The Kitchen Witch's Coronation Record (Passed Review, Temporarily Shelved; May Become a Free Short Story If Inspiration Strikes)

When she first transmigrates into the world of an ancient novel as a cannon-fodder side character who shares the same name, Xia Lan plans to earn enough money, nurse the original owner's frail body back to health, and settle her helpless younger sister somewhere safe before going home as soon as possible.

Later, she decides to stay and reshape this world into a better place for herself and her sister, where other women can live happily and make their mark.

She may look harmless, but she possesses powerful culinary magic. Her food can be a cure-all, or a stepping stone to power.

With a health-food shop, and an assortment of fruit pies, fried-rice cakes, nourishing milk porridge, wine-filled poria cakes, and seven-herb plague-clearing soup that nobody believed in at first but soon had customers clamoring for, she steadily builds her capital, gathers intelligence, wins people over, and recruits an army... until at last, she successfully ascends the throne.

The man beside her grabs her arm in disbelief. "You used me just to seize power?"

She smiles.

"It's your honor to be the man of a queen."

At first, everyone thinks Xia Lan, a powerless and helpless woman, is lucky to have been chosen by Prince Ning. Going from a celebrated cook to an honored princess consort, and then to the future queen, surely she owes it all to Prince Ning's favor.

But over time, they begin to change their minds.

Prince Ning went from a sickly man on his last legs, to a strong and healthy man, and then to the man of a king whom every man envies. He must have accumulated eight lifetimes' worth of good karma!

[The heroine studied in a Western magical world before transmigrating from the modern era to an ancient Eastern dynasty. It's like an overseas student returning to the family home, finding it uncomfortable, and deciding to renovate the whole place... The exotic recipes combining unusual ingredients are just a gimmick. Most of the food is normal.]

The story passed review, but I changed the blurb and outline. I can't write it right now, so I'll put it on hold. If inspiration strikes, I'll turn it into a short, complete free story.

After thinking it over, I decided to unlock it after all, so the author who keeps putting off submitting it can use it as a reference for the first three chapters.

Theme: From kitchen witch to queen who seizes power