After Entering the Palace, the Lazy Cannon Fodder Fights for Favor Through On-Screen Comments

[Laid-Back Salted-Fish Heroine vs. The Wild and Tyrannical Emperor]

Shen Sui'an is a salted fish. Born into the Chancellor's household, she has a noble status. Since her whole family is working hard to climb the social ladder, Shen Sui'an naturally decides to lie flat.

Who could have known that one day, an imperial decree would send Shen Sui'an into the palace?

Shen Sui'an: ?

She can't outmaneuver anyone!

Bullet comments: [So this is that cannon-fodder supporting female character? She doesn't look very bright.]

[Seriously? Her whole family is about to be arrested, and she's still sleeping?]

But later, the commenters discover that Shen Sui'an not only dodges every scheme, but also manages to strike back in kind every time.

The commenters think it's just a coincidence.

Little do they know, Shen Sui'an can see them all.

Only after Shen Sui'an prevents the male and female leads from meeting do the commenters finally realize something is wrong. Unfortunately, it's too late. The plot has already gone completely off the rails...

And so, Shen Sui'an rises through the ranks with the help of the comments.

Mu Chun Yao is a tyrant in every sense of the word, and he hates anyone disturbing his peace.

He also has no patience for the palace's scheming and infighting.

That is, until he notices Shen Sui'an.

Today she ruins Consort Xian's plans, tomorrow she causes Lady Ming to fall into the water, and the day after that she disfigures Consort De.

Even the Empress Dowager suffers one setback after another at her hands.

Most importantly, Shen Sui'an always comes through unscathed, keeping herself completely out of trouble.

He grows interested in her, figuring that a woman so deeply calculating must ultimately have her sights set on him.

So Mu Chun Yao waits for Shen Sui'an to come to him.

But he soon discovers that Shen Sui'an is unlike everyone else. She not only refuses to curry favor with him, but spends every day in the palace... sleeping soundly.

For the first time, he feels frustrated by someone who refuses to live up to her potential. He wants Shen Sui'an to approach him.

At the time, the young emperor doesn't yet know that this feeling is called falling in love.

Note:

1. Both leads are devoted to each other. The harem is only a tool for maintaining balance at court in the early part of the story.

2. This is not a strong-female-lead story. The heroine really is a salted fish. She will grow, but romance is the main focus.

3. The male lead will disband his harem later on.

Coming soon (the next novel I'm writing), please add it to your collection!

The Fake Heiress Exposed

Su Lanzhi is the young lady of the Duke's household, who went missing more than ten years ago.

But no one knows that she forged the token used to prove her identity.

Su Lanzhi keeps the truth to herself and lets the Duke's family continue to misunderstand.

After three years of living as a fake heiress, Su Lanzhi has grown used to the life of the elite.

She follows her mother around, managing the household with meticulous care. Everyone in the capital praises her as refined and virtuous.

Until the year she turns sixteen, when the real heiress arrives at their door with the token.

Only then does the Duke's family realize they found the wrong girl.

The whole family embraces the real heiress and weeps tears of joy.

Standing to one side, Su Lanzhi also gives her eyes a token dab and says:

"It's wonderful that you've found your sister."

Where no one can see, Su Lanzhi nearly twists the handkerchief in her hands to shreds.

It looks like it's time to find herself a good place to go.

*

Shen Tingxu, the Duke's eldest legitimate son, is peerlessly handsome, a paragon of grace and refinement, and the dream man of countless young women in the capital.

But Shen Tingxu is devoted to his studies. He spends all his time at the academy and barely comes home once a year.

When he hears that his long-lost younger sister has been found, he rushes home, his heart full of joy.

In his memories, his little sister was as cute as a snow dumpling.

But little by little, he realizes that she isn't the same as the girl he remembers.

Gentle and refined in public, but mischievous and incorrigible in private.

He once saw Su Lanzhi deliberately spill tea on another young lady's skirt.

Afterward, Shen Tingxu admonishes her, "A Zhi, that's not right."

But Su Lanzhi catches the edge of his robe, her eyes red-rimmed, and says pitifully, "She was the one who called me an unwanted little stray first."

He can no longer bring himself to scold her. Helplessly, Shen Tingxu raises a hand and gently wipes away the tears at the corner of her eye.

Never mind. There will be plenty of time to set her straight later.

Even Shen Tingxu himself doesn't notice that he is spending more and more time at home.

Until after his "real younger sister" returns to her husband's home, when he hears his mother say that they should marry Su Lanzhi off, to bring her and her motherly bond to a proper close.

*

Su Lanzhi is happily counting the betrothal gifts sent over by the Chancellor's household.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washes over her, and she faints without warning.

In a dark chamber, incense drifts through the air. A woman lies behind gauzy curtains, a golden chain circling her ankle.

Shen Tingxu approaches step by step, stopping at last in front of Su Lanzhi.

Su Lanzhi looks panicked. "B-Brother, what are you doing? Let me out!"

"Let you out?"

Shen Tingxu gives a cold laugh. His low, hoarse voice carries a hint of madness as he reaches out and pinches Su Lanzhi's chin.

"Let you go marry that bastard?"

"Don't even dream of it. A Zhi will stay by her brother's side for the rest of her life. You're not going anywhere."

Unable to meet his gaze any longer, Su Lanzhi pulls free of Shen Tingxu's hand and trembles as she buries herself in his embrace.

Where no one can see, the smugness in Su Lanzhi's eyes can no longer be concealed.

A brother and sister, of course, should stay together forever.

*

Bonus Scene:

Shen Tingxu takes Su Lanzhi under his wing to teach and guide her, but things seem to be taking a strange turn.

For instance, Shen Tingxu discovers that Su Lanzhi secretly cuddled his clothes and slept with them all night.

She is always staring at his face in a daze.

She is always getting handsy with him.

And always...

Shen Tingxu thinks he must be going mad.

Blurb written on 2026.3.25, screenshot saved

Reader's Guide:

1. Both leads are devoted to each other, utterly and completely.

2. A flirtatious, dark-lotus, lovesick heroine vs. a nurturing, honest, driven-to-madness hero.

3. The male lead knows earlier than everyone else that his younger sister is a fake. His feelings start to change after he finds out.

4. The heroine has probably been plotting this for a long time.

5. The real and fake heiresses have no conflict of interest and are not enemies.

Theme: A laid-back salted fish turns the tables against the odds