Lighthearted historical romance / time-loop infinite flow in the palace / nontraditional harem intrigue / the male lead woos himself
@Zhen Lüzhu × Liu Shou
(The adorably sneaky darling of everyone × the sneakily devoted emperor)
[Blurb]
Zhen Lüzhu transmigrated into the body of the legitimate daughter of a duke's mansion.
Years of reading palace-intrigue novels had taught her that she needed to do her homework before being selected to enter the palace.
Empress Cao was virtuous and gentle, renowned for her exemplary grace as the mother of the realm.
Lady Dong was breathtakingly beautiful, graceful as a startled swan and lithe as a swimming dragon.
Consort Li was a valiant general's daughter, skilled with every kind of blade and spear.
Consort Xu had the gift of a poet, widely read in history and able to grasp the wider picture from a single detail.
Consort Yang could pluck and strike the strings so beautifully that her music lingered for seven days.
Consort Cui was a master painter whose works seemed to come alive.
And that wasn't all. There was Consort Yi, who excelled at chess; Consort Xiang, who loved embroidery; Pure Concubine Xu, who could dance; and Cautious Concubine Shen, who loved playing the flute...
After all that training, the dizzy Lüzhu reached two conclusions:
First, this dog of an emperor sure had it good. Every one of his consorts was exceptional.
Second, looking across the entire harem, she could apparently cling to anyone's coattails and keep her head down, stay out of trouble, and quietly enjoy life.
Only after entering the palace did she discover that things weren't quite as she'd imagined...
Round 1. The virtuous and gentle Empress Cao is confined for three months after talking back to the emperor.
Round 2. The breathtakingly beautiful Lady Dong defies an order and destroys her own beauty.
Round 3. The martial-arts expert Consort Li is demoted three ranks for beating up His Majesty.
Round 4. The brilliant Consort Xu is sent to the Cold Palace over a single proclamation.
Round 5. Consort Yang and Consort Cui both claim to have suddenly fallen gravely ill.
The good news: picking the wrong person doesn't matter. She can always start over!
The bad news: she's already looped through six lifetimes, and not one promising ally has been left for her.
Liu Shou: This is already her sixth life. Surely this time she'll figure out who the real “coattail” is!
Zhen Lüzhu: I'm done! I'm giving up! Instead of living on pins and needles, I'd rather let loose early, slack off, and enjoy a happy life!
Liu Shou: ?!
[Bonus Scene]
To make up for what they'd missed, Liu Shou decided to give Lüzhu a deluxe wedding night.
Behind gauzy curtains, with candlelight glowing red, Lüzhu finished a grand feast and lifted her own veil, letting out a remarkably loud burp.
Just as Liu Shou eagerly prepared to move on to the next part, she sat at the foot of the bed and began earnestly counting on her fingers, determined to list all the good qualities of everyone in the harem.
Lüzhu (beaming): ...In short, everyone treats me so well. I really like them all!
Liu Shou (clenching his fist): What about me? Could you maybe like me too, while you're at it?
[Reading Guide]
1. The setting is fictional, details are mixed together, and there are many author-created elements. No historical accuracy intended.
2. Monogamous HE, ensemble cast, historical romance with time-loop infinite-flow elements, lighthearted tone.
3. Contains some nontraditional harem intrigue where the characters are all amateurs. Read with caution.
4. The author's a beginner and still needs to hone their craft. If it's not for you, please move along; no flaming or insults.
@The entire novel is drafted. Please add it to your collection~
Theme: Live joyfully, and savor life's innocent pleasures.
