Chapter 1: Crown Prince, Don’t

Chapter 1: Crown Prince, Don’t

“Crown Prince… release me… help… no…”

Riiiip…

Xiao Ce slowly opened his eyes, hearing strange sounds, but his body felt heavy and weak, like it was filled with lead.

He turned his head toward the noise.

Beside him was a woman with a slim figure in disheveled clothes. Her clothing had been torn until only a few pieces remained.

However, these pieces were precisely placed, covering exactly what needed to be hidden.

She knelt partially on the bed in a bizarre posture, soft gasps continuously escaping her lips. Her fair skin glowed with a faint blush. She brushed aside her waterfall-like black hair and shyly bit her red lips.

Xiao Ce felt a wave of heat rise inside him. His gaze unconsciously fell on her rhythmic, swaying chest.

“Perfection!” he thought, swallowing hard. His trembling hand reached out without his control.

“What a real dream… so real to the touch!”

The moment Xiao Ce touched her.

“Ah!”

The woman shaking the bed screamed as if struck by lightning and whirled her head around.

Seeing Xiao Ce awake, her face darkened with surprise. “You good-for-nothing, why are you awake? What are you doing!” She slapped him hard across the face.

“Take your dirty hand away! Don’t think I won’t chop off that arm!”

What???

Xiao Ce was stunned by her instant transformation.

A second ago, she seemed to be enjoying herself while shaking the bed and moaning. Now, her face was stormy.

And that slap jolted Xiao Ce completely awake. This wasn’t a dream!

A flood of memories surged into his mind.

He realized he had traveled through time!

The good news: he’d become a Crown Prince.

The bad news: the original host Crown Prince was pretty useless.

Because of the Great Xiao Kingdom’s rule – the Crown Prince was chosen by birth order, not merit – the position landed on this useless original host.

Aside from being born earlier and snagging the status of the eldest son, the original host was utterly worthless. Untalented in both scholarly and martial pursuits, his personality was weak as dough; everyone bullied him. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say even the palace dogs dared to pee on him.

His Empress Mother died in childbirth. Without the lifelong protection of Prince of Zhenguo, the Ninth Prince, he would have been deposed long ago.

There were rumors that his mother had feelings for Prince of Zhenguo before entering the palace. Prince of Zhenguo, who never had children of his own, treated the Crown Prince as his own son.

Therefore, not only were the other princes coveting his position, even the Emperor had tried several times to depose him.

The beauty before him was Yin Pan’er, daughter of the current Prime Minister.

Today was the Emperor’s birthday feast.

At the banquet, the other princes, to humiliate him, had kept filling his cup.

The weak-willed Crown Prince dared not refuse and drank it all down. In just a few cups, he passed out cold.

Who could have guessed the original host’s body was so terrible, collapsing after just those few drinks.

Xiao Ce felt miserable. Just before traveling through time, through his own efforts, he’d successfully taken his company public. At the victory banquet, he’d drunk a bit much. He never imagined that just as his good life was starting, he’d unluckily end up in this useless Crown Prince’s body.

Xiao Ce sorted through the memories. His mind raced, seeking a solution. He watched the woman glaring at him coldly.

If his memories were correct, this ancient beauty wasn’t just the Prime Minister’s only daughter; she was also engaged to the Second Prince.

The ruined clothes and the scratches on her body were all his own doing.

Her behaviour moments ago was clearly meant to frame him.

“Doomed? Why are you staring? Someone has already gone to inform the Emperor. When His Majesty arrives and sees you forcing yourself on your brother’s fiancée, just see how Prince of Zhenguo saves you!” Yin Pan’er pulled the blanket near her, covering her nakedness.

Xiao Ce smirked devilishly. “The Crown Prince’s temporary palace is in the southern city. Going to the Imperial Palace and back takes at least half a watch. Entering the Imperial Palace to find His Majesty requires passing through layers of guards—another half a watch. So, Imperial Father won’t arrive for at least a full watch. Since I have this entire watch… why should I reject the kindness offered by my Second Brother, who practically served his fiancée right to my door?”

Yin Pan’er saw the dangerous lust in Xiao Ce’s eyes. Terrified, she shrank back towards the corner of the bed. “You… you good-for-nothing, what are you planning?”

“What am I planning? Exactly what you all schemed for me to do! I, the Crown Prince, am here to help others fulfill their wishes!”

After saying this, Xiao Ce pounced on Yin Pan’er like a starving wolf.

Xiao Ce’s idea was simple: to break the trap, he had to actually do it with this beauty.

Turn deception into reality!

Yin Pan’er was the Prime Minister’s beloved only daughter. Once cooked rice couldn’t be uncooked, the Prime Minister would have to support him.

