Crimson Palace Terrace

[From the same everybody-loves-him series: NPC He Fishes Without Knowing It [Infinite] and This Cultivation Academy Is Not Normal are now available. Please add them to your collection!] Su Mingjiang had a dream. In the dream, he died on a night of howling wind and snow. His body was tossed carelessly onto an empty street, with no one to collect it and no one to bury it. What a desolate sight. The dream had felt so real that when Su Mingjiang woke, a chill ran down his spine. After all, given the way he acted now, ending up like that was only to be expected. Su Mingjiang, Chief Commander of the Brocade Blades, the emperor's finest weapon. His blade pointed at every official, and when it left its sheath, heads rolled. The civil and military officials all spat curses at the sight of him, while ordinary folk trembled at the sound of his name. Cruel and ruthless, a mass murderer; a father-killer and mother-slayer, with no regard for morality; the son of a prostitute, born low... The list of vile labels pinned on Su Mingjiang's head was so long that even he couldn't keep count. If he didn't want to meet the end he'd seen in his dream, he'd have to take action and change the situation where everyone wanted him dead. For this, Su Mingjiang devised a three-step plan, carefully balancing detail and efficiency. Step one: Befriend his colleagues and secure more allies. To his archenemy, whose powerful connections promised a boundless future: "Lord Li, I failed to recognize your greatness before. You're a man of stature, so please don't hold it against me." To the miracle-working senior fellow disciple who could save his life: "Senior Brother Luo, if you help me just once, name any price you want. Gold, silver, jewels, anything." To the poor scholar who had shown him kindness in his youth: "Editor Chu, stand with me at court, and I'll make sure you rise through the ranks and enjoy a smooth official career. What do you say?" Step two: Curry favor with his superior and win more of his trust. First, reminisce about the good old days: "Your Majesty, do you remember that spring, when the breeze stirred the willows and you told me we would become a ruler and subject remembered throughout history, leaving behind a tale for the ages?" Then, swear his loyalty to avoid suspicion: "Your Majesty, I am the blade in your hand. Everything I have was granted by you. I will never betray you." Remember, words alone won't do. He must prove it through action. So he killed traitors for His Majesty, took a dagger for His Majesty, and fulfilled all of His Majesty's needs. Then, with tears in his eyes, he poured out his heartfelt feelings... no, declared his loyalty: "Your Majesty, every word I have spoken is true. The sun and moon can bear witness to my sincere devotion." The final step: While he had the emperor's trust and was being given important responsibilities, and his colleagues had let down their guard, he would gather power, secure his position, and become a true minister of immense authority. Excellent. Plan in motion. * At the end of the story... The allies he'd won over: "Anything we want?" The emperor he'd flattered: "You'll do anything for me?" Su Mingjiang: "..." The process hadn't gone quite as planned, but the result was still good. Yes, he really had become a powerful minister, second only to The Outcast and above everyone else. Also known as: #The Villain Everybody Loves: A Self-Salvation Plan# #The Coveted Chief Commander# #The Secrets Behind a Great Minister of Power# "Crimson palace towers, jade terraces, star bridges and cloud-draped tents, all outshone the carefree days of youth." [Reading Guide] 1. The protagonist has not been reborn. He is a beloved male lead, and there will be a love rivalry. 2. The plan in the blurb is only what the protagonist has in mind. The way things actually unfold is very different. 3. The protagonist has a golden finger. 4. The early prison scenes are melodramatic and involve physical torment. If they're not to your taste, you can skip to Chapter Seven or later. --- Preview: NPC He Fishes Without Knowing It [Infinite] --- A long-haired beauty who controls the battlefield from afar, in the receiving role * a god of slaughter with overwhelming strength who can do whatever he wants in the attacking role As the core NPC of the instance Beauty Is a Sin, Yin Ci was designed by the rules to be stunningly beautiful, with snow-white skin, slender shoulders and a narrow waist, and a sensitive constitution. He was always attracting different perverts in different places and at different times. This was meant to better convey his storyline: being ostracized and bullied, before finally turning evil. In a world that restarted time and time again, Yin Ci calmly followed his storyline, quietly using the players who entered the game to fulfill one wish after another. Just as he thought his life would reach its end in this endless cycle, his instance collapsed, and he himself became a player, stepping into the real world. Yin Ci: ... He told the System he had just been bound to what he wanted as a newcomer reward: "An eight-pack and a broad chest, thick body hair and a full beard, dark skin that shines and will never tan lighter, and enough strength to kill a bull with one punch." The System: ... * The first time Qin Du saw Yin Ci, he looked at him sidelong with open disdain: A useless pretty face. Don't come near me. The nth time Qin Du saw Yin Ci, he was ready to do anything he said: "Tell me, darling, who should I kill next?" Everyone said Yin Ci used his beauty as a weapon, manipulating people as easily as dogs. He had the big shots eating out of his hand, so dazzled and confused that they'd do the most unbelievable things for him. But he had no idea. After all, he was only trying to find himself a suitable blade. One for each instance, switching blades whenever he moved on to a new one. What could be more normal? He just couldn't figure out why more and more people were calling him a heartbreaker. In the Infinite game, where all of humanity had logged in, the abyss of death followed everyone like a shadow. Anyone could become the next string of data to disappear. Everyone was anxious. Everyone was terrified. Yin Ci walked through this hell balanced on a knife's edge, feeling the fear and death of himself and others, the twists and turns, the breathtaking peril. He was so glad he had come to this real world. [Reading Guide] 1. The protagonist in the receiving role is not weak. 2. One-on-one from beginning to end, though the protagonist has an everybody-loves-him trait. 3. A little ensemble cast, with mildly scary instances (probably). Theme: Springtime success makes a horse gallop swiftly.