The Perfect Minister Ascends the Throne

(Bright, resilient, sweet-on-the-outside princess who’s secretly ruthless x gentle, jealous, love-struck Crown Prince)

Female Lead’s POV:

Qin Huaijing, a top humanities student, was bound to a Worthy Minister System and transported to a world resembling the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. She became the only precious daughter of the Duke of Xia, ruler of the vassal state of Xia.

Along with her domineering, adoptive Duke father, she got a beautiful Queen mother and a gentle Crown Prince brother thrown in for free.

The Worthy Minister System she was bound to issued its main quest: “Help Xia unify the realm!”

Qin Huaijing: shocked face.jpg

Qin Huaijing looked down at her little arms and legs and her chubby cheeks, then asked in disbelief, “You expect me to unify the realm like this? System, have you lost your mind?”

The Worthy Minister System answered without hesitation, then promptly ran off: I believe in my Host!

What choice did she have? To avoid being eliminated in the struggle among the vassal states, to protect her parents and gentle older brother, and to preserve her peaceful life, Qin Huaijing had no choice but to roll up her sleeves and begin her grand work of assisting the state, dragging along her ten-year-old little dumpling of a body!

But before Qin Huaijing could enjoy any peace, the System tattled on her: “You’re not your father’s biological daughter, you know~”

Qin Huaijing was stunned. “Mother, you’re making this very difficult for me!”

The System smirked, teased her, and watched the show: “You’re not your mother’s biological daughter either~”

Qin Huaijing was thunderstruck. Qin Huaijing lost the will to live. Qin Huaijing gave up struggling. In the end, she had to shoulder everything alone...

As Qin Huaijing nervously guarded her secret identity and diligently assisted the state of Xia, she suddenly noticed that her Crown Prince brother was looking at her strangely. But what was she supposed to do when she was starting to lose control of herself, too?

After all...

They weren’t actually related!

Male Lead’s POV:

Qin Zhaonian had known since childhood that his younger sister wasn’t his biological sister. But she was so adorable that he couldn’t help loving her. And mixed in with that love were other feelings, such as... guilt.

After the fateful year arrived, his younger sister began to shine. She introduced high-yield crops and improved farming tools, advanced salt-drying and iron-smelting methods, and proposed making paper and ink. She strengthened Xia’s finances and power, leading the state toward a brighter future.

He still remembered that night beneath the dazzling stars, when his sister said, “I want our family to live in harmony, Xia to prosper, and the realm to be united.”

He still remembered that morning at sunrise, when his sister, dressed in the dignified robes of an official, declared without fear or hesitation, “The journey ahead is extremely dangerous. A wise man does not stand beneath a dangerous wall, and the Crown Prince, heir to Xia, must not be put at risk. As a princess of Xia, I have received the people’s support and should contribute what little I can to my state. Therefore, I ask to be sent as a hostage to Yin.”

In those moments, the stars paled beside her brilliance, and the rising sun could not match her radiance. Looking at the young woman she had become, Qin Zhaonian shamefully fell for her...

The Little System:

To help the world progress from a slave society to a feudal one, the Worthy Minister System specially requested outside assistance and found Qin Huaijing, a god-tier teammate.

But as the System worked alongside Qin Huaijing, it suddenly realized: how had its Host ended up ascending the throne?

Many years later, the Worthy Minister System, now upgraded to the Wise Ruler System, was asked by its juniors how it had managed to upgrade by such leaps and bounds.

The big shot Wise Ruler System took a drag on its cigarette. “It’s not that the System worked especially hard. It’s that the Host made us proud!”

Reader’s Guide:

1. The leads are childhood friends who fall for each other mutually.

2. This is a feel-good story about a powerful female lead and her career. The author is the female lead’s biggest supporter, and she won’t be put through heartbreak.

3. A heads-up, dear readers: This is set in a fictional world resembling the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It draws on that era, so it has an ancient-style tag, but the setting is fictional. The author doesn’t know much about that period and researched it while writing. Please point out any logical inconsistencies or mistakes, and the author will revise them as appropriate!

4. The female lead has an extremely powerful golden finger. Don’t read if that’s not your thing!

Zhizhi’s next story is a short fantasy romance. You’re welcome to add it to your collection!

A sweet modern romance!

(Childhood friends, a match made in heaven)

Sunny, adorable, flirtatious female lead (director) x sly, calculating, aloof male lead (award-winning actor)

Su Zhizhi grew up with two older brothers and was cherished by everyone. Unfortunately, after her adoptive brother Qu Yihan came of age, he gradually drifted away from her.

