In the thirteenth year of the Shuhe era, the emperor passed away, leaving behind an orphaned princess.
By the late emperor's final decree, Grand Tutor Shen Qingyan was to assist Princess Yongning, Cheng Zhuoxue, in governing the country.
At the time, the Shen family was at the height of its power, dominating the court. Once Princess Yongning died, Shen Qingyan could take the throne without a hitch. But Cheng Zhuoxue was guileless, timid, and incompetent, and trusted him completely. She relied on him for every important matter of state.
Shen Qingyan thought it best to let Cheng Zhuoxue remain a puppet ruler for now. There would be plenty of time to take her life once the moment was right.
Then, in the fifteenth year of the Shuhe era, a shocking case suddenly came to light. Nearly the entire Shen family was implicated, and Shen Qingyan himself was thrown in prison and sentenced to exile.
He had thought Cheng Zhuoxue a lonely, helpless girl. Now she sat upon the dragon throne, looking down at him coldly as she personally marked his case file in vermilion.
On the eve of his exile, she came to visit him in the imperial prison.
The young woman's gaze was icy, her voice brimming with undisguised malice and ambition.
"The Cheng family's realm should naturally be ruled by someone from the Cheng family."
"The borderlands are bitterly cold, Grand Tutor. Do take care of your health."
--
Ever since Cheng Zhuoxue could remember, her imperial brothers had been ceaselessly fighting over the throne.
She watched it all with indifference, yet became fascinated by the dragon throne that thousands fought and clawed to claim.
When she was young, she once asked her governess, "Can I become emperor too?"
The governess was shocked. "Of course not."
"Why can my brothers, but I can't?"
"You are a princess. Since ancient times, women have not been allowed to become emperor."
Hearing this did not discourage Cheng Zhuoxue. It only made her more intrigued.
She was determined to sit on that throne and find out what it was like to stand above the rest of the world.
1. The heroine is the strongest character throughout the story. She's completely unhinged, and a master of putting on an act.
2. For much of the early and middle parts of the story, both the heroine and the hero want to kill each other.
3. Later on, the heroine forcibly claims the hero.
4. One-on-one romance, happy ending, both leads' first time.
5. A scheming, unhinged empress and a aloof, high-ranking official.
Theme: Hold fast to what you want.
