Is This Really the Emperor I Wanted to Be?

Currently drafting. I'll start posting once I've built up a decent backlog.

Yan Chi, a famous gay social media star at A University, is frantically swiping through Blued to pick a cute guy one moment, then transmigrates to an ancient feudal era that's violently homophobic the next.

The good news: He's a prince.

The bad news: He's a useless prince nobody likes.

The old emperor is senile and decrepit, while every one of his sons is a ruthless killer. The fight for the throne has reached its boiling point; one wrong word could cost Yan Chi his head.

Compared with his pack of wolfish brothers, college student Yan Chi is like a rabbit that wandered into an arena.

With the double debuffs of being useless and gay,

Yan Chi can only keep his head down and behave.

At a palace banquet, he overhears the Sixth Prince, who'd just been fawning over Lord Shen and calling him "Teacher" every other word, whispering to the Seventh Prince behind his back: "Shen Yu is violent and tyrannical, and he has a thing for men. Don't get involved with him."

Yan Chi thinks of Lord Shen, who'd been drunk in the hall earlier: broad shoulders, a narrow waist, elegant as an orchid and graceful as a jade tree, the perfect top in gay circles.

Yan Chi thinks the Sixth Prince has terrible taste.

-

In his previous life, Shen Yu held immense power and stood at the very top of the court.

Because of a promise made in his youth, he'd spent years plotting and devoted himself to helping the Sixth Prince take the throne.

In the end, however, he was discarded once he'd outlived his usefulness. After ascending the throne, the new emperor loathed his ruthless character and feared that his power eclipsed the throne's. He ordered the Censorate to fabricate eighty-eight charges against him and had him beheaded in the marketplace.

After they'd both gone down in flames, Shen Yu returned to the year when his power was at its peak.

In the dead of night, the Sixth Prince was waiting for him to perform the formal alliance ceremony.

Remembering how his wholehearted service had ended in his previous life, Shen Yu sneered and turned away. Reborn, he would no longer be a dog wagging its tail beneath imperial power. He would support a puppet, seize authority, and control the entire court.

As he mentally reviewed the princes one by one, he suddenly spotted the Ninth Prince hiding behind a corridor pillar.

The servants all bowed their heads, held their breath, and retreated in fear. Only the Ninth Prince stared at him with clear eyes, watching him timidly.

The Ninth Prince was gilded on the outside and rotten within: dull, useless, and unlearned.

In his previous life, Shen Yu had never paid him any attention. He only remembered that the boy had met a gruesome end.

Shen Yu approached step by step, bending over Yan Chi from above.

"Do you want to be emperor?"

The useless Ninth Prince stared blankly at Shen Yu's chest, looking stunned as if he'd been scared witless.

Shen Yu lowered his voice, coaxing him. "If that's what you want, I can help you ascend the throne."

As if waking from a dream, Yan Chi blurted out, "Bro, your pecs... You've really trained them well."

Shen Yu: ?

Yan Chi came back to his senses. "...What were you saying just now? You want me to be emperor?"

"Huh? Me?"

#Can't take control of the court, but can take control of the emperor instead#

Fake airheaded beauty bottom x scheming, wicked hound of a powerful minister top

1. Synopsis drafted 2026.08.21

Theme: Nothing is impossible.