Divorcing and Dividing the Family, I'll Even Take My Co-Wife

When Qiu Xuan was fifteen, a fortune teller said she had the makings of a traitor and rebel. Leading imperial academy students in brawls and inciting a princess to break up her family, behind every mischievous act was the silent strategist, Qiu Xuan. It seemed that ten years later, the Great Yong imperial court would gain a menace. However, the Qiu family became entangled in a conflict between the Emperor and Empress, and the Emperor's decree resulted in the extermination of their entire clan. To survive, Qiu Xuan had no choice but to marry into the Marquisate, becoming a widow by proxy for the missing Young Marquis Yunyang. She thought she would have to wait until a new emperor ascended the throne and issued a general amnesty before she could escape this cage. Unexpectedly, the Young Marquis Yunyang actually returned alive, bringing with him a battle-hardened Commandery Princess, pregnant with his child, as a co-wife. Qiu Xuan, whose sharp edges had been dulled by life in the Marquisate, quickly regrew her thorns. She devised eighteen countermeasures, but all were rendered useless by the Commandery Princess's tears.

The Commandery Princess said, "Help me escape the manor, and not only will I clear your family's name, but you'll also gain promotions and titles." Qiu Xuan replied, "Why should I trust you?" The Commandery Princess countered, "Because I'm pregnant with a prince." Qiu Xuan declared, "This sounds interesting, I'll take the job." The Commandery Princess asked, "What do I need to do?" Qiu Xuan simply said, "Watch me perform."

Ten years later, the Empress Dowager, who had helped the young emperor ascend the throne, tried her old tricks again. The Empress Dowager said, "Deal with the Regent King, and in the future, you'll be second only to one person, above ten thousand others. I'll even have the Emperor call you his 'godmother.'" Minister Qiu Xuan responded, "This sounds interesting, leave it to me." The Empress Dowager then asked, "Why didn't the Regent King die?" Minister Qiu Xuan replied, "Because if he died, it would be boring."