Fernando, the Imperial Tutor

[A gentlemanly, brooding Western duke x a sickly, beautiful Eastern emperor | Plot-focused. The entire story follows the shou from despair and helplessness to rebirth, and his journey to reclaim political power. The gong only plays a supporting role. This isn't an argument about the superiority of Eastern or Western civilization. See the tips at the end of the blurb for details.]

Yuwen thought he was the most useless emperor in all of history. He'd opened trade routes and pushed for reforms... but without real power, none of it had succeeded. All he could do was watch the Great Qi Empire decline.

The people cursed him in droves and wished him dead. The court historian was making no secret of it and had already secretly picked out the posthumous title "Min" for him.

Min: a ruler who brought sorrow to his country, harmed his people, and presided over a time of chaos.

When Yuwen found out, he merely praised the historian's choice and swallowed his tears.

In the stifling, oppressive imperial city, a refreshing breeze suddenly blew in.

Fernando, from a "barbarian land," knew why the sky was blue and why the earth was round. The things he brought could reveal the stars in the sky, and the world he came from was wondrous.

Yuwen desperately wanted to hold on to this breeze. He needed happiness, needed to forget his troubles, needed to find a reason to keep living in the depths of the palace.

"Keep yourself in check with the spirit of a gentleman. Never overstep your bounds."

That was what Fernando's mother had taught him from childhood.

For over thirty years, Fernando had lived by those words.

And so he smoothly inherited the title of Duke of Pfalz and became a full professor at the Imperial University.

An impeccable gentleman, a handsome count, an unchanging life.

Until he crossed the ocean and became the Great Qi emperor's tutor.

"Announcing the arrival of the Imperial Tutor, Fernando of Pfalz!"

Fernando met the legendary Eastern emperor.

The spirit of a gentleman, the rivalry between their countries, the boundaries between teacher and student, and the decorum between sovereign and subject all held him back.

One step forward was overstepping. One step back was hypocrisy.

The first teacher of a new century, the last puppet of an old society.

A little scene:

The emperor had grown fond of sunbathing. He moved a cushion into the courtyard of his bedchamber and, after dinner, lay on it, letting the sunset wash over his body.

Fernando put on his gold-rimmed glasses and sat beneath the eaves, opening a book. He appeared to be seriously reading this newly acquired history of Great Qi, though it wasn't that he was slacking off. He just couldn't help focusing on his ears.

He heard the cicadas singing in the summer heat, and the servants on the other side of the wall talking quietly now and then.

He also heard the emperor's breathing grow steady, becoming light and shallow.

He'd fallen asleep.

The words struck Fernando's mind, wrenching away his reason.

The moment had come. He could do something a little less gentlemanly.

For instance, stare.

Fernando looked up over his book. Through his glasses and the pages, his gaze was softened until it landed on the emperor, holding only a trace of obscure desire. It replaced the sunlight, gently caressing the emperor's handsome profile.

Fernando loved his eyes most, and his lips second.

His gaze brushed over those lips again and again. They seemed to grow redder beneath his attention, parted alluringly.

Fernando gave a quiet cough and raised a hand to adjust his glasses. His eyes shifted to the left, only to be caught by the emperor's calm gaze.

He was awake.

Fernando quickly lowered his eyes and immersed himself in a line of text.

The emperor stretched like a satisfied cat, got up from the cushion, and walked toward Fernando.

Only then did Fernando raise his head. He turned the book facedown over his stomach, like a proper Rankean gentleman, concealing his untimely embarrassment.

The emperor walked past him. Just as Fernando was about to turn around, a pair of hands suddenly pressed down on his shoulders. The emperor leaned over, resting his head beside Fernando's ear. His hair fell onto Fernando's book, and his soft breath mingled with Fernando's.

"Teacher, take care of your eyes."

Fernando didn't answer. He could only pray that the emperor wouldn't hear his heart pounding like a drum.

He didn't notice that the sky had turned deep blue and the room behind him was still unlit.

Tips (please read all of them!):

1. Recommended for readers 18 and over. This is an adult romance. The shou has a deceased one who got away, but he's chaste. The gong has no exes and is chaste too!!

2. The Rankean Empire has reached the early stages of the First Industrial Revolution. Great Qi has developed capitalist economic relations and begun to see the decline of feudal relations (you can still enjoy the story without knowing any of this; this is just to head off nitpicking). Entirely fictional! It has nothing to do with any historical dynasty or historical figure, so don't draw those comparisons!!

3. Happy ending, so dive in without worry.

4. This book is written to suit the author's tastes: Chinese reserve + Western passion.

5. A little dark and eerie, with an older love interest. 33 x 23.

6. Gong-centered, revealing the Eastern empire through Fernando's perspective.

(Yes, I've revised the blurb again, haha. I've made it more subtle, but the core is unchanged.)

Theme: We all have a bright future.