Three Lives, Three Emperors, Thirty Years

★ A 2-million-character epic ahead, containing a great deal of BG romance. This is the background story for the "Delusions" series, written especially for readers of the series.

[If only I had extinguished all his delusions from the very beginning...]

[If I had confined him to the manor for his whole life back then, would the three of us have avoided ending up here?]

[The person I loved never loved me for even a single moment. Until my death, I was nothing more than a witness to the love between the emperor and the chancellor.]

[I once thought he was a madman who wanted to do something insane. I couldn't bear to lose him, or the warmth and love he gave me, so I did everything I could to stop him.

But in the end, he was the one who lived happily ever after. I was the one who became a madman in other people's eyes, doing things I once feared even thinking about.]

He was attracted to men, but he got married.

The emperor's knuckles turned white.

He thought he wouldn't care. He ruled the world. What kind of handsome men and beautiful women hadn't he seen? What kind of charming, talented people hadn't he met?

He was just a minister.

Gu Xuanshi wasn't a narrow-minded man, nor was he someone who became stupid and senseless at the mere mention of love. He thought he could even attend Wen Louxue's wedding with a smile, watching him exchange cups and share tender glances with someone else. But when the time came, he discovered his chest was so tight he could barely breathe. He didn't go to the wedding. Why should he go? He had already granted the marriage. What more did anyone expect of him? Why should he go? He hadn't ordered that eyesore Bian Xiao executed, and that was already the greatest mercy he could show.

Gu Xuanshi slowly unclenched his pale knuckles.

Enough. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Why fall in love with just one flower?

Gu Xuanshi smiled as if relieved and gently set the paperweight back on the desk.

He thought he had let go. But when the words "the chancellor's wedding" reached his ears, he still smashed up his chambers and had Wen Louxue thrown into prison.

Even if he's married, he still belongs to me. Even if he's married, he still has to stay by my side every day.

[Divider]

There is true affection and true love in this world, but love is not the only thing in it.

Whose hatred for their country's enemies became their life's obsession? Whose bold reforms opened new paths? Whose loyalty to the ruler and country made them a renowned minister? Whose delusions and dreams tore apart lives and history? Whose moment of poor judgment brought thirty years of chaos? Whose leap from the city wall fulfilled both loyalty to the ruler and an unspoken love?

[A huge stew of elements: BL, ruler and subject, war, hatred for enemies of the country and family, a little household intrigue, a little palace intrigue, everyone is love-struck, everyone is ruthless.]

[Content warnings]

A love triangle with all three harboring feelings for one another, slow burn.

Also included: four other works in progress. [I'll decide the release order based on my mood, haha.]

Novellas in the historical BL "Delusions" series

#10488649 "Diary of a Melancholy Tutor's Breakdown - Bound Minister" [Ongoing] (First-person, shou's monologue, lovesick tyrant x masked tutor, younger gong)

#10607552 "This Tutor Can Tame the Tyrant" (A third-person version of "Bound Minister" in a conventional style)

#10560390 "Ink-Dyed Isles, White Shores" (To begin after "Bound Minister" is complete) [Both leads are sexually inexperienced and equally strong, civil and military ministers, lovers reunited after a breakup + bickering couple + strong mutual attraction]

#10610169 "A Letter to You" (Third-person, younger gong, gong's POV, an ambitious young emperor vs a traditional, old-fashioned tutor. Pursuing his husband after losing him + rebirth)

Moral: The love entanglements among an emperor, a chancellor, and a noble family's adopted son, amid hatred for country and family and conflicts of ideology.