In the original novel, the male lead, Chu Xuanzhen, was Empress Huai Ci's most doted-on son, as well as Great Chu's crown prince and future emperor. With a status like that, second only to one man and above all others...
The male lead should have soared straight to the top. But fate was unpredictable. When he was ten, he fell victim to the South Seas' Curse-Head Sorcery, and everyone who had ever treated him kindly turned around and stabbed him in the back! From then on, he became somewhat unhinged.
After madness took hold, his conduct became utterly different from before. He went from a "gentle, refined young gentleman" to a savage, bloodthirsty, mercurial madman of a crown prince.
Every obstacle standing between him and the throne, every person who had ever humiliated him, met the same fate: death!
The scumbag emperor wanted to depose him and appoint another crown prince? Death.
The eldest prince rebelled and marched his troops on the palace? Death.
The fourth prince colluded with an enemy nation, working with them from within? Death.
The seventh prince formed a faction for his own gain and tried to monopolize power? Death.
Even a high-ranking official who tried to plant a spy at the male lead's side, hoping for an opening to poison him, could not escape the gruesome fate of being torn apart by five horses.
A classic case of... leaving nothing alive wherever he went!
While tormenting scumbags and exacting revenge, the deranged male lead also secretly masterminded the destruction of the South Seas and reclaimed Cloud Province, Bian City, the central region, South River, and other territories, achieving the most complete territorial unification in history!
The ruthless, sinister protagonist's way of doing things captivated readers. Sometimes, the ways he tormented scumbags went beyond anything you could imagine, and along the way, he also won the hearts of a whole host of beauties.
In the novel, everyone thought the male lead would never live to thirty. Yet he lived for over a hundred years, and his many descendants carried on his legacy and expanded his dominion, turning Great Chu into the most prosperous dynasty in history!
Thinking of this, Shen Yangge could not help complaining about the body's original owner. The original Shen Yangge did not even qualify as a background extra or cannon fodder in the novel. He died early, and all because he had offended the madman of a male lead.
Suddenly, Shen Yangge raised an eyebrow. Right, those words he had heard when he climbed out of the coffin...
"You have successfully triggered the main quest, 'Death is rebirth.' As long as you die a normal death consistent with the plot and your character, you can return to your original world."
Was that really true?!!
System 615: [Beep. It is indeed true, host. As long as your death is normal and consistent with the plot and your character, and you die before the crown prince ascends the throne, you can come back to life in your original world.]
Shen Yangge's eyes widened with excitement.
[So you're saying I can go back if I die? But why did I transmigrate into a novel? And what does "die a normal death consistent with the plot and my character" mean?]
System 615 patiently explained:
[The original owner was supposed to be dead, but his resentment was so strong that it caused a bug in this world. You are that bug. As for staying in character, that means you cannot kill yourself or deliberately seek death. Being "executed or punished to death" counts as a normal death.]
Tch, so after all that, I couldn't kill myself...
But the original owner was already dead. Did I really have to do it all over again-insult the crown prince, get punished, then be locked in a dark room until I kicked the bucket?
[No, you cannot. The original owner already died and deeply regretted his actions before his death. You cannot achieve your goal by insulting the male lead again. You must remain consistent with his character: "arrogant and overbearing, yet terrified of death and punishment."]
Shen Yangge was truly speechless. If speechlessness had a mother, she had just opened the door and welcomed it home.
If the original owner was that afraid of dying, how was I supposed to die normally without breaking character?
Whatever. He would stop thinking about it. Now that he had a way to return, Shen Yangge felt considerably better.
Over the next few days, Shen Yangge finally became well enough to get out of bed and leave his room. Lying around every day had nearly driven him stir-crazy.
"Second Young Master, allow this servant to help you dress."
Shen Yangge wanted to do it himself, but he had no idea how to put on those complicated clothes. He could not even figure out the undergarments. He probably would not notice if he tied the wrong cord.
While his hair was being tied up, Shen Yangge saw himself in the bronze mirror.
Long, jet-black hair fell down either side of his face. A moist reddish tinge lingered at the corners of his eyes, his skin resembled the finest mutton-fat jade, and his features still held a trace of boyishness. This body really was young.
As he stared, a voice gradually approached from outside.
"Second Young Master, Second Young Master, hurry to the front hall! The master has returned, and he brought... brought someone from His Highness to visit you."
Oh, how had I overlooked that? The crown prince was directly responsible for the original owner's death. He was the one I needed to focus on if I wanted a normal death!
Shen Yangge grew excited, but he could not show it. He was afraid of breaking character.
He figured the crown prince could not possibly be kind enough to send someone to check whether the original owner was still alive and well. His real intention was... to find out why the original owner was not dead yet, then seize another chance to finish him off!
Such sinister intentions. You're so bad. I love it!
"All right, I... I'll be right there."
Shen Yangge fought desperately to keep the corners of his mouth from rising and quickened his steps. Who would have thought... his legs suddenly gave out. The maid had already been half supporting him while helping him dress, and when his legs weakened, he could no longer hold himself up. His whole body toppled toward her.
The maid cried out, "Second Young Master!"
Right, I had to show that timid mindset of "I couldn't go, but I couldn't refuse to go, either"!
Now, his only option was to "act" gravely ill-too ill to get out of bed, barely clinging to life.
More and more footsteps approached outside.
Bang!
Someone kicked the door open.
Several servants stomped inside. There was not a hint of respect in their voices; they even sounded threatening. "Second Young Master, the master wants you in the main hall immediately."
The maid supporting Shen Yangge was quite "protective" of her master. In her nervousness, the hand supporting him unconsciously shifted into a grip, then a pinch. "The second young master has fainted! He can't go to the main hall!"
Her grip was so strong that Shen Yangge, who was pretending to faint, nearly passed out for real. Whose side was this damned maid on, anyway?
Shen Yangge ranted inwardly, Heaven really fucking owed me an apology!
The servants exchanged glances. Two of them stepped forward, seized Shen Yangge under the arms, lifted him clean off the floor, and briskly carried him out of the room.
"Outrageous! The second young master is this ill, and you still carried him over?"
What he really meant was, why wasn't I dead yet?
A stern voice rang out beside him. Still feigning unconsciousness, Shen Yangge "weakly" lifted his eyelids.
A slightly shrill voice spoke unhurriedly:
"After this lesson, Master Shen will surely think twice before offending His Highness again. Still... His Highness is not a ruthless man. Great Chu is always in his thoughts, and the common people are his concern. Though Master Shen offended him, His Highness has always been kindhearted, so he ordered this humble servant to bring Master Shen some medicine."
Medicine, medicine, check it out-take a dose and it's heaven-bound!
Shen Yangge the actor immediately flopped like a dead fish, breaking free of the two people supporting him. His clothes fluttered as he hit the floor with a thud. The sound of his bones striking the floor was so loud that merely hearing it hurt.
A pair of thin hands happened to land right before the eunuch's shoes.
Those hands were fair and delicate, their fine blue veins faintly visible beneath the skin. The eunuch paused, then looked at the person who had collapsed before him.
His head was covered in beautiful jet-black hair, and his snow-white skin dazzled the eyes.
Then there was the face he raised.
Had Shen Yangge always looked like this?
"What good are you lot? You can't even hold someone up!"
"Th-this is... Master Shen?"
The eunuch's question slipped out in disbelief. Having finished berating the servants, Shen Zhi answered in confusion, "Yes, this unfilial son of mine."
The eunuch lowered his eyes and smiled. "Since Master Shen is gravely ill, he need only rest properly. There was no need for him to come." With that, he actually bent down himself, intending to help the man on the floor to his feet.
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