The hit web novel *The Brocade Prisoner* tells the story of love, hate, and bitter enmity between the emperors of Linhuang and Suizhuo. Linhuang and Suizhuo are two sworn enemy nations locked in decades of relentless warfare. The Emperor of Suizhuo is not only a tyrant whose name strikes terror into all, but also an unhinged madman prone to extremes. He has a penchant for beauty, is obsessed with power, and takes perverse pleasure in subjecting his ministers and captives to all manner of torture. Cruel, ruthless, and mercurial, he claims lives at the slightest displeasure. Under his reign, though Suizhuo briefly attained great power, the common people suffered endlessly under unbearable misery. In the novel, Linhuang's emperor, Xiao Jingxuan, is a young and promising monarch who, after suffering defeat in battle, falls into the Suizhuo emperor's hands and becomes a captive. The core of the story revolves around how the tyrant treats Xiao Jingxuan, pushing the animosity between the two nations to its climax through layers of psychological and physical torment. The more you read, the more engrossed you became, until you finally closed the book with satisfaction and shut your eyes. The good news: The novel was such a thrilling page-turner that you binged the whole thing in one night. The bad news: You transmigrated—and worse, into that very same sadistic tyrant. When you wake up, not only do you find yourself in Suizhuo's imperial palace, but you're also bound to a system. The cold, mechanical voice of the system echoes in your mind, flatly announcing: "Beginner Quest Unlocked: Flog Xiao Jingxuan continuously for half an hour." You: ??? Well, great. How to survive in this world brimming with conspiracy and brutality has now become your greatest challenge—
The tattered red robes lay flat on the ground, the blood-stained corners of the garment slowly spreading like a brilliant flower blooming in the mud. Xiao Jingxuan half-knelt in the hall, the chains on his wrists and ankles intertwined, cold metal sinking into his pale skin to leave behind hideous marks. The intense candlelight flickered, casting a glow on his cold and elegant features, his pitch-black eyes like deep lake waters, suffocatingly calm. From high upon the throne, the Emperor of Suizhuo looked down upon the person below the steps. The wide robes draped over the jade steps, the dark gilded patterns on the wrists reflecting a cold light. The hands, clenched into fists, slowly rubbed the handle of the dagger hidden in the sleeves, as if enjoying this victory created by his own hands. —This is a wedding banquet. It was also a grand feast to thoroughly humiliate the enemy emperor. "He" forcibly married Xiao Jingxuan, forcing that Emperor of Linhuang, who once sat high in court and shouldered the heavy responsibilities of his people, to don festive red robes and kneel in the main hall as a prisoner. The civil and military officials stood with bated breath, none of them daring to make the slightest sound. Only the occasional crackle of the burning candles echoed throughout the deathly silent hall. Xiao Jingxuan slowly raised his head, meeting the gaze of the person seated high above. His lips curled slightly, and his hoarse voice carried undisguised mockery. "How is it? Does sitting on this high seat truly feel satisfying?" The person seated high above did not answer. After a moment, the Suizhuo Emperor descended the jade steps, slowly walking toward the center of the hall. His bright red robes dragged across the cold floor, like a silently spreading stain of blood. Xiao Jingxuan watched the approaching figure, his gaze remaining cold and indifferent, as if nothing before him could shake his resolve. Yet, the moment that hand touched the cold chains, his lower…
Historical & time travel
By 塵無厭