Soaring Ninety Thousand Miles [Empress]

2024-09-02

Synopsis: Recline in a beauty's arms, and awaken to command all under heaven.

Empress! Empress! Empress! The important things bear repeating three times. A slow-burn story.

Yuan Ruo, the Empress, is decisive and ruthless. She unifies the land amid chaos, with many followers at her side.

With so many people around, a few little complications are inevitable.

For instance, her handsome strategist, who is brilliant at scheming, spends every day figuring out how to infuriate her Empress Consort.

The Empress Consort was born into a prominent family and raised in luxury. He does have a congenital ailment, though, and after marrying Yuan Ruo, he lives by one principle: If you want to stay together forever, you have to play deaf and dumb.

The strategist adds two extra handfuls of coptis to his prescription, and the Empress Consort takes it all without complaint. He coughs twice and even smiles as he says, "Thank you." The Empress Consort isn't driven to his grave, but the strategist is nearly driven to fainting.

The strategist grits his teeth and stirs the pot: "My lady, did you know that yesterday the Empress and I..."

The Empress Consort's colorless face wears a gentle smile. "Thank you for attending to the Empress for me, Strategist."

The Imperial Guard General standing quietly nearby, barely noticed by anyone: ...Wasn't it me who spent the night with the Empress yesterday? I want a title so badly... But the Empress Consort has always treated me well. How could I do that to him? I've already given myself to the Empress; I can't keep... But the Empress Consort saved my life! I really do love the Empress... But the Empress Consort gave me a new life! If the strategist can do it, maybe I can too... right? Besides...

The Imperial Guard General glances at the strategist, who is still making sarcastic remarks, and presses his lips together. "I would never treat the Empress Consort that way!"

Just after seeing off two love rivals who were irritating to look at, another message arrives from outside: Empress Consort, the Empress has brought home another handsome young man. He looks remarkably like the late Captain Lou.

The Empress Consort: ...

Fine, fine. Even the dead old flame isn't going to leave me alone.

Yuan Ruo: Songnian, don't be angry. You're the only one I love. They were the ones who made the first move! This... this...

The history books record: Empress Yuan Ruo ushered in an age of prosperity and dedicated herself to the people, but her harem was rather disharmonious (this sentence was crossed out by the Empress). She shared a deep bond with her consort, the Yuan Wen Clan (this sentence was crossed out by Madam Si), and an unspoken understanding with her strategist, the Yuan Si Clan (this sentence was crossed out by Madam Qi), and fought side by side with the Imperial Guard General, the Yuan Qi Clan (this sentence was crossed out by the Empress Consort)...

The historian angrily tosses down his brush. "Cross it out, cross it out! All you ever do is cross things out! I'll write it anyway!"

Theme: I love stories about empresses