After Being Offered to the Mad Emperor

Not long after her parents died, Tan Zhaokong was driven out of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household by her legitimate elder brother. Her brother locked her away in a chastity hall he had built especially for her. He claimed she was unruly and needed to relearn proper conduct, but secretly sent a brothel madam to teach her the skills of the pleasure quarters. Day after day, Tan Zhaokong was worn down until she grew ever more soft and pliant, every movement exuding a pitiful, seductive charm. To escape that living hell, she had no choice but to submit to one cruel, twisted man after another. That year, Tan Zhaokong was at the height of her youth. After finally returning to the household, she thought she might live a normal life, only for her elder brother to offer her up to the palace, where she became a plaything for the emperor’s amusement. Unexpectedly, the emperor liked her very much. He summoned her almost every night and even made the unprecedented decision to have her live and dine with him in the Hall of Establishment. Once Tan Zhaokong was favored by the emperor, she remained in his good graces from then on. One night, after their lovemaking had subsided, the emperor stroked her sweat-damp hairline with his fingertips and quietly asked what she wanted most. He said that if she wanted it, he could give it to her. She closed her eyes and whispered, “Freedom.” … Later, the emperor kept his promise. He arranged for her to fake her death and leave the palace, giving her the freedom she wanted. When the news spread, Xiao Chengze, who had been waiting for his father to die so he could take Tan Zhaokong under his protection, lowered his eyes. Xiao Chengze was the emperor’s most beloved son and the only legitimate child his late empress had left behind. When they first met, Xiao Chengze had looked at Tan Zhaokong with pure, dazzled admiration, not a hint of desire. She had believed that after her parents died, he was the first person to see her as a precious jewel rather than an object. But now, he wanted to lock her in a cage too. Reader’s guide: * 1vN * The heroine is not a virgin; all the men are. The emperor is not a virgin and has many children! * At first, the heroine and emperor only use each other. Later, a little genuine affection becomes mixed in with their pretense. After the emperor gets together with the heroine, he will no longer sleep with his other consorts. * Another melodramatic, sweet-and-angsty romance. The story centers on the heroine and is not a palace-intrigue story. I’ll try to update daily, writing whatever comes to mind. Thanks for reading~ I’ll often revise the story, and I’m not responsible for bugs in pirated copies. Theme: Stay humble and keep striving