[Absurd Emperor Xiao Jue vs. Dashing Left Chancellor Shen Qingci]
This novel blends [ancient-style court intrigue + emperors and ministers + mutual growth + palace romance], set during a turbulent period when the Great Jing Dynasty faces crises at home and abroad. Xiao Jue begins as an absurd emperor who indulges in pleasure, while Shen Qingci wins his favor as his bedmate and rises from a compiler to Left Chancellor through an extraordinary promotion. At first, theirs is merely an ambiguous relationship in which each gets what they want.
As crises erupt one after another, from a power struggle in the Eastern Palace and an invasion by the Northern Di to corruption among the imperial relatives and rebellion in Jiangnan, the two are forced to move from suspicion and testing one another to standing side by side and overcoming each crisis. Amid blood and fire, Xiao Jue leaves his absurd ways behind and grows into his responsibilities as emperor. Shen Qingci puts aside his flirtatious ways and uses his wisdom to support the court. From “punishment” on the imperial throne to sharing a bed at the frontier, from risking his life to save the other at the Dali Temple to openly confessing their feelings during the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, they turn the bond they shared as bedmates into a deep, lasting love. In the end, they join hands to put the turmoil at home and abroad to rest, securing imperial authority and a lifetime together.
