Everyone Says I Won't Live Much Longer

[Ongoing novel: The Emperor's Fox Spirit Faked His Death and Escaped. Coming soon: I Can't Believe I'm a Tyrant! Please add them to your reading list!]

Everyone knew that the Tianshu Pavilion was the dog kept by the emperor of the Zhu Kingdom, and that its master, Xun Huanshi, was the fiercest of them all. With a breathtaking, androgynous face, he could wipe out an entire household while chatting and laughing.

So when news of the notorious Xun Huanshi's death spread across the martial world, people lit lanterns and set off fireworks everywhere.

At that very moment, however, Xun Huanshi himself was being dragged around by the prince of the enemy Qi Kingdom, Xie Yusui, who kept him close despite his body being so frail he seemed about to breathe his last at any moment.

An empty fan, a moon-white robe, long black hair casually tied behind his head, and a hand warmer wrapped in white fur held in his arms: everyone thought he was a pampered young nobleman, weak and delicate, unable to hurt a fly.

As blades flashed through the air, Xun Huanshi tugged at Xie Yusui's sleeve. "Your Highness, don't go running around. Protect me, would you?"

Xie Yusui: "The mighty master of Tianshu Pavilion is afraid to die?"

Xun Huanshi changed tactics, wrapped both arms around Xie Yusui's arm, and blinked innocently. "Yeah. I'm scared."

Xie Yusui: "..."

*

Underneath the calm surface, danger lurked everywhere.

An assassin slipped in, but just before he could reach for Xun Huanshi's neck, he felt a chill at his own.

In the next instant, the frail-looking man was standing before him like a ghost. A cold glint flashed at his fingertips. The assassin clutched his neck, his hands covered in warmth, and fell to the ground.

Before he died, the assassin watched him with a face full of regret. Xun Huanshi said disdainfully, "Go die somewhere far away. Whatever you do, don't say I killed you. I'm weak and can't beat anyone."

As soon as he finished speaking and looked up, he saw Xie Yusui coming through the door.

*

When Xie Yusui found Xun Huanshi, he discovered that the man was already gravely ill, with only three years left to live.

Though he had little time left, he kept doing things that didn't suit his status. The man notorious throughout the world acted like a mischievous fox around him, and not just any fox, but one that had turned into a spirit.

Xun Huanshi brushed a fallen flower off Xie Yusui's shoulder and nipped at his ear. "Since you've taken me hostage, Your Highness, you should keep me by your side at all times. What if you lose me?"

Xie Yusui caught his hand and teased him. "Then I'll have to trouble Pavilion Master Xun to stand outside the latrine and guard it."

Xun Huanshi shook his head. "How could I take your guard's job? Though... I could hold it for you, Your Highness."

*

The three years passed in the blink of an eye. When Xie Yusui stood at the summit and turned around, he realized that a familiar figure had vanished from his side at some point.

Notorious beauty uke Xun Huanshi (huan) × ruthless prince seme Xie Yusui

Note:

1. One-on-one romance, older seme, happy ending.

2. Written purely for my own enjoyment.

3. A fictional setting with many original details. The dynasties and characters are all imaginary, so please don't overanalyze them.

4. I have no chapters saved up. I update daily, but the time may vary, probably sometime late at night.

5. Please don't wait until there are lots of chapters to read it, or I'll cry for you! QAQ

Blurb for The Emperor's Fox Spirit Faked His Death and Escaped

After a coup, the general of old became a prisoner.

Only then did the world learn that the general who had defended Dayu for more than a decade was actually a fox spirit.

On the rack, the new emperor tugged at the fox's tail and lifted Li You's chin with the whip in his hand. "Join my harem, and I'll guarantee you a life of wealth and glory."

Only then did Li You realize that the "love" the emperor had professed was nothing but a lie told in the struggle for the throne. And yet, he had believed it.

He gave a self-mocking laugh. "Decades spent as a man meant less than a few years as a fox."

The next day, all the new emperor found was a sea of flames and a pile of fox bones.

They met again five years later. The once spirited young general sat beneath a parasol tree at the entrance to a village, dressed all in white.

Qi Huaiyun threatened him with the lives of everyone in the village and forced him back to the palace.

On the day he entered the palace, red silk hung throughout the city, and a dagger sank into Qi Huaiyun's chest.

The familiar fox eyes held nothing but coldness.

Qi Huaiyun yanked Li You into his arms.

The dagger sank in to the hilt, but Qi Huaiyun seemed not to notice.

He bit Li You's ear and said softly, "Li You, even if I die, you'll have to be buried with me. You can never escape me, not in this life or any other."

*

Every day since ascending the throne, Qi Huaiyun had dreamed the same dream.

In the dream, across a long flight of white marble steps, he saw Li You dressed in bloodstained clothes and holding a greatsword. It seemed he had a thousand things to say, but in the end, only one sentence remained:

"Qi Huaiyun, you're nothing special after all."

No one knew that this was Qi Huaiyun's lifelong nightmare.

Li You × Qi Huaiyun (yun)

Blurb for I Can't Believe I'm a Tyrant!

When Li Mo opened his eyes again, he was lying in a coffin.

The person who opened the coffin said Li Mo was descended from a mystic and asked him to help bring someone back to life.

Li Mo thought the man was talking nonsense.

First, he didn't remember anything like that. In fact, he didn't remember anything at all.

Second, if the man could call him out of a coffin, then who was the real mystic here?

But the man looked vicious and was holding a shovel. It seemed that if Li Mo refused, he would use it to send him straight back into the coffin.

A true man mustn't make careless promises!

But he couldn't let himself get hit by a shovel for nothing, either!

Li Mo made a fortune-telling gesture and began to spout nonsense. "You and your sweetheart are fated to be together. You'll end up as a couple... Hey, why are you kissing me?!"

Who knew the man would climb into the coffin and shove Li Mo back down onto the coffin boards?

Song Wang: "I need to give you some yang energy so you can stay longer."

Li Mo: "You have to use your tongue to give me yang energy?!"

Song Wang: "Yes. Pure yang energy gathers on the tongue."

Li Mo cursed, "Bullshit!"

Then he asked Song Wang, "How much longer will one kiss keep me alive? Mmph..."

*

That year, Song Wang entered the palace to kill the tyrant.

But the tyrant saw through his tricks at first glance.

"Song Wang." Li Mo rested his chin in his hand and looked at him kneeling in the great hall, smiling as he said, "Your name is just as unlucky as mine. You're perfect to be buried with me."

Yet when the capital fell, Li Mo drank the poisoned wine Song Wang handed him and said, "You're not worthy of being buried with me. Get lost!"

Song Wang became a hero of the new dynasty, stepping over Li Mo's corpse.

Only later did he learn that Li Mo had taken over his elder brother's mess, and imposed tyranny so the people could live in peace.

Only later did he learn that Li Mo had secretly supported the new emperor, choosing to die with a lifetime of infamy to his name.

Only later did he learn that the one time Li Mo gave his heart was to a male favorite.

The only selfish thing Li Mo ever did was scheme against Song Wang, so that he would never be able to let Li Mo go for the rest of his life.

Afterward, Song Wang dug up Li Mo's grave.

Li Mo × Song Wang

Theme: Even when you're in a difficult place, be brave and keep moving forward.