Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The pain was excruciating.

Gao Zhen’s every exhale was searing hot. His bones felt as if they had been crushed, the agony so intense that even drawing breath required extreme caution.

What’s happening to me?

He struggled to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt weighted with stones. He couldn't even manage a sliver of vision, let alone open them fully. All he heard was laughter, punctuated by a voice saying, “The one in the cold palace must be twenty this year, right? According to Great Zhou’s customs, a prince should begin his… *lessons* at fourteen. He’s been delayed for six whole years. Now that they’ve finally decided to ‘break him in,’ I bet…”

“Hahaha, it’ll be like a bursting dam—once it starts, there’s no holding back. Absolutely no holding back…”

Their voices then dropped to a whisper, and Gao Zhen could no longer make out their words. But their undisguised, lewd snickers set off every alarm in his mind—

What prince? What ‘breaking in’? What Great Zhou dynasty?!

He remembered cooking himself a bowl of noodles last night, celebrating his eighteenth birthday alone, then reading a novel for a while before going to bed early. He was an orphan; without parents to support him, having grown up in an orphanage, he knew very well he had no right to be pampered. If he wanted to survive, he had to seize every opportunity to climb as hard as he could. Life had been hard, but he had never thought of giving up on himself.

But what was this situation now?

Who could tell him what was happening?

Perhaps his desperate thoughts were too intense, because in the pitch-black darkness of his vision, a red light suddenly flickered, followed by a translucent screen appearing in his mind: "Transmigration System Activated."

A few lines of text appeared on the screen:

Name: Gao Zhen

Life Battery: 20%

Karma Points: 20

Favorability: 0

Note 1: Warning: Low battery detected. Please consume Karma Points as soon as possible to increase battery level and avoid sudden death.

Note 2: A plot node is approaching. Participating in and advancing the plot can reward Karma Points or Favorability.

A pop-up appeared: "Consume 10 Karma Points to participate in advancing the plot [First Encounter Night]?"

Although Gao Zhen was completely baffled, his intuition told him this opportunity couldn’t be missed. So he decisively selected "Yes." In that instant, the "Life Battery" in his mind flashed wildly, jumping from 20% to 21%. Gao Zhen clearly felt a sliver of searing warmth emerge from his chest. Though it was as thin as a thread, once it merged into his bloodstream, it actually helped alleviate some of his pain. His body immediately hurt less. Gao Zhen strained to open his eyes again, and this time, he finally managed a sliver of vision.

Gao Zhen was both delighted and astonished. He hadn’t expected that consuming Karma Points would not only allow him to accept a task but also simultaneously increase his Life Battery. However, the exchange rate was ridiculously low—only 10:1. Now, his Karma Points were down to just 10.

He wondered if Karma Points were easy to earn?!

For now, Gao Zhen couldn’t worry about Karma Points. He needed to assess his situation first.

He was being carried by a group of people through a garden. The large rock on the rock garden ahead was inscribed with the words "Imperial Garden," clearly indicating to Gao Zhen that he was currently in the imperial palace. The people carrying him were likely eunuchs.

If it weren’t for the "Transmigration System," Gao Zhen would never have imagined that he was now inside the novel he had read before bed last night.

The book was titled *The Lone Star of Calamity*.

It told the story of a young prince who had been schemed against since birth. The ones plotting against him were his ‘respected father’ and ‘admired grandmother.’ After discovering the deception, the young prince turned dark and sought revenge.

Of course, the emperor was not the young prince’s biological father, and the empress dowager was not his real grandmother.

In the book, the emperor was unable to produce a son. To avoid sharing power, the empress dowager devised a vicious plan instead of adopting an heir from a collateral branch. She decided to give the son of a disgraced official to the son of her former rival for the empress’s throne.

This rival was now confined to the cold palace. Her family’s influence had been eradicated after their failed attempt to seize the throne, so she posed no threat to the current empress dowager.

