Glory in the Golden Boudoir

Year 874 of the Ronglong era The Murong clan, from Prime Minister Murong down to its thirty thousand elite soldiers, has served the Great Jing dynasty loyally for generations. Entrusted with great responsibility by the emperor, the clan once held the entire court in its sway, with no rival to match it. One day, the business magnate Shen Chaoye opened her eyes and found herself in the body of a four-year-old girl. Her mother had died young, so she had been raised in the Murong household. They say misfortune has followed her since birth: Prime Minister Murong had an affair with an imperial consort, and his eldest son, a great general, was framed, leading to the deaths of all thirty thousand Murong soldiers. Emperor Jiajing flew into a rage and decreed that every Murong official be stripped of rank and driven out of Great Jing. They were forbidden to return to the capital unless summoned. Not only had wealth and power become a mere dream, but she was said to be ill-fated, having caused her own mother’s death. Her father even gave her the name Ye, meaning “wild.” A noble-born young lady? What a joke. The little girl shrugged. Being penniless and powerless was no big deal, and she could live with a complicated family background, too. But if you really took her for a joke, she would make sure you smiled all the way to your grave. Fourteen years later. The Prince of Nanxiang and Shen Chaoge, the capital’s foremost beauty and literary talent, fell in love at first sight and petitioned the emperor to arrange their marriage. A handsome prince and a noble beauty, united in a match destined to become a celebrated romance. At the same time, Shen Chaoye, the Shen family’s eldest legitimate daughter, was ordered back to the capital for capturing corrupt officials. Riding in a fine carriage, she reclaimed her place in the Shen family and was invested as Lady Chengyan. She returned bearing the Murong clan’s grievances. Within the family, she faced the Shen clan’s honeyed words and hidden daggers; beyond it, she stood against hypocritical imperial relatives and nobles. Making her life her game piece, she planned every step. Hah, you think you can enjoy a grand, peaceful wedding? Pay your debts first! My name is Chaoye. I receive Heaven’s grace above and preside over the rivers and mountains below. I wield power as my weapon, and I am destined to write a tale of glorious prosperity. New novel: The Little Versailles Prodigy Plays by No Rules, featuring a proud, sharp-tongued, thick-skinned little deity versus a cool, noble, secretly flirtatious scapegoat.