朝堂 Novels

Han Min held two jobs simultaneously. By day, he was the Court Diarist, following Emperor Fu Xun and recording his daily activities. By night, he was Songyan Moke of White Stone Publishing House, author of the ten-volume series *The Emperor and Certain Court Affairs*. One day while on duty, Fu Xun reclined on his couch reading a book. Han Min crept closer cautiously: "Your Majesty, what are you reading? Might this servant record it?" Fu Xun languidly held up *Certain Affairs of the Sovereign and His Chancellor*: "The prose is exaggerated—hardly your usual style." Han Min was about to kneel and beg forgiveness when Fu Xun tossed the book aside and steadied him: "This sovereign did not grow up with the Imperial Censor, nor did I share childhood camaraderie with the Chancellor. As for traveling and lodging together with the Palace Examination Graduate—that never happened." Fu Xun continued: "On the contrary, it was you who grew up with me, bonded in youth, and now accompany me daily. So why write about others?" Han Min was terrified and meant to plead for mercy but bit his own tongue instead. Han Min: "*Ptui.*" Fu Xun: ???

Transmigrated into the wrong faction? Don’t throw away the cannon fodder—coat it in egg, breadcrumbs, and fry until golden. The blackened male lead next door is drooling. In prison, Han Jiao, the top strategist of the Yan estate, remained confident: "The original protagonist is the Yan prince, so the crown prince will surely fail. My lord will come for me soon." Not long after, the Yan prince fell from power. The once-puppy-like male lead, now a tyrant, the crown prince strode into the cell, his gaze dark as he stared at Han Jiao: "I heard you were waiting for my brother to save you?" Han Jiao: "…" Seems like the original plot screwed him over.

In her past life, Qiu Che disguised herself as a man to take the imperial exams in her brother's stead. For her father and brother's so-called grand scheme, she ruthlessly married Li Qingwu, the empire's most favored princess. Yet in ten years of marriage, she never once laid a finger on her. On the day she became the all-powerful chancellor, she died at the hands of her own father. Her brother climbed over her corpse to fame and success. In the chilly depths of a spring night, she perished silently within the chancellor's estate. It was her wife—whom she had never spared a glance—who gathered her bones, set the estate ablaze, and finally drew a sword across her own throat before Qiu Che's grave. When she opened her eyes again, it was Zhenfeng Year 18. The year she had just topped the imperial exams, basking in the spring breeze of triumph. As her horse pranced through the streets, she suddenly lifted her gaze—and there, encircled by attendants, stood a figure on the pavilion, quietly watching her from above. A crimson beauty mark, painted lips, breathtaking splendor. Eyes burning with inextinguishable starlight. Only in this life did Qiu Che finally learn that the ill-fated bond she once deemed a product of her own deceit was, in truth, Li Qingwu kneeling thrice in the golden hall, pleading with all her heart to secure. She was Li Qingwu, the model of noble grace—whose only rebellion in life was this. And she was the unattainable longing that haunted Li Qingwu's countless days and nights. ---

The once-powerful prime minister, Shu Changyu, had controlled the imperial court for over a decade. His death was met with universal celebration. But the heavens showed no mercy—Shu Changyu was reborn, returning to the time he had just earned the title of the top imperial scholar. In this life, manipulating the world was child’s play for him. Overthrowing dynasties was effortless, and ascending the throne himself would have been a mere trifle. Shu Changyu: *No thanks. I've had enough of being a power-hungry minister. I want to be a good person.* Unexpectedly, the puppet emperor he had once toyed with in his past life suddenly turned ruthless, slaughtering gods and buddhas alike on his unstoppable path to the throne—and now, he was forcefully pushing Shu Changyu back into the position of a high-ranking minister. *"Didn’t you love power? I’ll seize it all—just for you."* Shu Changyu: *……??*

