Chapter 26: Plot

Tang Zhao's mind was a chaotic mess. She sent Dongmei back to sleep and lay in bed with her back to the mattress, clutching her quilt and staring blankly into space.

*Rouyin. That's actually a pretty nice name.*

Tang Zhao didn't like Gu Ci, so she naturally wasn't jealous, but the thought of this invisible green hat perched atop her head still made her feel incredibly nauseated.

"System, don't you think it's time for an explanation?"

【Ding! Host has triggered a key character, unlocking the full book plot.】

Tang Zhao:?

So, not only had she been reborn, but she had also transmigrated into a book.

【The female protagonist of "The Legend of Rouyin," Bai Rouyin, was betrothed to Gu Ci since birth. They were childhood sweethearts. After Gu Ci joined the army, he sent gifts every year during festivals, waiting only for Bai Rouyin to turn eighteen to marry her.】

【In the 39th year of the Kangzhi era of Great Yu, the Turks launched an invasion with a hundred thousand iron cavalry. Prince Xuan led the Northwest Army to defend the border. Gu Ci led a surprise attack on the Turkic camp, burning their grain supplies and ultimately securing a great victory. However, while slaying the third Turkic prince, Gu Ci was struck by a poisoned arrow and fell into a coma.】

【Gu Ci was sent back to Luoyang. He survived only through the use of secret medicines, but he remained in a deep coma. The Imperial Preceptor divined that a noble lady born in a positive year, month, day, and hour must marry Gu Ci to ward off the bad luck and offer him a chance at life.】

【Emperor Kangzhi, desperate to save him, plucked Tang Zhao from among the thousands of noble ladies in Luoyang.】

Tang Zhao:...

Tang Zhao: So that's how the cause and effect connect.

【The Emperor bestowed the marriage; there was absolutely no possibility of annulment or divorce. Since Bai Rouyin was the only daughter of the Marquis of Loyal Valor, she could not be a concubine. Therefore, their engagement was canceled, and Bai Rouyin followed her family to the Northwest.】

【In the early summer of the 40th year of Great Yu, Emperor Kangzhi passed away. As the members of Prince Xuan's manor moved to their fief, Bai Rouyin encountered Gu Ci again. Unable to control her emotions, she requested to become his concubine, but was rejected by Gu Ci. In her fury, she married someone else.】

【Unfortunately, Bai Rouyin chose the wrong man. She faced oppression from her in-laws and alienation from her husband's siblings. Gu Ci, feeling deeply that he had caused her suffering, saved her from danger several times. Bai Rouyin's husband, believing he was being cuckolded, defected to the enemy in a rage, only to be discovered and cut down by Gu Ci.】

Tang Zhao: For a moment, she didn't even know who to curse.

【Bai Rouyin was forced into a nunnery by her husband's family. Gu Ci, unable to bear seeing her live in such conditions, offered her a small courtyard to reside in. Bai Rouyin offered to serve him as a maid, but was rejected by Gu Ci once again.】

Tang Zhao: What a massive idiot.

"Wait, are you sure Gu Ci is just a cannon fodder male supporting character?" Tang Zhao asked a question from the depths of her soul. By this point, the book must be hundreds of thousands of words long.

【It is 470,000 words. Don't be impatient, Host; the male lead is about to appear.】

Tang Zhao: If the male lead hasn't appeared by nearly 500,000 words, the author must have flopped.

【Bai Rouyin fell into utter despair and settled into her small courtyard, prepared to live out her days there. Unexpectedly, she accidentally saved the eighth prince of the Turks. As they spent time together, feelings grew, and the eighth prince promised to marry her.】

【Taking advantage of her status, Bai Rouyin secretly passed information to the Turks, helping the eighth prince become the Khan. She then faked her death to escape, changed her identity, and married into the Turks as a Turkic Princess.】

*Clap! Clap! Clap!*

Tang Zhao applauded. What a twist! Impressive!

