Four Coups with Daiyu [Dream of the Red Chamber]

In eight years as a young man, he took part in four coups, killed his uncle, aunt, and grandfather, and wiped out three generations of the already small imperial family. The great families of Jinling were all annihilated. Even among the Four Princes and Eight Dukes in the capital, fewer than half survived. Almost all were slaughtered.

Look more closely at the government: the empress holds power, ruling alongside the emperor as the Wu Emperor's two sovereigns did. She promotes female officials to the outer court, giving them equal standing with men. She also appoints her father Grand Secretary and Minister of the Secretariat, and has the emperor call him his adoptive father. Her power is absolute.

How would later generations judge this emperor?

In the Qianqing Palace, Lin Daiyu nearly laughed herself breathless as she read the records Jia Yuanchun had brought her. Beside her, the new emperor, Lin Huaijin, closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

He dared not guess what posthumous title he would receive. He merely listened as Empress Lin laughingly asked, "Are you really going to let the historians at the Wenyuan Pavilion write things down like this?"

"Let them. Posterity can judge my merits and faults," Lin Huaijin said with a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "Where is Father? I should talk with him about how to communicate with those assorted little kingdoms after we crush the northern frontier, and find an envoy to cross the border and rebuild the Silk Road."

"You want to establish a protectorate and open a land trade route? Have the reconstruction plans for Jiangnan been settled?" Lin Daiyu sat on Lin Huaijin's lap and asked, chin in her hands.

"More or less. Once the envoy we sent to Europe returns and confirms the route, we can open sea trade from Suzhou." Lin Huaijin put an arm around Lin Daiyu's waist and gently rubbed her lower abdomen.

"Speaking of that, your Sister Xue wanted to restore the glory of her grandfather's time. After I gave her a position in the Imperial Household Department, she took Jia Baoyu back to Jinling to become imperial merchants again. I think she wrote recently that they've been doing quite well there, with her managing things outside the home and him taking care of things within."

"That sounds like a pretty good ending." Lin Daiyu sighed. She brushed her fingers over Lin Huaijin's handsome brows. "It's just..."

"Are you still having nightmares?"

At this, Lin Daiyu saw Lin Huaijin stop smiling.

His lips moved, but he seemed unable to find the words. Only after a long pause did he manage an ugly smile and murmur, "There was so much blood... Little sister, do you think I'll go to hell?"

"No. You aligned heaven's authority and abolished outdated laws, cleansing the government of its corruption. You shaped the land and expanded the borders, defeating every enemy beyond them. You will surpass the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, usher in a new era, and become a monument history can never surpass." Lin Daiyu gazed solemnly at Lin Huaijin. "And I will go to hell and bring you back."

She watched Lin Huaijin's smile fade, revealing the fearsome, cold expression he so rarely showed. He said softly, "Little sister, I promised you that one day I would make you the most honored and exalted woman in the world, with power over the court and a name that would shine through the ages."

"Above me in rank."

Content warnings:

1. The female lead is Lin Daiyu, an empress with real power. The male lead has no concubines. He is a prince raised in the Lin household, and he and Daiyu pretend to be siblings. Their romance begins after they are no longer bound by that relationship. One-on-one, happy ending.

2. Lin Ruhai and Jia Min survive. He rises to Grand Secretary and Minister of the Secretariat. The twelve Beauties of Jinling, both primary and secondary, will be saved if possible, but no guarantees for any original characters.

3. Not intended as rigorous historical fiction, just a wish-fulfillment story. It uses the Qing dynasty as its timeline inspiration, with an imagined dynasty that combines Ming and Qing institutions. Lin Daiyu takes part in politics and rules as regent.

Theme: Create a beautiful life in ancient times