Uncle, Spare My Life!

After the Qi Emperor died, Prince Yue Heng, the seventh prince, ascended the throne. But less than three days after donning the imperial robes, he was ambushed and captured while leading a campaign against the northern frontier.

The capital descended into chaos.

Yue Shichu, the only son of the fourth prince, couldn't care less. He was just a carefree young lord who loved indulging himself. But to his surprise, shortly after learning that he wasn't the princess consort's biological son, two powerful ministers forced him onto the throne.

Clutching his crown, he wailed, "I... am I the emperor?"

The ministers were drafting an imperial edict and paid him no mind.

A year later, the day Yue Heng returned to reclaim the Qi throne, the young emperor was playing a tile game with the palace eunuchs in his chambers.

"I win!" Before he could finish, a white-feathered arrow whizzed past his ear.

Through the curtain, he watched a man like a demon approach step by step and called out with a tremble, "Im... Imperial Uncle."

A struggle for the throne was on the verge of erupting.

When Yue Shichu learned that Yue Heng had developed night terrors after being captured on the northern frontier, he disguised himself as a young eunuch to protect his own skin. Night after night, he appeared in Yue Heng's chambers to help him dress, serve him tea, and fuss over him.

At last, he found a chance to poison him, but Yue Heng suddenly grabbed him and pinned him beneath himself. Amid his sobs, Yue Heng faintly heard him call out, "Imperial Uncle," and assumed it was part of his nightmare.

Before long, Yue Heng prepared to purge the palace and turn his sword on the young emperor who had taken his throne.

The young emperor sat on the edge of the bed, wiping away his tears with a pitiful expression. The moment he saw Yue Heng, he grew even more aggrieved and sobbed uncontrollably. His loose imperial robe hung off his shoulder. Yue Heng moved closer and saw two fading kiss marks on the side of the young emperor's neck...

They seemed to be the ones he'd left there last night.

[The leads are eight years apart in age and are not related by blood.]

Theme: Love.