Marriage Alliance on Hold, I'm Taking the Throne First

Qin Die'er died on a snowy night in the northern desert, without a sound.

This was the third year since she had been sent from Great Zhou to marry into Qiliao. In those short three years, she was first married to the old khan as a consort, suffering endless humiliation, then taken into the harem by the new khan who succeeded him, where life was worse than death. It lasted until the new khan, for his own amusement, plunged a rusty dagger into her lower abdomen, all the way to the hilt.

Qin Die'er slowly opened her eyes and saw white mourning banners fluttering in a small, dim palace hall.

This year, she was eight years old. Her mother, a low-ranking and disfavored consort, had drunk a deadly folk remedy in the hope that bearing a son would improve her standing. From then on, Qin Die'er lost her only support in the palace and became weak and timid.

Qin Die'er touched her lower abdomen. The pain of cold metal still clung to her bones.

She reached for Consort De, who was favored but had no children, and raised her delicate, doll-like face. Her dark eyes brimmed with tears as she called timidly, "Mother."

This time, she would fight and take what she wanted. Whether it was her father's favor, her brothers' affection, or the love of men, she would claim it all.

She would make everyone love and cherish her, treat her like the apple of their eye. She would wield everyone's favor as a weapon against the merciless winds and sand of the northern desert.

She would never die far from home in the northern desert again.

Only when the wind and snow beyond the frontier once again cut across her tender, fair face like blades did Qin Die'er understand.

A man's affection and love are no more than sand slipping through your fingers, or the moon reflected in water. They are lies that shatter at a touch, the most worthless things in the world.

She would no longer seek anyone's affection.

She would make everyone respect, fear, and avoid her as if she were a poisonous snake. She would become the brightest jewel in the crown of power, and use the blade in her hand to cut away the fear she had carried from her past life.

She would make sure no daughter under heaven ever again suffered for someone else's false affection.

When Shen Yizhi became a palace companion, he once heard a bright, lilting laugh like an oriole from beyond the palace walls.

From that day on, he lived only for that radiant, brilliant princess.

He begged his parents to ask for the princess's hand, wanting only to spend his life with her.

But he could not stop the marriage procession heading north.

His princess died beneath the swirling snow of the northern desert.

What returned was a monster who toyed with the hearts of everyone under heaven.

ps: 1. This is the story of the heroine gradually awakening, growing, and becoming an empress. Broadly, she will go from a model student in a women's virtue class in her past life, to a woman pursuing her own interests before being sent on another political marriage, to a powerful minister, and finally to an empress. The plot has a happy ending, but as for the romance, all I can say is that the heroine gets everything she wants.

2. The male lead is a lovesick puppy who adheres to strict standards of chastity.

3. The heroine is not a good person. She takes the path of usurping the throne, and in the middle and later stages she becomes a ruthless political machine.

4. Growth takes time. Please don't scold me during the early part (which will be very short), QvQ.

5. A little personal note: Qin Die'er is the beginning of my worldbuilding about women holding power over men and men bearing children~ This story comes before The Princess's Consort Is Hard to Be, and is followed by the one about the child groom and my countless unreleased works~

2023.08.21

Theme: Face your fears