The Princess Sent to Marry Doesn't Want to Compete for Favor

Xi Gu Zeze was the apple of the Ximan king's eye. With bright eyes, pearly teeth, and a sweet, charming face, she was treasured by the people of her homeland like a national treasure.

At a time when unrest rocked the borders of the great Central Plains, the king of Ximan sent troops to help. The emperor of the Central Plains was able to put down the rebellion. To strengthen ties between the two countries and curry favor with the emperor, the Central Plains envoy proposed a political marriage to the Ximan king. He did not want to send his only daughter far away, and Xi Gu Zeze had initially scoffed at entering the palace as a consort. But the envoy made the Central Plains and its emperor sound so wonderful that, out of curiosity, she agreed to the marriage. Before she left, the Ximan king told her that she could come home once she had had enough of her adventure. Ximan would always be her strongest support.

With her backing secured, Xi Gu Zeze entered the palace without a worry. Out of respect for Ximan, the emperor of the Central Plains made her a Zhaoyi. Knowing he wouldn't dare make a move against the country behind her, Xi Gu Zeze began throwing her weight around in the imperial harem, doing as she pleased. The other consorts were furious, but none dared speak up.

The princess of Ximan had been in the palace for some time. The emperor had heard all about her misdeeds from the other consorts, but had yet to meet her. Unlike the usual consorts, this princess made no attempt to compete for his favor, which only made him more curious about the girl.

One day, the emperor heard that the princess was eating an iced dessert in the empress's chambers. He went to see what the foreign princess who had made such a mess of his harem looked like, only to find a petite, adorable girl who seemed utterly harmless. At thirty, the emperor, who had always prided himself on being immune to feminine charms, finally understood love at first sight. From then on, he went out of his way to win the girl's affection, giving her whatever she wanted and letting her wreak havoc in the harem. As long as she didn't get out of his reach, he was happy to let her do as she pleased.

Xi Gu Zeze found the affection of this powerful, wise, and handsome emperor a real nuisance. She had only come to the Central Plains for fun; she had never planned to become the emperor's favored consort. Yet she couldn't escape his affections. The favor everyone else fought for was something she wanted to avoid. What the girl didn't know was that the more she tried to avoid him, the more obsessed with her the emperor became.

Later, she lounged like a cat with her head on the emperor's lap, eating tribute grapes as she spoke her mind without a care: "I'm a foreigner, so I can't become empress. Any children I have can't inherit the throne either. Why should I bother? When I get tired of playing, I'll go home and keep being a princess."

The emperor's eyes darkened. He gripped her chin and said, "Now that you're my Imperial Noble Consort, you still think you can go home and be a princess, hmm?"

Content warning: Big age gap! The emperor isn't a virgin and is a real scoundrel. He has other consorts, but no true love. Strictly speaking, the heroine is his first love. She's doted on by everyone. It's all sweetness, thrills, and pampering, so don't worry about the rest _(:з"∠)_

Theme: Only sincerity can move someone's heart.