The Emperor’s Bridal Gift to the Regent - Chapter 2

Within the void, a figure floated in the air, stripped of all possessions. Inky hair drifted freely as specks of spiritual light gathered to form a white gauze, draping over the body. Strands of memory, numbering in the thousands, were being extracted from the mind.

Countless silver threads flew out from between the figure’s brows, swallowed by the System’s gaping maw.

Who am I? Where is this?

The person’s toes touched the ground, standing amidst a vast, boundless haze. The mind was a complete blank; nothing could be remembered.

System: “Welcome back, Host.”

“My memories, why are they gone?”

“Are you the one behind this?”

System: “To better execute the mission, your memories have been sealed.”

“By what right? Give them back!”

System: “Once the mission is complete, your memories will unlock automatically.”

“Then stop wasting time. Let us get started.”

System: “The mission the Host must execute is [The Calamity of the Twin Imperial Stars]. You are to take over the deceased character ‘Mei Jinshu’ to restart the world. Support Crown Prince Meng Changqi in ascending the throne as Emperor. Once successful, you may retire and settle your results.”

[Task 1: The person who ascends the throne must be Meng Changqi.]

[Task 2: You must follow the key plot points and must not prevent the plotlines of other characters.]

[Task 3: The Host must not wear a wedding dress.]

“Who would even wear that thing!”

System: “Just a friendly reminder.”

“So, as long as I do not violate the rules above, I can play the role however I want?”

System: “Yes, Host. Now transmitting the cause of ‘Mei Jinshu’s’ failure into your mind in text format.”

Three seconds later, a wail erupted: “Wait, is this not a bit too hellish?”

“I need a raise.”

System: “Unable to complete this request. However, I can unlock any single segment of ‘Mei Jinshu’s’ memory to serve as a crucial aid for the Host in completing the mission.”

“I do not want to see it, and I do not dare to see it. Just give me more money.”

System: “Are you sure you do not want to see those seven days and seven nights?”

“Oh, so you want to see it, do you!”

System: “Fine, bite the hand that feeds you.”

The world of consciousness closed, and the vast haze vanished.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the exquisite scenery of the Prime Minister’s residence, filled with pavilions and winding corridors.

Dressed in purple robes, he was slumped over a stone table beneath a tree, sleeping. His long hair was loose, and tucked behind the strands was a long, slender silver hairpin. A white and purple interwoven hair ribbon fluttered in the wind along with his dark tresses.

“My Lord, you are drunk. Should you return to your room to rest?”

“Ah, my head hurts!” He opened his eyes to see a young man’s handsome face. The person was holding a sword and watching him. “My Lord?”

I am now Mei Jinshu.

A line of text appeared before him: [Guard: Ye Ting]

“It is nothing. Let us return.” Mei Jinshu adopted the poise befitting a Prime Minister and walked toward the house with Ye Ting. As they stepped out from the pavilion, a younger boy was waiting for him.

The boy looked to be about nine years old. His skin was as white as snow, his long hair slightly curly, and his pupils were as black as ink. He was a beautiful child, though he did not seem particularly friendly.

Mei Jinshu rubbed his forehead and asked casually, “Whose child is this?”

Ye Ting leaned in and whispered a reminder: “This is the Crown Prince’s younger twin brother!”

Mei Jinshu jumped. Upon closer inspection, a prompt appeared: [Meng Xueran: Second legitimate son of the Emperor and Empress.]

That was him, the “Calamity Twin” who was considered an ill omen, the one who would confuse the imperial succession and wreak havoc in the court. This little ungrateful wolf, though carved from the same mold as Meng Changqi, had a completely different temperament.

The child was staring straight at him with large eyes filled with stubbornness and ambition. There was not a hint of refinement in those eyes; instead, they were slightly upturned, adding a touch of allure. He was born with a provocative look, and who knows how many people he will ruin when he grows up.

System!

Come out, System!

The System pulled him back into the consciousness world. “Host?”

Mei Jinshu asked, “What kind of character archetype does this child have?”

System: “The Villain.”

