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Shen Residence.
Shen Yuling reclined gracefully on a beauty couch, her posture effortlessly elegant.
Outside, the season of full bloom had arrived, and the vibrant flowers in the courtyard competed in splendor, their dazzling hues painting a breathtaking scene. The intoxicating fragrance of blossoms drifted into the room, carried by the gentle spring breeze, permeating every corner of the space.
The soft breeze played with Shen Yuling’s dark hair, strands as rich as ink fluttering lightly in the air. From time to time, a few stray locks brushed against her delicate face—more exquisite than the flowers outside—adding an irresistibly enchanting allure to her beauty.
She had lived in this world for sixteen years.
Her purpose was singular: vengeance.
And there were three people she intended to destroy.
She was set to marry into the residence of Prince of Lingyang (Lingyang Junwang), betrothed to Prince Feng Moheng. But there were two others she had to eliminate—his concubine, Liu Jingyi, and Zhaoyi Liu , a consort in Quan Minghe’s harem who held near-absolute power.
Thus, before marrying Feng Moheng, she had to establish a connection with Quan Minghe. Only by entering the harem as a remarried woman could she get close enough to remove Zhaoyi Liu .
In the modern world, Shen Yuling had been an actress.
No—more precisely, she was an actress without any background or connections, struggling to carve out a place for herself in the entertainment industry.
The day before she encountered the system, she had just received a nomination for Best Actress.
In her time, Shen Yuling had both popularity and talent. She focused solely on her career, free from scandals, making her a rare breath of fresh air in the entertainment world.
She had been certain that this year’s Best Actress award would finally be hers. But against all expectations, she lost again.
It was the third time she had been nominated, and the third time she had to walk away empty-handed.
Shen Yuling found it both frustrating and laughable.
The world of fame and fortune in Beijing and Shanghai was indeed a treacherous battlefield—intricate, ruthless, and nearly impossible to conquer.
The Best Actress trophy slipped through Shen Yuling’s fingers once again. However, she was not one to dwell on disappointment. She accepted the outcome with ease and moved on.
That night.
Returning to her spacious and elegantly designed 300-square-meter apartment, she went through her nightly routine, washing up before settling into the soft comfort of her bed.
Before long, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Yet, this slumber was anything but ordinary.
The moment she fell asleep, she felt an overwhelming sensation of vertigo. The world spun around her, and an invisible force yanked her forward with tremendous power, pulling her into what felt like an endless vortex.
When she finally regained her senses, she found herself in a strange and unfamiliar space.
A vast expanse of white stretched endlessly in all directions, void of any discernible boundaries. The only thing before her was a virtual screen, glowing softly, its surface flickering with indecipherable symbols and patterns.
Even now, she could clearly recall the conversation she once had with that so-called Galactic System.
Perhaps it was the professional instinct she had developed over years as an actress—an acute ability to remember even the finest details of past experiences.
“Dear Miss Shen, the Galactic System is at your service!”
A crisp, youthful voice echoed through the silent space.
The words simultaneously appeared as subtitles on the screen—an unexpectedly considerate touch.
“Galactic System? What, am I about to transmigrate?”
Shen Yuling quipped, amusement in her tone.
She had read countless scripts in her career, carefully selecting from a variety of genres. Novels were no exception—she had consumed her fair share. The concept of a system, a common trope in many stories, was nothing new to her.
At that moment, she simply assumed she was dreaming.
The Galactic System seemed momentarily stunned by her calm response.
“How did you know?! Wait—you’re agreeing?!”
It had originally been prepared to persuade Miss Shen, thinking she might resist.
“Agree to what?” she asked.
“To travel to another world and become a great hero who saves it!”
Shen Yuling’s lips twitched involuntarily.
She silently ridiculed the system in her heart: ‘What a ridiculously over-the-top setup..’ Even if this was just a dream, there was no way she would agree to something so absurd.
—
Author’s Note: Since the imperial harem is not overly populated, a simplified rank structure is used. This is an alternate historical setting, so please don’t dwell too much on world-building details. Love you all! ❤️
Harem Ranking System
– Emperor & Empress (*Di Hou*)
– Zhaoyi : Equivalent to a Grand Chancellor, rank comparable to a feudal prince.
– Jieyu : Equivalent to a Senior Minister, rank comparable to a Marquess.
– Meiren : Equivalent to a Governor of a Commandery (2,000 shi).
– Bazi : Equivalent to a Grand Chancellor’s Chief Advisor (1,000 shi).
– Qizi : 800 shi.
– Liangren: 700 shi.
– Changshi : 600 shi.
– Shaoshi: 400 shi.
(*Note:* “Shi” refers to an ancient measure of salary and rank in the imperial system.)