Series: Fake Prince

Lately, the entire capital has been abuzz with a shocking rumor. Just a couple of days ago, early in the morning, a ragged young man knocked on the gates of Lord Zhou, the Prefect of the Capital. He claimed to be none other than Fu Ye, the Sixth Prince who went missing fourteen years ago…

Fu Ye woke slowly, his entire body aching and burning up. “What happened?” Xiao Ai: “I gave you a new persona—sickly but beautiful. The kind of delicate beauty even tyrants can’t help but coddle.” “Wow. Thanks so much.” He opened his eyes—only to meet a pair of sharp, predatory eyes. A man with an ashen…

Chief Eunuch Qin bowed slightly. “It was the Empress Dowager who summoned you, Your Majesty. You agreed to it last night—have you forgotten?” The Empress Dowager was anxious beyond reason, and honestly, even Eunuch Qin was getting nervous about the delay. But he also knew—His Majesty was stalling on purpose, refusing to let her see…

Xiao Ai started with the history of the Fu family. The Fu dynasty had lasted for over a century, making it the longest reigning dynasty in this world divided by warring factions. However, over the course of more than a hundred years, the Fu family had produced over a dozen emperors. Among them, the one…

Fu Ye’s legs went weak with fear. The court adjudicator collapsed in front of him, her arms trembling slightly, then straightened her spine and knelt upright. “Your Majesty!” Eunuch Qin rushed out from the palace. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please—this mustn’t happen!” The adjudicator shoved Fu Ye back. “Your Highness, run!” Then she turned back,…

If he left now, he’d offend the crazy emperor. If he stayed, he’d piss off the Empress Dowager. Between the two? Yeah, offending the emperor definitely sounded worse. But he couldn’t throw the Dowager under the bus either! “Mother,” he said carefully. The Dowager snapped, “What, you think he’s going to kill both of us?”…

Fu Ye returned to his palace and found a few more people there. He looked at Qingxi, who was dressed in a green robe, bowing slightly as he waved his hand. A round-faced young eunuch stepped forward, leading the others to kneel and bow, saying, “This servant, Shuangfu, and the others are here to serve…

But the Empress Dowager was determined to make Fu Ye the center of attention at the ancestral ceremony. In her mind, the royal family had suffered enough under Fu Huang’s rule. It was time to introduce a new representative for the family. Having been away for fourteen years and with the ancestral ceremony coinciding with…

Fu Ye was determined to cure Fu Huang’s illness so that he could live comfortably as a fake prince in the future. Before the Spring Festival, there were several major events in the palace. On the 27th and 28th of the twelfth month, the noble consorts and wives of the officials were to enter the…

Fu Ye continued practicing until nightfall. By then, it was past dinnertime, so he ate alone, and after finishing, he went to bathe. His body was truly frail, his arms and legs were slightly swollen. After bathing and returning to his chamber, he had just settled down with the hand warmer when he saw Shuangfu…

New Year’s Eve. At about 3:15 a.m., Fu Ye got up to bathe and dress. Today, he was to wear an especially resplendent ceremonial outfit: a dark red imperial robe embroidered with complex patterns, fastened with a jade belt, paired with vermilion socks and crimson shoes. His hair was gathered up and crowned with the…

Not long after, their group arrived at the residence Fu Huang had prepared for Eunuch Qin. The house wasn’t particularly large—honestly, it didn’t quite match the status of Qin, who was the emperor’s most trusted attendant. But nestled against the mountains and near the water, the setting was serene and refined. The furnishings inside were…

Fu Ye lost all interest in sightseeing after hearing those tragic stories. He felt a deep melancholy settle over him. Sensing his mood, Shuangfu said, “It’s too cold out, Your Highness. Let’s go back and have something to eat. I brought that hawthorn pudding you like.” Fu Ye had been craving it recently. “Good idea.…

Fu Ye only smiled more sweetly at that. He wasn’t the least bit offended. Now a prince, not just a royal son, his attire had changed—his collar embroidered with gold suns, moons, and stars. His red robe shimmered like a sunset. He seemed more noble, more dazzling than ever. The naive youth from before had…

At the palace night banquet, the one seated in the most prestigious position was the Emperor. The Empress Dowager wasn’t in the center, but her seat was just to the upper left of the Emperor, facing east. Because in palace tradition, facing east and sitting to the left signifies honor. By all rights, the next…

Eunuch Qin didn’t go on, but Fu Ye already knew the rest of the story. Blood had flowed like a river in Qingtai Hall. The former emperor fell to his death. Of the five princes present, four died. Every single black-armored guard in the hall was wiped out. There was no turning back after that.…

Was there even a choice? Being around the emperor was like being near a tiger—better to keep your distance whenever possible. But appearances had to be maintained. Fu Ye replied softly, “I haven’t studied much, and I don’t understand politics. I barely know palace etiquette. If I stay in the palace, I’m afraid I won’t…

The Empress Dowager froze for a moment. The senior ministers quickly adjusted their robes and descended into the courtyard. The young noble sons in the courtyard all knelt at once. The Frozen King had arrived again. At that moment, Xiao Ai appeared and said, “Xie Liangbi is among them.” Fu Ye’s heart stirred. Descending the…

Fu Ye noticed that the low-pressure aura around Fu Huang had dissipated. He must have been very satisfied with his answer. Quickly changing the subject, he asked, “What part are you at?” Fu Huang was reading the only piece of entertainment among his many books, a historical storybook about famous generals called Hundred Heroes’ Tales.…

The journey from the palace to the site of the stone Buddha would’ve taken no more than an hour on fast horses. But with their massive entourage—hundreds of people—it was a slow, winding procession that didn’t arrive until well into the wei hour (around 1 to 3 p.m.). About two li from the temple, Fu…