Back to the Wicked Minister's Youth

In the first year of Hongzhi, Grand Guardian Wang Jieting died unjustly, and the entire court fell silent.

Among those who said nothing was Xun Su, his once-beloved student, whom he had regarded as a rising star. Xun Su was now an assistant grand secretary in the Cabinet.

Three years later, the injustice was exposed, unleashing a storm of bloodshed. Xun Su was branded a member of the “treacherous faction,” disgraced, and killed amid the people’s curses.

In the snowstorm, only Duke of Ying Xie Shizhuo came to gather his remains.

Everyone said that Scholar Xun had betrayed his teacher’s kindness, harbored evil intentions, and deserved his death.

Only Xie Shizhuo refused to believe it. He could not believe that the young man whose eyes had shone as he spoke of his country and his ideals at the Qionglin Banquet could have been a treacherous villain at heart.

Sadly, even as he lay dying, Xie Shizhuo had found no proof that his faith in Xun Su was justified.

Reborn, he returned to ten years earlier.

Once he had understood his situation, Xie Shizhuo immediately mounted his horse and rode straight to Pinghu County, Jiaxing Prefecture.

At that time, in Danghu Town, there was neither the future Cabinet grand secretary who would wield power across the court nor the infamous “traitor,” only a young scholar named Xun Su, studying hard for the spring examination the following year.

Xie Shizhuo quietly drew near. He protected him from the schemes of powerful families, cleared away the unseen obstacles in his path to the examinations, and kept every storm far from his blue scholar’s robe.

He paved the way in silence, wanting only to see how high Xun Su could soar if given a clear path to success.

At first, Xun Su thought this duke was simply a rare kindred spirit.

Until one night, after drinking, Xie Shizhuo gazed at him beneath the lamplight and murmured without thinking, “This time, your path must be spotless, and your name must remain blameless.”

Xun Su stared at him for a moment, then could not help laughing. One sentence dispelled every doubt from his previous life:

“Even if the road ahead is filthy, the bright moon will still hang high above us.”

Older man and younger man, mutually devoted, happy ending, alternate Ming setting. By alternate, I mean it won’t stand up to historical fact-checking, haha.

Also known as The Moon Shines Bright Over Rivers and Lakes

Xie Shizhuo, courtesy name Mingyi

Xun Su, courtesy name Wujie

Theme: The bright moon will always hang high above us