After the disgraced official’s son gave birth to a royal grandson, the empress dowager directly killed the mother and kept the child.

In the original story, to control this child, the empress dowager and the emperor used every means possible to brainwash him. In the end, they even tricked him into killing his own biological father.

But secrets never stay buried forever. When the young prince learned that he had personally killed his own father, he realized that everything had been a calculated scheme—he had been utterly deceived. Thus, he completely turned dark and embarked on a frenzy of revenge.

After reading the plot summary provided by the system, Gao Zhen also confirmed his new identity. He was now the second son of Imperial Physician Gao, also named Gao Zhen. As the original host’s memories began to load into his mind, Gao Zhen’s temples throbbed with pain.

The second son of the imperial physician was a *ge'er*—a man capable of giving birth—and the son he would eventually bear was the lone star of calamity from the original story. At this moment, he was being transported to the cold palace.

The cold palace was located in the northeast corner of the imperial palace, accessible only by passing through the imperial garden.

The eunuchs carrying him moved swiftly, jostling him so much that he felt nauseous. He couldn’t help but cough, slapping the carrying frame to ask them to slow down. Instead, he was met with scornful looks. Someone sneered, "What’s all the fuss? Still think you’re Imperial Physician Gao's treasured son? Let me tell you the truth: if it weren’t for the empress dowager ordering your entry into the palace, you’d already have been sent to the border army to become a donkey-boy—worse than a dog in a filthy ditch! Don't you dare make trouble for us!"

Someone slapped his back, and Gao Zhen smacked back reflexively. His sharp nails scratched the eunuch’s face, leaving a red mark instantly. The eunuch cursed angrily and was about to hit him again when Gao Zhen threatened in a hoarse voice, "The Empress Dowager needs me right now. Don't you dare touch me again!"

"You—" The eunuch’s hand was already raised, but he suddenly remembered: the empress dowager had said that once this *ge'er* became pregnant, he would be moved to the Palace of Eternal Longevity. If he were to hit him now and the *ge'er* later complained, displeasing the empress dowager, wouldn’t he be the one to suffer? His raised hand froze mid-air.

But how could he swallow this anger? The eunuch immediately shouted, "Tie him up! His hands! His legs! Wrap them tightly, several times over!" Then, through gritted teeth, he added, "Tight enough to choke him!"

Gao Zhen was extremely weak. Pressed down by several eunuchs, he couldn’t break free no matter how hard he struggled. After a few movements, he was gasping heavily and coughing again. Fortunately, the cold palace was just ahead.

Before entering, several eunuchs forced a pill into Gao Zhen’s mouth, making sure he swallowed it. They sneered, "The lust pill made by Physician Liu is wasted on you. Even the ladies of the court would be lucky to get such a treat!"

Lying on the carrying frame, Gao Zhen felt heat surging upward from around his navel, making his face burn fiercely. He couldn’t speak, his body felt weak and boneless, as if he had turned to liquid on the frame.

So hot.

Gao Zhen raised a hand to tug at his collar, and a strand of the scent of peonies suddenly wafted out from his neckline. Though it was just a wisp, it was enough to intoxicate anyone who caught it.

"It’s working," the eunuchs snickered, their laughter growing even more obscene. "Few can resist this *ge'er* when he’s in season. The one in the cold palace is really in for quite the night!"

They pushed open the door of the cold palace and carried Gao Zhen inside.

Gao Zhen’s ears were ringing. The scene before him seemed blurred, as if viewed through a thin veil of water. He could see dark shadows approaching, only to be shooed away by the eunuchs, but nothing was clear. The eunuchs carried him into a dark room and set him down on the empty floor near the entrance.

The door was left open. Gao Zhen could feel light hitting his eyelids. Despite the ringing in his ears, he faintly heard someone say, "Ninth Prince, this is Tutor Geer, bestowed by His Majesty. Originally from a disgraced family, he’s yours to use however you want…"

Gao Zhen coughed violently in anger—*You animals—* the ringing in his ears grew louder, making it impossible to hear what else was said. But soon, the voices stopped, the people left, and the light on his eyelids vanished.

