Unwarranted

Xi Shanming was a male consort. Ever since entering the palace, he'd been bedridden with illness and had barely even seen the old emperor. It wasn't until after the emperor's "death" that he caught a glimpse through the crowd of mourners kowtowing in grief. All he saw was a tall figure standing by the bed. The Tyrant King. It was him. A cruel ruler who lived up to his name. But that had nothing to do with him anymore. When the late emperor had been indecisive and lost tens of thousands of troops on the frontier, destroyed his family, crippled him by taking away his martial arts, and forced him into the palace, Xi Shanming had already decided that, to him, the royal family was as good as dead. After being promoted to Dowager Consort, Xi Shanming wanted only to run away. One step was leaving. So was two. Xi Shanming never thought he'd get the chance to shed his title of Dowager Consort and leave the imperial palace with his head held high. He followed the road to its end, and there, as always, stood a silent figure. The Tyrant King. And Nanmen Zhi. [Warning: The romantic relationship between the leads only begins after they are no longer in a consort-emperor relationship.] Pre-registration is open for my new story, "Check-In: Did I Get to Tag Along Today?" If you're interested, please add it to your favorites. Thank you! (bows) Lu Anqing can always hear other people's thoughts. They are sad, or despairing, and only rarely joyful or happy. It causes him great pain. In the thirtieth year of the Yuanqi reign, the "Holy Sect," which had oppressed and tyrannized the people for so long, was finally wiped out. Since then, anything connected to divine miracles has been destroyed, and those associated with it put to death. Lu Anqing would never dare reveal his supernatural ability. But the thoughts he heard kept him up day and night, constantly forcing him to do good deeds until people started calling him a kind man. He didn't want that! Then one day, while paying his respects at the imperial palace, Lu Anqing accidentally ran into the deposed crown prince, who was confined in the Cold Palace. Suddenly, all the noise in the world went silent. At the deposed crown prince's side, he found the peace he'd long been missing. Fifteen minutes at his side earned him half a day of peace. Lu Anqing's eyes lit up. Tag along! As long as it doesn't kill me, I'll keep tagging along until it does! * The deposed crown prince had always known that he wasn't just one person. He was two completely different people. One "him" loved poetry and calligraphy, and was quick-witted, brilliant, and clever. The other "him" was a formidable martial artist with exceptional skills. The two "himselves" were completely different, yet one and the same. It was a divine miracle, but also an ill omen, and the reason the emperor had stripped him of his position in the Eastern Palace. Their tastes had always differed, and they were bitter rivals who wanted nothing more than to destroy each other. But one day, they fell for the same person. A curious, endearing deer, peeking out shyly. - This was the first time they had ever agreed amid their countless clashes. The ferocious beast that had willingly stayed confined in the Cold Palace had broken free. * Theme: Face your difficulties with determination, save yourself from danger amid countless perils, and strive to grow stronger!