You Walk Right into the Snake's Mouth [GB]

(My next book is *Becoming a God, Starting from the Dragon's Nest*. If you're interested, please add it to your favorites!) Power-hungry Serpent Lord who seizes the throne x upright, crane-boned court official. False inner-monologue trope, prominent GB elements, multiple romantic storylines “Oh, sometimes I envy those fluffy little animals.” “They just have to hold a leaf over their heads and stand by the roadside asking people, ‘Do I look human?’ and they can earn a title and attain the Dao. But I can't.” “Because they only have to ‘look human,’ while I have to ‘look like a dragon.’” In the 59th year of the Dali era, the emperor died. Of her daughters, some were unfit to succeed her, while others were imprisoned. The powerful ministers at court secretly brought back the Sixth Princess, Feng Chilian, who had been raised outside the palace. The girl had not yet come of age. She was thin and delicate, her youthful face barely able to bear the weight of her ceremonial robes. Trembling, she clutched a palace servant's hand and drifted along as though she had forgotten how to walk. The maid who had cared for her along the way patiently supported her. She looked less like she was attending to a sovereign and more like she was watching over a beloved little daughter. Just moments ago, she had even heard the poor child's thoughts. [I'm so scared. They all say I can't leave the temple, or someone will kill me.] [This auntie looks kind. Could she be a good person? If I survive, would she take care of me?] Poor child, the senior palace maid thought. If my child, who died young, had lived, she would be about this age. She did not see the girl's pupils narrow like a snake's for just an instant. “I ate the corpse of a young dragon.” “She was so small and weak that her dragon qi couldn't suppress the deathly aura around her. She died before she could be brought to the capital to transform into a dragon.” “I swallowed her, and my body changed to look like hers. Look, don't I look a lot like a dragon?” “But it's not enough. It's not enough. Everyone in the world has to think I look like a dragon.” “Only then can I become a true dragon.” The Sixth Princess, Feng Chilian, inherited the throne and became empress. With a young ruler on the throne, the realm was uncertain and hearts began to stir. In the days that followed, the atmosphere at court grew strange. Many people discovered that they seemed to be able to secretly hear the current ruler's inner thoughts. [Waaah, those court officials are all so scary, especially the Secretariat Director. Is she going to hurt me? The Right Chancellor seems like a loyal subject who truly serves the realm. This morning, the Secretariat Director secretly impeached her. Is she planning to kill her first, then kill A-Lian?] [The Right Chancellor is so fierce! Where's the Secretariat Director? Director, come protect me, waah... I can't even speak without you... I don't want to be emperor anymore...] [Those powerful aristocratic families have always wanted to kill me. Only the poor scholars at court are still willing to speak up for me. I don't want to be a puppet. I want them to help me!] [These poor scholars are all up to no good, waah... Only the old ministers Mother left behind can be trusted...] Everyone at court showed their true, ruthless colors. The ambitious fought among themselves, making plans based on the voices they heard. Those with allies joined forces, and they pushed out anyone who might try to sideline them and seize power from the young emperor. Feng Chilian simply watched, licking the blood from the corner of her mouth with satisfaction. Once they had all been purged, she would be the only ruler this realm recognized. How strange. Why could all those emperors never manage to put their court in order, while she, a snake, could? Then, one day, just as everything seemed to be going smoothly, a ripple appeared. The Left Chancellor concealed a sword and attempted to assassinate her, but was seized on the spot at the very last moment. Those cold, clear eyes looked at her without fear or hesitation. “You are a demon, not a descendant of the late emperor.” Oh dear. “I originally thought I'd just kill him.” “But he looks like a crane. Back in the mountains, I used to keep a very beautiful crane.” “It refused to eat and soon starved to death. I didn't want to eat it, so I buried it beneath a plum tree.” “Now I have another beautiful crane. “I'll take good care of him.” Cover artist: Yaoyaoyao Character card artist: Tening Theme: Our fate is in our own hands