After Being Banished from the Eastern Palace, I Helped the Second Prince Claim the Throne

Li Shanyong's story ends here. Later this year, I'll start a new novel, The Emperor's Tagalong: Why Is He Coming After Me? Come and flirt with me, Your Majesty. The new book's title may change. Its blurb is below this novel's blurb. If it sounds like your kind of story, click the author's profile in the upper right to pre-order it.

Novel blurb: [A female strategist who governs the realm x a prince who has only ever been fooled by one person]

Li Shanyong is beautiful, clever, and never lets anyone take advantage of her. Even after becoming a palace servant in the women's quarters, she refuses to bow her head. She talks back to anyone who looks down on her and hits anyone who bullies her. As for anyone who tries to outsmart her... Ha! Anyone capable of that hasn't even been born yet!

After turning her fortunes around and becoming an official in the Eastern Palace, she devotes herself to supporting the crown prince and scheming to suppress the second prince, Prince Xiang, Meng Tian, hoping to secure a high-ranking position and a generous reward for helping him ascend the throne.

But what kind of man is Prince Xiang? He's skilled in both letters and arms, deeply favored by the emperor, thin-skinned, and short-tempered. Anyone who dares plot against him will have their bones broken. Sure enough, after some time, she runs into a bit of a problem...

Maid: "Lady Official Li, this is the nine-link puzzle Prince Xiang sent." "This is the clay doll he sent." "This is the peach blossom pastry he sent."

Li Shanyong narrows her eyes: Prince Xiang... is something wrong with him???

No one at court can guess why Prince Xiang suddenly asked to be sent to his fief, giving up the crown prince's position that was practically his for the taking. When they discover that he took with him the beautiful female official expelled from the Eastern Palace, they finally understand, cursing the beautiful temptress for ruining him and warning their own sons not to let lust destroy their bright futures.

A few years later, under the governance of Princess Consort Li Shanyong, that poor, barren backwater has become the wealthiest and most powerful fiefdom in the realm. Meanwhile, the Eastern Palace is mired in a succession struggle, teetering on the brink of collapse.

The young heirs of the great houses grumble: "You call that ruining your future? Can't I ruin mine like that too?"

At his enthronement ceremony, Meng Tian takes Li Shanyong's hand and solemnly declares to the officials, who are crying out their congratulations: "This realm belongs to the empress and me!"

Standing beside him, Li Shanyong lifts her head to accept the officials' greetings, then secretly hooks her little finger around his sleeve and smiles. "Who wants to be your empress? I'm a strategist who governs the realm!"

The main focus is on career. At first, the heroine builds her career on her own. Later, she and the hero work together, complementing and fulfilling each other.

Romance is secondary. The heroine marries first and falls in love later; the hero falls in love first and marries later. The one who is loved has no fear.

Reason for entering the competition: Growth is not only a sprout emerging and flourishing, but also having the ambition to soar into the heavens. Wisdom, insight, and the ability to plan for every eventuality are Li Shanyong's natural gifts. But only when she uses them to obtain all she desires and make up for every regret do those gifts reach their purpose.

New novel blurb: [A beauty-struck female chancellor x a founding emperor overflowing with charm] [After unifying the realm, I got my happily ever after with my handsome liege]

After a lifetime of strategy and victory, female chancellor Liang Yiqing finally helps her liege unify the realm and found a new dynasty. With a rare moment of free time, she reads a romance novel. That night, she has a strange dream: she's become the emperor's scapegoat, taking all the palace's overt and covert attacks in place of the novel's delicate, sweet heroine, the emperor's true love.

Chancellor Liang, bored by the loneliness of invincibility: How thrilling!

With her hard-won skills from conquering the realm, Liang Yiqing whips the entire imperial harem into shape. Just as she's starting to find it dull, she suddenly notices the pitiful third prince, trembling in a corner. How did he get so handsome?

Xu Tongshu, who has spent half his life on the battlefield before unifying the realm and founding a dynasty, has a strange dream one night. In it, he's a down-and-out third prince under a foolish emperor.

He's about to draw his saber and hack apart the cruel lackey bullying him when Lady Liang, rumored to have had an improper relationship with his father, appears out of nowhere. She not only saves him, but lifts his chin playfully and says, "Third Prince, you're awfully handsome!"

Her expression, tone, and manner are just like those of his own Chancellor Liang when she flirts with people outside the palace.

Xu Tongshu decisively slides his half-drawn saber back into its sheath, raises his eyes shyly, and reveals a pair of sparkling doe eyes. "Thank you for saving my life, beautiful sister."

Oh my! Chancellor Liang, who has a weakness for this sort, feels her heart melt at once.

The strange dream continues for months. Chancellor Liang attends court and assists with state affairs by day, then dreams of meeting the third prince and falling in love by night. Her days are blissful as a god's.

Still, she can't help wondering why the emperor, who plans to kill the hound once the rabbits are caught, has started looking at her so strangely.

Suspicious, Liang Yiqing tentatively calls out, "Third Prince?"

"Yes!" Xu Tongshu answers with practiced ease. Then he realizes he's accidentally blown his cover, instantly changes his expression, clutches his chest, and reproaches her in anguish: "So it really was you! It's all because my imperial authority is too weak that you, Chancellor Liang, dare to take such liberties and flirt with me!"

Thinking of how she'd "taken such liberties" with the pitiful third prince in the dream, then looking at the wise and mighty emperor before her, Liang Yiqing feels her ears grow hot.

After finally achieving his heart's desire, the emperor draws Chancellor Liang into his arms and whispers in her ear: "If you feel guilty, become my empress. I'll let you take liberties with me all you want!"

Theme: Heartwarming, passionate growth and a love between equals