The Fallen Emperor and the Horse Slave

Ji Chu was a tyrant, and his reign ended in the fall of his kingdom.

One of the charges in the declaration calling for his overthrow was that he failed to appoint virtuous and capable officials, instead promoting those of lowly birth.

Three years ago, at the hunting grounds, he had acted on a whim. Wanting to humiliate the aristocratic young men, so brilliant yet arrogant beneath their outward courtesy, he appointed the horse slave A She as a junior general. From then on, he kept him by his side as a court jester.

The day the capital fell.

A She fought off a thousand men on horseback and took him on the run, fleeing east and west.

How could Ji Chu endure such hardships, sleeping rough and living off the land? In less than two days, he put on airs as a ruler and complained that riding had rubbed his thighs raw.

That night.

He heard A She's subordinate advise him: "General, that tyrant has turned the world upside down. You risked your life to save him, yet he hasn't rewarded you. Instead, he keeps giving you trouble. The new emperor has offered you amnesty. Why not present the tyrant's head to him?"

At those words, Ji Chu broke out in a cold sweat.

Before dawn.

A She came to see him, fresh blood spattered across his sleeve. He knelt by the bed and wiped Ji Chu's feet, his whole body radiating a silent, scorching heat.

Ji Chu thought: The most important thing now is to stay alive.

He had nothing left. The only thing he could give this horse slave was the pampered body he had spent his life preserving.

#You might not believe it, but this is actually a heartfelt story.

Theme: Lovers find their way to each other.