglected state affairs for a long time. I don't know how to handle them. If I've made any mistakes while reviewing the memorials, please be patient with me."
Then Jiang Tingxian twisted the hem of her clothes in her hands and whispered,
"My beloved consort, could you... could you not smack my palm today?"
Wei Shu looked at the pitiful little emperor before him, blinked his captivating long lashes, and smiled.
"All right."
[Reading Guide]
1. One-on-one romance, both leads are each other's first, happy ending, no prophetic dreams.
2. The leads are young from the start: the heroine is 14 and the hero is 17.
3. The heroine is genuinely useless at first, but grows over time. If you have high expectations for the heroine and want her to be both wise and brave, read with caution. This is not a matriarchal setting, just a woman who happens to be emperor.
4. The hero isn't exactly a father figure, more like a boyfriend with a big-sister vibe: he finds her annoying in private but protects her fiercely from others. The heroine is like a son, a spoiled young rascal.
Theme: A prodigal who turns over a new leaf is worth more than gold.