That year, when the Duke of Wei returned to the capital from his northern campaign, he brought back tens of thousands of prisoners of war. Inside a rusty iron cage, the Ninth Prince, Zhou Huaiyan, caught his first glimpse of that little foreigner. Black curly hair, pale blue eyes, battered and bruised. Though trembling with fear, the child still bared sharp little teeth in defiance. The sight reminded him irresistibly of the long-haired cat he had once kept. On a whim, Zhou Huaiyan claimed the child, took him back, cleaned him up, and kept him as a pet. The young prince caressed those beautiful pale-blue eyes and murmured, *"From now on, you shall be called... Ah Fei."* Yet no one could have predicted that years later, Ah Fei would become the only royal duke of nonimperial lineage in the Great Zhou dynasty, a peerless war hero who struck fear into the hearts of all. By then, the emperor had grown old and frail, the princes were dying one after another, and the royal duke seemed intent on seizing the throne, plunging the entire court into dread. Trapped in imprisonment, Zhou Huaiyan sighed— The indulgences of his youth had now become the war god’s most shameful past. Perhaps, of all the princes, he would meet the most gruesome end. Yet in the end, what awaited Zhou Huaiyan was not the cold edge of a sword, but the Imperial Seal, cleansed of bloodstains. *"Master..."* The tall, breathtakingly handsome foreigner knelt at his feet, displaying the same docile, needy demeanor as a cat. *"Please... pet this servant..."* —— Everyone knew that the all-powerful royal duke, who now dominated the court, had once been Zhou Huaiyan’s lowly plaything. *"So this is how you choose to take your revenge?"* The imprisoned prince lifted his head, his gaze darkening as it lingered over the foreigner’s soft, rounded belly. *"You locked me up... just to get pregnant?"*

Fang Linyuan fell in love at first sight with Princess Huining in his youth—a pearl lost in the mud of the cold, neglected palace. For years, he dreamed of her. He conquered cities on the battlefield, all for the right to marry her.He never imagined his wedding night would begin with a dagger at his throat.The figure beneath the bridal veil was not his delicate princess, but a cold-eyed young man. This was Zhao Ji, the true prince, who had survived for years in disguise. Their marriage was merely another layer of his deception, a step in his ruthless plot to seize the throne.Heartbroken and betrayed, Fang Linyuan vowed to bide his time. He would play the part of the devoted husband in public, all while waiting for a chance to escape to the frontier forever.But when Zhao Ji finally ascends the throne and no longer needs his “wife,” Fang Linyuan’s offer of divorce is met not with relief, but with cold fury.“After all this,” Zhao Ji demands, tearing the agreement to shreds, “you would abandon me?”“But you’re a man,” Fang Linyuan stammers.In the candlelight, Zhao Ji’s beauty is as devastating as the day they first met. A slow, dangerous smile touches his lips.“Let me show you,” he says, “exactly what a man can offer.”

When He Xizhao first became the study companion of the deposed crown prince, everyone gloated, openly or secretly mocking him for boarding a sinking ship. Sure enough, the deposed prince lived up to expectations—utterly dispirited and unambitious, earning everyone’s disdainful sighs. The study companions from other palaces waited to laugh at He Xizhao, but to their surprise, though the deposed prince committed all manner of absurdities, he guarded his little companion fiercely. He declared, "Mess with me if you dare, but try laying a finger on my precious Xizhao!" To this end, he beat up princes from every palace, drove away imperial tutors, defied the emperor countless times, and did everything reckless under the sun. And then... The deposed prince continued to dominate the palace with his sweet, soft-spoken little companion by his side, while the other study companions—bearing the consequences meant for their own princes—glanced bitterly at their spineless masters and sighed deeply. Yet who could have known that this deposed prince, who slept through lessons and dashed wild after class, would study by candlelight late into the night, covering mathematics, science, classics, history, agriculture, commerce, taxes, criminal law, and more... His tutor? None other than his seemingly gentle, rabbit-like companion, who had long shed his meek disguise to reveal the cunning tail of a fox.

After transmigrating into a novel, Little Hamster suddenly becomes a tyrant villain.The only way he can escape is by faking his death once the male protagonist usurps the throne.Judging from the plot, the male protagonist has already developed a rebellious heart. The Emperor Hamster is delighted and decides to accelerate matters by simply appointing the male protagonist as Regent.The male protagonist is given all the political affairs to handle, while the Emperor focuses on being a salted fish. When the Regent seizes the throne, the Emperor will finally be free!However, the Regent seems to have eaten the wrong medicine. He unexpectedly remains loyal and dedicated, with his faithfulness increasing over time.Emperor: Something’s not right with the script.It isn’t until the promised rebellion strikes that the Emperor understands his true feelings.The Regent walks in holding a sword stained with blood, his gaze cold and fierce. In front of the Emperor, he suddenly drops his sword, kneels down and pays his respects with great loyalty and enthusiasm, “The rebels have all been executed! As long as this minister lives, Your Majesty will always be safe and sound!”The Emperor anxiously hints, “Beloved Minister, you’ve been the Regent for so long, don’t you want to switch positions?”The Regent’s gaze is piercing, and his voice is restrained and suppressed, “I am loyal to Your Majesty day and night. If Your Majesty insists, then I would like to sleep on the dragon bed.”The Emperor is overjoyed to hear this. “Then sleep! Come sleep tonight!”After spending the night on the dragon bed, the Regent will finally become the Emperor the next day.The next day, however, the Emperor holds his sore buttocks and laments with regret, “That’s not what I meant!”The Regent holds him in his arms and replies hoarsely, “It’s too late, Your Majesty.”

