Whoever Wants to Have Kids Can Have Them; I'll Seduce the Emperor and Seize the Phoenix Throne

Wen Yunmian awakens in her younger body, realizing she has been reborn to the day before she and her stepsister, Wen Leyan, enter the imperial palace. In her previous life, Wen Yunmian rose from a low-ranking concubine to Empress Dowager by bearing the Emperor multiple children, only to be murdered by a mad Wen Leyan in a fit of envy. Now, both sisters retain their memories of the past. The Marquis offers them a choice between two secret medicines: the Shengzidan, which enhances fertility, and the Maomeidan, which grants stunning beauty but damages reproductive health. Remembering that Wen Yunmian’s success in her past life was built on motherhood, Wen Leyan aggressively claims the Shengzidan, believing that bearing the Emperor’s heirs is the surest path to power. Wen Yunmian, however, calmly accepts the Maomeidan, knowing that in her previous life, her beauty was merely a tool and her children were a burden that exposed her to constant danger and physical decay.

Upon entering the palace, Wen Yunmian is assigned the rank of Yun Changzai, while Wen Leyan becomes Lady Le. Wen Yunmian understands that her first night attending the bedchamber is critical. She deliberately applies heavy makeup to obscure her features in her official portrait, ensuring that Imperial Consort Shu, the Emperor’s jealous favorite, selects her as the first concubine to serve. Wen Yunmian anticipates that Imperial Consort Shu will attempt to poison or torture her, as she did to Wen Leyan in the previous timeline. When Imperial Consort Shu forces her to take a poison pill and orders her whipped, Wen Yunmian feigns panic and falls into the hot spring pool. She uses the chaos to throw herself into the Emperor’s arms, presenting a image of vulnerability and innocence. The Emperor, Jun Chenyu, is intrigued by her calculated fragility and the hidden beauty revealed when her makeup washes away. He reprimands Imperial Consort Shu for the excessive punishment and promotes Wen Yunmian to Guiren the very next day, granting her the Ruyi Harmony Fan, a symbol of supreme favor.

Wen Leyan, expecting Wen Yunmian to be destroyed or humiliated, is stunned by her sister’s rapid rise. She attempts to undermine Wen Yunmian by exposing supposed whip marks, but finds her skin flawless, having anticipated the torture and protected herself. Frustrated, Wen Leyan adopts a bold, alluring style of dress to capture the Emperor’s attention during the formal audience with the Empress. Her aggressive display irritates Imperial Consort Shu, who forces Wen Leyan to leave the audience early to copy Buddhist scriptures. Wen Yunmian refuses to intervene, allowing Wen Leyan to miss her chance to meet the Emperor. Meanwhile, Wen Yunmian strategically visits the ailing Empress, bringing her medicinal herbs and plum preserves from her hometown. This act of kindness endears her to the Empress, securing a powerful ally in the harem’s highest authority.

As the nights progress, other concubines attend the bedchamber, but Wen Leyan remains ignored. Desperate, she aligns herself with Imperial Consort Shu’s faction, believing that gaining the Noble Consort’s protection is essential to surpassing Wen Yunmian. She orchestrates a trap, accusing Wen Yunmian of secretly meeting with a guard to slander her reputation. Chun Pin, an ally of Imperial Consort Shu, leads a midnight raid on Peony Pavilion to search for the alleged lover. Wen Yunmian remains calm, knowing the accusation is baseless. She has already prepared for such schemes, maintaining a facade of timidity while secretly managing her household with loyal servants. The confrontation highlights the growing tension between the two sisters, with Wen Yunmian demonstrating that she is no longer the passive victim of her past life but a calculated strategist ready to defend her position against the palace’s treacherous intrigues.