The Emperor's Substitute

The pirated version has not been revised yet. The chapters before the VIP section are padded with nonsense, making for a poor reading experience.

[Powerful Man Takes Her by Force + Chasing His Wife to the Crematorium + Brothers Turn Against Each Other for Love]

[Clear-Headed, Resilient Saintess vs. Scheming, Unhinged Emperor]

Xi Xiao is an orphan with neither father nor mother. All she wants is to stay in the Medicine Valley with her senior brother for the rest of their lives, but he seems to be hiding a secret.

She pretends not to know and tries to ease his worries, unaware that she is falling into a trap carefully laid by that man.

Later, during a trip to the Southern Border, her origins are revealed, and she learns that she and her senior brother are both that man's pawns.

She loathes him, yet because the fate of all living beings rests in his hands, she has no choice but to compromise and leave him.

She thought that once this was over, she could live in peace. Instead, that man kept her confined in the Marquis's residence. "At today's banquet, the entire court was present. The emperor is only human, and even he appreciates beauty. I wish to welcome you into the palace..."

"Shut up!"

Xi Xiao felt a wave of intense nausea surge from her stomach straight up her throat.

She knew how unfathomable he was. Even a single part sincerity from him came mixed with nine parts deceit. So she used his grand ambitions to threaten him into letting her go. She never expected him to break his word so completely. Before she and her senior brother could enjoy even a few days of peace, he dragged her back into the whirlpool of power.

This finally enraged her, and from then on, the two stood on opposing sides.

Pei Yun was originally Yuan Chu's ninth prince, Ling Zhou Chong. Because he had been born with a fetal toxin, pressure from within and without made it impossible for him to show his face in public. He took the identity of the Marquis's eldest son and quietly maneuvered from behind the scenes. Yet he could not tell whether it was the secret letters laid out on his desk night after night, or the dazzling impression she made when they first met, that gave his bitter life a special glimmer of anticipation.

After his identity was exposed, a cruel delight flashed deep in his eyes, roiling with jealousy and violence. He led Xi Xiao to stay, never imagining that she would find him utterly repulsive. When anger rose in him, it was joined by a helplessness he could not control. He reluctantly let her leave, pretending to be a benevolent ruler who was granting a pawn her freedom. But the dull, stabbing pain in his chest constantly reminded him that he was incapable of such magnanimity.

In the end:

He pinched her chin and forced her to swallow the poisonous love charm. His eyes burned with frenzied pain. "Forget it all..."

But when she opened her eyes again, all that remained was a faint, bewildered smile. "Senior Brother, where are we gathering herbs today?"

Behind her, the emperor had shed his yellow robe and knelt in coarse clothes, gripping a herb basket. His voice was hoarse as he replied, "Wherever you want to go, Junior Sister, I'll go with you."

Content warnings:

1. The male lead is in love with her alone; the female lead never loved him, and later she takes revenge on him.

2. The female lead and the second male lead love each other.

3. The male lead is not a good person, and the female lead is no saint either. She becomes somewhat wicked later on.

4. The characters are not simply good or evil; none of them are purely virtuous or wicked.

5. The main cast are all sexually pure.

A note from the author:

1. This is a traditional, old-school historical romance. Its core appeal is watching the characters struggle and grow as fate sweeps them along.

2. The female lead is in a vulnerable position early on. She will be used and deceived, which is necessary groundwork for her later awakening, resistance, and the male lead's desperate pursuit.

3. Readers who like evenly matched couples and feel-good power fantasies should enter with caution. Those who enjoy angst-filled romance and compelling characters are welcome to join in!

4. A few passages in the early chapters use classical-style prose because the author wanted to show off. This doesn't happen in later chapters, which are all easy to understand.

Keywords:

#UnhingedMaleLead #ForcedLove #SubstituteAndAtonement #LovePoison #SweetOnTheOutsideDarkOnTheInside

New Novel Introduction:

When Zha Yuan first crossed paths with Ming Zhi, her mother was scheming to marry her off far from the capital.

How could that be allowed? She had been born to be the Crown Princess. She belonged to him.

The cry for help from inside the room was bewitchingly alluring, revealing a side of her she never showed anyone. He lingered outside and listened for a long while before smashing down the door and rescuing her.

She thanked him, but the moment she was free, her expression changed. All she showed her savior was disdain and impatience, as though he were no more than an ant by the roadside, or some troublesome nuisance.

Zha Yuan sneered inwardly, as if he had known all along what she was like. But if she wanted the Ming family to keep its place in the realm, sooner or later she would come back and beg him.

He quietly waited for his prey to enter the net. Yet when she came to ask him for help, she was still every bit as imperious as before. "Let's work together. I'll help you take that position."

He found her utterly fascinating. Her family was on the brink of disaster, and she needed his protection to survive, yet somehow she had turned the tables and made it sound as if she were the one helping him.

But he didn't care about any of that. As long as she stayed by his side, he would graciously protect those people for her.

But then what? She actually told him to end things for good right to his face, then turned and rushed toward another man.

When had he ever cared about that lofty position? From beginning to end, the only thing he wanted was her!

In a cave, he pinned her against the damp, jagged wall and kissed her fiercely. "I won't give you a chance to regret this."

That night, he finally heard her soul-stealing voice again.

She belonged to him, completely and utterly.

He thought he would have no regrets in this life, and that once he got rid of the people around her who annoyed him, they could be together forever.

Until one day, she appeared before him, covered in wounds, her eyes filled with a hatred so intense he dared not meet her gaze.

Panic swept through him. He pulled her into his arms and spoke first. "Hate me or kill me, I will never let you leave again."

Suddenly, her voice slipped into his ear, soft and cold. "What if I told you to kill your father?"

Zha Yuan immediately relaxed, and answered almost soothingly, "All right. Whatever you ask me to do, I'll do it."

Theme: Keep your heart steadfast, and walk alone on the path to enlightenment.