Yin Pan’er struggled, biting and clawing at Xiao Ce, but she couldn’t break free.

Suddenly recalling the rumors, she mocked, “Hmph… You useless thing, all you can do is drool over me! Xiao Ce, even if I let you try, could you actually do anything with that broken tool?”

Xiao Ce’s expression became infinitely more interesting.

Because whether he could or not, others might not know, but how could he not know? He knew the rumors claimed the Crown Prince fell ill as a child, leaving him impotent and unable to perform.

That’s why the Second Prince and the Prime Minister dared to use Yin Pan’er as bait.

Xiao Ce grabbed Yin Pan’er, flipped her over, pulling her to her knees on the bed.

He pinned both her hands behind her and pushed her down firmly onto the mattress.

“Hmph… Stop wasting your effort, you eunuch! When your Imperial Father arrives, you’re doomed. How you humiliate me today… I will repay you a hundredfold! I will make your life worse than death!”

Yin Pan’er’s scathing words only stoked Xiao Ce’s excitement higher.

He entered the fray like a General charging onto the battlefield.

“Ah…”

“You…”

“Ah, no… stop…”

Regret instantly flooded Yin Pan’er. An indescribable sensation tore through her from behind.

Tears welled uncontrollably in her eyes.

She was baffled. Wasn’t Xiao Ce supposed to be impotent?

Now, she felt utterly panicked.

“Please… please… spare me…”

“Crown Prince… no… don’t… please stop…”

The layers of quilt rippled like red waves.

He faintly heard the sound of a golden hairpin falling, clattering to the floor.

…

He didn’t know how much time passed. Xiao Ce looked at the vivid plum blossoms blooming on the sheets, dispelling the gloom of his journey through time.

Yin Pan’er huddled in the corner of the bed, gazing at Xiao Ce with a mixture of complex emotions and poisonous resentment.

“Xiao Ce, you are a dead man!”

Xiao Ce dressed calmly, looking at the woman on the bed. “Yin Pan’er, you are the Capital’s celebrated talented woman. And I am the acting Crown Prince. If you behave and listen to me later, I can make you my Crown Princess, and perhaps even the future Empress.”

Yin Pan’er cut him off. “Dream on! I would rather die than marry a useless piece of trash like you. When His Majesty arrives, your death warrant is sealed.”

Xiao Ce gestured towards the plum blossom stains on the sheet, his expression dangerous. “You’re right. This is the best evidence that I forced myself on you! Remember to present it to Imperial Father later, to condemn me to death. However, I will make this a public sensation! I’ll have the palace matrons examine you to prove you’re no longer untouched! Once the entire Capital knows you’ve been defiled by me, do you honestly think my Second Brother will want a woman I’ve already slept with?”

“My Second Brother is known to seek revenge for the smallest grievance. He can’t tolerate a speck in his eye. Even if he agreed to marry you! Even if he becomes Emperor one day… I imagine the rest of your life will be spent alone in a cold palace.”

Yin Pan’er shuddered violently, pointing at Xiao Ce and crying out. “You are shameless!”

Xiao Ce sat down carelessly by the table, looking at her coldly. “Me? Shameless? Was it my idea for you to climb into my bed? Did I tear your clothes? Did I make your ass was shaking while moaning?”

“The shameless ones are you people! You schemed to put me to death!”

Yin Pan’er was left completely speechless.

Xiao Ce continued, an edge in his voice. “Since you all want me dead, I promise I’ll make sure you die even worse!”

“If he truly considered you his fiancée, would he have arranged all this? Think for yourself! If you listen to me… if you wish to stay with me, I will treat you well. If you don’t wish to follow me, I will protect your reputation!”

Finally calming down, Yin Pan’er made her decision. “What do you want me to do?”

Xiao Ce gestured towards her on the bed.

Yin Pan’er had no choice but to wrap herself in the tattered robe and approach.

Xiao Ce leaned close to Yin Pan’er’s ear and spoke in a low murmur.

As he spoke, the unique maidenly scent still clinging to Yin Pan’er distracted him. His gaze drifted downwards to the partial glimpses of her cleavage his robe couldn’t fully hide.

If only there were more time… he really wished for another battle…

Hearing Xiao Ce’s words, Yin Pan’er looked at him in surprise. “You’re certain about this? Aren’t you afraid it might backfire and send you falling into a bottomless pit?”

Xiao Ce nodded firmly. “Absolutely! Do you dare cooperate?”

A flicker of appreciation surfaced in Yin Pan’er’s eyes. “You’re not afraid, why should I be? It seems the entire Great Xiao Kingdom has grievously misjudged you!”