My Father

God of Ancient Greece who watches over blurbs, forgive this blurb-writing failure. I'll revise it.

A sickly young man with the bearing of a seasoned warrior, skilled in both letters and arms, and a young man who seems fatherly but is full of schemes.

--Blurb--

-From the right-hand character's perspective-

Cen Li suffers from a heart condition. Still young, he has already taken many lives and is tasked with stabilizing the court.

A foolish ruler ascends the throne, resenting him for "shining like a bright moon that illuminates everyone but me." The country is plunged into turmoil, and the realm is in peril.

So Cen Li deposes the foolish ruler and installs a new one. He becomes chancellor, is honored as the new emperor's "father-chancellor," and commits many "misdeeds" to pave the way for him and win the court's support.

Only a few years pass before Cen Li's hair turns white at the temples and his face grows haggard. Knowing he has little time left, he makes secret arrangements.

A year later.

The new emperor surrounds the chancellor's residence with troops and demands through tears, "Father-Chancellor, why did you collude with foreign enemies and embezzle the treasury? Give me a reason, and I'll forgive you."

Cen Li smiles as gently as a spring breeze. "A ruler must punish the guilty regardless of their rank to establish his authority. Your Majesty, you are too soft-hearted."

He takes poison and dies, his white robes stained red.

But he closes his eyes, then opens them, and he isn't dead.

The young emperor's bloodshot eyes are right before him. The emperor tears up all the documents in which Cen Li incriminated himself, then throws his years of achievements in his face and demands angrily, "You are like the bright moon in the sky. Why won't you shine on me alone?!"

Cen Li: ...I gave you my life to honor the promise I made back then. Does that not count as shining on you?!

-From the left-hand character's perspective-

Beiyan has a law: when a son is elevated, his mother must die.

Shen Zhan couldn't bear to see his mother die, so he devised a plan to save her. It led him to commit a grave wrong, one he could never make amends for.

Years later, he still ascends the throne. He puts away his fangs and selfish desires, and under Chancellor Cen's protection, enjoys the most peaceful years of his life.

Until the other man stakes his life to cut out the heart of his emperor...

From then on, Beiyan has no Chancellor Cen, and a mysterious guest takes up residence in Shen Zhan's villa.

He follows the guest's orders to govern the country and bring peace, coaxing him to rest and recover, while planning to abdicate one day and travel far away with him.

But disaster strikes, and plague spreads.

Amid the devastation, the ministers suddenly join together to submit a petition: The traitorous Chancellor Cen Li has overturned the natural order, faked his death and gone into hiding, bewitched the emperor, and brought down Heaven's punishment. We beg Your Majesty to put the realm first, root out the treacherous villain, and restore peace!

[Notes]

※ 1v1, happy ending. The right-hand character is also loved by someone else (one-sided affection, no change of top). This is not a reborn story; he simply tried to die and failed.

※ An entirely fictional setting. It won't be too short. The writing isn't great, and I love nitpicking word choice.

※ Mainly from the right-hand character's perspective, but that doesn't mean there won't be the left-hand character's perspective. No preferences regarding either character's position or gender. Readers with strong preferences should consider this before reading.

Theme: Give the world a heart and the people a future