The air in Miyagi was serious, and the ground, still wet from the recent rain. The ground, still wet from the rain, was lightly stepped on by a dozen pairs of black boots. Their rhythmic march mixed with the distant sound of raindrops falling from the eaves.
A soft sedan, decorated with delicate tulle, came to a gentle stop. The tulle¹ lifted a corner, revealing a pale, delicate hand that seemed out of place in the dark scene.
He Zheng woke up in a sedan after feeling a sudden bump. Confused and tired from sleep, he tried to remember what happened. He recalled staying up late reading a book about a character with his name who faced a tragic end. This made him feel uneasy and connected to the character's fate.
He remembered it clearly. His head felt heavy, breathing was difficult, and his phone slipped from his hand, falling to the floor. Panic filled him as he held his chest, his heart beating irregularly. He tried to think clearly, reaching for his phone to call for help, but he felt weak. He fell down, losing consciousness. In that last moment, he thought: "So, staying up late can really cause sudden death."
Now, as he lay in the comfortable sedan, everything around him was strange. The air, sounds, and smells were all new to him. He tried hard to understand. What happened? Where was he?
The more he thought, the more confused he felt. The sedan gentle movement and the faint sounds of footsteps outside made it even harder for him to understand. He raised his hand, looking at it to make sure it was his own, then let it drop back onto the comfortable seat.
The sedan stopped. The curtain moved, revealing more of the outside world. He Zheng gasped when he saw the black boots clearly, their owners standing in a neat line. There was a tense atmosphere, very different from the comfort inside the sedan.
He Zheng shut his eyes briefly, trying to think. The last thing he remembered was falling on his apartment floor, but now he was in a completely new place. It was confusing. He took a deep breath, the cold air helping him think clearly for a moment.
He slowly sat up, moving the curtain aside for a better look. The pale, delicate hand that had felt strange moments ago now felt familiar. He Zheng's mind raced with wild ideas. Was this a dream? A trick? Or something truly extraordinary?
Just thinking about it blankly, he heard a man's voice "He Zheng, Director of Nanmen."
He tried to understand what was happening, curious about the sudden title.
"General Wu, this is..."
"To ease the worries of His Majesty, He Xiangguo has sent a special gift. His Majesty is aware of it."
"To ease His Majesty's worries, He Xiangguo has sent a special gift. His Majesty knows about it."
The man known as the Director of Nanmen chuckled quietly, whispering with the eunuch next to him.
"Your Majesty will not accept this gifts," The eunuch said with a slightly feminine tone.
The conversation's tone changed, becoming more respectful.
"I have brought the Supervisor of Lao Nanmen to deliver it," the voice in front said, full of praise and respect.
He tried to remember where he had heard such talks before. The mention of "His Majesty" and "gifts" made him feel like he'd heard it all before, like a forgotten memory trying to come back.
As the conversation went on, He Zheng's thoughts raced, trying to connect bits of information. Who was this "His Majesty"? And why was the gift being given so important? The questions swirled in his mind, seeking answers that were hard to find.
As the footsteps got closer, He Zheng closed his eyes, preparing for what was coming. The thin curtain lifted, and a cold breeze blew in, making He Zheng shiver. There was a tense atmosphere as he felt someone staring at him. Then, the curtain fell back, showing the South Gate supervisor smiling.
"Xiangguo is truly generous," the supervisor said, his voice filled with both admiration and careful. "If you can help ease the royal family's worries about succession, His Majesty will reward you greatly. And Xiangguo must remember our And don't forget our family's loyalty."
He Zheng nodded, understanding the supervisor's words. "I will deliver your message," he said, in a calm and respectful tone.
Suddenly, the carriage moved forward again, disturbing He Zheng's thoughts. As the steady sound of hooves faded away, he faced a sudden realization.
He suddenly realized with a chilling clarity: this situation seemed like a scene from a book he had read before he died unexpectedly.
In that book, there was a cruel ruler named Fang Tianzhuo. Traumatized by seeing his mother and concubine killed by the queen, Fang Tianzhuo grew up under her control, facing daily torment and cruelty. His rooms were filled with the blood of many concubines, and his advisors worried about the dynasty's future.
