Planning for Peace

[About Pirated Copies]

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[Novel Description]

Ruan Ruan was born into a family of a hundred years’ standing.

Her father held the highest office beneath the emperor, her childhood friend commanded the military, and her eldest son had long since been named crown prince.

People said that although the empress seemed peerlessly noble, she was no more than a caged bird trapped in the imperial palace. If the emperor grew suspicious, he could bring her entire clan to ruin and strip her of her position, while even her life would no longer be her own.

But Ruan Ruan refused to believe fate was set in stone.

If the emperor was suspicious, she would soothe him.

If her entire clan was exiled, she would bring them back.

If treacherous ministers framed her, she would settle accounts with each one in turn.

She planned carefully, advancing one step at a time. Even surrounded by enemies on all sides, she held firm on the phoenix throne and never gave an inch.

As for love?

It was merely the least dependable thing in the world. Why give it a second thought?

Born into a life of wealth and privilege, she had studied the classics, histories, and military strategy from childhood, and mastered every art from music and chess to calligraphy and painting. She had never truly taken seriously those upstarts at court who, having risen from humble beginnings, dreamed of turning the world upside down.

Soothe the emperor, keep the officials in the dark, and quietly gather power behind the scenes

At most, in seven or eight years, she could kill her enemies with her own hands, restore her family’s fortunes, purge the court, and bring peace to the realm.

Three months later.

With power in her hands and the court won over, Ruan Ruan: ...

It seemed she might not need to wait seven or eight years after all.

After all, her emperor husband, who seemed cold and heartless, loved her to the bone and never wavered in his devotion.

Not just a little power.

If she reached for it, he would personally place this vast empire in her hands.

[Noble Lady × Devoted Emperor]

[One-on-one romance | Both leads’ first and only | Historical fantasy | Power struggles between emperor and empress | Sweet married life]

[Nonlinear structure: Chapters 1–99 take place six years into their marriage. Chapters 100–232 look back at how the leads first met, grew close, and married.]

Theme: Those who love others are always loved in return.