The door was closed.

The room instantly grew much darker. Gao Zhen’s heart tightened. He wasn’t sure what would happen next, because the progress bar for "Improving Plot [First Encounter Night]" had activated, indicating that the events about to unfold were not detailed in the original story.

The room was extremely quiet, as if no one was there.

Gao Zhen could only hear his own ragged breathing, growing heavier and more alarming by the moment. He strained to open his eyes wider, but the watery film before them swam more violently. Tears slid from the corners of his eyes, and the rich scent of peonies suddenly exploded around him.

Gao Zhen let out a soft whimper as his consciousness began to scatter. He emitted faint, whimpering sounds, like a helpless cub.

"Save…"

Gao Zhen barely managed to utter that word before tears streamed down his face in large drops, and the fragrance grew even stronger. The heat flushed his face bright red, his consciousness further scattered. He was about to break completely.

"Help… me…"

Gao Zhen mustered all his strength to utter these three words, his voice breaking with tears.

It wasn't just the heat. At this moment, Gao Zhen felt an excruciating discomfort all over his body, aching for someone to hold him or at least let him lean against them for a while. He had never craved human touch as intensely as he did now.

Yet, no one came.

Until his last shred of rationality evaporated and the last trace of his consciousness snapped, Gao Zhen still hadn't received any help. He didn't even realize he had already begun clawing at his own clothes.

It wasn't until a faint scent of blood mixed with the exploding fragrance of peonies spread through the air that the man, who had been sitting cross-legged not far away silently murmuring the Calming Incantation, suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes seemed to reflect the entire galaxy, though the left side of his face was completely ruined, as if the flesh had been torn away, leaving jagged scars that were horrifying to behold. He was clearly extremely tall, with a large frame, but also exceedingly thin.

At this moment, the man saw Gao Zhen tearing at his clothes with his bound hands. Despite being tied up, he had already ripped many pieces of fabric, a testament to the sharpness of his nails and the force he was using. His neck was scratched and bleeding, with rivulets of blood continuously rolling down. If left unchecked, he would surely injure himself further.

The man let out a long sigh and stood up, walking toward Gao Zhen. He wore only a gray robe, its hem and back patched multiple times. If not for the eunuchs earlier calling him "Ninth Prince," who would believe he was a royal? His being reduced to such a state was entirely due to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. Thus, when he heard the Emperor had sent someone to him, his first instinct was to have nothing to do with them.

So, if Gao Zhen had lain there quietly, he probably wouldn't have even glanced at him. But Gao Zhen had other ideas...

The scent of blood from Gao Zhen’s neck drew Ninth Prince closer.

Zhou Yunning stopped in front of Gao Zhen and suddenly realized how breathtakingly beautiful this person was. More so than any beauty he had ever seen in the palace as a child. Not only that, he...

He was like a white jade lotus nourished by snowmelt.

Especially with his eyes brimming with glistening tears, his pitiful appearance was truly heartbreaking.

Zhou Yunning’s Adam's apple moved almost imperceptibly.

"Don't cry."

Unconsciously softening his voice, he grasped Gao Zhen’s wrist with one hand and supported his back with the other, carefully helping him sit up.

Unexpectedly, in his dazed state, Gao Zhen instinctively pressed into his embrace, his face fretfully nuzzling against Zhou Yunning’s chest, his tears instantly soaking the front of his robe.

Zhou Yunning was slightly startled and quickly resumed reciting the Calming Incantation, this time twice as fast as before.

Soon, he untied the ropes binding Gao Zhen. Seeing the marks left on his lotus-root-like skin, his pupils flickered slightly. In the end, he said nothing, carefully picking Gao Zhen up and carrying him toward the wooden bed against the wall.

The white cloth brought by the eunuchs was now spread over the wooden bed.

Zhou Yunning gently laid Gao Zhen down on it.