The author painted Fang Tianzhuo as a terrible ruler: someone who only cared about power and pleasure, not caring about his kingdom.
Remembering the book made He Zheng wonder if he was somehow in that fictional world. Or maybe it was just a strange coincidence, making him question his sanity even more.
Originally, Fang Tianzhuo would usually face overthrow and execution. However, the author gave him a unique advantage: unbeatable martial arts skills. With a flick of his finger, he could defeat a hundred enemies, securing his position as the undisputed ruler through pure strength.
As a cruel ruler at home, Fang Tianzhuo held onto power tightly, unopposed by anyone who dared to defy him. In a bold statement in his palace's grand hall, he announced his plan to have a child, despite objections from the Qing family. "If the Qing family opposes," he declared with disdain in his voice, "I'll find a woman to bear my child, and she'll be well rewarded."
His words held a hidden warning, a threat to anyone who challenged him. "And if anyone dares to oppose me again," he promised, his eyes filled with anger. "I will not hesitate to wipe out their entire family."
The ministers, intimidated by Fang Tianzhuo's dominance, stayed quiet as he issued his decree. But despite their apparent agreement, murmurs of disagreement spread, fueled by secret ambitions and hidden motives.
He Zheng was shocked to learn that he was Fang Tianzhuo's concubine, He Zheng, in the book.
When He Zheng realized he might be the "Big Gift" He Xiangguo gave to the tyrant, he wanted to die and deny everything.
He suspected that somehow, he had ended up, inside the very book he was reading before he died suddenly. Yet, he couldn't understand what was happening. He wanted to pinch himself to wake up from this strange nightmare, but his body felt too soft and wouldn't move.
The events were too crazy to understand. He was reading a old book, got really mad, and then had a fatal brain issue. Now, he was in a scary situation that seemed too real to be a dream.
As he tried to understand what's going on and not believing what was happening, the sedan chair stopped again. The person in charge at the South Gate said, "We're here," sounding firm and sure.
Right away, He Zheng felt someone picking him up. He was scared and couldn't move, wanting to open his eyes but too afraid. His heart raced, beating hard like it wanted to break free from his chest.
Is this a dream? How can these characters who are supposed to be dead lift a big guy like me so easily?
Then he realized, He Zheng in the book isn't a big man. He has a beautiful face and a slim body, making it simple for any grown man to carry him easily.
He lay still on the bed as he was moved, trying to understand where he was. The person from the South Gate seemed to be gone for a bit, maybe to do something else.
During a short break, He Zheng pushed himself to do something. With all his strength, he opened his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. He saw where he was—a fancy room, grand and scary.
Trying to catch his breath, he found it hard to understand the clear reality around him. The detailed patterns on the ceiling, the luxurious fabrics on the walls, and the faint smell of incense all reminded him of his situation.
As He Zheng tried to understand the scary truth of what was happening, he remembered the unsettling details from the book he read yesterday. Even though he couldn't recall everything clearly, the main story was still fresh in his mind.
If this was like what happened to He Zheng in the book, today was the day the tyrant would take him, leading him into a nightmare with no way out. The idea made him shiver, feeling sick with a mix of fear and dread in his stomach.
In the world of the book, He Zheng was about to be under the control of the tyrant, facing a cycle of mistreatment and manipulation .
He Zheng felt jealous thinking about the tyrant focusing on the main character of the book. The idea of being ignored and thrown away like a trash, give him an idea to starts ambitions and plans to rebel with his former lover and brother. After more than nine months, he dies.
As time went by, He Zheng felt more and more urgent, pushing him to come up with risky plans to rebel. He was aware of the huge risks and the almost impossible odds, but the small of hope inside him wouldn't die out.
How was it originally written?
The conclusion is: Fang Tianzhuo cuts open He Zheng's abdomen, puts his hand in, and pulls out the full-term child. He Zheng struggles too hard, and his legs are also chopped off, leaving him with only two broken arms.
In the end, He Zheng doesn't even beg to be kept alive, and he doesn't even get a chance to see the child.