I Refuse to Ascend the Throne

***The recent writing speed is about 700 characters an hour, so I can't even finish a chapter in two or three hours. I feel like I might, maybe, possibly, often update every other day.***

Serious synopsis:

Year 30 of Jianwu. Deep winter. Snow blankets the land.

The Third Prince, Li Chuyu, failed in his coup and retreated to the Imperial Ancestral Temple at Xishan. The Emperor ordered Gu Chun to capture him and bring him back to the capital. Soon after receiving an imperial summons, Li Chuyu appeared before the Emperor, who angrily denounced him as a treacherous rebel, stripped him of his title and noble rank, and confined him deep within the palace. All his former subordinates and close advisors were thrown into the Celestial Prison and sentenced to death.

The next day, Emperor Jingwen dreamed. On that same day, Li Chuyu drank poison and took his own life in Shouchun Palace.

The Second Prince, Li Huaizhang, ascended the throne and became known as Emperor Zhaoxian. He changed the era name to Xuanchang, granted amnesty throughout the land, rewarded the nobles, and specially enfeoffed Ye Xianglin as Duke Who Guards the Nation, granting him a thousand qing of land and ten thousand taels of gold.

That night. Yanghe Hall.

The newly appointed Duke Who Guards the Nation, Ye Xianglin, knelt before the new Emperor.

"The former Third Prince, His Highness Prince Xian, has drunk poison and taken his own life. He will be buried at Fulong Ridge. Now, only Young Master Chu remains. I have known Young Master Chu for a long time. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and let me take him away. I would be deeply grateful!"

Lighthearted synopsis:

When Li Chuyu woke up with only half his memories, he realized at once that his situation was not looking good.

First, he was in the palace.

Second, he had gotten himself into trouble.

With the arrival of Li Huaizhang and Ye Xianglin, he began piecing together his past in a daze.

As the story unfolded, his first thought was: Could I be a eunuch? Oh, my precious parts are still there.

Then came his second thought: Was I not only the late emperor's kept lover, but also the man who seduced General Ye and abandoned him?

Oh, even better. I was a traitor who staged a coup and murdered the emperor.

Li Chuyu's heart sank. Parricide and regicide, crimes condemned for all eternity. I may as well just die.

Then he saw General Ye bowing low before him.

"Young Master Chu is still unmarried, and I am old enough to take a wife. I have no interest in women."

Li Chuyu: Heh. You people are truly ridiculous.

General * former prince

An alternate history with plenty of original worldbuilding.

This is fiction and does not allude to real history. Don't overthink the logic.

Theme: Even when trapped in a difficult situation, never forget your original aspirations or stand still in fear.