I Became the Lackey of a Brooding Prince, Then Took the Throne

[This novel goes premium on September 8. Thank you all for your support!] He Zhao had lately felt that something was off around him. The newly favored consorts in the palace paid no attention to His Majesty, yet were always making excuses to peek into the Fourth Prince’s residence. The palace maids selected to serve there would drop a pile of scented powder and handkerchiefs every few steps as they passed the door. And every now and then, they would pull out one heavy pipa or guqin after another from beneath their skirts?? Rumors and poisonings kept erupting throughout the harem. The place was a complete mess. Uneasy, He Zhao went to confide in the Fourth Prince. Chu Buyi simply adjusted his cloak for him and comforted him softly. “Perhaps there have been personnel changes in the palace. I’m here, so there’s no need to worry.” He Zhao had always relied on him, and at those words, he felt reassured and thought no more of it. He never noticed the new palace maid standing outside the window, taking in the tender scene. She was so stunned that only one line of subtitles remained in her mind: [Holy crap, this sinister, off-the-charts villain is actually tucking a cloak around his lackey himself??] "The Luan’s Path" is an enormously popular VR harem strategy game, and Chu Buyi is universally recognized by players as its SSS-rank final boss. A prince with a calculating mind and ruthless methods, he kills without hesitation and has no weaknesses in the main storyline. Make even one wrong move, and the only thing waiting for you is a death package. The forums are full of rants from players driven to despair by him, along with guides on how to deal with him. Unexpectedly, this villain turns out to be the secret love interest the developers have been promoting all along. The players he had tormented are fired up and eager to try, vowing to turn the tables. But even after exhausting every trick and buying out every bundle in the shop, none of them can win him over. They can only retreat in defeat. Until one day, a post takes the forums by storm: [I give up. Chu Buyi’s true love really is that useless He Zhao] The attached picture shows a twilight corridor. Chu Buyi bends down to brush something from the young man’s shoulder. A trace of gentleness in his eyes glimmers there, something no one has ever seen before. Things seem to be slipping beyond everyone’s control, little by little. Then the ending is revealed, and the whole internet explodes: [Come on, man. I’d already accepted that you were a cold-blooded careerist, but you’re actually willing to hand over the throne, which was yours for the taking??] [Even a useless guy like He Zhao can become emperor. I can’t see straight...] [Damn?? I thought I was watching an epic political drama, but it turns out to be top-tier romance fluff.] A sinister, brilliant villain gong who is gentle only to the shou x an arrogant, overbearing lackey shou who only wants to cling to his leg Reader’s guide: 1. Each is the other’s first love. At first, the gong uses the shou, but later he comes around and falls for him for real. 2. The shou is a silly little villain, not entirely good. He’s a mischievous kitten with three parts wickedness, and he won’t become incredibly powerful later on. 3. This is a fictional world, so please don’t nitpick the details. The story is told from the shou’s point of view, not kk. Theme: Even in adversity, we must have the courage to support one another.