In his childhood, Ying Fusheng was loathed by his mother and lived a life without warmth or affection. It wasn’t until he was schemed against and imprisoned that he realized his absurd life of neglect and exploitation was merely a puppet show in a “Swapped Prince” plot.
The Fake Prince was highly regarded by the Emperor and pampered by the Empress. Backed by the illustrious Xu family—a clan of renowned scholars—he became world-famous at a young age, basking in the spotlight until he eventually ascended the throne as the ruler over tens of thousands.
Meanwhile, Ying Fusheng, the true son of Empress Xu, had been swapped at birth by Consort Ning. He suffered poisoning from his “mother,” found himself imprisoned, and was eventually framed and manipulated by the Fake Prince and the Ning family. He was granted a cup of poisoned wine and executed just as the new Emperor took power…
Opening his eyes once more, he struggled back from the gates of hell to find himself reborn. In this life, he would not follow the same path to ruin.
If his “mother” didn’t fight for favor, then he would be even more “indifferent to fame and fortune.” While others seized power, he planted flowers; while others vied for fame, he chanted sutras.
The Empress Dowager: “Little Six is simple-minded; he’s a filial child.”
Consort Ning: ??
The Crown Prince befriended scholars from humble backgrounds, and the First Prince courted the powerful elite, but Ying Fusheng spent his days with profligate playboys, indulging in “debauchery” and “luxury.”
As the other princes fought tooth and nail, the Emperor looked at Ying Fusheng: “In the end, Little Six is the one who puts my mind at ease the most.”
The Fake Prince: ??
Amidst the tangled roots of the court and the bloodbath of factional struggles, he redressed injustices and settled old debts, one step at a time.
The national treasury flourished, the court rejoiced, and the civil and military officials declared: “His Highness the Sixth Prince is brilliant within and refined without, a man who benefits the entire world!”
The other princes: ??
When Qi Hanzhou first met him at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, the youth stood in his robes, his bright eyes deep and brimming with ambition. He noted that this person was deep and calculating—given time, he would surely become a major threat.
Later, during a tour of Jiangnan, grievances were redressed and his name echoed across the land…
Beneath Ying Fusheng’s ambition lay a hidden devotion to the common people. He was one of those commoners, and he was willing to bow and call himself a loyal subject.
Protagonists:
Shou (MC): The career-driven, gloomy, and ruthless True Prince.
Gong (ML): The cold military official who was once a carefree swordsman in his youth.
Notes:
Alternate history/fictional setting. Semi-serious political intrigue mixed with “dog blood” (melodramatic) face-slapping tropes.
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