Why Did the Princess Rebel?

Chen Shan was reborn as the ninth princess of the newly founded Great Xuan.

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Her mother was the Consort who ruled the imperial harem, her father was the emperor who ushered in Great Xuan's golden age, and her maternal grandfather was the South-Guarding General, who commanded the army.

She had eight elder brothers, each one a virtuous, promising heir famed throughout the capital.

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But Chen Shan, still swaddled in her cradle, knew that

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the Crown Prince, on whom her father had placed his hopes, was frail and would not live much longer.

After his death, her other brothers could no longer keep up the appearance of gentlemen. Each showed his true colors.

Some caroused in brothels, some sold official posts and titles, some bent the law for personal gain, some took bribes and embezzled, and some even betrayed their country.

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Under their rule, Great Xuan would crumble and divide, plunging into chaos,

until, many years later, a young general from the countryside would lead a nationwide rebellion and raise the banner of a new dynasty.

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Now, as Chen Shan prepared for her first-birthday ceremony, she surveyed the objects laid out before her: brushes and ink, rouge and powder, embroidered balls and kickballs.

At the very front, she saw Emperor Jing Rui in a black dragon robe, the five-clawed golden dragon upon it fierce and imposing.

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Chen Shan toddled past the objects, taking her maternal grandfather's military tally in one hand and clutching the emperor's jade seal in the other, smiling brightly.

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If her brothers were so useless, then she would be the emperor!

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Spring, Year Four of Jing Rui's reign. Princess Chenyang was born. At her first-birthday ceremony, she took hold of the military tally and the jade seal in the palace hall. The emperor was delighted and said she had the bearing of her ancestors.

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Year Five of Jing Rui's reign. Princess Chenyang walked to the Hall of Diligent Governance and tried to climb onto the dragon throne. The emperor laughed and said, "My daughter is extraordinary."

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Year Nineteen of Jing Rui's reign. A great disaster struck Cangzhou. Princess Chenyang led troops to surround the Council Hall. The emperor agreed: if the disaster in Cangzhou was brought under control, she would be granted the title of Imperial Princess and placed on equal footing with the princes.

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Year Twenty-Two of Jing Rui's reign. Princess Chenyang imprisoned Emperor Ling in the Palace of Eternal Joy, confined her brothers Hong, Jing, and Xie, executed Crown Prince Changyin, and drew up an edict to ascend the throne, ushering in the Dingkun era.

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Records of Emperor Jing Rui, History of Xuan

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*The heroine is power-hungry, so don't expect too much from her morally.

*The author doesn't have enough material prepared, so the story will start a little later.

*The blurb will be revised before the story begins.

Blurb saved on 2023.12.01.

Theme: Born to rule, unwilling to bow to anyone.