【In the third year of Pingyuan, Great Yu suffered constant natural disasters, and the imperial court embezzled military funds. Prince Xuan was forced to raise an army against the Turks. Gu Ci fought his way into the royal tent and, at Bai Rouyin's desperate pleas, allowed the two to leave.】

【In the fifth year of Pingyuan, Emperor Pingyuan, sensing Prince Xuan's growing power and fearing disloyalty, secretly contacted the Marquis of Loyal Valor to assassinate Prince Xuan with poison, conspiring with the reorganized Bai Rouyin and her husband.】

【In the sixth year of Pingyuan, Prince Xuan died. The Turks rose again, and through a pincer attack by Emperor Pingyuan from within and the Turks from without, the Northwest Army was destroyed. Gu Ci died in battle, and the members of Prince Xuan's manor died serving their country.】

【Having eliminated his greatest threat, Emperor Pingyuan believed he could rest easy and neglected state affairs. In the eighth year of Pingyuan, the Turks tore up their treaty and invaded Luoyang within three months, slaying Emperor Kaiyuan and the entire imperial clan. They unified the world, declaring themselves the Mingwu Empire and changing the state name to Yuan. Bai Rouyin was crowned Empress, her son was named Crown Prince, and the Marquis of Loyal Valor was titled the First-Class Duke of the Bai State.】

【Then, Bai Rouyin began her struggle for power in the inner palace, using the favor of Emperor Mingwu and her family's influence to secure her position as Empress Dowager. After Emperor Mingwu died, the Crown Prince ascended the throne, and she became the Empress Dowager, enjoying a lifetime of glory.】

"Not bad. She truly is a 'Great Female Lead.' I only have one question: how many words are in the entire book?"

【A total of 630,000 words.】

"So the male lead only appears at 160,000 words? Are you sure you haven't swapped the male lead and the supporting character?"

Moreover, why did this female lead act like a villain? She wasn't righteous at all!

【Many of the good deeds the female lead performed were glossed over by the author.】

【After the TV adaptation, many viewers felt the supporting male character should have been the tragic male lead. However, the author insisted that Emperor Mingwu was the true male lead, sparking massive protests from the audience. That is why the book is being rewritten.】

Tang Zhao: "So that's why I'm here."

【Yes. The Host was handpicked by the System from among the tens of millions in Shanghai as the most talented and potential-filled individual. We hope the Host will not fail the System and the audience and will rewrite the ending.】

【If the Host successfully rewrites the ending and saves the cannon fodder male character from his fate, you will gain a new life. If you ultimately fail to save him, you will be erased by the System.】

Tang Zhao:!

This was even less humane than an employment contract! At least working for someone else doesn't put your life at risk.

But the world was just that unfair!

Tang Zhao surrendered. "Don't worry. Not only will I save Gu Ci's life, but I will also find him a virtuous, capable, and loyal wife."

A thousand times better than Bai Rouyin!

To hell with her "Great Female Lead" status, and to hell with his "Dark Moonlight" trope!

【Ding! Congratulations to the Host for unlocking the full book plot. Reward: Detailed plot preview; Remaining life value: 44.】

The amount of information received this morning was too much. Tang Zhao spent a full hour digesting it, so much so that she didn't even realize Gu Ci had woken up.

If she hadn't been bound to this system, and if Gu Ci weren't her target for conquest, she would have wanted to stab him.

A grown man, and he's actually a hopeless romantic!

Where the hell is one supposed to go to vent this frustration?!

Tang Zhao was incredibly annoyed by Gu Ci. Using the excuse that she hadn't cared for him properly, she threw him and his belongings out all at once, wanting him out of her sight.

Gu Ci took the opportunity to move back to his study.

Inside Minghui Hall, upon hearing the news that her son and daughter-in-law were living apart again, the veins on Princess Xuan's forehead throbbed. Feeling uneasy, she asked her confidante, Nanny Zhao, "Zhaoshan won't find out about Rouyin, will she?"

Nanny Zhao comforted her, "Only a few people know about the Fifth Young Master's betrothal. Didn't the Princess and the Heir's Consort warn everyone before the marriage? They are all old servants of the manor; they know how to keep their mouths shut."

"I'm just afraid the Young Master..."

*Yes, I'm afraid of that stupid son of mine who only knows how to fight,* Princess Xuan thought, gritting her teeth. She felt that living apart was actually for the best; if her foolish son were poisoned into a stupor and let something slip, they truly wouldn't be able to hide it.

From then on, Tang Zhao and Gu Ci living apart proceeded silently under everyone's tacit understanding.

It took Tang Zhao a full three days to reorganize her thoughts and officially launch her plan to save the cannon fodder male character.

The first step was to make money.

Thinking of her empty money box, Tang Zhao sighed and began to ponder which industry would allow her to start from scratch without any capital.

After much deliberation, she settled on writing storybooks—a business with zero capital requirements.

"Qiuyu, take Song Sheng and the others to the large storytelling teahouses in Luoyang. Find out what kinds of stories are currently popular."

Tang Zhao emptied her money box, giving all her silver to her, and said solemnly, "Whether we eat delicacies or gruel in the future depends entirely on you."

(End of Chapter)