Now is a time of peace and prosperity, during the Qingtai era.
Beneath the imperial city, there is a bustling scene with a constant flow of people, bustling streets, and a lively atmosphere. Some people are selling pastries as they walk through the streets and alleys, while many well-dressed scholars and literati are engaged in high discussions in the taverns. Behind the wealthy sons are their pampered servants and well-dressed horses, moving in and out of the prosperous streets with great confidence. The streets are filled with the fragrance of food, and there is laughter and chatter everywhere. The crowds are like a river, with many foreign-looking merchants and traders mixed in, carrying their goods and trading back and forth between the east and west streets. It truly portrays a picture of a prosperous and contented life for the people.
A simple-looking carriage turns its wheels and seems rather inconspicuous amidst the lively scene. The curtain of the carriage is lifted, and a voice full of excitement exclaims, “Look, Young Master, the Imperial City is indeed lively, so different from Yun City.”
But that’s normal; Yun City is quite poor, with financial difficulties every year. The Young Master can hardly afford to change his clothes throughout the year. If he wants new clothes, the Madame will sigh and have the servants patch up last year’s still shiny fabric. If they can cover the Young Master’s ankles, they are considered new.
After the Master and Madame both passed away, life became even more difficult. Today, when meeting the new monarch, the Young Master doesn’t even have a decent set of clothes. Despite being officially recognized as the heir of the former Yin Wangye, he looks like a country bumpkin walking the streets.
A ray of light enters the carriage, giving Yin Minglu a feeling of being in a different world. He gazes out of the window in awe, placing his small hand on the window.
However, they are soon pulled down by the wet nurse, who has a stern expression and a serious tone. She says, “Xiao Man, when you enter the palace, you must be careful with your words and actions. Don’t let the Young Master misbehave, so that you don’t lose your head one day.”
Before Xiao Man can show his frightened little face, the wet nurse turns to Yin Minglu and says, “I should have brought ‘Bai Lu’ with us earlier; he is more composed.”
Xiao Man is clearly still a child who hasn’t grown up yet, lacking in some restraint. If it weren’t for the special bond he shares with the Young Master, Yin Minglu’s wet nurse wouldn’t have considered bringing him along in the first place.
Yin Minglu waves his hand dismissively and says, “It’s alright. Xiao Man is innocent and lively. If he acts inappropriately in the future, I’ll keep an eye on him, and there won’t be any mistakes.”
Hearing this, the wet nurse sighs, appreciating the Young Master’s maturity and sense of responsibility.
Yin Minglu’s eyes roll around, and what he doesn’t say is that while the servants in Yun City’s Wangfu are named after solar terms, there are not even enough to make up twenty-four. Many have left for better opportunities, leaving only those who have served the Yin household for generations. If he were to take away the capable Bai Lu, there would be no one left to manage the Wangfu.
Who made it so that everyone in Yun City’s Wangfu had “poor” written on their left cheek and “poor” written on their right cheek? When they entered the palace for an audience with the emperor, didn’t they all have a crowd of servants? As for the young master of the Yun Fu, he came rushing over with just a small servant and a bundle, and that’s while intending to stay in the capital for a long time. In the eyes of those aristocrats and nobles, they probably looked more like impoverished relatives coming to see the emperor, thinking their lives couldn’t go on.
Though it’s embarrassing to say so, it’s indeed the case. But he, unlike the original owner, came not just to seek favor but to advance the plot.
Speak of the devil, and he appears.
Just as the wet nurse went to present the travel documents to the patrolling guards, the conversation of two maidservants carrying baskets by the street suddenly entered Yin Minglu’s ears. He immediately leaned in to listen.
“Hong’er, have you heard? After the Assistant Minister of Revenue’s second daughter fell into the water, her temperament completely changed. That crystal-clear girl, who was already clever and delicate, suddenly stopped hiding her talents and became skilled in poetry and music. Everyone says that she must have been possessed by the God of Literature.”
The other maid was puzzled, “How do we know it’s not an evil spirit? Anyway, I’m just a simple cook and maid; I can’t appreciate those highbrow poems and articles. But back in my hometown, if someone’s personality changed drastically after a mishap like falling into water, everyone would say they were possessed by a water ghost.”
“Can I fool you? It’s all over the streets. Master Liao Chen from Huanghui Temple gave a fortune reading to the Assistant Minister’s second daughter and said that Miss Qin has an extremely auspicious fate, likely to become ‘that person’ in the future!” While saying this, the maid covered her mouth and whispered, then pointed in the direction of the palace with a hint of meaning.
“Really?” Hong’er also covered her mouth, clearly believing in Master Liao Chen’s fortune telling. “Then it looks like the Assistant Minister’s family will have two positions in the upcoming selection. What an honor!”
