The Noble Lady Only Wants to Be a Powerful Minister

Qi Yan was once the foremost female strategist of Jing. With her help, Prince Yi ascended the throne.

After countless hardships, on the day he finally achieved his goal, Shao Yiming, now the new ruler of Jing, sincerely repaid her with two grand gifts:

The extermination of the Qi clan, and the position of Queen of Jing.

On the day of the execution, torrential rain washed away the pool of blood formed by her kinsmen's lives.

Qi Yan, however, was imprisoned in the palace, forced to listen as the new King of Jing told her over and over that he had done it all because he loved her.

Qi Yan found it utterly absurd, and finally realized what kind of vicious, obsessive wolf she had raised.

She would have her revenge, or die trying.

Though trapped and restrained at every turn, she soon found herself a capable new ally.

Although this new ally seemed to be someone she had grievously offended in the past, these were turbulent times, and she could offer enough to win anyone over.

At first, in the eyes of Min Yu, the heir of the fallen state of Xiang, the rift between the King of Jing and his strategist was little more than a curious tale. Qi Yan was willing to help him restore his state, and working together would be a fitting way to honor their old acquaintance.

But as time went on, he began to feel more and more unwilling to accept the situation.

Miss Qi had once brought about Xiang's downfall to support Prince Yi. When she later reunited and worked with him, it was to escape the palace of the King of Jing. And helping him reclaim the throne was merely a bargaining chip in her revenge against the King of Jing.

All her love and hatred revolved around the King of Jing, while he was just a dispensable passerby.

Was it only because he had come along later?

He was consumed with jealousy, yet there was nothing he could do.

But...

"Even a concubine can be promoted to the principal wife. Can't I at least ask for a proper title?"

Note: The latercomer wins. The King of Jing pursues his wife through a crematorium, with one male guest physically cremated.

No matter what happens later, the male lead trusts the female lead completely. The one thing he can't believe is that she truly likes him.

This gets him worked up every now and then, so please forgive the fuss.

The setting is an alternate pre-Qin era, with little attention to historical accuracy. The focus is on atmosphere.

Upcoming novel: The Prince Insists I Used Him and Threw Him Away

One-line pitch: What? Did I do that?

Blurb:

In her sixth year of writing books to support herself, Su Jingyu, who had been living away from home, was recognized and brought back by the Minister's household.

Although the Minister's household was full of rules, she at least enjoyed fine clothes, good food, and a peaceful, comfortable life. Every so often, she thought of an old friend who hadn't written to her in a long time.

Then, at a spring outing banquet, the Prince of An, who was rumored to have recently fallen ill from heartbreak, saw her and immediately seemed to go mad. He insisted she had used him and thrown him away, breaking his heart.

Su Jingyu looked at his face, handsome as a piece of jade, and tried for a long time to remember where she'd seen him. Finally, she could only tell him honestly:

Perhaps I have a poor memory, but I truly can't remember who you are. Could you give me a clue?

The exalted Prince of An was so enraged by her words that his old illness returned, and he fainted in front of everyone.

Fortunately, the imperial physician arrived in time. After the prince regained consciousness, he glared at her with red-rimmed eyes, took the hand of the Emperor, who had rushed over after hearing the news, and said in a heartbroken, utterly aggrieved voice, "I beg Your Majesty to grant your younger brother a marriage."

The uproar swept through the whole city. Su Jingyu assumed it was only a misunderstanding brought on by an aristocrat's passing whim, and had no idea about the missed meeting that had happened through a twist of fate.

Only after the Prince of An finally managed to make her "discover for herself" that they had been pen pals for years did she learn that he was her number-one fan.

Su Jingyu: ...I'll have to decline. Why would I need to see the hen when I'm happy eating her eggs? Now that my secret identity has been exposed, talking to him just feels weird.

The Prince of An, who had been eagerly waiting for the "crematorium" where he would win her back: I knew it! She used me and threw me away! This is so unfair!! Your Majesty, give me justice!!!

A spoiled, direct, happy puppy × a sweet little treat with a heart of iron and social anxiety.

Theme: Never give up