The Empress's Favor Knows No End

[Coming next: The Empress Is an Honest Person. Synopsis below, come take a look!]

Yu Wuyue spent years pretending to be well-behaved at home, earning a reputation for being chaste, quiet, virtuous, and gentle.

As she came of age, her family found her a good match, saying he came from a distinguished family and was exceptionally handsome, far too good for her.

Yu Wuyue only smiled mockingly. If this match were truly so good, why would they give him to her?

Just then, news arrived from the palace: her elder half-sister had caught a cold, and Yu Wuyue could go to visit her.

Yu Wuyue knew her chance had come.

No one knew that she had always had only one goal.

If her elder sister could win the emperor's favor, why couldn't she?

Later, she rose steadily through the ranks, became the most favored woman in the harem, and enjoyed the emperor's unwavering affection.

Her once-beloved elder sister could only look up to her.

Years of submissiveness had earned Yu Wuyue a lifetime of favor and riches. She felt it was worth it.

At first, Pei Zheyan knew Yu Wuyue had used questionable means to enter the palace, but didn't care, since most of the women in the imperial harem were like that.

But later, he wanted to know how much of her many schemes had been motivated by genuine feelings for him.

P.S. The male lead is not a virgin. The heroine is focused on climbing the ranks. She is delicate, good at putting on an act, and ruthless. She becomes the emperor's sole favorite later on.

The dynasty is fictional, so please don't nitpick the history.

The Empress Is an Honest Person

Jiang Yingniang was born in the countryside, with a lowly fate and no one to love her. Her brother and sister-in-law sold her to the old emperor as a palace maiden for a few taels of silver.

Unexpectedly, the old emperor died on the very night he was supposed to summon her to his bed.

Trapped in the deep palace, Jiang Yingniang was filled with anxiety. She was cautious at every turn, afraid of making a mistake.

Above all, she was careful to avoid the new emperor.

Rumor had it that he had seized the throne illegitimately and was debauched beyond measure, taking pleasure in watching people beg for mercy. There were even rumors that he was infatuated with a duke's daughter and wanted to steal another man's wife.

And she had dreamed that he would have her beaten to death for offending the prime minister's daughter.

Later, Jiang Yingniang met a guard. Though cold by nature, he was kindhearted and promised to help her escape the palace.

Jiang Yingniang was overjoyed. Once she was outside the palace, she wouldn't have to worry about the new emperor killing her.

When the time was right, Jiang Wanniang picked up her small bundle and went to the agreed-upon palace gate, only to find the tyrant standing behind it.

Jiang Wanniang: The sky has fallen.

In the end, she still couldn't escape death!

-

Xiao Jingyu was strikingly handsome but dark by nature, and he couldn't stand seeing anyone happy.

By chance, he discovered a woman with exceptionally clear eyes, like moonlight shining through a cloudless sky, though she was terribly timid.

People bullied her at every turn, yet she acted as if nothing had happened, without a shred of backbone.

Her smile in particular irritated him.

Later, why did she stop smiling at him?

A little scene:

In the narrow space between the curtains, Jiang Yingniang clutched her clothes. Red marks stood out on her shoulder, and her eyes trembled as if she had been struck by rain.

Xiao Jingyu leaned closer, his voice low and seductive. "Come closer. What are you afraid I'll do?"

Jiang Yingniang cried. She was afraid of dying.

Theme: Your life is in your own hands.