“It is indeed. Now, who doesn’t envy Master Assistant Minister’s ability to raise such two exceptional young ladies? They even outshine the Prime Minister’s daughter, stealing all the limelight.”
As the two maidservants walked away, Yin Minglu couldn’t hear the rest of their conversation. Before he could digest the news he had just heard, there was commotion at the nearby tavern.
Amidst the gathering of scholars and beauties, there was a joyful atmosphere.
After a beautiful singing performance, a young man in a green robe burst into hearty laughter. “Excellent, excellent! ‘When will the bright moon come? Raise the wine and ask the clear sky; I do not know in the celestial palace above, what year it is tonight!’ What an excellent poem and song! Miss Qin from the capital is truly as renowned as they say!”
“Indeed, the line ‘High towers and mansions make one shiver with cold; alas, we cannot conquer the heights’ is a perfect reflection of our inner sorrows.”
“Yes! Look at this line: ‘People have sorrows and joys, they part and meet again; the moon has its cloudy and clear times, and this is hard to understand. We hope that people will live long, though thousands of miles apart, we share the beauty of the moon.’ It’s a brilliant finishing touch, washing away the melancholy of life’s challenges. The imagery is vast, reflecting a transcendence of the mundane. To think that even a young lady from a noble family can express such a broad vision for the world – it truly makes us feel inadequate!”
Indeed, this is a timeless masterpiece that would surpass the complaints of contemporary literati and scholars.
Yin Minglu took out a piece of sesame candy from his pocket, licked it a few times to satisfy his craving for sweetness, and initially intended to wrap it back up in the same manner as before. However, considering the abundance of delicacies in the palace and the likely generosity of his imperial cousin, he simply rolled his tongue and finished it all.
Although he had spent several years in the small border town of Yun City, the plot still unfolded just as he had expected. The female lead of this world, Qin Manman, after transmigrating, made no effort to hide her high-profile nature. Coupled with the prestigious fortune reading from the Grand Master of the Temple of Holy Wisdom, she felt like she had a protective amulet that guaranteed her safety. She shamelessly borrowed famous lines and phrases from the classical texts in the textbooks of the other world to build her persona as the “number one talented lady in the capital,” and her popularity soared.
This daughter of fortune might have been high-profile, but originally, it had nothing to do with the original host. However, in a twist of fate, this female lead, Qin Manman, bound herself to a “Beloved Consort System.”
As the name implies, this system required the host to enter the palace and strive to become the emperor’s beloved consort. By gaining favor points from the emperor, the host would gradually enhance her own beauty. When favor points reached one hundred, she could unlock “spring-like eyebrows and autumn-like eyes.” When favor points reached five hundred, she could unlock “cherry-like lips and a slender waist.” When favor points exceeded one thousand, she could unlock “alluring long legs and a captivating figure.” Going further, the peak state would be “a woman as graceful as dewdrops on peonies and as majestic as a heavenly consort.” At this level, not only men but even women would be captivated by her.
Qin Manman’s original appearance was already a jade-like beauty, a far cry from the phrases “national beauty” or “peerless beauty.” With this system, she could easily address her external and physical imperfections. How splendid!
Furthermore, the emperor was the most esteemed man under heaven, and what a woman desired most was to have “thousands of favors bestowed upon her.” So, entering the palace was an inevitable step for Qin Manman, as she aimed to transform herself from a mere talented young lady into the emperor’s cherished consort, and eventually, become the mother of the nation, enjoying endless glory.
No matter how you looked at it, this had nothing to do with the original host. However, this assumption was wrong. The original book was a twisting and turning novel, and yes, the emperor’s harem was filled with a variety of beauties. The most precious and beautiful flowers in the world all blossomed in the imperial harem. Yet, the young emperor had little desire. Everyone assumed that he was being selective because he was exceptionally handsome himself, and it was normal for him to be particular.
Little did they know that the emperor actually preferred beautiful young men rather than beautiful women.
This secret was inadvertently discovered by Qin Manman. She covered her chest, realizing that despite raising the emperor’s favorability to a certain extent, she repeatedly failed to reach his bed. It turned out she was of the wrong gender.
To break through the last barrier in the emperor’s heart, Qin Manman staged an assassination attempt during a palace banquet, pretending to be an assassin disguised as a dancer with a sword aimed at the emperor. She quickly rushed to save him, putting herself in harm’s way.
Unexpectedly, in the midst of it all, Yin Wang’s heir, Yin Minglu, who was sitting nearby and unaware of the situation, thought she was a real assassin. His actions were even quicker than hers, and he blocked the assassin’s sword for the emperor. Due to the angle, blood splattered, and a sword struck his throat.
The original host, who was loyal to the emperor, lost his life without understanding what had happened. The emperor was furious and devastated, and blood stained the Huaqing Hall.
