Reincarnated as the Vicious Imperial Princess (Matriarchal Society)

Lu Qiuci, the son of a fifth-rank Censor-in-Chief, is forced into a political marriage with Xu Chen, the Crown Princess of the Great Zhou Kingdom. Known throughout the capital for her tyrannical, capricious, and cruel nature, the Crown Princess is feared by all. Lu Qiuci enters the wedding procession with dread, fully aware that his lowly status makes him an insult to his new wife. On their wedding night, while the capital celebrates, assassins storm the Eastern Palace. The attack is brutal, resulting in numerous deaths among the palace staff. However, the Crown Princess remains unnervingly composed. It is revealed that the assassination was a ruse orchestrated by Xu Chen herself. Using her private shadow guards, she eliminates the spies and disloyal servants within her residence, effectively purging the Eastern Palace of enemies planted by the Emperor. The "assassins" are actually her loyal operatives, and the chaos serves to consolidate her power and secure her home.

Lu Qiuci spends the night alone in the bridal chamber, believing the Crown Princess has deliberately ignored him out of contempt. He faces hostility from Xia Ling and Bai Chuyin, two favored male consorts who have held power in the Eastern Palace for years. They mock his low birth and attempt to intimidate him, but Lu Qiuci stands his ground, asserting that his marriage was decreed by the Emperor. When news spreads that the Crown Princess was injured in the attack, Lu Qiuci rushes to see her. He is granted an audience and discovers that her "wound" is a fake. Xu Chen reveals her true nature: she is not the incompetent, tyrannical fool the court believes her to be. She is a calculating strategist who has transmigrated from a modern life where she was a powerful CEO. She kisses Lu Qiuci, acknowledging his composure and intelligence, and promises to visit him that evening.

The Emperor, Yongji, visits the Crown Princess the next day. She performs a masterful act of feigned fear and filial devotion, masking her true capabilities. The Emperor, who has spent years undermining her to install her rival sister as Crown Princess, is relieved to see no change in Xu Chen’s behavior. Xu Chen cleverly extracts promises of reward and autonomy from the Emperor, securing gold and status for Lu Qiuci. She then dismisses the Emperor, dropping her act immediately. Back in private, she treats Lu Qiuci with a mix of dominance and unexpected generosity, bestowing upon him vast wealth and capable servants. This display of favor shocks the Eastern Palace and enrages Xia Ling, who had expected to maintain his dominance over the new consort.

Xia Ling attempts to block Xu Chen’s path to Lu Qiuci’s residence, hoping to reclaim her attention through a tantrum. Instead, Xu Chen coldly orders him to be dragged away, signaling a decisive shift in power dynamics. She proceeds to the Yuhua Courtyard, where Lu Qiuci waits anxiously. He is torn between fear of her terrifying presence and the necessity of securing his position within the palace. As he prepares for her arrival, he reflects on the dangerous game he has entered. The story establishes a complex relationship between the two protagonists: Xu Chen is a ruthless political operator using Lu Qiuci as part of her long-term strategy to seize the throne, while Lu Qiuci is a capable but vulnerable man trying to survive in a court that seeks his destruction. The narrative sets the stage for political intrigue, court manipulation, and the gradual transformation of the Crown Princess from a figure of ridicule to a formidable ruler.