The hit novel *The Silken Captive* tells the tale of the bitter feud and tangled grievances between the emperors of two rival nations, Linhuang and Suizhuo. Linhuang and Suizhuo are mortal enemies, locked in decades of ceaseless warfare. The Emperor of Suizhuo is not only a tyrant whose very name strikes terror into hearts, but an extremist madman. He indulges in beauty, obsesses over power, and takes sadistic pleasure in inflicting all manner of torment upon his courtiers and captives. Cruel, ruthless, and mercurial, he claims lives at the slightest displeasure. Under his reign, though Suizhuo enjoys temporary might, the common people are plunged into destitution and untold misery. In the novel, Xiao Jingxuan, the young and promising Emperor of Linhuang, falls into the hands of Suizhuo's ruler following a military defeat, reduced to a helpless captive. The crux of the story revolves around how the tyrant treats Xiao Jingxuan, escalating the two empires' hatred to its peak through relentless layers of psychological and physical torture. The more you read, the more enthralled you became, finally shutting the book in utter satisfaction and closing your eyes. The good news: The novel was such a thrilling ride that you binge-read it overnight. The bad news: You have transmigrated, and worse, into the body of that sadistic tyrant. When you wake up, you find yourself not only inside the imperial palace of Suizhuo, but bound to a system. The system's icy voice resonates in your mind, announcing dispassionately: "Novice Quest initiated—Flog Xiao Jingxuan continuously for half a *shichen*." You: ??? Brilliant. Now, figuring out how to survive in this world steeped in intrigue and tyranny has become your greatest challenge—
The tattered red robes clung to the ground, the blood-stained hem slowly spreading outwards like a vivid flower blooming in the mud. Xiao Jingxuan half-knelt within the hall, the chains around his wrists and ankles tightly intertwined. The cold metal bit into his pale skin, leaving behind rows of gruesome marks. The intense candlelight flickered brightly, illuminating his cold, handsome features; those pitch-black eyes were like a deep, dark lake, suffocatingly calm. High upon his throne, the Emperor of Suizhuo looked down at the person below the steps. The wide robes draped over the jade steps, the dark gilded patterns at his wrists reflecting a cold, sharp gleam. Clenched into fists, the pads of his fingers slowly caressed the hilt of the blade hidden in his sleeve, as if appreciating this victory he had orchestrated with his own hands. —This is a wedding banquet. It is also a feast designed to utterly humiliate the enemy emperor. "He" had forcibly married Xiao Jingxuan, draping the monarch of Linhuang—who had once sat high upon the court, bearing the heavy trust of the people—in festive red robes, forcing him to kneel in the great hall as a prisoner. The entire court of civil and military officials stood with bated breath; none dared make the slightest sound. Only the occasional crackle of the burning candles echoed through the deathly silent hall. Xiao Jingxuan slowly raised his head to meet the gaze of the one seated high above. His lips curled slightly, and his low, raspy voice carried undisguised mockery. "How is it? Does sitting upon this high throne truly feel so satisfying?" The one seated high above did not answer. A moment later, the Suizhuo Emperor descended from the jade steps, slowly walking towards the centre of the hall. The bright red hem of his robe dragged across the cold ground, like a silently spreading pool of blood. Xiao Jingxuan watched the approaching figure, his gaze remaining cold and detached, as if nothing before him could shake his re…
Historical & time travel
By 塵無厭