An Lirong's Rebirth Simulator

The sharp scent of sandalwood and jasmine from the assembled palace ladies’ perfumes wraps around you, sharpened by the crisp autumn wind that nips at your cheeks through the thin silk of your plain teal robe.

You stand in the draft’s grand courtyard, faded vermilion walls rising high above the rows of trembling young women, all vying for a single chance to catch the Emperor’s eye.

Xia Dongchun’s snarl cuts through the hush that’s fallen over your section of the line: she smooths the embroidered peonies on her lavish crimson skirt as if your accidental brush has left a permanent stain, her eyes glinting with malice.

Around you, other girls shrink back, unwilling to draw her wrath.

In your past life, you’d burst into tears, stammering useless apologies until Zhen Huan stepped forward to mediate, drawing Xia Dongchun’s ire onto herself to spare you—an act of kindness you’d later betray, twisted by the harem’s endless poison and loneliness.

Now, the eunuch overseeing the draft shifts uneasily on his feet, his fan hovering mid-air as he waits to see how you will respond.

From the corner of your eye, you spot Zhen Huan, who has just turned your way, her soft hand lifting to speak, the exact same motion she made a lifetime ago, ready to save you again.