The New Tale of Hongshi: I Play the Black Pieces in the Qing Dynasty

After staying up all night revising a proposal, I opened my eyes and found myself as Hongshi, the Third Prince from Empresses in the Palace, the man doomed by love and sentenced to death by his father.

It was the tenth year of the Yongzheng reign. Longyue had died young, and the emperor had taken Zhen Huan to live in seclusion at the Old Summer Palace.

He left me “in charge,” but took the command tally for the Beijing garrison with him, set the commander of the Nine Gates and the Patrol Battalion against each other, and even my personal guards were my father's spies.

History says Hongshi lost to Hongli.

But in my hands, I hold the “script” that none of them have.

The Dragon Throne stands empty, its chill biting to the bone. I draw my sable cloak tighter and gaze toward the Old Summer Palace, smiling silently:

“Imperial Father, I understand the game you've set up.”

“But tell me, would a modern soul who knows how it ends willingly be a discarded pawn on your chessboard?”