Her Scheme

Mu Yi’s father died when she was young, her mother despised her, and her maternal uncles and cousins bullied her. She secretly vowed to leave this poor backwater and make her way alone to Luoyang, the bustling capital praised in songs and books, where she would make something of herself and return home in fine clothes. At eighteen, Mu Yi quietly vanished into the muddy waters of her hometown, so murky the bottom couldn’t be seen. The villagers all thought she was dead, just like Xie Chunshen. Two years later, a coup broke out in Luoyang. The rebels who stormed the palace wore white sashes and set fire to the old halls. As flames soared into the sky, Mu Yi fled through the western gate, drenched in sweat. The bundle on her back flashed brilliantly as she moved. Just as she was about to leave the palace, a sword suddenly barred her way, pressing against her neck. The man stood hidden in the darkness, his sharp scale armor still spattered with blood. The white sash at his waist whipped in the wind. “Didn’t you say you’d wait for me? Why are you running away?” She swallowed. “Of course I’m not. I’m here to pay tribute to you.” At that, he used his sword to open her bundle. Inside stood the incomparable head of a Buddha statue from the royal palace. She had stolen it. And claimed it for herself. Xie Chunshen lowered his sword and gave a satisfied sneer. “These days, good people die young and bad people live long. Since we both grew up in the mud, why not join forces and scheme together, and make it last forever?” Mu Yi thought it over. Then she smiled brightly. “Fair enough. We have plenty of time.” After that, dynasties rose and fell, fate toyed with them, and countless people struggled in vain, but the one thing that never changed was the plan she and he shared. A ruthless Director of the Secretariat × a female strongwoman who loves money more than life Alternate-history setting, one couple, happy ending