This is my first time trying this genre, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
[The growth of a first-rank female official, and the chaotic everyday life of the Duke of Ning's household.]
Gu Youning was born into the Duke of Ning's household. Her mother is an important court minister, and there is a noble title in the family waiting to be inherited.
At eighteen, thanks to her family's privilege, she entered the court as a low-ranking sixth-grade official.
At first, she just wanted to give it a try.
After all, being an official meant getting up earlier than a chicken and getting off work later than a dog, while a year's salary couldn't even buy a horse.
Gu Youning thought it over and decided to do it anyway.
After all, she'd always done well in her studies, riding and archery, mathematics, and thinking things through.
While serving as an official, she made mistakes, was punished, fell into a river, and even went to war (?).
Gu Youning suddenly realized that being an official was actually pretty interesting.
Especially getting promoted.
One day, Gu Youning was discussing a matter with her superior.
Gu Youning: "Why are we doing it this way?"
Superior: "Because that's how it's always been done."
Gu Youning: "Oh."
The next day, a twelve-page reform proposal appeared on her superior's desk.
Superior: "…"
--
Her family is no less troublesome.
Her principal husband runs the household, her secondary husband tinkers with military weapons, her attendant husband works at the Imperial Medical Academy and is never home, and her honored consort goes out socializing all day, dressed to the nines.
The four children cause chaos every single day--
"Mother, my sister hit me." First, take your hand off your sister's hair...
"Mother, I want to ride a horse." Hey, you're only four!
"Mother, I want to eat with Big Yellow." Eat with a dog? Her children really are extraordinary.
Before becoming a first-rank female official, it seems she must first learn how to be a mother.
A fictional matriarchal era, with a gifted highborn heroine's career growth.
Now that she's an official, just how far can she go?
P.S. I'll add some worldbuilding notes and other details in the author's notes during the first few chapters. The entire series takes place in a fictional setting, and many of the worldbuilding details may make it hard to follow if you're unfamiliar with them.
Reading guide:
- Matriarchal society. The main focus is her career, with romance and work taking up roughly three and seven parts respectively. There's more romance early on, while the later story is mostly about being an official.
- Men can get pregnant, but there aren't many childbirth scenes.
- The heroine is highborn and talented. This isn't a rags-to-riches story. She loves getting promoted and enjoys winning.
- Not a one-on-one romance. There are a principal husband, a secondary husband, an honored consort, and an attendant husband. Their relationships vary in closeness, and the heroine plays favorites rather than treating them all equally.
- The story features court politics, local government, military affairs, and an ensemble family cast. The entire official system is fictional, so proceed with caution if that's not your thing.
Thesis: There is beauty to be found everywhere in life.
