Must I Be the Emperor?

One day, Rong Juan transmigrates into a wealthy family. Good news: he’s born into a rich and powerful household. Bad news: the family is dead set on raising him to be a failure. Their standards for ruining Rong Juan include indulging in food and drink, abducting women, and riding recklessly through the streets to injure people... Rong Juan: Is that all? His adoptive older brother secretly keeps a retinue of scholars? He’ll steal the whole lot and make them his male lovers. He’s a natural rebel who likes men. Retinue: “...” His treacherous father has a political rival he can’t stand? Then Rong Juan has to kowtow to him in the middle of the street! The next day, the prime minister’s son shocks the court and the capital by asking the notorious head of the Grand Investigations Office to become his godfather. Head of the Grand Investigations Office: “??” The court is rife with power struggles, the borders are in turmoil, and the old emperor is senile and suspicious, hating the use of witchcraft more than anything. Rong Juan: System, shouldn’t we put on a show for them? Poisoned and destined not to live past twenty-seven, Rong Juan’s goal is to eat until he’s full, sleep until he’s rested, admire every beauty under heaven, and enjoy a smooth, carefree life. His lazy-fish System is all about reading novels, admiring beauties, and watching everyone else get drunk while it alone stays sober. Before long, his back courtyard is too crowded to house any more retainers, his godfather’s power keeps growing, and nearly all the old emperor’s sons are dead. Then one day They all crowd outside his door and shake him awake by force: “Wake up. It’s time for you to ascend the throne.” Reader’s notes: 1. Black-hearted, lazy-fish beauty bottom × Ruthless, hyper-disciplined top 2. The setting is loosely based on the Tang dynasty but is fictional, and there are plenty of differences. 3. A lighthearted, silly story, not a serious court-intrigue novel. More reading notes can be found in the author’s note at the end of Chapter One~ 4. The little skits in the author’s notes are best enjoyed alongside the story. The anti-piracy subscription rate is 90%. Once the waiting period is over, clear your cache to see the latest chapter. 5. Updates around midnight. The blurb was screenshotted on September 27, 2022. This book will be available to subscribers on September 25, 2025. Thank you for your support~ Coming soon: Little King. Click the author’s page to add it to your collection Xia Zhiling is unlucky enough to become a novel’s cannon-fodder character. The day he transmigrates, the original owner has just been abandoned by his wealthy family and sent to Country F to mine in an illegal black-mine operation. Country F is poor and backward, with terrible transport links. Xia Zhiling digs irrigation canals, builds infrastructure, and sparks tribal wars, eventually becoming the king of Country F. Three years later, Xia Zhiling leads his people back home in a grand procession. His wealthy adoptive parents: “It’s been three years. Has he learned his lesson?” The butler turns on the evening news. “The young master has become king and is heading straight to the capital for diplomatic talks.” His wealthy adoptive parents: “???” Xue Fufeng is a celebrated young aristocrat in Beijing, from a wealthy family and blessed with a handsome face. Lately, he’s suddenly grown insecure. He’s fallen in love with someone who really does have a throne to inherit. Theme: In the tides of history, there are always those who can turn things around. Never give up on love and hope