Series: Fake Prince

Back inside the hall, Fu Ye asked, “How’s the investigation on the statue going?” Fu Huang replied, “The monks at the temple said a few out-of-town devotees fished it out of the river and paid to have it gilded. But the travel permits they used were all fake.” In ancient times, ordinary people couldn’t travel…

That night, as always, Fu Huang rested on the couch next to Fu Ye’s bed, separated only by a long screen. His sleep was as poor as ever. His mind was in turmoil tonight, thoughts churning endlessly, making sleep even harder to come by. Still, he didn’t get up—just lay there, fully clothed, until dawn…

Eunuch Qin had served Fu Huang since he was just two years old. In his eyes, Fu Huang had always carried the bearing of a sovereign. Even as a child, he was more composed and self-restrained than the other princes. By the time he was twelve or thirteen, he no longer displayed emotion openly. And…

Jinbu ornaments were all about harmony and design. His was crafted by the finest artisans in the palace, who spent months perfecting it. It was, without exaggeration, a masterpiece. Now, with a heavy black jade token tied to it—entirely out of place in both color and weight—the whole ensemble was ruined. And worse, it was…

The next morning, when Fu Ye woke up, he reached out to shift the screen at the edge of his bed and peeked toward the adjoining room—Fu Huang’s sleeping mat was already empty. Qingxi stood quietly behind the screen, holding a copper basin. She approached on light feet and whispered, “His Majesty returned to the…

Night had already fallen. Eunuch Qin stood at the gate of Qingyuan Palace, watching the palace maids holding crimson crane-beak lanterns as they lit the palace lamps. He remembered how, in the past, these girls had all looked half-dead—silent as ghosts, save for the occasional clink of their jade name tags as they walked. Back…

Fu Ye realized that the favor he was receiving had taken a serious leap in intensity. After the Flower Festival, the days grew warmer, and flowers began to bloom everywhere. To his astonishment, Fu Huang had someone deliver fresh flowers into the palace every single day—each day different from the last. Every kind of flower…

What modern person could resist the temptation of ancient gay erotica? Well… he certainly couldn’t. He was dying of curiosity. “So much dust,” he muttered. Qingxi glanced over and said, “Your Highness, please set it down—I’ll take care of it.” Fu Ye quickly waved him off. “No need, I’ve got it. You focus on your…

In Fu Ye’s mind, ten thousand screaming chickens were running wild. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH. If Fu Huang opened that book in front of everyone, he might as well smash his head on the floor and die. Eunuch Qin caught sight of the cover and froze for a second. There was no helping it—that illustration was just too…

Early the next morning, Eunuch Qin personally led a group of red-robed palace attendants to deliver clothes to Fu Ye. The sky was just turning pale at the horizon, the courtyard still glowing with the faint light of horn-shaped lanterns. Fu Ye was in the middle of washing up and getting dressed. Next door, the…

“Why are you being so polite with me, Royal Brother?” Fu Ye said as he climbed barefoot onto the couch. He began massaging the emperor’s head. The emperor leaned into him, and their hair became tangled together. Once he was done with the massage, Fu Ye began performing acupuncture on Fu Huang. Fu Huang’s chronic…

When the midday sun finally shone through the carved window lattices into the hall, His Majesty awoke. In all these years, this was the first time he’d slept so late, with the sun already high in the sky. Eunuch Qin clapped softly, and the palace attendants entered in an orderly line, carrying His Majesty’s robes…

Fu Hua Temple prided itself on simplicity and returning to the natural way. The guest rooms were bare, built low and plain. With the emperor standing inside, the space felt cramped, heavy, and stifling. Qin Neijian stepped over and pushed a window open slightly to let in some air—only to catch sight of the Prince…

Fu Huang thought to himself: Since Fu Ye fancies handsome men, so-called “handsome men” should surely be more than just a pretty face. A man’s allure—maybe I don’t measure up in looks, but in other ways, I have plenty to offer. Now, seeing Fu Ye’s cheeks slightly flushed, he couldn’t tell if it was truly…

The moment that thought crossed his mind, Fu Ye felt how ridiculous it was. Across the flickering bonfire, he gazed at Fu Huang. Fu Huang was deep in conversation with his most trusted generals, while Qin Neijian knelt at his side, using a silver knife to carve slices of roast venison. The other eunuchs stood…

Eunuch Qin went back to sleep for a while. When he woke up again, he saw several young eunuchs crouched behind the screen, rustling about as if hiding something. He threw on his robe and got up. “You brats aren’t attending His Majesty—what are you all doing, sneaking around here?” The young eunuchs jumped, startled,…

At that moment, Fu Ye was strolling near the hunting grounds with Shuangfu and Qingxi. He rarely wore green, but today he was dressed in a shade deeper than their blue robes. The garment was plain, with barely visible silver-thread ripples along the edges. The fabric was thin, and when the breeze blew, it fluttered…

Fu Ye didn’t notice the cold, predatory gaze that trailed him from behind—he was completely captivated by the stone forest lining the road. Even though he’d been in this world for quite a long time now, sights like this still managed to take his breath away. On both sides of the road, every ten feet…

At that moment, the bright moon overhead was hidden behind clouds, but the night sky blazed with stars. With two lanterns snuffed out, it felt as if two fires had been lit within his heart. Fu Ye’s pulse quickened. Maybe it was the swirling heat all around, or maybe it was the fact that it…

Fu Ye walked briskly, almost at a run. Shuangfu, pudgy and panting, struggled to keep up. He was falling behind when Qingxi grabbed his arm and pulled him along in pursuit. Shuangfu couldn’t help but admire these attendants trained in the imperial household—their movements were so precise. Even at such a hurried pace, the hems…