Winning the male lead

The wind rose suddenly, creating ripples on the spring water. The water’s surface shimmered with light, reflecting a face as delicate as a hibiscus flower, almost too perfect to be real. Her skin, pale to the point of translucence, seemed to glow faintly, while her features were intricately sculpted, exquisite to the point of surrealism. Her lips were a faint shade, and her raven-black lashes framed almond-shaped eyes, lending her face an ethereal calm beauty that was almost otherworldly. 

Though it was spring, the woman wore a thick white cloak, her delicate hands holding a bronze censer adorned with dragon and phoenix motifs, the tips of her fingers tinged with a faint blue. She lowered her head, gazing thoughtfully at the water.

Behind her, rows of maidservants and guards stood quietly, their heads bowed, for despite her unparalleled beauty, none dared look upon her.

From a distance, a red-feathered eunuch hurried over, kneeling before her and reporting, “Your Excellency, His Majesty has awakened.”

After a long pause, a voice devoid of emotion replied, “Hmm.”

Inside, the character named Lin Le Tian, possessing the body of the eunuch, fumed inwardly, “Why does my voice sound so effeminate?!”

The system coldly responded, “Because you’re a eunuch.”

Lin Le Tian snapped back, “You have no mother…” 

The eunuch behind them trembled, too scared to move as he awaited further orders. After a long while, the only command he received was, “Get someone to attend.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.” The eunuch, surprised at the change in his superior’s behavior—Lin Le Tian had always been averse to letting anyone else serve the Emperor—could only comply.

Lin Le Tian, now nearly thirty, was known for his deep scheming and immense power within the royal court, a figure who wielded significant influence. He was not only the Emperor’s most favored eunuch but also the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, overseeing the secret police, and commonly referred to as “Nine Thousand Years” for his almost godlike control. Though outwardly a figure of immense power, his physical condition was frail, as the result of years of suffering since childhood. He was a “heavenly castrate,” a term implying he had never undergone physical mutilation like a traditional eunuch, but had instead been born this way.

As he fumed at his current position, he gripped the censer in his hands, glaring at the water before him.

The system, speaking in a detached tone, reminded him, “You are a eunuch, but you hold immense power. This is no small feat.”

Lin Le Tian retorted sharply, “I don’t want to hear it from you, a system with no mother.”

“Your body hasn’t been castrated,” the system tried to explain.

“You shut up!” he snapped back, horrified by the thought. The fact that he was a eunuch but hadn’t undergone the traditional procedure only made things worse for him.

In this world, he was not just any eunuch; he was a deeply twisted and corrupt official. He had a penchant for young girls, and the protagonist, the female lead, a delicate, cute girl named Zhu Chuchu, was only eight years old and under his care. He had plans to “cultivate” her as she grew, waiting for the right time to “use” her. 

However, his presence in the body was a conscious effort to avoid such immoral actions. He was determined to wait until Zhu Chuchu matured before he would confront the issues of his desires.

He was, to put it bluntly, stuck being a eunuch for the next eight years, as women in the kingdom only became adults at sixteen.

Lin Le Tian, frail and sensitive to the cold, shuffled into his room, seeking warmth from a brazier. The chill of spring felt more like winter to him.

After instructing his servants to leave, he settled into a comfortable position on the bed, clutching the censer tightly. Here, he could finally relax a little, but before he could take a full breath, the sound of a small eunuch calling out interrupted his moment of peace. “Your Excellency, His Majesty wishes to see you.”

He inwardly cursed, thinking to himself, “Such a childish king, so demanding.” 

Emperor Zong Yan, who was only two years older than Zhu Chuchu, was ten years old and deeply immature. In Lin Le Tian’s memory, he was a clueless, easily manipulated fool who relied heavily on him.

In the palace hall, Emperor Zong Yan was in a fit of temper, throwing cushions at his attendants. “Who are you?! Get out! Where’s Little Lin? I want Little Lin to attend me!”

Lin Le Tian, seeing him from a distance, allowed a faint smile to slip across his face.

Lin Le Tian was tall, and the ten-year-old Emperor Zong Yan only reached his chest. He gently patted the young emperor’s head and said with a soft tone, “Your Majesty, it’s time for you to grow up.”

Quickly, grow up and then betray me.

The system, in an effort to prevent the male protagonist from ruining him, had gone to great lengths to arrange for Lin Le Tian to raise a son.

Zong Yan looked up, his face round and soft like dough, his eyes black and bright, filled with admiration and dependence, with a deep sense of stubbornness. “I want you to stay with me. I can’t be without you for even a moment.”

Lin Le Tian reached out and fixed his messy hair, saying softly, “This servant will assist Your Majesty with your grooming.”

In the dim mirror, Zong Yan stared intently at Lin Le Tian’s delicate hands as they arranged his hair, never once blinking.

After placing the final hairpin, Lin Le Tian smiled gently, “Your Majesty, it’s done. Shall we call for the meal?”

