Plotting to Rule the World

*Please note: Many original worldbuilding details | Serious, plot-driven story | Ensemble cast | Slow-burn romance * [Reader’s guide] below. * Chu (pronounced chǔ) {The pace is picking up. Chapters will be long from here on out. Expected to finish in 2026.} Synopsis “An auspicious general star represents power. Once you possess it, you can unite the realm.” Everyone says she was born under the general star, gifted and exceptional. Chu Yun only ever smiles faintly at this, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. It seems her fate has never been in her own hands. A fine general is forged through countless trials, and only then does her edge begin to show. She wants nothing more than to distinguish herself through great deeds and bring honor to her family. She never imagined she would fall from a cliff and plunge into an abyss in a single day. She is resentful, she is furious, and she wants only to die with what little dignity she has left. She never expected the Crown Princess, who seems so familiar, to offer to pull her out of the mire. Does she covet Chu Yun’s supposed destiny as the general star? Perhaps. Does she mean to recruit her in false friendship, then discard her once she has achieved success? Perhaps. Or does she have some other purpose? Jiang Xuan is getting annoyed. “Do you really have to think that way? Couldn’t it be because I’ve fallen for you?” “It is my duty, and fate has decreed it,” Chu Yun turns her face away, hiding the feelings in her eyes. “I have no choice, do I?” You are the trump card I hold tightly in my hand. You are the weakness I hide deep in my heart. Across past and present lives, through the cycles of fate, are you still by my side? The realm comes first. The people matter most. Building on the past, opening the way ahead, together we will forge an age of peace and prosperity. Possessive, stubborn, ruthless emperor x proud, headstrong, loyal general [Reader’s guide] (More can be found in the author’s note after Chapter One): 1. The main pairing is a powerful couple, one-on-one, with a five-year age gap. The older one is the pursuer. All-female world. Includes past-life and present-life elements. Many original worldbuilding details, so please don’t read if you dislike that. 2. The novel is told primarily from the perspective of the receiving partner. Please make sure you understand who plays which role~ 3. Pursuer and receiver refer mainly to their mental dynamic and sexual positions. If there is a role reversal later, I’ll give a warning in advance. (It will be very limited. Thanks for understanding.) 4. Ensemble cast, light political intrigue, serious and plot-driven, with a slightly slow start. An imagined feudal setting loosely inspired by the Tang and Ming dynasties. 5. The setting requires elements of Taoism and Zi Wei astrology throughout. There are many original details! [Related information comes from Baidu Baike and various Taoist texts, along with my own additions.] 6. This is a long novel with a True Ending. There will be an extra volume, a sister story, and more, exploring everyone’s experiences and stories. Hope you enjoy! 7. The entire setting and plot are the work of the author alone. The story starts a little slowly, so I recommend reading every chapter in order. More upcoming novels in the same series can be found on my profile~ Heaven’s Will Is Hard to Defy: Prequel | Xianxia | Previous generation The Lord’s Biography: Side story | The mothers’ generation | Same generation The Phoenix’s Cry in the Orchid Hall: Sequel | Extras | What-if Theme: Everyone has their own version of heroine feminism.