The Ming Dynasty has been shattered. But the pieces must be picked up. Little Peony has been cut on the shards of her broken country. Her family has been ripped in twain, and she is far from the only home she ever knew. She lives in the nest of snakes called the imperial court. In a time when women were considered inferior to men, and society deemed obedience the most important virtue, Little Peony struggles on a journey of self discovery and must choose between love and a chance to make the Ming dynasty what it truly was meant to be: bright. First place Winner of the Heavenly Awards Historical Fiction Category and Hidden Gem Award, the Mist Award Historical Fiction Category, and the Gem Awards Historical Fiction Category, and the Tomato Awards.

"Even when in peace, think of danger; choose honest and capable officials and heed their opinions. That's all I know as your wife and nothing else." -Empress Wendeshungsheng of Tang This story tells of Zhangsun Jingyun, a daughter of a general in the former Sui Dynasty, as she lives and loves and receive the title of Emperor Taizong of Tang's Empress.

"Let us meet again in hell." Before she became the infamous seductress. Before he was the most hated tyrant. Before it all fell apart... Born a curse, she was cast away from the royal family. But when the kingdom needed an alliance, she was the one called upon to marry. As the second son, he had no right to become heir. Yet in the face of war and politics, he was always the first commanded to fight for the country. "Whoever is wedded to the princess is destined to become emperor." Somehow, fate brought them together, and the course of the empire thus changed forever. She became known as the most shameful seductress, purposefully tempting six emperors in a wild bid to maintain her lavish lifestyle. She once dreamt of becoming the century's best medic; yet after a lifetime in the palace, she couldn't save her own children from slaughter. He turned into the worst tyrant in Chinese history, knowingly sending millions to their graves in a blind attempt to pursue his frivolous dreams. He initially wanted to live a simple life; but under the pressure of power, he instead found himself using all those he loved as mere pawns. She thought she was fighting against destiny, but it turned out to be the ones she most trusted. He believed he was the one pulling on the strings, but in reality, he was unknowingly playing his own part in the script. They were unwilling puppets, each trying to break free from the invisible strings of fate. Only when the stage finally fell, it was to chaos. At the end of it all, she no longer knew if her tears were for him or the irony of it all. ----- Cover: Manipulated by Photoshop but all photo credits to their original artists on Pinterest

Li Hua enters The Palace as a concubine and she'll leave as the Empress

A mere girl of a common scholar class is swept from her peaceful life to something bigger. Now picked upon as a candidate for the second son of the emperor, she's thrown into a world of discord and trickery. Behind the illusion of a peaceful life, power struggles revolving around love and happiness are vital for survival. Nothing is simply easy and one must fight to make it to the top.

Set in the late 17th century in the Qing dynasty during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, Mei Xiang met a prince who stole her heart. At first, it was a challenge to tolerate him and then it become a challenge to be with him. Obstacles were thrown in her way and she tried her best to move past them. Soon enough, she found herself sitting upon the Empress Dowager position. It was then she realised that sometimes the one you love the most becomes the one you most fear. [2/5-304 in HF] [6/5-297 in HF] [30/6-273 in HF] [4/8-266 in HF] [6/8-221 in HF] [9/8-176 in HF] [21/9-155 in HF]

The palace is a graveyard of dreams and hope. It slowly lures you in with its mesmerizing beauty, giving silky promises of power and wealth. But as soon as you take a step into the mirage, the doors snap shut. Then you realize... The high palace walls are nothing more than a cage of bones. The peaceful lotus pool is simply a resting place for thousands of lost souls. And laughter and smiles are a weapon to kill you before you can even mutter a single word. When lucky, a remain or two may find its way out - a fragmented jade or two bloody teeth, a remembrance that this indeed was history. From her birth, she was chained by the invisible strings of fate. What was the palace but another prison? Her bargain was her freedom, and his bet was the future of the empire. He favored the land over her, so she chose herself over him. But when she finally had the chance to escape, she found that she couldn't. For her hands were spotted with crimson blood.

She drew the attention of everyone with her beauty and charm. Although she was already one of his wives, the Emperor sought to keep her even closer. A one-shot of a man enchanted, and his willing prisoner. AN: After receiving feedback from some readers, I've decided to expand the stories. I hope you enjoy reading them! Each chapter can be read as a standalone one shot, so you can stop any time you wish, but I sincerely hope that you will like the stories enough to read all of them! Thank you Gadaffilicious for the amazingly beautiful cover! I've changed my username to purplebluedreams, so don't be surprised by the different name!

She was sold to a richer family, and then substituted their daughter to be a palace servant candidate at 15. As news spread fast like the wind, she knows that a palace servant's life is not easy. She wishes for release as soon as she enters the palace. A chameleon she wants to be, to blend in with the surroundings, attracting no attention. However, fate decides otherwise. As everyday passes, she begins to witness, one by one, the scheming yet melancholic lives of people in the palace. She wants to leave such a place, only to find out later that she can never escape the tight grasp of cruel destiny. This girl, her name is Jade Yeva/Yè Ān Yù. --- •Sequel: Princess In The Palace (can be read as a standalone) •Full summary in summary chapter. •This is actually a Historical Chinese-based story, with names tweaked into English to suit English readers too. Name translation will be provided at the end of chapters. ***HIGHEST #5 in Historical Fiction.