A certain Wangye who appeared out of nowhere, made Qin Manman curse in secret, but her goal was still achieved. Because the emperor remembered that the original owner, Yin Minglu, died for him, but Qin Manman was also the first woman to stand up for him, a woman willing to sacrifice herself to block a sword for him. With such deep and sincere feelings, coupled with the eunuch chief’s sigh, “Your Majesty, the young prince has died, but Lady Qin is still here. Please, Your Majesty, show mercy to the person in front of you!”
Do not betray such feelings! With these words, it completely shook the emperor’s defenses, and his favorability rating broke through entirely. Satisfied, Qin Manman obtained the position of his desired concubine, and it seemed that one day she would become the mother of the nation.
As for the original host, he died inexplicably. Even at the other party’s funeral, understanding the emperor’s grief, Qin Manman wrote a poem in mourning, modified a few words, and included the original host’s name. Under the heavens, there was no one who didn’t envy the name of the original host, Yin Minglu, which would be passed down through the ages.
Yin Minglu: …
The original host was truly pitiful. Originally, he was living a comfortable life in the palace. When he reached the age to establish his own family, even if he couldn’t find a wife, he could have pleaded with the Emperor’s cousin for an arranged marriage. This might have improved the financial situation of the Wangfu (royal residence), and although he would have lived under someone else’s roof for his entire life, it would have been peaceful and fulfilling.
However, he ended up being schemed against and killed by a woman by sheer coincidence. Afterwards, people thought that he should be grateful to the woman because, thanks to her, he, the idle and worthless Yin Wangye, gained fame across the land. They believed that the original host lived a happy life, as his poem, originally meant to mourn his wife1*SPOILER* Qin Manman doesn’t actually write her own poems so the poem she used for OG Minglu’s mourning was from a person who made the poem for his dead wife, had been slightly edited by Qin Manman to express joy and even a sense of honor.
What a joke!
Yin Minglu accepted this mission with only one request from the original host: that he could faithfully serve the emperor with courage but not die inexplicably. He hoped to live well in this lifetime. In addition to the original host’s request, the talent agency also gave Yin Minglu a separate mission: to reclaim the Beloved Consort System.
These were the two purposes of Yin Minglu’s journey.
The carriage swayed as it approached the palace gate. From the slender horses to the huge carriage, its simple demeanor was out of place in the grand and majestic palace, attracting the attention of many.
They arrived just as the new emperor was finishing his morning court session.
Emperor Jing had changed into his court attire and personally welcomed them. He was quite welcoming to Yin Minglu, this distant cousin who had come from afar. After all, with the conflicts within the imperial family and the policies of the late emperor that gradually centralized power, Yin Minglu was the last surviving branch of the royal family.
Furthermore, the Wang family from another lineage had made significant contributions to the court and had many meritorious deeds. Considering this, Emperor Jing was not inclined to be too harsh on their descendants.
This was their first meeting.
Emperor Jing was dressed in a bright yellow robe, embroidered with ink-colored orchids and bamboo that covered half of his body. His jade crown was pressed low on his forehead, exuding an exceptionally noble aura. His demeanor was dignified, and his eyes were as black as ink dots. The aura of long-standing authority made Yin Minglu, with his little arms and short legs, turn into a child who couldn’t even perform a proper bow.
“No need for formalities,” the emperor smiled.
Anyway, the etiquette was not very formal, and it would only make people laugh. Before the words even hit the ground, the one who had bowed immediately stood up.
Emperor Jing looked at the young prince, who was trying his best to dress rich and respectable. However, the pants that were too short, revealing his ankles, and the small bun that was casually tied with a hairband still exposed a humble background.
Looking at Yin Minglu’s young and tender face with a hint of childishness, Emperor Jing felt a trace of pity. He thought that this child was still very young, and he could consider him as a little amusement to pass the time. He could keep him around in the palace for now.
When he grew older, he could be released.
Author’s note: Later, Emperor Jing expressed that letting him go was impossible.
The CP in this world is quite obvious: the emperor is the aggressor, but it’s a monogamous relationship, so the story won’t be very long.
The two of them are nominally cousins, with no blood relation. The protagonist is the son of a king from a different lineage (otherwise, how could he be so poor?).
The world mentioned in the summary with three books may be skipped because it’s too long, and writing it would take a long time. So, be prepared, dear readers.
T/N: I apologize in advance for butchering this whole arc. I don’t speak Chinese, nor do I understand the language; I’m solely relying on MTL and Google for parts that may not make sense or for unfamiliar terms. Even after editing, I still don’t feel entirely satisfied. This entire arc may contain numerous translation errors, but I’ll do my best to provide the most accurate translation possible. Thank you for reading my translation~
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