Tales of the Lotus Altar

Liu Lianhua was just another scholar in a poor scholarly family. She would probably study for a few years, pass the county-level exam, then return to her hometown to teach.

But a distant relative of her family, related through a branch beyond the fifth degree of kinship, committed a crime. Her family was implicated and condemned to death. Liu Lianhua escaped that fate only because she was so young, but became a servant, passing from one wealthy household to another as a maid.

Yet there is no path so desperate that heaven leaves no way out. As she was passed from household to household as a servant, the Qingping Emperor took a liking to her and made her his lover. She then became the Empress Dowager's male favorite, stirring up trouble, cultivating powerful connections, and secretly controlling the court.

Who would have thought that a poor village girl could have what it takes to seize power and usurp the throne?

She joins forces with Prince An and also plays both sides to win over Prince Ding, but these two women, each favored by heaven, have never considered her a serious rival.

Perfect. That gives her the chance to bide her time and seize the dragon throne.

Fortunes turn in cycles. This year, it's the Liu family's turn.

---Reader's Guide---

1. A women-dominated world where women can bear children. In this story, the Empress Dowager (a man) rules from behind the curtain and intends to become emperor. The title Emperor refers to his son.

2. The heroine, Liu Lianhua, uses her position as a male favorite to maneuver among powerful men and earn her first fortune.

3. Female lead, non-virgin male lead; not a happy ending. After successfully seizing the throne, the heroine imprisons the male lead.

4. Little Lianhua has no golden finger and no System. She relies entirely on herself to become a powerful official and then usurp the throne, so she becomes cold and ruthless later on.

5. For these reasons, the female supporting characters are doomed to die. There can be no happy ending where everyone gets along and hugs it out. In courtly power struggles, it's kill or be killed.

Bonus: This shares a world with Gold and Branches, many, many generations after that story's heroine.

Theme: Success comes only through your own hard work.