The Days of Seeking Favors from the Imperial Palace

Life was too bitter and exhausting. Cui Lanyin thought about marrying someone wealthy and idle who could help support her family. She didn’t expect a harmonious, loving marriage—just wealth would do. Her demands weren’t unreasonable.

But where could she find a generous fool—ahem, a generous benefactor?

When the Prince of Wei suddenly returned to the capital, Cui Lanyin traced back three generations and twisted the family tree just enough to realize she could claim him as a distant uncle.

So she swallowed her pride and went to pay her respects…

Much later, whenever Cui Lanyin—now the Empress—was mentioned in the capital, everyone could only marvel. They’d assumed she’d gone to the palace to scrounge for favors, so how did an "old maiden" like her end up as Empress?

After all, His Majesty was a man of few words, so much so that even his ministers had to rack their brains to decipher his intentions during court sessions. So how on earth did this uncle and niece-by-convenience end up falling for each other? The curiosity was killing them!

[☆ Double virgins, 1v1. A melancholic, emotionally detached prince (later emperor) vs. a clever, vibrant beauty. A slow-burn, slice-of-life romance with equal focus on emotional development and plot. Sweet and satisfying! ☆ No blood relation between the leads!]