Ending: Reader's Choice

How To Win: You shouldn't act out of character and the plot.

1. Mei Lin-the maid (won through beauty and love)

Prince's Choice-she chose the Prince. As long as she stays with the prince, she will win. If she chose to ignore Xue Ni's invitation, she will not be framed.

Fairytale Ending

2. Xue Ni-the villain mc (Empress' Choice)

As long as she asks for the empress' help in securing the throne, the Empress will have to force the Prince to spend the nights with the other consorts 

Realistic Ending

3. Jie Ling-won through intellegence and loyalty (She got tied with Jia Ying)

4. Felicia-spotless Princess. I'm going to keep quiet and lay down to avoid being murdered by the other consorts. Yes, it's a good tactic, but she didn't even make a move until the end. That's not realistic and fair for her to win. But the ending is basically, the 2nd Prince defended her, as he knew there's no way she killed her sister, to clear her name, she volunteered to find the original culprit. She ended up securing the throne and ending up with the 2nd Prince.

Turns Out Laying Low Has Its Perks Ending

Jia Ying-I have a second lead syndrome(me too), I don't want to end up with the prince!

But logically, she should won, because she has the social status and the personality, although she wasn't the most attractive one like Mei Lin, the most powerful like Xue Ni, or the most intelligent like Jie Ling, but she has all the qualities of a good queen. Think of it like a game, Mei Lin decides to meter up her looks over the other qualities so she lose, that's what I'm planning to make with this game. Felicia also metered up her looks but not completely, she did get chosen by the prince, but it still didn't help her in the end. Jia Ying is the perfect candidate. 

Jia Ying

2nd Prince: Jia Ying and 3rd Prince, please help me in finding the original culprit. You're the only ones not suspicious in this kingdom. Only you have no benefit from Jie Ling being killed. 

Jia Ying: Should we help him, prince?

3rd Prince: Sure. 

Jia Ying started investigating. 

What happened:

Xue Ni decided to meet up with Mei Lin.

Xue Ni: Prince, I want to meet up with Mei Lin.

Prince: What in the lord are you planning? I won't let you harm Mei Lin.

Xue Ni took out a bracelet. It was a Pandora bracelet given by Mei Lin to her. It was their friendship bracelet from the modern times, the bracelet engraves both of their names, Mei Lin~Xue Ni.

Xue Ni: Give this to her, and let her decide. She will recognize this.

At the room

Prince: Mei Lin, Xue Ni wants to meet with you and gave you this.

Mei Lin took the bracelet. Her eyes widen.

Mei Lin (Tears in her eyes): Xue Ni, it's you! Tell her I'll see her.

Prince: Be careful.

Xue Ni: I missed you Mei Lin. (whispers) Although I know this is just a game, but I still feel homesick in this palace. I'm tired of these palace games and I miss those modern people.

Mei Lin: Prince, can you go out? I want to talk privately with her.

Prince: Okay. 

Mei Lin: I can't believe I'm not the only mc here!

Xue Ni: (dry) Well, it's suppose to be only me, but you barged into the novel next.

Mei Lin: I'm sorry, if I knew you were here, I wouldn't do that.

Xue Ni: There are four of us left, Jie Ling, Felicia, you,and me. 

Mei Lin (widens eyes): Felicia? But she has never spoken more than one sentence here! 

Xue Ni: She must plan to lay down and be quiet,  I bet most players will do that. But I was forced to reveal and talk to the others, because I have the power to kill and frame another consort without being in suspicion.

Mei Lin: Oh yes, so are you talking to me to lure me out? I know I'm a potential enemy here. Although, Jie Ling matters more now.

Xue Ni: Yeah, I didn't expect that twist, so I decided to team up with you.

Mei Lin: Oh, team up to kill Jie Ling? Yeah, I agree. Don't feel guilty, it's just a novel.

Xue Ni: Yeah, I don't know why I harmed Jia Ying too.

Mei Lin: She kinda has a fault, you know,

Xue Ni: Yeah, so tomorrow I'm planning to eliminate Jie Ling.

Mei Lin: I will tell the Prince this. He will agree.

Mei Lin told the Prince what they were planning.

Prince: Yes, but how are you going to poison Jie Ling? Her walls are guarded in the middle of the night.

Mei Lin: I have an idea, but you agree, right?

Prince: Of course, I need to secure that throne.

Jia Ying told the Queen what happened.

Queen: Because the prince is guilty, you and the 3rd Prince will succeed in the throne.

Jia Ying (shocked): I can't believe I won! I thought I'm out, and I barely made any moves since I got on with the 3rd Prince!

Xue Ni: Man, me too. I didn't think of you, at all, why did we lose, Mei Lin?

You acted out of your character and plot. Yes, you succeeded in making Mei Lin guilty, but at the same time, you made the prince out too. They are in the same boat, after all, Mei Lin is the Prince's Choice. The prince is literally your only choice and ally in this game, Mei Lin. You and Xue Ni can't rely on friendships and others.

Xue Ni: I think our characters lack intellegence.

Mei Lin: So, I should have ignored that bracelet? I can't do that.

Your other option, Xue Ni, is to ask the Empress for help. She will force the Prince to sleep with different girls every night.

Xue Ni: That sounds more realistic, I can't believe Mei Lin evaded the other consorts.

Mei Lin: Because of your lack of intelligence, duh.

Jie Ling: I lose anyway. But I made the right choice in the first part.

I have the other path: To seduce the prince.

Xue Ni: You did a good job, the Prince's choice is only one, he already has a lover.

Felicia: Damn, why can't the Prince just stay with two girls at night? 

Jie Ling (blushes): Uhmm..well it could work, but you never suggested it. Do princes do threesomes at the past times?

Xue Ni: They should exist already, but I just never see them in dramas.

Jie Ling: Had I known there were others, I would have just killed all of you.

You can't, we won't make the game featured that way, it's not fair. Only the Empress' Choice can kill and frame one consort.

Jie Ling: Fair enough, so how's the novel?

Jia Ying will be the author. You can change the book title and cover later.

We will be making a visual novel with this novel as well, with you guys as the characters. The players can adjust their social status, looks and personality accordingly, with a prince. 

Mei Lin: Basically they can't fully meter up a part, like what I did with mine, beauty was over the top, but I didn't win.

You didn't lose because of that, the reader's voted for Jie Ling and Jia Ying. We decided to kill off Jie Ling for a plot twist. Congrats though, the readers like you, Jie Ling.

Felicia: Would I ever win?

Yes, if they voted for you. The 2nd Prince will defend you, you will then say that you want vengeance for your sister and investigate with him. You ended up marrying him as you secure the throne.

Jie Ling: The 2nd Prince is a good guy. That is a great ending, Felicia.

Yes, please play "Empress in the Palace" by Winnie Shi at Tales. 

The End