The Tyrant Suffers from a Hidden Ailment

Everyone says the young master of the Duke of Zhenguo's household, Ze Ruohuai, is breathtakingly beautiful, with the looks of a woman. He is the only one to inherit the duke's wife's beauty.

Everyone says the newly enthroned Third Prince has an unpredictable temperament and is cruel and tyrannical. He has no one serving at his side, and is rumored to suffer from a hidden ailment.

To protect the Duke of Zhenguo's household, Ze Ruohuai volunteers to enter the palace as a consort, becoming a hostage kept beside the current emperor.

Everyone sighs that the emperor will sooner or later hold a selection for consorts to secure an heir, and the young master's unblemished virtue is to be pitied.

The young master whom everyone pities really is rather pitiful. After entering the palace, he doesn't leave the emperor's bedchamber for three days straight.

Ze Ruohuai lies on his side on the couch and gives Chu Ling, who is putting on his own dragon robe, a light kick. He mutters, "...Your Highness, why must you do this?"

Chu Ling looks up. "Do you understand now?"

Ze Ruohuai thinks he doesn't understand at all. Tomorrow, he'll keep spreading rumors that Chu Ling has a hidden ailment.

This time, Chu Ling absolutely won't catch him!

*

Few people know that, back when the current emperor was still a hidden dragon, he diligently copied large characters for the young master of the Duke of Zhenguo's household, picked fish bones out of his food, and knelt in the rain night after night.

The Third Prince, who was unknown to the world in the Cold Palace, originally only wanted to meet the young master who had earned the emperor's favor.

Then greed took root in his heart. If being a prince wasn't enough, and becoming a king wasn't enough, then he would become emperor.

He would offer him everything best in the world in exchange for a single moment of his attention.

*

A childhood sweethearts story.

Notes:

1. The recipient of affection pursues the pursuer; the pursuer is doted on by everyone.

2. The pursuer has a plotline where he runs away as a sweet little darling.

3. No angst, just sweet fluff. I'm writing for myself.

Theme: Study hard and improve every day.