[Liang] Do I Really Have to Become This Empress?

As the Celestial Realm's number-one beauty enthusiast, Jiuxiao Wenjun insisted that when she descended to the mortal world to undergo tribulation, she had to be reborn into a family full of beauties.

The Shanhai Mirror granted her wish and sent her to the Liang Dynasty, an age whose literary brilliance was the most dazzling in history, yet as brief and fragile as a meteor of warfire.

Only after arriving did she discover that although everyone on her side really was beautiful, what awaited her was:

A father preparing to rebel, who would rule as emperor for decades before losing the realm he had won for himself;

An elder brother who would drown young, bringing the court and the people to mourn, and leaving later generations to grieve his loss;

A second brother with a tangled past, soon to flee into Northern Wei;

A third brother, as desolate as snow and a brilliant artist, destined to die a horrible death at the hands of rebels;

A gifted poetess and dear friend, who after death would become a subject of gossip and bear a tarnished reputation;

A teacher whose talent would shine through the ages, but whose tragic fate would see him wander through three dynasties like a drifting weed, leaving only regret behind;

A frail, sickly god of war, unable to lead a northern campaign and ultimately dying in frustration;

A companion who would be stranded north of the Yangtze, spending half a life mourning a song of sorrow for the South...

In short, each of them was destined for a more tragic end than the last.

Little dumpling Xiao Yuling: I can tell at a glance. These beauties are supremely talented but terribly fragile. They need to be protected!

You lot, stay back. I'm brimming with martial prowess. I'll go first!

I'll punch Northern Wei and stomp Erzhu. Let's go!

As the bigwigs of the Liang Dynasty watched the little one insist on protecting them, they were carried along by her and felt both overwhelmed by her devotion and complicated about it:

Xiao Yan: Is it possible that although your father is a scholar-emperor, he once personally led troops into battle, slew his enemies, and routed the Wei army?

Xiao Gang: I may be an artist, but I commanded troops and fought in battle when I was young. I'm really not some useless weakling!

Wei Rui: I may be too frail to ride a horse, but later generations enshrined me in the Martial Temple. Defeating Northern Wei is no problem!

Shen Yue: I may be a scholar, but my family is a powerful clan of military commanders. We've never lacked retainers or fighting strength!

Chen Qingzhi: I may not be able to lift a thing or carry a load, and I can't even draw a bow, but that didn't stop me from conquering cities, taking territory, and becoming a god of war. A thousand troops would flee at the sight of my white robes!

All the grown-ups, roaring: Child, we're really not as weak as you think! We can help too!

Xiao Yuling, brushing them off: The battlefield is dangerous. Hurry back. I'll take you along next time, for sure.

Many years later, on the day Xiao Yan moved the capital to Chang'an and abdicated in favor of his daughter, he would always remember the scene from long ago, when he first sent Xiao Yuling off to war.

He asked, My daughter, your whole life has been one of privilege and peace. You were born with everything. Now that you've joined the army, what more could you want?

"I want this realm," she said. "I know this life is fleeting, like a white horse glimpsed through a crack, but I still want to carve my name atop this land and let it shine among the stars for all eternity."

December 20, 2023

Theme: Though the halls lie overgrown, the empty sky still reflects the heart