Zong Yan jumped off the golden dragon chair and immediately wrapped his arms around Lin Le Tian’s slim waist, inhaling deeply near his abdomen. “Little Lin, you smell so good. Will you have dinner with me?”

“Your Majesty, this isn’t proper,” Lin Le Tian gently patted his hand and sighed, “Please don’t make it difficult for the servants.”

Zong Yan buried his face in Lin Le Tian’s chest, reluctant to let go. After a long time, he slowly released him, his face filled with frustration. “Being an emperor is so boring.”

As soon as these words were spoken, all the servants and guards in the room froze, wishing they could cut off their own ears.

Lin Le Tian took Zong Yan’s hand, and the coldness of his fingers startled him. He hurriedly wrapped his hand in both of his, blowing warm breath on it in worry. “Little Lin, your hands are so cold. Where’s the hand warmer?” Turning to the servants, he snapped, “You useless dogs! Can’t you even take care of your master properly?”

“Your Majesty,” Lin Le Tian slowly crouched down to Zong Yan’s level, a faint smile forming on his pale, beautiful face. “There is only one master in this palace, and it is you. Don’t speak nonsense again.”

Zong Yan just pouted and stayed silent.

Lin Le Tian motioned to the eunuchs behind him and took the hand warmer, placing it in Zong Yan’s hands.

Zong Yan looked puzzled, so he explained softly, “The hand warmer of this servant is a favor that only Your Majesty can grant. As long as Your Majesty is the emperor, I have someone to rely on. Your Majesty, you are my heaven.”

His beautiful, affectionate eyes shone brightly, and suddenly, Zong Yan felt a surge of warmth and power, filled with determination. “Alright! With me around, no one will dare to bully you!”

Lin Le Tian smiled slightly, coaxing, “Then don’t say things like ‘boring’ again, alright?”

Zong Yan obediently nodded. “Yes, I’ll listen to you.”

Lin Le Tian: “Coaxing children is so tiring.”

System: “Typical scheming template…”

Lin Le Tian’s gentle attention was reserved only for Zong Yan. As soon as he left the hall, his expression hardened, and he spoke coldly to the chief eunuch of the Purple Heavenly Hall, “You’ve failed in your duties. Go and receive ten lashes.”

The chief eunuch shivered in fear. “This servant accepts the punishment.”

One could say that Lin Le Tian’s power was truly overwhelming. Within the palace, it was not the mischievous young emperor who everyone feared, but rather Lin Le Tian, the unpredictable “Nine Thousand Years”—he was the true ruler of the palace.

Lin Le Tian: “Not happy at all!”

With a gloomy face, he coughed lightly and was helped into the sedan chair. The thick silver satin curtains fell, and his soft voice could be heard from within, “Starting tomorrow, Chuchu will be assigned to serve His Majesty in the Purple Heavenly Hall.”

The chief eunuch, still trembling after his punishment, replied, “Yes, Your Excellency.”

Zhu Chuchu was Lin Le Tian’s newest favorite, and rumors about her spread throughout the palace. People weren’t sure what his intention was in assigning her to the emperor’s side.

He leaned back in the sedan, clutching the hand warmer, and clenched his fist. “Green hats need to be nurtured from an early age.”

Once back, he summoned the female protagonist, Zhu Chuchu, for the first time.

The palace maid led her in, and as soon as she appeared in Lin Le Tian’s sight, his eyes lit up.

Good heavens, such a cute little girl!

With a round face, fair skin with a rosy glow, and delicate features, her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with life, and when she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks. She was still too young to understand the danger of his position, so when she saw him, she curtsied and happily said, “Your Excellency, you remember me!”

“Come closer,” Lin Le Tian weakly waved his hand.

The palace maid gently pushed her forward, and Zhu Chuchu skipped over to him, obediently resting her head on his lap. With a playful wink, she said sweetly, “Your Excellency, you’re so handsome.”

Lin Le Tian thought: “She’s too cute! I just want to bite her to death!”

The system was shocked: “What kind of dangerous statement is this? I always thought elephants were more gentle creatures?”

Lin Le Tian, overwhelmed by her cuteness, felt his heart race, wanting to hold her and hug her. But in order to maintain his image as a twisted and sinister character, he kept his expression cold. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll serve His Majesty in the Purple Heavenly Hall.”

Zhu Chuchu’s face fell, and she said in disbelief, “Your Excellency, don’t you want me anymore?”

Lin Le Tian thought: Oh, my dear, how could I not want you, my precious? But his face remained indifferent. “Go.”

Zhu Chuchu bit her lip, thought for a moment, and then said with determination, “Your Excellency, don’t worry. I will serve His Majesty well and help you solidify your position in the palace!”

After she left, Lin Le Tian dismissed everyone and firmly said to the system, “I’ve made up my mind! I will protect my best daughter and make her the Empress!”

The system wanted to say something but held back. As long as he didn’t cause trouble and just completed his tasks, it was fine.