Luckily, after distancing himself from Su Zhizhi, Qu Yihan joined the entertainment industry and became a household-name award-winning actor. Su Zhizhi secretly made a fan account and became one of his fans! She thought she’d hidden it well, but everyone except the two of them knew she was Qu Yihan’s “big-sister” fan.

*

[Qu Yihan died today.]

[Waaah, I came to watch A Probe to honor my longing for him.]

[Waaah, checking in on January 31, 2026, to remember my dear Yihan-ge...]

Watching the comments flash across the TV, Su Zhizhi was so shocked that the cherry in her mouth fell onto her pajamas. She quickly paused the show and opened her phone calendar. It was June 28, 2024, and she had only just started her summer vacation before her junior year of college. What was that comment talking about?

Su Zhizhi angrily tugged at Su Zhilan’s sleeve and fumed, “Look, there’s someone here cursing Brother Qu to die!”

Su Zhilan followed the direction his younger sister was pointing, paused in confusion, then helplessly rubbed her head. “If you want me to watch Qu Yihan, just say so. No need to beat around the bush.”

Su Zhizhi’s eyes widened as she stared at the huge character “dead” on Qu Yihan’s forehead on the TV, sinking into deep confusion.

If her brother wasn’t teasing her, then she really must have imagined it.

But when Su Zhizhi tried to speak again, she found she couldn’t get a word out.

Oh no! Had she really seen comments from the future? Did that mean her Brother Qu...

Su Zhizhi: thunderstruck.jpg

My one and only, what can I do to save you?

From that day on, Su Zhizhi began her daily mission to protect Qu Yihan’s life by carefully watching the comments...

*

When he was nine, Qu Yihan’s miserable life reached its “climax,” only for everything to suddenly take a turn for the better when he met the little sun of his life.

After decades of being close, Qu Yihan began to entertain forbidden hopes. But how could someone trapped in darkness dare profane such pure light? In the end, Qu Yihan was too much of a coward and ran away.

Then one day, Qu Yihan discovered that the little sun he had deliberately pushed away was once again persistently drawing close to him. In that moment, the snow melted and spring returned. He decided he would never let this silly little sun go again...

*

“Brother Qu, they say online that nobody leaves a barber shop smiling. Do you think you’ll be able to?” Su Zhizhi, who wanted to dye her own hair but couldn’t bear to damage it, had dragged Qu Yihan to the salon to get his hair dyed instead. She poked him and asked in a worried whisper.

Qu Yihan looked at the dye covering his head, feeling a little uneasy. Trying to stay calm, he caught Su Zhizhi’s wandering hand. “They also say a boyfriend’s hair belongs to his girlfriend. Zhizhi isn’t my girlfriend, so why are you worried?”

Su Zhizhi was about to argue, but then she met Qu Yihan’s deep gaze. “If you’re worried, then you’ll have to become my girlfriend, Zhizhi.”

*

Once the crisis had passed, Su Zhizhi felt it was time to bow out after a job well done.

Unfortunately, just as she’d packed her little bundle and prepared to make her triumphant exit, Su Zhizhi found the door blocked. Seeing the tall figure in the doorway looking so dejected and aggrieved, she guiltily tossed her bundle aside.

Qu Yihan spoke in a melodramatically wounded tone. “Zhizhi, are you trying to leave me behind? I know my background isn’t good, and we’re not well matched. I’ve been holding you back...”

Su Zhizhi, who had been riding high, instantly caved. She hurried over and clung to Qu Yihan’s arm, then pointed at the big yellow dog at her feet, wagging its tail obediently. “Fachai talked me into it!”

Fachai: innocent head tilt.jpg

Qu Yihan discreetly glanced at the little bundle pitifully abandoned in the corner.

Without even blinking, Su Zhizhi continued, “Fachai was too quick and packed everything already.”

Fachai: “Woof, woof...”

No one knew that two extra cans of meat appeared in Fachai’s food bowl that night. One was an insincere apology from someone, and the other...

Reader’s Guide:

1. This is my first modern romance. Please point out anything that could be improved, and I’ll revise it as appropriate.

2. The author is the female lead’s biggest supporter. I’ll make anyone suffer except her.

3. The female lead has lots of golden fingers. Don’t read if that’s not your thing.

4. A sweet childhood-friends romance.

Theme: Grow as a person and shape your own future!