Peach Branch, Jade Pillow

In her sixteenth year, Xue Tao, a courtesan at the Hongyi House, suddenly begins seeing strange words called bullet comments floating before her eyes.

They tell her: You're the villainess who climbs into bed in a storybook, a tool used as a surrogate by the male and female leads, who have few heirs. In the end, you'll be sent to the afterlife with a cup of poison, and your two children will be left motherless.

Xue Tao reads her ending and falls silent for three days.

Three days later, she makes a decision.

To hell with the male and female leads! Whoever wants to follow this plot can do it themselves!

So Xue Tao pores over the bullet comments and picks someone from among the nobles: the early-death male supporting character, Prince Shun, Xie Yan.

Prince Shun is handsome, noble, unmarried and childless, frail and sickly, favored by the emperor, and not expected to live past twenty-two.

Isn't that much better than the male lead?

So Xue Tao immediately goes to Prince Shun, ready to enjoy a life of wealth, children, and respectable widowhood.

But she waits and waits.

Instead of Prince Shun breathing his last, his complexion grows rosier and rosier.

Instead of becoming a widow, she goes from being his mistress to becoming Princess Consort Shun.

And later... how did she end up becoming empress?

Xue Tao stares at the man beside her, the very one the imperial physicians once declared wouldn't live past twenty-two. Now he's full of vigor as he attends court and reviews memorials, and still finds time to hold their children and kiss her. She is completely dumbfounded.

All Xue Tao wanted was to have a baby and save her life. Instead, she gave birth to twins and went straight from courtesan to empress.

This plot seems a lot more exciting than the original.

Shen Huaiguan, given a second life, has gone mad.

He remembers everything from his previous life. He remembers Xue Tao was the only woman who could bear his children.

After his memories awaken, he rushes to claim her, only to find that the woman who should have been waiting faithfully for him is already pregnant.

And the man by the side of the woman from his previous life is none other than Prince Shun, the emperor's most beloved fifth son.

Shen Huaiguan is furious.

Shen Huaiguan fails to steal another man's woman.

Shen Huaiguan holds back.

Shen Huaiguan waits for Prince Shun to die.

But he waits and waits.

How did he end up seeing Prince Shun ascend the throne, with Xue Tao as empress?