Scheming to Win the Emperor's Favor

Synopsis:

Everyone in the six palaces knew that Shen Yunni had been the beauty Prince Duan fancied, but the Emperor had forcibly taken her as a consort and showered her with favor.

From the moment she entered the palace, she was a thorn in the other consorts' sides.

No one could ever pull that thorn out.

But no one knew it had all been Shen Yunni's doing.

She wanted the Emperor's favor. She wanted wealth and status.

But she wanted more than that.

*

Years later, the Emperor dies, and the new Emperor is still a child. Shen Yunni rules from behind the curtain as Empress Dowager, while Prince Duan governs as regent. Everyone assumes the two are at odds. Yet deep inside the palace, the Prince Regent kneels on one knee at Shen Yunni's feet and gently slips a silk stocking over her ankle. "Yunni, you're mine after all."

Shen Yunni smiles and lazily murmurs, "Mm. You're quite good at this."

Theme: Stay true to your original purpose, and you'll see things through to the end.