"Your Majesty, today's military report." Fang Zhiyi calmly handed the document to the Emperor.
The Emperor glared at him. "Fang Zhiyi, how dare you imprison me! Aren't you afraid of the people's wrath?"
"Wrath?" Fang Zhiyi shook his head. "You're a tyrant, and I'm a treacherous minister. Haven't we always deserved condemnation?"
"You scoundrel! Let's see how long you last. If I don't attend court for days, the ministers will grow suspicious. Loyalist armies will soon arrive—do you really think you'll survive?"
Fang Zhiyi shrugged. "The loyalist armies might be delayed. They're currently following your decree to suppress the Hu tribes."
"You—you forged an imperial edict!"
Fang Zhiyi shook his head again. "The edict was real, and so was the seal. Hardly a forgery."
The Emperor pointed at the names on the report.
"Duke of Liang, General Huang, General Xin—they are all loyal to the Great Yan dynasty. Do you really think you’ll live to see the end of this?" His voice trembled with fury.
Fang Zhiyi clicked his tongue. "Actually, I have an idea. It won’t be long now."
Seeing his smile, the Emperor felt an inexplicable chill.
For years, the Great Yan had suffered under Hu oppression, forcing three relocations of the capital. But now, with ample supplies, weapons, and the Emperor’s own decree, the armies finally unleashed their pent-up rage.
In just a year, the empire’s territory expanded by more than half.
Then, news arrived—the Emperor had passed away!
The sudden announcement stunned every general on the battlefield. The Emperor was dead?
Leaving some troops behind to secure the land and clean up, the armies hurried back. On the way, another message reached them—the Crown Prince had ascended the throne!
Meanwhile, Fang Zhiyi stood before the new Emperor. "If the Hu tribes return one day, how will Your Majesty respond?"
The Crown Prince hesitated. "Well... peace through diplomacy?" He had always emulated his father, indulging in pleasures within the Eastern Palace, demanding money when he ran out, and occasionally visiting brothels. Never had he imagined being dragged onto the throne so abruptly.
Faced with Fang Zhiyi’s question, the only answer that came to mind was surrender—ceding land, paying tribute, and submitting.
Fang Zhiyi sighed in disappointment.
Soon, the returning generals received more shocking news.
"The new Emperor has passed away!"
"The Second Prince has ascended at the late Emperor’s bier!"
The generals quickened their pace.
"The Second Prince has died of a sudden illness!"
"The Eldest Son of Prince Fu has taken the throne!"
Even fools could tell something was wrong.
"Fang Zhiyi has committed treason, murdering the Emperor! The court officials have been purged—some dismissed, others executed along with their families!"
Fang Bufan followed Wei Kaiyuan, listening as each report arrived, his heart pounding in his throat.
Had his father gone mad?
Thankfully, the capital was near. They could already glimpse the distant city walls.
"If foreign invaders come, how will Your Majesty respond?" Fang Zhiyi asked, his tone bored. The imperial bloodline of Great Yan was truly a joke—what kind of rulers were these?
"If enemies invade, I will lead the army myself!" The young man’s voice was firm.
Fang Zhiyi looked at him in surprise. Had a competent heir finally emerged from the collateral line?
The boy’s hands trembled slightly, but his eyes showed no fear. "If a treacherous minister seizes power, I will raise the Emperor’s sword and cut him down!"
Fang Zhiyi abruptly stood.
The young man swallowed hard.
"Good! Good! Remember your words today!" Fang Zhiyi laughed heartily. "Finally, I’ve hit the jackpot!"
In the 35th year of the new era, the Hu tribes were annihilated. Great Yan swept across the northern frontier, unstoppable.
That same year, the treacherous minister Fang Zhiyi poisoned the Emperor, installed the Crown Prince, poisoned him a day later, then saw the Second Prince ascend—only for the Second Prince to die suddenly. The Eldest Son of Prince Fu took the throne, but the new Emperor denounced Fang Zhiyi’s treason. Fang Zhiyi laughed and left. When the loyalist armies entered the capital, Fang Zhiyi had already been slain by Generals Shen Xun and Li Li.
Considering Fang Bufan’s battlefield merits and his estrangement from his father, the new Emperor pardoned him, stripping him of all titles and reducing him to a commoner.
In the 38th year, Fang Bufan returned from a day of hunting, handed the game to his wife, and called for Ah Bao. After changing clothes, he left for an unmarked grave—only to find someone had arrived before him.
"You’ve grown darker, young Fang," the Duke of Liang remarked.
Fang Bufan nodded. "Greetings, Your Grace."
Wei Kaiyuan patted his shoulder. The group stood silently before the blank tombstone.
Two more arrived—Shen Xun and Li Li.
Fang Zhiyi had been right. None of them were fools. With a little thought, they understood his intentions—even the new Emperor knew. Otherwise, Fang Bufan would never have been spared, nor would Fang Zhiyi’s grave remain standing.
But the world needed an explanation. Fang Zhiyi’s regicide was inexcusable.
When they ransacked his home, they found it empty—no treasures, no luxuries. Even the vases and paintings had been sold to fund military supplies.
The grand buildings he’d constructed for the court and the late Emperor? Within a year, they crumbled. Wei Kaiyuan led the demolition, revealing the shoddiest materials. The people cursed Fang Zhiyi as a corrupt official.
"Your father... wasn’t a good man," Old Man Huang said, arriving late. "But if I meet him in the afterlife, I’ll buy him a drink."
Fang Bufan was silent for a long time before speaking. "He was no loyal subject... but he loved his country."
Wei Kaiyuan took a deep breath. "Alright, let’s go! Didn’t you promise to introduce me to your daughter? I hope she doesn’t take after you—that’d be a tragedy."
"Can’t you say anything nice?" The Duke of Liang kicked him. "A man without a wife dares to mock others?"
"Almost there, almost."
"Hahaha! Young Wei, I have a distant cousin—plump and fair-skinned..."
"That description sounds odd."
"It’s how Fang—er, the old man—would’ve put it. I think it’s fitting."
"Wait—Brother Shen, you called my father ‘old man.’ Are you trying to claim seniority over me?"
"He’s been plotting this for a while."
"Li Li, shut up."
Ah Bao trailed behind, glancing back repeatedly before wiping his tears and hurrying after them.
"Quick Transmigration Bureau, huh?" Little Hei watched as a beam of light descended.
"Hm? Who’s that?" Fang Zhiyi paused mid-step.
"Dunno. Want me to eat that system?"
"Fifty percent chance they’re here for us," Fang Zhiyi analyzed.
"No kidding."
A streak of light shot toward them. Little Hei grinned. "They’re attacking first!" It snapped its jaws around the light, rolling on the ground. Fang Zhiyi observed for a moment.
"Move! More incoming!"
Several more beams crashed down.
Little Hei gulped with difficulty. "Exposed? Let’s go!"
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
