If I Don't Ascend the Throne, I Can't Get Out of This Alive

Liu Ziyue was sixteen when he finally learned he was a cannon-fodder character in a novel about a struggle for the throne. After being used over and over as a scapegoat, he was destined to lose his head. He tossed the script aside. Whoever wanted to be a sacrificial lamb could take the job. He just wanted to get as far away as possible, eat his fill, wait for death, and lie flat in retirement. But the longer he lounged around, the more he realized something was off. One day the court exiled a few merchants to his territory. The next, they sent over a handful of craftsmen. A few days later, even the Right Chancellor and a general were sent his way... Before he knew it, he had a trading company, salt works, civil officials, military officers, and an army... The court's way of recruiting talent: imperial examinations, evaluations, promotions, scheming, open rivalry, and faction-building! His way: exile them, exile them, exile every last one of them here! #Thanks to my plastic dad and brothers for shoving a free meal right into my mouth!# Check out my new story: The Deposed Crown Prince Turns His Father into a 996 Wage Slave Xiao Yunce died from overwork and transmigrated into the crown prince of Great Qi. Good news: He has risen to the top overnight and will one day become the supreme ruler. Bad news: He's about to be deposed, has no one under his command, and can only wait to die. Just as Xiao Yunce was wondering whether to hang himself and return to his old life, a bolt of lightning struck. He and the emperor had switched bodies. Xiao Yunce was moved to tears. "Wonderful! I can skip thirty years of struggle, retire early, and enjoy the good life!" Emperor Guangqi had been preparing to depose the crown prince, but when he opened his eyes, he found himself trapped in the prince's body. He thought the edict of deposition would arrive soon. Instead, a mountain of memorials and an order appointing the crown prince regent landed in his lap. At first, Emperor Guangqi was pleased: The crown prince has no rebellious intentions. Good. Later, Emperor Guangqi was furious: He was working himself to the bone every day, while the crown prince was in the imperial garden feeding birds, playing mahjong, fishing, and snacking on melon seeds... For the first time, he thought: What a lousy job this emperor thing is. Whoever wants it can have it. At last, their bodies were switched back. Now it was his turn to enjoy life, right? But Xiao Yunce pushed the crown prince's grandson in front of him. "Father, let me handle the hard work. You can order my son around all you like. Better yet, make him crown prince!" Emperor Guangqi: ... Which bastard started the rumor that the crown prince was plotting a rebellion? Drag him out and behead him! Theme: Never give up, no matter the circumstances