Gathering the Long Winds

For the sake of his kingdom, Cheng Yuxiao, king of Changfu, disguises himself and travels to Nanxia to gather intelligence.

However, due to a small slip in his assumed identity, he has to seduce Bai Yu, the emperor of Nanxia, and become his favored male consort.

This is a heaven-sent opportunity, and he absolutely cannot let it slip away. If he fails, all his careful plans will go up in smoke.

Cheng Yuxiao grits his teeth and climbs into the emperor's bed that very night.

The next morning, Cheng Yuxiao wakes in horror to discover that he isn't the one who was kept busy all night.

The other man gazes down at him, his voice cold:

"Your Majesty's favorite really knows how to play his cards."

Cheng Yuxiao is so scared he nearly falls to his knees on the spot.

"You are not to tell anyone about this. Understand?"

Bai Yu merely leans down, his fingertips lingering over Cheng Yuxiao's cheek as he says with a faint smile, "If word reaches the King of Changfu over there and ruins my reputation... I don't think there's any need to let you keep your life."

Cheng Yuxiao, King of Changfu: ?

What does your reputation have to do with me?

Cheng Yuxiao: Oh.

-

Nanxia is even more turbulent and full of hidden currents than he imagined.

He has to play the favored consort while dealing with the empress dowager;

he has to gather intelligence while establishing himself at court.

Every step Cheng Yuxiao takes is like walking on thin ice.

Still, although he somehow ended up selling his body, Cheng Yuxiao is fairly satisfied.

Bai Yu is stunningly handsome and has a superb body. He's an excellent bedmate.

The only flaw is that whenever they're whispering sweet nothings to each other, Bai Yu always asks what he thinks of the King of Changfu, forcing Cheng Yuxiao to come up with new ways to insult himself each time.

Bai Yu always gives an enigmatic laugh afterward.

"Say a few more. I love hearing it." Bai Yu kisses him. "You're much better at romance than that wooden block, Cheng Yuxiao."

Cheng Yuxiao: .

-

Once he has the intelligence he needs, Cheng Yuxiao stages a perfect fake death and returns to Changfu.

That night, inside the palace, he sees someone he never expected.

"You seduced me, stole my heart, slept with me, then ran away..." Bai Yu looks at him with a hint of grievance. "Don't you owe me an explanation, Your Highness?"

Only then does Cheng Yuxiao understand:

The other man had known from the start that he was the King of Changfu,

yet had allowed this incredible deception to continue, just to spend a few months of intimacy with him.

...Hey! So which one of us actually seduced the other?

-

Then let us embrace the long wind and stay drunk together forever.

A hardworking, slow-on-the-uptake workaholic who'll do anything to achieve his goals VS a man who loves his kingdom but loves his chosen one more, a mischievous schemer and hopeless romantic. They switch roles.

Blurb dated March 20, 2025.

*This is mainly a romance, with little political intrigue or tightly plotted logic.

Theme: What's wrong with being a hopeless romantic!