The Crown Prince Begged Me Not to Die

Jiang Yanzhou had a rough life from the start. His personal motto was a mix of nihilism and dark humor Living is whatever; dying is fine, too. The person he admired most was Emperor Wu of the Qi Dynasty, Xiao Yunlang a legendary figure from a thousand years ago. Like Jiang, Xiao Yunlang had a tragic childhood. But unlike Jiang, the Emperor had crushed rebellions, purged corrupt clans, and ascended to the throne to usher in an era of unprecedented peace. He was everything Jiang Yanzhou envied but could never be. If there was one blemish on Xiao Yunlang’s glorious record, it was his time as Crown Prince. Hampered by powerful officials, he was forced to marry a man to serve as his Consort. Historical records state the Crown Prince Consort married at eighteen and died of illness less than a year later. Now, Jiang Yanzhou has transmigrated into the body of that very Consort. Standing there in his red wedding robes, Jiang Yanzhou’s eyes lit up: Wait, there are perks to this?! Whether he lived or died didn’t matter. The suspicion surrounding his identity didn’t matter. What mattered was that he had a front-row seat to watch Emperor Wu rebuild the empire! As a hardcore “career fan,” Jiang Yanzhou was so excited that on their wedding night, he promptly coughed up three pints of blood, staining the bridal chamber crimson. Xiao Yunlang The young Crown Prince stared at this “spy” sent by his enemies, his mind racing with suspicion. What kind of enemy sends a spy who’s already half-dead? ***** In the face of the Emperor’s grand ambitions, Jiang Yanzhou treated his own life like an afterthought. He used his frail body to shield Xiao Yunlang from assassins he worked through the night until he collapsed to organize the court; he even traded himself as a hostage to save a brilliant official. Every time he drifted into unconsciousness, he thought with a sense of relief: This is it. I’m finally done. But one day, he woke up to find Xiao Yunlang’s eyes bloodshot and raw. The future legendary Emperor gripped his hand with trembling fingers, his voice hoarse with a fear he couldn’t hide “Jiang Yanzhou, I beg of you. Take care of yourself. Stop looking for death. If you have nothing else to live for then do it for me. Out of pity. Please?” Jiang Yanzhou blinked, genuinely confused: But I wasn’t looking for death? Yet, looking at the desolate prayer in Xiao Yunlang’s eyes, Jiang Yanzhou felt a slow, unfamiliar thrum in his chest. A dazed thought crossed his mind. So, there really is someone in this world who wants me to stay. “Well, I suppose living a bit longer wouldn’t be so bad.”