When Fang Jinling first woke up, he happened to hear that the Marquis of Yunyang had brought his mistress back to the manor. It was said that the illegitimate son was exceptionally promising, and the household was joyfully preparing to have him acknowledged and entered into the family lineage.Everyone in the residence believed the Marquis would soon abandon his frail, short-lived legitimate son and instead raise the concubine’s son as his heir. They waited eagerly to see the Marchioness of Yunyang and Fang Jinling become the laughingstock of the capital.Yet the Marchioness stayed by Fang Jinling’s bedside and calmly said, “Ling’er, Mother wants a divorce.”The Marquis only took it as a moment of anger. His gentle, virtuous wife—how could she truly dare to leave?But before the New Year even arrived, people from the Marquis of Xiling’s household came knocking at the gates. One by one, the young ladies of the Shang family stood in a neat line, respectfully inviting their little aunt and younger cousin to return home.Staring at the seven cousins before him—each clad in light armor, valiant and imposing—the sickly Fang Jinling could only gape in astonishment.His mother, the Marchioness of Yunyang—no, the noble lady of the Shang family from the Xiling Marquisate—took up a sword and pointed it straight at the Marquis of Yunyang’s nose.“From now on, Jinling’s surname is Shang.”The Seventh Prince, Liu Ke, was born under the shadow of sin. Having long given up on himself, he grew into a reckless troublemaker who chased chickens, bullied dogs, and had never heard of things like restraint or humility. His daily life was nothing but chaos.Yet who could have expected that once he met the young master of the Shang family, everything would change? From that day on, Liu Ke charged down the road of reform like a runaway horse—willingly striving to improve himself in every way.After eight years of keeping a low profile, the Seventh Prince returned to the capital. He defeated all his brothers, slew the ruler and even his own father, and ascended the throne as emperor.The very next day, his remaining brothers received the first imperial decree with trembling hands:Have more children, and cause less trouble.

The original *The Secret History of the Crown Prince* was a wildly popular group-pampering stock-picking novel—until its final chapter twisted into a tragedy! Readers flooded the comments, roasting the author onto trending lists. Yan Xi, a top-tier high school academic, penned a lengthy review dissecting every unfair plot twist. The author replied: *You think you can do better? Here, take the pen.* When Yan Xi woke up, he had become the novel’s protagonist—the tragic Crown Prince, deceived in love, body, and throne. His mission? Ascend the throne to return to reality. So Yan Xi unleashed his college-entrance-exam determination, treating the plot like test questions, and set his *Three No’s Principle*: **No forgiveness. No accountability. No attachment.** Playacting weak? Clingy? Pathetic? Naïve? Just part of the role. His emperor father used him? His brothers framed him? His friends swindled him? His first love gaslit him? *Just wait.* He lowered his gaze—his first love mistook it for submission, but he couldn’t be bothered to coax them as they stormed off. He smiled and nodded—villains thought him fooled, unaware he’d already dug their graves. Slowly, the script flipped: His first love waited for him in the snow—he didn’t lift his carriage curtain. His fiancée killed for him—he indifferently wiped away the blood splatter. His mentor broke his vow of chastity—Yan Xi coolly withdrew from teenage urges, steadfastly *no feelings*, seeking pleasure elsewhere instead. ★ That lunatic *(Heterogeneous Prince)* Song Beiming? Yan Xi never paid him much mind. Their first time was for解毒, then the second… the *nth* time, Yan Xi figured: *Just sleeping with a fictional character, no big deal.* Song Beiming clearly saw him only as medicine—great, mutual understanding. Until Song Beiming propelled him onto the throne. At his coronation, Song Beiming knelt before the imperial seat, lifting Yan Xi’s crown beads— *Then* Yan Xi realized who he’d truly tangled with. Song Beiming: *“You called it a battle of equals, but I concede defeat. I offer my pride to kneel—as your devoted courtier of desire.”*

