A Matriarchal Succession Struggle

He Lan Yu transmigrates.

The good news: She's the legitimate child of the Phoenix Empress, noble by birth and favored above all the princes.

The bad news: The crown prince has already been chosen, her father was the late empress, and her family is of humble origins.

The even worse news: The crown prince was personally borne by the emperor. Her position is as secure as a rock, and she regards He Lan Yu as a thorn in her side.

Her future is visibly bleak. She has no advantage in timing, location, or support. Should she curry favor with the crown prince and hope to survive, or give up and enjoy herself before her mother the empress dies?

He Lan Yu chooses the riskiest path of all: a bid for the throne.

Before her mother the empress, she's the picture of pure, filial devotion, a total mama's girl.

Before the crown prince, she's a harmless little white rabbit.

In the eyes of the ministers, she's a brilliant, virtuous prince.

After ascending the throne, He Lan Yu falls into deep thought.

So what persona should she adopt now?

A guide for getting into the story:

* Heard women-in-charge settings can have harems, so here's a blurb to test the waters.

* The main focus is the fight for the throne. It should begin when the protagonist is around seven or eight. She's great at putting on an act and has a fierce lust for power: a honey-tongued, two-faced mama's girl who acts like a loving sister but secretly schemes in the shadows.

* My own take on a women-in-charge setting: women can get pregnant themselves, or they can impregnate men.

* Plot-focused, with romance as a side dish. There will probably be scenes of the protagonist plagiarizing works from another world.

Theme: Work hard to build a better life.