Ruling the World by Day

Born into the imperial family, Zhongli Wan was bullied because her birth mother came from a lowly station. She understood early on that

this world was divided by rigid hierarchies, where the strong preyed on the weak.

Those below were pawns in the hands of those above, ants beneath their feet. Their lives, deaths, fortunes, and misfortunes were never theirs to decide.

If she wanted to live, to live well and beautifully, she had only one choice: swim against the current

and seize the supreme power for herself.

Become the only one moving the pieces!

Then,

she would overturn the heavens and turn the earth upside down.

She would reshape this world,

make the strong bow their heads and ensure the weak were cared for.

Centuries later, in the annals of history, she would make them her most celebrated achievements!

*

At first, the great clans were haughty: She's only a woman. We'll use her to stabilize things for now, then figure out what to do later.

Zhongli Wan looked utterly harmless. "I'll leave everything to your arrangements."

Later, the great clans were terrified: We've already bowed and pledged our loyalty. Why must Your Majesty wipe us out?

Zhongli Wan remained perfectly calm. "Still don't understand? The very fact that you feel entitled to ask me why is the root of your unforgivable crimes."

As her subjects, their lives and deaths were hers to decide.

Even asking one more question was an unforgivable act of usurpation!

*

When she was young, someone told her: "The higher you climb, the colder it gets. The road to ruling the world is long and narrow. The farther you go, the less room there is for anyone to stand beside you. It's the pinnacle of power, and the loneliest place under heaven. Don't say I didn't warn you."

In old age, after decades on the throne, she took her heir's hand in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and pointed to the throne. Calmly, she said, "Power must be unique, held by one person alone. You may raise your parents, siblings, husband, and children to high positions, but remember: the highest place they can ever reach in their lives is where you stand now. Anyone who dares to take one step further is committing treason. Whoever it is, they must die!"

Reader's Guide:

1. The female lead is an emperor, intensely career-minded, and not a native who has been reborn.

She loves power more than anything. As ruler, she is wise and mighty, ruthless when necessary, and never hesitates when she must make a hard choice. She takes pleasure in everything power brings her. She is a born sovereign.

She doesn't merely want to be a benevolent ruler. She wants absolute authority, total control, and to be the sole one moving the pieces, with the power to decide the life and death of everyone under heaven.

2. From the start, the female lead has nothing but cunning and skill, so the plot progresses slowly and takes a long time to build. All the oppression is in Volume One.

3. There is a male character who transmigrates, but he is not the male lead. He is the female lead's golden finger, and partly a pawn.

4. A political marriage. No harem and no children.

This story has exactly two perfectly happy couples:

The Empress x the people;

The Empress x imperial authority.

[The people nourish her with prosperity, and she gives them an age of peace and plenty.]

5. This story has a mountain of original worldbuilding. It takes the Tang Dynasty as its model, while adding many features from other dynasties. Everything serves the plot of the Empress ruling the world.

6. No comparisons, no misleading warnings, and no extreme remarks involving gender conflicts.

Coming Soon: [The Former Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and Me (Ancient Era to Modern Day)]

After dying, Empress Dowager Chu Min Jing transmigrates to the world two thousand years in the future.

The realm is unified, the people have ample food and clothing, and the world is flourishing.

There are abundant resources, and women are treated with far greater tolerance.

Hot pot, barbecue, and spicy hot pot. Makeup, manicures, and wavy curls.

Her high heels gleam, her miniskirt sways,

and at last, her long, straight, snow-white legs can see the light of day.

Even when she falls ill and needs an IV, she can have two male models fussing over her at her side.

What a life!

There's just one problem with her status: she's wealthy and free, but married young, and was blind enough to pick a scumbag.

No matter. She can just get divorced.

But first, all the family assets must be hers. Without money, why should she let some handsome young guy get ten years ahead in life?

"The money is all yours."

Held captive in a strong embrace, she heard a man's restrained, hoarse murmur by her ear: "But I'm the only one who's allowed to live off you."

At first, netizens thought Min Jing had a fortune at her disposal but couldn't stand on her own two feet, and had ultimately let a wolf into her home. They thought she was utterly foolish.

When they heard she was taking her only son to a parenting variety show, nobody had high hopes.

[Who wants to watch a love-brained woman play the victim?]

But on the show, Min Jing told the first guest, "Men like women who obey them, but if you really do obey, they'll forget about you."

And the first guest got divorced.

To the second guest, she said, "You can't always be overbearing. After you beat someone with a stick, don't you have to give them a date? A mix of tough and tender is the way to go."

To the third guest, she said...

Netizens couldn't help asking the question on everyone's mind: [Sis, if you understand men so well, why did your own life turn out like that?]

The hashtag #WhenWillMinJingGetDivorced shot straight to the top of the trending list.

That night, Min Jing was late to a livestream program she was supposed to attend. When everyone went out to look for her, they turned a corner and found two figures locked in a passionate kiss...

Later, everyone heard that the Min Group, now among the world's top one hundred companies, belonged to Min Jing alone...

[So being love-brained means using love to control your career-brained side?]

Theme: Instead of blaming fate, take the initiative and fight for what you want.