My Years as an Actress in Great Liang

[Emperor in male disguise, a puppet controlled by the court, vs. regent who holds power over the entire court]

[Strong rivals, both formidable]

[Also known as: The Years My Liang Dynasty Strategists Played Movie Stars # The Years I Fought to the Death with the Regent # In My Next Life, I Won't Be a Powerful Minister Again]

Question: "Which do you love more, the realm or the beauty?"

Chu Zhimo answered, "The realm, of course."

Pei Jiye also smiled. "She's right."

Chu Zhimo thought no one in the world had a tougher life than she did. She endured fifteen years of hardship in the Cold Palace without dying, and instead climbed her way to the throne.

The day she emerged from the Cold Palace and became emperor, the first thing Chu Zhimo did after opening her eyes was consider how to kill Pei Jiye.

Pei Jiye was the notorious treacherous minister of Liang, a peerless talent in both letters and arms, ruthless in his methods. He had climbed over mountains of corpses and seas of blood to reach the pinnacle of power.

During her four years on the throne, Chu Zhimo played dumb and diligently acted the part of a puppet emperor, while behind the scenes she and Pei Jiye fought each other to the death.

Just as everyone thought the Liang Dynasty was about to collapse, they discovered that the little emperor no one had believed in had quelled a plague, corrected the flaws in the imperial examinations, and saved Liang from disaster. The little emperor's power was now enough to rival the regent's.

What left everyone even more stunned was the regent's virtuous, loyal-minister smile as he handed over his military authority. "I am willing to serve Your Majesty with all my heart."

Seated on the dragon throne in her imperial robes, the little emperor said carelessly, "I will certainly grant the regent's wish."

Chu Zhimo had been an abandoned pawn begging for scraps in the Cold Palace, and she had also ascended to the highest position in the realm. Though a woman, she had also lived as a man.

Her whole life was a play, an overlooked drama in which no one had control over their own fate. All she could do was play her part and sing this drama to the heavens!

P.S.: The human heart is the most captivating instrument of political intrigue in the world. Most of the characters are flawed, including the protagonists. This is a political-intrigue story with an ensemble cast.

Theme: Who says women are inferior to men?