Modern novelist Du He stays up all night and dies of exhaustion, only to wake up in the third year of Zhenguan as Du He, the unlucky historical figure who took part in a rebellion and was executed by being cut in half at the waist!
Bound to a System that can extend his father’s life, he is tossed into the Eastern Palace as the Crown Prince’s study companion. Looking at the gloomy, taciturn boy before him, Du He is stunned:
Is this Li Chengqian, the future rebel? No way. I have to set him on the righteous path of a spoiled young lord!
“Your Highness, I hear a troupe of Persian dancers just arrived in the Western Market.”
“Your Highness, the eldest son of the Cheng family is racing horses down Vermilion Bird Street again. Shall we challenge him?”
“Your Highness, I’ve brewed a new batch of strong liquor. Down this bowl, and tomorrow we can study the Analects!”
Li Shimin: “Du He! You’re leading my Crown Prince astray!”
Du Ruhui: “You rebellious brat! Your father has only a year to live, and you’re still causing trouble?”
Li Chengqian: “Second Brother, let’s skip class today and go watch the Western Regions acrobats!”
Du He wipes his brow. “System, weren’t we supposed to reform spoiled young lords? How did I lead the Crown Prince astray?”
[System Notice: Li Chengqian’s rebelliousness -50, mental health +30, historical correction progress 15%.]
To earn points and prolong his father’s life, he is forced onto the path of “saving the nation through spoiled indulgence”:
Burning a Persian carpet sparks a diplomatic incident; distilling strong liquor accidentally boosts the Tang economy; promoting cotton causes a stir among the three departments and six ministries…
Then one day, Du He realizes in horror that he may have raised Li Chengqian into “Chang’an’s number one spoiled young lord,” but the signs of rebellion really do seem to have vanished?!
“Father, Eldest Brother, Your Highness, I really am trying to save the country!”
The anguished cry of Du He, the misunderstood spoiled young lord who saved the world.
