The Stand-In’s Difficulty Level Just Went Up

It has been ten years since Qiao Muyun first entered the palace. For the first five years, she was the empress's understudy. For the next five, she was the late empress's substitute. Every one of her titles plainly included the word "like." The supreme ruler would often sigh that she looked seven-tenths like the woman he loved. Even when Qiao Muyun was gravely ill and near death, he still insisted that her sickly appearance resembled the late empress. Reborn, she stands once more in the hall where the palace selection is held. Qiao Muyun once again puts on a smile like the empress's, listening to familiar compliments and lowering her head shyly. The words that once caused her so much pain have become the password to a life among the clouds. This time, she won't just look seven-tenths like her. She'll look nine-tenths like her. She will become a consort, then a noble consort, and rise even higher. She will live to a ripe old age and enjoy wealth and honor. And she will avenge her own murder, reclaiming justice for the person she used to be. But as she diligently studies and improves herself, she discovers that the empress has several different faces, depending on whether anyone is watching. Does the emperor know? If he does, is this what he likes about the empress? Should she learn to imitate her or not? Why is being a substitute getting harder? P.S. This is an alternate-history setting. The heroine is reborn and no longer loves the emperor. The emperor will fall in love with the heroine later. But it will be too late. The heroine doesn't love him, so he doesn't matter. This novel still follows a six-days-on, one-day-off schedule. Saturdays are reserved for childcare, and any changes will be announced in advance. P.S. The blurb was written at the beginning. The substitute, the rise to power, and the emperor falling for the heroine are all in the story. But by the end, the heroine leads the entire harem in shunning the emperor... It just turned out that way naturally. Hahahaha, the scumbag deserves it. [Please read this, it's important.] If this kind of story isn't for you, please understand and don't read, flame, start arguments, or put labels on anyone. This novel is planned to go VIP on December 18 and will be exclusive to Jinjiang. Please do not reproduce it elsewhere. Theme: In the ancient imperial court, where people have little control over their own lives, hold fast to your heart and reclaim justice for the person you were in your previous life.