(Coming to an end soon. Look forward to my new novel!)
[Regret and groveling|A tragic love triangle|Rivalry among men and a heroine adored by all|The heroine is not a virgin; the hero is|One couple at a time]
Yun Mei was once a beggar living on the streets. Until the Third Prince brought her back to the palace and kept her there for years, turning her into a beautiful pawn in her master’s struggle for power.
Blindfolded, she was presented on the emperor’s bed that day. It should have been a flawless scheme, but she ran into the eunuch director Liu Junwu.
The madman pinned her to the imperial bed. Ignoring her struggles, he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Since His Highness the Third Prince intends to send someone to the emperor, why not let me inspect the goods first?”
She bit her lip until it bled from the pain, but dared not make a sound.
If anyone found out she had lost her chastity, her master would kill her.
From then on, she was forced to play both sides with three men:
By day, she put on a happy face and served the emperor. At night, she was forced to meet that eunuch dog in secret. On top of that, she had to report to the Third Prince regularly.
At first, she thought she only had to endure it for a while…
At least she had fine clothes and good food for now, and perhaps she could enjoy a life of wealth and honor one day.
*
But as the days went by, she grew to hate Liu Junwu more and more.
She hated how casually he took the lives of those around her, and how he humiliated her in every way when they were together.
Worst of all, the two of them were cursed with a love-binding poison. It could only be cured by making love with him…
After their passion had ebbed that day, they lay together. Liu Junwu toyed with her dark hair, his tone teasing. “I hear the emperor is so taken with you that he’s lost his mind. You’re quite something.”
Yun Mei suppressed her hatred, turned around, and pretended to nestle into his arms. “You jest, Director. It’s just an act.”
His touch pressed against the red marks that had yet to fade from her neck. A soft laugh brushed her ear. “Good…”
“Remember, in this imperial palace, you can only obey me.”
*
Liu Junwu hated the Third Prince to the core, so of course he had to ruin this beauty trap. At first, seeing the woman who was meant to seduce the emperor now lying beneath him pleased him immensely.
But as he watched her grow thinner by the day, he felt an inexplicable restlessness. Especially when she was ordered to spend the night with the emperor: he stood outside the palace, listening to what was happening within, his fingers clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
He thought he might have fallen for her.
Since she wanted wealth and honor, since she wanted a peaceful life, he would place the entire world at her feet.
Liu Junwu began plotting an even bigger scheme. He secretly contacted court officials and bribed the imperial guards. Even the emperor on the throne was about to become his puppet.
But when the love-binding poison was finally removed,
the woman in his arms, filled with hatred, plunged a knife into his chest.
“Yun Mei?”
His eyes widened. His whole body was wracked with pain, but he saw her stagger to her feet, her skirt stained with blood.
For the first time, she gave him a genuine smile.
“I don’t want the world. I just want your life.”
#How to Satisfy Three Scumbags and Get Away Unscathed#
(Actually, there are six.)
Reader’s Guide:
1. Sweet, scheming beauty x gloomy, deranged eunuch. The male lead is a fake eunuch.
2. This is one of my unhinged projects. It’s delicious, but the heroine isn’t a virgin and the hero is, so read with caution. The heroine has six relationships and has been intimate with six men, one at a time (the men she’s been with are all assumed to be virgins).
3. The heroine is pretty easygoing. In the end, she loves no one. She has no heart and loves teasing people; she’s a broken-hearted, ruthless black lotus. The male lead is a fake eunuch and a true madman, cruel and ruthless at first, then humble and submissive later. Expect a rivalry among men, with everyone harboring unrequited feelings.
4. The dynasty is fictional, so don’t nitpick the historical details.
Theme: Independence and self-reliance, never depending on others.
