The Female Emperor's Courtiers [GL]

Blurb: She shared a bed with Empress Wei Qingyao several times, yet even when the opportunity was served up to her, she didn't dare turn the tables or admit her feelings. She didn't dare to love. She had killed the empress's birth mother, and even offering her own life in return wouldn't make things right. Once, she was the most formidable fighter in the inner palace, the top expert at the Empress Dowager's side. So what? Now she was still missing an arm. Once, she was an iron-faced female official who showed no one any courtesy. So what? Now she still had to start again as a junior official. Once, she was a peerless martial artist, a renowned expert of the jianghu. So what? Now she was plagued by illness and still suffered poison flare-ups. Once, she was as lowly as dust and too afraid to confess her love. So what? She still ended up as a subject beneath the empress's skirts. Though she'd gone from a supporting character in the previous book to the protagonist now, and was both beautiful and spirited, a talented fighter and scholar, and bore the impressive name Shangguan Shiqing, she was still an easily insecure bottom who looked like a top. At the end of the previous book, with no will to live, she gave up on fighting for survival. As she hovered between life and death, the Ghost Doctor fed her a Heart-Severing Pill that cut off love and feeling. Later, afraid of being tormented by her past, she chose to have her memories erased. So what? The empress had already laid out that trap for you. You can investigate the case at your own pace, while she watches you at hers. Don't think their reunion over a major case means everything will work out. Only when Shangguan Shiqing's true identity is revealed, and the grand scheme is finally brought to a close, will they realize their ill-fated bond is only just beginning. Would a certain Feng really let things go smoothly for them? No one can destroy the hard-won system of gender equality. No one can shake the rule of Wei Qingyao, the second empress of the He Kingdom. Rebels will be shown no mercy! Those who plot treason will have their nine generations exterminated! The realm is so magnificent, and its beauties so enchanting. She wants it all! A sequel to Beautiful as They Are, with the bonus chapters featuring the secondary couples. This story has an ensemble cast, and you can read the previous book for the characters' pasts. There will be characters from the previous book as well as new ones, most of them women. There is more than one secondary couple, but the story mainly revolves around the two female leads. I'll briefly cover the stories related to the past, so you can read this on its own without any trouble. Of course, it's even better if you've read the first book. It's a second-chance romance series, so I hope you'll give it a try. A Certain Feng isn't a popular writer with impressive stats. I've spent years writing quietly, just because I love it. If you're interested in browsing my author page, please add it to your favorites. I'm under the same name on Weibo. The Red Rose, part of my modern trilogy, is my signature work. Take a look if you're interested. The ancient-style trilogy was my first attempt at writing a series in that genre, and this is now a full-length series. I haven't decided what to write next. You can check out my upcoming works and add one to your list if you're interested. Please don't repost or adapt this story. Writing isn't easy, so I hope you'll leave comments and support the official version. Thank you! Theme: Optimism and hard work lead to success