Marry a Eunuch? The Ghost Gate-Shattering Empress Reigns Supreme

Bai Jingchu was sent three years ago to serve as a companion to the dying Chief Eunuch Li, a sacrifice made by her adoptive father to save the Bai family from ruin. During her time in the eunuch's residence, she endured immense hardship, feigning madness to survive the cruel regime of Li Fugui, the eunuch's adopted son. She narrowly escaped being buried alive, aided only by the sacrifice of her loyal maid, Xuejian. Upon her return to the capital, she was stripped of her dignity and subjected to a humiliating chastity inspection by her adoptive mother, Madam Bai Chen, and Granny Bai. To their shock, they discovered she remained a virgin, a fact Bai Jingchu attributed to Eunuch Li's paralysis and neglect.

The Bai family, now elevated to prominence with her adoptive father appointed as Chief Imperial Physician, viewed Bai Jingchu not as a savior but as a disgrace. Madam Bai Chen and her biological daughter, Bai Jingshu, who had been swapped at birth and returned only recently, conspired to use Bai Jingchu as a trial marriage substitute. They forced her to spend the night with Chi Yanqing, the Young Marquis of Qinggui, to test his physical condition before Jingshu's own wedding. The family feared the Marquis had a venereal disease and intended to send Bai Jingchu to her potential death, planning to discard her afterward.

At the Marquis residence, Bai Jingchu continued her act of foolishness. She encountered Chi Yanqing, a man known for his eccentric and ruthless nature. Instead of assaulting her, he revealed a pet parrot hidden in his trousers, mocking the rumors of his impotence and disease. He recognized her intelligence beneath the feigned madness and blackmailed her into silence by biting her shoulder to draw blood, demanding five hundred taels in exchange for her cooperation. He intended to use her to break off the engagement with the Bai family by spreading rumors of his own illness.

While at the Marquis estate, the Dowager Marchioness suffered a sudden asthma attack. Bai Jingchu's brother, Bai Jing'an, lacked the skill to perform the critical Thirteen Ghost Needles acupuncture. Bai Jingchu, who had secretly mastered the technique, intervened and guided Jing'an to save the Dowager's life. This act earned her the gratitude of the Marquis household but also drew Chi Yanqing's intense scrutiny. He witnessed her fighting back against Granny Bai with lethal precision, confirming his suspicion that she was not truly mad.

Upon returning to the Bai residence, Bai Jingchu faced further hostility. Bai Jingshu, desperate to remove her rival, plotted to frame Bai Jingchu for incest with their Second Uncle, Bai Xiuye. She sent poisoned bathwater and manipulated Bai Jingchu into attempting to enter the Second Uncle's room. However, Bai Jingchu outsmarted her sister, exposing the scheme to Second Aunt Bai. The Second Branch, already in conflict with the Main Branch, seized the opportunity to defend Bai Jingchu and punish the Main Branch's cruelty.

Chi Yanqing, observing the turmoil, became increasingly intrigued by Bai Jingchu's resilience and cunning. He learned of her near-death experience at the hands of Li Fugui and her escape from live burial. Realizing she pretended madness to survive a deadly environment, he vowed to protect her while using her to dismantle the corrupt connections between the Bai family and the remnants of Eunuch Li's power. The story follows Bai Jingchu as she navigates the treacherous politics of the imperial court and her dysfunctional family, relying on her medical skills and wits to survive, while her relationship with Chi Yanqing evolves from mutual blackmail to a complex alliance.