Shi Nianqi suddenly died and transmigrated into a book, becoming the emperor shou in a classic angsty romance. His destined gong was Lu Jingyu, the regent of the dynasty.
The story was angsty for angst's sake. Whether there were any feelings involved, who could say? All Shi Nianqi knew was that Lu Jingyu got married and had children elsewhere, while the little emperor spent his whole life locked in a dark room, suffering both physically and emotionally. Then he even had a child for Lu Jingyu, forcing a happy ending.
Back then, Shi Nianqi had a peculiar taste and loved angsty romances. He knew the regent was a real piece of work, but reading about him was satisfying: the dark room, the forced love, the physical and emotional abuse, the male pregnancy. All those juicy tropes hit Shi Nianqi's sweet spot. But when he actually became the little emperor and faced that situation himself, he lost his nerve. No way. He had to fight back. If he didn't, he'd end up locked in that dark room, with death as his only escape.
He had to build up his own power so the regent couldn't touch him.
So he tearfully played the victim and persuaded his childhood friend, Young Master Lin, to seize real power and stand against the regent.
He befriended a future powerbroker and urged him to study hard, so he could speak up for him in court.
He went to great lengths, even exposing his opposition to the regent, to help the Heir of Yan avoid disaster and win the support of the Prince of Yan and his troops.
He charmed the courtesan of a brothel into helping him establish the Ten Thousand Affairs Pavilion and build his own influence among the common people.
At last, after he finally defeated the regent, he sat peacefully on the imperial throne and accepted the homage of his ministers, ready to enjoy the perks of being emperor. But the people around him started acting strangely.
The regent looked at him with deep remorse. "I didn't take good care of you. I wronged you."
The brothel courtesan leaned against him shyly. "I can only repay Young Master's kindness by offering myself to you."
The young top scholar held his head high, but kept sneaking glances at him. "I wrote you several love... letters. Why didn't you write back?"
The former Heir of Yan, now the Prince of Yan, pressed the seal to his fief and command of the Yan army into his hands, then lowered his eyes. "I've given you everything I own. Since you can't come back to Northern Yan with me, I'll stay here instead."
Young Master Lin turned down the marriage arrangements his family had made and climbed into his bed, wrapping his arms around him. "A-Qi, everything I did was for you. You can't abandon me."
Shi Nianqi (with a baffled expression): No, something's wrong with all of you.
#Daily question: Has the regent fallen yet today?
#I thought that if I worked hard, no one would covet me. I never expected that if I worked hard, a whole crowd would start wanting me.
"Reader's Guide"
1. The shou is adored by everyone, but some people only love him for a while and may not end up with him. Everyone has their own fate, and no one will hang themselves from the same tree forever.
2. A certain scum gong appears frequently early on. There's a face-slapping redemption arc later, but his ashes have already been scattered, so I don't think he'll win him back.
3. The coming-of-age story of a little emperor who conquers the world. Slow burn, with male pregnancy.
4. 1v1. Updates every other day until it reaches the charts.
Theme: Work hard to stay out of the dark room
