Worthy of Being Empress

[Dual rebirth / Emperor and Empress / A love born of bitter enmity]

Wen Lingyu x Yan Zhu

A couple who each ruled as emperor in turn

Blurb 1:

When they were young, Yan Zhu was captivated by Wen Lingyu's intelligence, brightness, openness, and decisiveness. They were a young married couple, always close and with nothing to hide from each other.

Later, Yan Zhu grew wary of Wen Lingyu's cunning and ambition. As emperor and empress, they shared a bed but not a heart, and their promising love ended in tragedy.

In his later years, Yan Zhu suffered from severe arthritis and constant pain. Empress Wen Lingyu controlled the government, while the Wen family commanded the military. The Eastern Palace was merely for show, and the princes dared not speak out despite their anger.

At last, Yan Zhu's life came to an end. On his deathbed, he clutched Wen Lingyu's sleeve tightly. "A-Yu... The crown prince... is your son too..."

Wen Lingyu laid a hand over his. "As a son, the crown prince is acceptable. As a ruler, he is no match for me."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chengzhen of Dazhao, Yan Zhu, died with his eyes open...

Blurb 2:

Yan Zhu is reborn at the age of nineteen. In his previous life, that was the year he, frustrated with his lack of success, met Wen Lingyu at the imperial hunting grounds and fell in love at first sight.

That woman Wen Lingyu stole his heart and his throne. Unforgivable!

But the Wen family behind her had generations of illustrious ancestry and three generals in one family. They were just too tempting.

Should he give it another try?

This time, she can forget about playing with his heart, and forget about stealing his throne!

Blurb 3:

On the bed shaped like a dragon and phoenix, Yan Zhu pinned Wen Lingyu beneath him.

Yan Zhu: "Wen Lingyu, do you know what I hate most about you?!"

Wen Lingyu's eyes flashed with ferocity, but she smiled. "So what if you hate me? I'm still better than you. The history books will remember you as nothing more than a ruler who maintained the status quo, while I built an age of prosperity. No matter how much you hate me, you still lost to me."

Yan Zhu: "You'll never understand what I hate you for."

Later, Wen Lingyu understood.

Because after Yan Zhu got drunk, he clung to her hand and said, "How could you... How could you have so many male lovers later..."

Reading guide:

1. In their previous life, they both had plenty of lovers. In this life, they're exclusive to each other. After sampling every delicacy, they discover that the other is still the one they like best.

2. The words "the empress" referred to the female lead in their previous life, but refer to the male lead in this life.

3. A fictional setting with a mishmash of systems and some original worldbuilding.

Theme: I love the beauty more than the realm