The Imperial Preceptor

“From now on, you have three chances to run away.”

That was the first thing Fu Chu heard Fu Yan say when they first met. The previous Holy Son had passed away, and following precedent, the Imperial Preceptor Fu Yan was searching for the reincarnated Holy Son to inherit his mantle. That unfortunate reincarnation was him.

Fu Chu naturally refused. This so-called Holy Son might have a nice-sounding title, but in reality, he was just a mascot who took the country’s disasters upon himself. He had no real authority, had to obey all sorts of ridiculous rules, and could be sacrificed for the nation at any moment.

Fu Chu scoffed at the idea and ran off at once. But after Fu Yan caught him three times and let him escape twice, he was still forced to return and become the Holy Son against his will. Fu Chu swore to the heavens that he would make sure Fu Yan never knew a moment’s peace.

He’d heard that the Imperial Preceptor had defied the emperor many times for the sake of the previous Holy Son, and that the previous Holy Son had sacrificed himself to the heavens for the Imperial Preceptor. The two of them had clearly had an ambiguous relationship. As the reincarnated Holy Son, Fu Chu came up with a plan: he’d pick up where they’d left off, or rather, make sure they didn’t get along.

The previous Holy Son had kept himself pure, so Fu Chu was determined to carouse. Then he’d deliberately show off in front of Fu Yan. “I was blind in my previous life. My reincarnation would never fall for you. That’ll teach you.”

Faced with Fu Chu’s provocation, Fu Yan expressionlessly took out a dagger. “If the Holy Son cannot abstain and keep himself pure, then I’ll simply cut it off.”

When picking a fight head-on didn’t work, Fu Chu changed tactics. Under cover of night, he crept into Fu Yan’s room, his clothes half-open as he lay across her bed. “Imperial Preceptor, it’s late and cold. I’m not used to sleeping alone.”

Without another word, Fu Yan hung him over a cliff. “If the Holy Son isn’t used to being alone, I don’t mind turning him into half a person.”

The more setbacks Fu Chu faced, the more determined he became. No matter what he did, even when he threw all of Great Qian into chaos, Fu Yan remained neither pleased nor angry, calmly thwarting all his supposedly clever little schemes. Instead, the more they clashed, the more deeply Fu Chu fell for her.

“She thinks she’s so untouchable. I’ll pluck her down and trample her into the mud.”

“She’s been carrying so much on her own. I’m such a bastard for opposing her.”

“Fu Yan, don’t ignore me. Look at me. Can you treat me like the previous Holy Son?”

[Reading Guide]

1. One-on-one, both leads are each other’s first, happy ending. Reincarnation is part of the worldbuilding; they are not the same person.

2. Though the blurb is from the male lead’s perspective, the story is told from the female lead’s. He’s just the camera. The heroine is sixteen years older than the hero. Some cheeky young man with a fine ass gets to play the other woman for love.

3. The female lead surpasses the male lead in both strength and intelligence. She’s a beautiful, powerful, tragic, untouchable figure. The male lead’s womanizing in the blurb is fake. Both leads are pure in body and mind. If he dares flirt with anyone, she’ll break all three of his legs.

◆ The cover background is by artist ek.

Theme: The ending is sure to be good. If it isn’t, then it’s not the ending