The Concubine-Born Son Got the Everyone-Loves-Him Script

"The Crown Prince once paid a visit to the residence of the Vice Minister of Rites. There, he saw a fair-faced young man nestled in a woman's arms, acting coy and childish. Smiling, the Crown Prince pointed at his cousin Hui and asked, 'Who is that? He seems no ordinary person.' Hui lowered his brows and replied, 'Only the son of a foreign courtesan. I would not dare sully Your Highness's ears with him.' The Crown Prince smiled and said nothing."

The Annals of Emperor Ning

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As a son born to a concubine, Shen Zhaowei's greatest wish in life was to rise above others and become a man with power in his hands.

He thought he would have to pass the imperial examinations to take his mother and escape the quagmire of the Shen household. Then, by chance, he found an opportunity: he became a companion to one of the imperial princes.

He thought it was a path to success. As it turned out, it really was a path to "heaven," though the way up was nothing like he had imagined…

When Xiao Chengjin first met Shen Zhaowei, he thought the young man was beautiful in every way, quite the picture. Taking him for himself as a little bird for company seemed like it could be a fine amusement.

But as time passed, Xiao Chengjin came to understand what it meant to have the face of a bodhisattva and the heart of a rakshasa. And yet, he discovered that with his own wretched nature, he really did want to drink this poison that would eat through his insides...

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"Shen Zhaowei, courtesy name Huizhi, was a concubine-born son of the Vice Minister of Rites. Disfavored by his family from a young age, he first served as a companion to a prince. In his youth, he was promoted rapidly, rising to high office in no time. He later became Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and concurrently served as a deputy chief councilor. He served three reigns, those of Emperor Ning, the Deposed Emperor, and Emperor Jing, and never lost their favor. His power overshadowed the court, and even members of the imperial clan and noble families dared not look him in the eye. Truly, a strange man."

The Veritable Records of Ying, Biographies of Powerful Ministers

A beautiful, ruthless, self-serving bottom with a dark heart ×

A flirtatious, vicious, sharp-tongued, cunning Crown Prince top

A gloomy, taciturn Sixth Prince top who grows up alongside him

A cold, feudal emperor top who finds love late in life

A distant, aloof top who becomes a lovesick pursuer of his white moonlight

A dashing, childhood-friend general top

(There's no room for all these people here!)

All tops except the emperor are sexually pure.

Please read before starting / content warnings:

This is a dark, melodramatic story that may make most fans of a particular pairing or character uncomfortable, so please proceed with caution! Caution, I say! (Exclamation mark.)

The romance involves a battlefield of competing suitors and vicious rivalry. There are distinct stages to the relationships, but every top gets their own ending.

The bottom stays clear-headed throughout, but grows in his career. He isn't all-powerful or able to foresee everything from the start. Above all, he loves power. No one is morally perfect, and there will be old-school melodrama. This is not a sweet romance!

Also, since the story is set in ancient times, some plot points reflect the limitations of a feudal dynasty. The author intends to criticize them, and readers are encouraged to do the same. These plot points do not represent the author's approval of feudal society. It's only a novel. (I'll add more warnings if I think of any. Deep breath.)

At its heart, this is the story of a great beauty climbing the ranks and crushing everyone who ever bullied him. Oh, and because I'm awful, I like seeing him in an embroidered uniform. ()

Theme: Work hard, and you can change your fate.