The Girl Who Struggled Through Palace Intrigues to Become the Empress

【Female Lead’s pleasure-seeking + high IQ palace intrigue + female lead schemes against the entire harem + crazy villain personality】 Song Zhao has always been a woman who spares no means to achieve her goals, and at the same time she lives more clearly than anyone else. From the moment she knew she was chosen by Xiao Jingheng to enter the palace as a concubine, her goal has been very clear: “I entered the palace just to become the Empress, why else? To go cook for someone else?” Therefore, as soon as she entered the palace, relying on her beauty and wisdom, she took steps to win the monarch’s heart, and played with the six palaces in her palm. Anyway, the women in this harem, for the sake of family, for their own favor and honor, there are none who do not compete and snatch, Since this is the case, what she has to do is take preemptive action, Make herself a villain, defeat everyone, and successfully ascend to the Phoenix throne. * At first, Emperor Xiao Jingheng favored Song Zhao, just because of her unparalleled beauty in the harem. The favored concubines often become arrogant due to favoritism, but Song Zhao was different. Not only did she not compete for favor, she always advised Xiao Jingheng to share his rain and dew evenly, and often go to other concubines. Her attitude towards him in her daily life was also visibly perfunctory. This inevitably made Xiao Jingheng suspicious, feeling that Song Zhao was not truly sincere towards him. The innate desire to conquer that emperors possess made him secretly determine to completely possess this woman: Not just her person, but her heart as well. The process of conquering Song Zhao was like climbing the highest mountain in the world. It’s just that Xiao Jingheng never thought: When he climbed Mount Song Zhao, he willingly climbed it for a lifetime. 【No transmigration, no rebirth, no golden finger】

Original Publisher

fanqie novel

Original Language

chinese

Type

Web Novel

## My Thoughts on The Girl Who Struggled Through Palace Intrigues to Become the Empress This novel was quite the ride! "The Girl Who Struggled Through Palace Intrigues to Become the Empress" definitely subverted my expectations of what a harem drama could be. It's not your typical romance, that's for sure. ### First Impressions Going in, I anticipated a sweet romance with a cunning concubine and a soon-to-be whipped emperor. However, I quickly realized that romance is not the main focus here. Instead, it's a ruthless game of survival and power within the imperial palace. The summary can be a little misleading, so be prepared for a different kind of story! ### What Works Well What I loved most was the intricate scheming and the complex characters. The protagonist, Song Zhao, is clever and determined, but not unrealistically so. She makes mistakes, gets outmaneuvered, but always finds a way to come back stronger. I particularly appreciated that the antagonists weren't just one-dimensional villains; they had their own backstories and motivations, which made the story much more engaging. The plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and the character development, especially for some of the consorts, was fantastic. I was genuinely moved by the growth and eventual unity of the women in the harem. The novel also tackles heavy themes of power, helplessness, and the lack of rights for women in ancient China, making it a thought-provoking read. ### Areas of Concern The translation can be a bit rough around the edges at times, with occasional issues in name consistency and awkward phrasing. This can be a bit distracting. Also, some found the length of the novel a bit excessive and felt the plot dragged in certain sections. ### ⚠️ Spoiler Warning Several key plot points are discussed below. Read at your own risk! Many found the Emperor to be a truly terrible character, and it's essential to know that he's definitely not the romantic lead. It's also worth noting that the story doesn't shy away from tragedy, and some of the children meet heartbreaking ends. On a lighter note, Consort Chen (Ning Wanshuang) is a fan favorite, with many praising her complex character and fiery spirit. She's definitely one to watch! ### Final Verdict Despite some minor flaws, "The Girl Who Struggled Through Palace Intrigues to Become the Empress" is a compelling and unique take on the harem drama. If you're looking for a story with clever scheming, complex characters, and a strong female lead who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, this is definitely worth a read. Just be prepared for a darker, less romantic tale than you might expect. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.