Inside the inn,
Chu Xingchen and Li Xingtian both turned their gazes toward Li Yingling, waiting for the so-called "unofficial history" she had mentioned.
After all, when a dynasty writes its own official records, there’s always some embellishment to maintain appearances. And if there were any real secrets, they certainly wouldn’t be recorded in the official annals.
Only in unofficial histories, often dismissed as mere gossip, might fragments of the truth linger.
Moreover, even if these unofficial accounts held no truth at all, it wouldn’t matter.
Because widely circulated unofficial histories share one defining trait—they are rich in storytelling and abstract enough to captivate.
Topping the list are the romantic escapades of founding emperors, followed closely by those of founding empresses.
After all, human nature is drawn to tales of desire.
And only the most outrageous unofficial histories can withstand the erosion of time, enduring as stubborn, if not malodorous, remnants of history.
Even if taken as mere entertainment, it’s hardly a loss.
Li Yingling cleared her throat and began with a serious expression:
"Rumors say that at its founding, this dynasty wasn’t originally named the Xuanwu Kingdom. The name was changed later. Initially, it was called the Tangchi Kingdom, and its first emperor rose through rebellion, overthrowing the previous dynasty."
"The title 'Xuanwu Kingdom' was adopted only after the death of Emperor Taizu of Zhao, the founding emperor of Tangchi."
"According to unofficial records, the truth behind this name change traces back to Emperor Taizu’s wife—Empress Chen, the founding empress."
Hearing this, Chu Xingchen glanced at Li Xingtian beside him.
Master and disciple exchanged a look, both recognizing the gleam in each other’s eyes—this was the moment they’d been waiting for.
Undoubtedly, this would be a tale of the founding empress’s scandalous affairs.
"Emperor Taizu of Zhao wasn’t the undefeated, awe-inspiring leader portrayed in official history, with countless heroes bowing before him from the start."
"Unofficial records claim that the real Emperor Taizu suffered defeat after defeat in the early days of his rebellion. Within just two months, he lost his stronghold and was relentlessly pursued, his troops deserting in droves, unable to endure the humiliation of constant losses."
"The unofficial history dubs it—'The Flight of the Incompetent.'"
"After two months of rebellion, Emperor Taizu spent a year and a half on the run, chased all the way to Cangzhou."
"By then, he had nowhere left to flee—unless he plunged into the sea."
Chu Xingchen couldn’t help but cough lightly, inhaling deeply before covering his faintly amused mouth with his hand.
Was this actually an unconventional romantic escapade of Emperor Taizu?
Who knew the founding ruler of the Xuanwu Kingdom had such… progressive tastes?
Unaware of her master’s amusement, Li Yingling shot him a puzzled look.
Chu Xingchen nodded. "Go on."
Though confused, Li Yingling continued:
"With no retreat left, the repeatedly defeated Emperor Taizu, under immense pressure, somehow managed to hold his ground. And it was here that the legendary guardian beast, the Xuanwu, made its first appearance."
"The unofficial history claims this Xuanwu was a descendant of the true dragon, with a nature…"
Li Yingling trailed off, raising an eyebrow meaningfully.
Chu Xingchen mirrored her expression, signaling his understanding.
Under their suggestive gazes, Li Xingtian sighed and reluctantly raised an eyebrow as well.
There was no doubt—either Emperor Taizu or Empress Chen (or both) had traded something they shouldn’t have.
Satisfied, Li Yingling went on: "After reaching Cangzhou, Emperor Taizu glimpsed the Xuanwu’s power, though at first, it only helped him defend the city and barely cling to life."
"This went on for over a year."
"Then, Empress Chen gave birth to Emperor Taizu’s second son."
"And the very next day, the infant was declared the heir—the future Emperor Gaozu of Zhao."
Li Yingling narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue. "Master, at that point, Emperor Taizu was practically destitute, nearly driven into the sea. There was nothing to inherit except a family-wide execution order."
"Moreover, the tradition was to appoint the eldest son, not the youngest. This decree made no sense. Yet from that moment on…"
"Emperor Taizu seemed to transform. He became a brilliant strategist, leading his troops to victory after victory, embarking on a three-year campaign to unify the land."
"And at every critical juncture, the phantom of the Xuanwu would appear to aid him!"
"After founding the Tangchi Kingdom, residents near the capital often reported hearing bestial cries from the palace—sounds that were quite…"
Li Yingling raised her eyebrows again, letting them fill in the blanks, then added:
"Occasionally, the Xuanwu’s phantom would manifest. And Emperor Taizu, it was said, grew increasingly melancholic and pale."
"Even stranger, after the kingdom’s founding, he developed a preference for lying prone rather than sitting."
"Emperor Taizu passed away just a few years after establishing Tangchi, and the second prince ascended the throne without issue."
"The very next day, the kingdom’s name was changed to Xuanwu Kingdom, with the Xuanwu enshrined as the guardian beast."
"The unofficial history doesn’t draw definitive conclusions but offers this summary:"
"'The Turtle’s Path to Founding a Kingdom Through Paternity.'"
After listening to this absurd tale, Li Xingtian finally couldn’t hold back:
"This unofficial history was definitely written by a remnant of the previous dynasty."
This wasn’t just gossip—it was outright slander!
If true, the Xuanwu’s tastes were… indiscriminate?
According to this account, Emperor Taizu’s only skill was endurance—his children weren’t his, his wife was shared, and he’d even offered himself up.
Did he turn the tides purely by tolerating humiliation?!
And did the current emperor even carry Emperor Taizu’s bloodline?!
That summary was nothing but an insult!
This "unofficial history" was pure bias!
Li Yingling shrugged. "That’s how unofficial histories are. There are even wilder ones, but those lack any logic. This one at least sounds plausible and aligns somewhat with official records."
"Regardless of its truth," Chu Xingchen interjected, "it does give us a lead. Yingling, you’re responsible for gathering and summarizing any information on the Xuanwu."
"Time is short, so right or wrong, Xingtian and I will head to the water veins to set up some… surprises."
"We’ll take this step by step. Once your senior sister has the intel, we’ll plan our next move."
"Success may hinge on luck—or perhaps on your senior sister’s findings."
Li Xingtian’s eyes flickered with doubt…
Relying on Senior Sister’s unofficial histories?
Xuanwu Kingdom, Cangzhou.
Above the Cangzhou River.
Qinghe clung tightly to Xie Lingyu’s arm, her eyes darting warily around.
Xie Lingyu sighed. "What are you so afraid of? Didn’t the master explain everything clearly?"
Qinghe’s expression was deadly serious. "Have you ever seen Grandma Bai smile at me like that before?"
Xie Lingyu thought for a moment. "I think she smiled exactly like that when she first fished you out and brought you to the sect."
Qinghe: "…"
How could it be the same? And more importantly!
Grandma Bai wasn’t the one who fished her out!
She quickly recited in her mind—this person was only here as a protective charm because she had begged relentlessly. No getting angry…
Qinghe was genuinely afraid that if something happened to her, Grandma Bai couldn’t be bothered to come all this way to save her…
Only by bringing along Grandma Bai’s precious darling—Xie Lingyu—could Qinghe find a sliver of security amidst Grandma Bai’s seamless mood swings.
Only a fool would believe Grandma Bai’s claim that it was perfectly safe, just a quick trip to snatch an easy bargain!
Qinghe was certain she’d at least lose a layer of dragon hide over this.
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
