A Dashing Countenance

My new historical BL political intrigue novel, Plotting for the Throne x Hunting the Eunuch, is complete. It's about a sinister, bewitching beauty of a powerful eunuch x a ruthless, merciless political strategist. The blurb is at the very bottom. Please add it to your collection. [A political intrigue story in the guise of a melodramatic romance] Wen Xun, the second son of the Duke of Anguo, is handsome and elegant, with an easygoing, refined air. A vivid red mole at the end of his eyebrow makes him seem all the more charming and passionate. He spends his days at the emperor's pavilion and his nights at the courtesans' houses, living a carefree, indulgent life. The upright faction at court all call him an ignorant wastrel who beguiles the emperor. Only Wen Xun knows that in his previous life, he too was a dullard who had studied the classics. While assisting the Fifth Prince, Zhou Jizhi, he developed feelings he shouldn't have had and forced him to marry. In the end, Wen Xun's limbs were broken, and he was left in the snow to be eaten by wild dogs. Only after his death did he learn that he was a minor character in a melodramatic romance. The male lead, Qi Dun, was the real second son of the Duke of Anguo. He and Zhou Jizhi went through a painful love affair, eventually making Qi Dun the first empress consort in history. Wen Xun, the impostor, had not only taken Qi Dun's identity and enjoyed thirty years of affection from his parents and older brothers, but had also stolen his lover and taken the prince consort position that should have been Qi Dun's. Reborn, Wen Xun says: He can have his parents and brothers back? No way. That ungrateful bastard can have the man, though. But when Wen Xun sets his sights on bringing peace to the realm and goes looking for a wise ruler, he weighs his options and ultimately settles on the future emperor he once trained himself, the one who best suits his preferences. Wen Xun can live without love. He can't live without a wise ruler. But at this point, Zhou Jizhi is still a poor soul, enduring disdain and humiliation. "You little brat. A drop of kindness deserves a spring in return. Remember to repay me someday, got it?" The small, thin boy nods solemnly, treasuring every scrap of kindness Wen Xun has given him. In the hardest days to come, he will savor the memory again and again. Until he remembers his previous life. A-Xun, do you know who I envy most? The Zhou Jizhi of this life. Because when he was ten, at his most desperate, he was lucky enough to meet you. For the next seven years, even as he went through the same trials of blood and steel, his heart was no longer filled only with cold schemes and blades. It had you, too. We are a fate neither of us can escape. P.S. The shou is straight, but the person he likes, Zhou Jizhi, just happens to be a man. He's loved only him from beginning to end. Please read before starting: ★ The political intrigue drives the plot. The romance serves the story, and interest comes first. ★ The protagonist is a jinxed magnet for admirers. Readers looking for a real heartthrob with an overpowered golden finger who slaughters his way to victory should give this a miss. ★ Zhou Jizhi has no name before returning to the capital. Based on what others call him, he gives himself the name Zhou Ji. This isn't a typo. ★ Official titles are inspired by the Tang and Song dynasties, but the author isn't an expert. The ranks follow my own worldbuilding, and the story is still set in a fictional world. ★ The gong is mostly on the sidelines early on. It's an extremely slow burn, with a reunited couple who both beg for love (emphasis on both). After being reborn, the shou still casually helps the gong, and his feelings are complicated. The first three chapters already hint at this. If it's not for you, please move on without feeling you need to tell me. Thank you. The historical BL political intrigue novel Plotting for the Throne x Hunting the Eunuch is complete. Here's the blurb: Pei Yanci, a great emperor with far-reaching ambitions and a heart set on bringing peace to the realm, dies young, his frail health unable to sustain him. To his surprise, after death he travels to another world and becomes a lowly, registered servant in the Eastern Palace of the Dayu Dynasty. Powerful eunuchs hold sway, persecuting officials and reaching for the Eastern Palace, hoping to force the crown prince to bend the knee. Gu Jiuqing, the crown prince, is under suspicion from the Emperor of Dayu. With danger closing in from all sides, he treads on thin ice, his life hanging by a thread. Pei Yanci is caught up in the clash between the two sides. To save his own life, he discusses the situation with the crown prince and lays out the risks. Gu Jiuqing's face is cold, the chill of early spring from the window settling at the corners of his eyes. He agrees outwardly, but secretly makes a ruthless choice and sends someone to kill him. With nowhere else to turn, Pei Yanci has no choice but to seek the powerful eunuch's protection and work with the infamous villain. At their first meeting, Tang Xizhui's skin is pallid, and his crimson robes make him look like a phoenix flower growing eerily from white bones. He gives Pei Yanci an inscrutable smile. "The Eastern Palace actually has someone even more proud and refined than the crown prince." Humble and lowly as an ant, Pei Yanci nevertheless has an unyielding, upright backbone and a gaze untouched by worldly grime. The imperial aura that makes people tremble with fear: all of it stirs an interest in Tang Xizhui unlike any he has ever felt. His long fingers, scented with perfume, lift Pei Yanci's chin. The Eunuch of Nine Thousand Years looks into his eyes. "What is it you want?" Pei Yanci remains calm, catches his wrist at the pulse, and pulls him closer. "I want this vast realm to bear the surname Pei." "Dare you give it to me, Lord Eunuch?" Theme: We must work tirelessly for our goals, with the most unwavering determination.