“I am doomed!” Mei Jinshu’s vision went dark, feeling as though he might faint. “I cannot kill him, and I have to follow the key plot points. Am I, the cannon fodder male lead, destined to be played to death?”

The thought of seven days of bedroom humiliation ending in a corpse made his hair stand on end.

Not to mention him, how innocent was Mei Xianxue? How innocent was the little princess? The Great General was loyal to the country, yet unable to see his own daughter, only to be schemed to death.

No, this will not do. How can I let Meng Xueran continue being the villain?

After thinking it over, Mei Jinshu made a decision: “I want to swap archetypes with Meng Xueran!”

System: “What?”

Mei Jinshu: “I want to be the Villain!”

System: “Host, you do not have enough points to modify character archetypes.”

“If it is not enough, just put it on my tab.” Mei Jinshu was practically on his knees begging, refusing to leave the consciousness world. “Just help me this once; I will definitely pay it back as soon as possible! It is better for Meng Xueran to be the cannon fodder male lead than the villain! Just take it as saving my life.”

System: “Fine. Just this once.”

Mei Jinshu felt something flash before his eyes and was instantly pushed out of the consciousness world. When he opened his eyes again, it was the same scene of a staring contest, but a display only he could see appeared: [Points: -10,100]

What a disaster. He woke up and was already deep in debt.

Meng Xueran was extremely dissatisfied. He looked at the man before him with a quirky and cold indifference, showing none of the respect due to an elder. Believing himself to be an unloved prince without status, he felt others should speak to him first to show respect.

Seeing the man before him lingering and sizing him up, he felt it was an insult and a form of neglect. Being young and unable to hide his thoughts, he was the first to speak: “What is the meaning of this? Even you are going to be a sycophant, thinking I am unfavored?”

“You low-life, looking down on people.”

Slap! Before Meng Xueran could even finish his sentence or react, he had been slapped to the ground. Covering his reddened cheek, he looked up at Mei Jinshu in disbelief, furious and humiliated. He scrambled up, intending to pounce.

Mei Jinshu kicked him back, sending him flying. Meng Xueran sprawled on the ground, in too much pain to get up. He whimpered as tears of pain began to fall.

Ye Ting was so shocked he rushed over to block them, terrified that Mei Jinshu might kick the boy to death.

“My Lord, he is still a child and an Imperial Prince after all. Is it appropriate for you to hit him?”

“He is exactly the one I am hitting.” Mei Jinshu walked forward, hauled Meng Xueran up from the ground by his collar, and said, “At nine years old, it is time you learned some sense. Do you not know what it means to live under someone else’s roof?”

“Even though you are a Prince, the Emperor and Empress have not acknowledged your identity. Currently, you are merely an adopted son taken in by the Prime Minister’s residence. Understand? Since you are this Minister’s adopted son, you should know who is the master here.”

“Speak. Who is it?” Mei Jinshu forced him to answer.

“Let! Let go!” Meng Xueran was terrified by this villainous aura. He choked back sobs, still putting up a futile resistance.

It seemed he had not learned his lesson. Mei Jinshu tossed him back to the ground and brushed off his sleeves. “Since you want to be stubborn, I will just send you back to the palace. You have lived in that desolate Jingying Pavilion for nearly ten years anyway; another ten will not make a difference.”

“No!” The words burst out of Meng Xueran’s mouth. His entire body was trembling, small and huddled like a quail. He was too afraid of being alone. During the nine-plus years he was hidden in Jingying Pavilion, only one nursemaid and one eunuch accompanied him. There was no affection, no importance, and no care.

To call it hidden was an understatement; it was imprisonment. They feared he would affect his brother’s path to the throne, feared he would harbor treacherous ambitions, and feared the court would learn of the existence of a twin.

He finally understood. This man before him, who looked peerless, refined, and noble, actually knew exactly how to twist a person’s pain.

Otherwise, how could he have become the Prime Minister, a man above thousands and second only to one?

Meng Xueran lowered his head slightly to hide the tears that were about to fall. He replied in a small voice, “I will follow my Father’s will.”

Only then did Mei Jinshu break into a bright smile, narrowing his beautiful eyes. “That is a good boy.”

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