Jiang Cundu finds himself transmigrated into a novel, where he becomes the newly crowned tyrant of a collapsing dynasty.In the story, the male lead is Prince Zhen’an, who guards the northern border, and the female lead is a modern woman who travels to this world in her own body. Using her contemporary knowledge, she starts a business and funds Prince Zhen’an’s rebellion, eventually helping him retake the capital and claim the throne.The original tyrant, however, is confined to the royal retreat under house arrest by Prince Zhen’an—and stays there, without ever stepping out, until his peaceful death.After reading the system’s plot summary, Jiang Cundu asks: “So after Prince Zhen’an becomes emperor, does the original tyrant remain under house arrest in that royal villa forever?”The system tries to comfort him: “Host, rest assured. Once you’ve fulfilled the required plot, you can choose to fake your death and escape. The system will give you a new identity…”“No, no, no—I don’t want to fake my death. I’m perfectly happy to be under house arrest!”

The Great Chu Dynasty fell in the spring of the nineteenth year of the Qiyuan era. Emperor Qiyuan, Gu Zun, once the most neglected prince in the cloistered halls of Buddhism, stumbled onto the throne through sheer luck. Diligent and resilient, he forged a bond with the influential minister Xie Jiuyuan, evolving from mutual wariness to deep camaraderie as they worked together to reform governance. Yet, entrenched factionalism and looming external threats proved insurmountable. Xie Jiuyuan died on the battlefield, and Gu Zun perished in the flames of the Fengtian Hall alongside his loyal officials. Closing his eyes, all he saw were the roaring flames of Fengtian Hall. But when he woke again, it was the snowy winter of the third year of Qiyuan—his master still alive that night, his Jiulang not yet returned to court. Everything could still be changed. In this life, he would cleanse the government and usher in a golden age. And he would ensure his Xie Jiuyuan rose to power, bowing to none but him. ———————————————————— On the bed, Gu Zun seemed less an emperor and more like a languid feline toying with a yarn ball, his fingers rolling a luminous pearl, its glow flickering beneath his touch—mimicking the erratic rhythm of Xie Jiuyuan’s heart. Gu Zun gazed at Xie Jiuyuan, his voice soft as he confided in the newly appointed imperial guard: "I had a nightmare." Xie Jiuyuan (brilliant, versatile, formidable top) × Gu Zun (meticulous, persuasive, domineering bottom)

A graduate of New Oriental Culinary School was reborn as a poor citizen of the Great Ming Dynasty—and was given a name that made one laugh and cry at once: Wang Da.What could he do? He could only console himself that in this life he was the little prince of square dancing. Awkward…Six-year-old Wang Da was quite glum: apart from him, there were only two men in the family. His only older sister had entered the palace, so at such a young age he had shouldered the heavy burden of the household—cooking.A few years later, Wang Da was working at a restaurant in town when he heard rumors: his sister, who had been in the palace for years, had offended someone and seemed to have been banished to the cold palace long ago.Several more years passed. Wang Da, now head chef, stared dumbstruck as a group of Embroidered Uniform Guards came clattering in and surrounded the restaurant.“Second Young Master! Her Highness the Imperial Noble Consort ordered us to bring you back to the capital!”“Second Young Master! Your brother-in-law has appointed you as a Chiliarch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!”So my never-met older sister is the famous Wan Zhen’er?The Ming Emperor Zhu Jianshen is my brother-in-law?I’m going to become an Embroidered Uniform Guard?Oh no! I don’t want to go to the Imperial Prison! I don’t want to be an Embroidered Uniform Guard! Things like the Xiuchun saber are not suited to me at all! I wield a kitchen knife!The emperor brother-in-law: Then you can go guard the gate!

Qi He transmigrated into the body of the historically renowned Young Lord He.According to the records, Young Lord He possessed elegant bearing and a pure, refined spirit, like a flawless moonlit figure untouched by worldly strife.The emperor loved him, the general loved him, and the prime minister loved him.But only upon his death could these three extraordinary men cease their infighting and lead Great Qi into revival and glory.For the sake of keeping Great Qi at the pinnacle of the world—and for the sake of air conditioning, cell phones, and Wi-Fi—Qi He felt it was necessary to make a little sacrifice. Who knew, maybe if he died, he would transmigrate back.So he wrote a blood petition: begging for death.(:з」∠) Unfortunately, all the way until the story ended, Young Lord He was still alive and well.A romance-averse, death-seeking young lord (shou) × a seemingly silly, cheerful boy early on who later grows into a mad-dog, sharp-minded, broad-visioned, future foreign-blooded prince (gong).