Chapter 2

The story starts three months earlier.

That day, I had just transmigrated into the book.

I opened my eyes and found out I was the Crown Prince of Great Zhou.

Eighteen years old. Heir apparent. Future emperor.

Standard winner-in-life starter pack.

I didn't even get a chance to be happy about it. The System showed up.

[World rift detected.]

[Identity disorder has occurred.]

[Please complete the following tasks.]

[Task One: Reunite the family of three.]

[Task Two: Survive one year in this world.]

[Reward upon completion: fifty million.]

I hadn't even processed that when the bedchamber doors were shoved open.

Someone came stumbling in at a clumsy run. The second they saw me, they burst into a wail.

"Mom—"

I blanked.

Because the person charging in wasn't some random kid. It was Consort Su. The Emperor's favorite. The number one beauty in the inner palace.

And that face that could topple cities had two streaks of snot running down it, crying loud enough to shake the roof.

"Mom! I don't want to be a consort!"

"I want to go home!"

"There's no Ultraman here!"

Me: "..."

Son?

Later I found out I wasn't the only one who'd transmigrated. My five-year-old son had too.

And he'd gotten it worse—straight into the Emperor's favorite woman.

That night, he refused to go back to his own palace. He had to sleep clinging to me. Said he was scared.

I went soft. I said yes.

Next day, he was back. "Mom. There's a ghost outside the window."

Day three: "Mom. That orange cat in the Imperial Garden keeps following me."

Day four: "Mom. I dreamed I turned into braised pork."

Day five: "Mom. I think someone wants to eat me."

After that, "Consort Su" stayed overnight in the Eastern Palace every night. No putting that genie back.

Until one day I was in the study doing lessons, and my son sat beside me gnawing on fruit.

He gnawed. And gnawed. And somehow chewed himself straight into feeling wronged.

"Mom. Why aren't there watermelon lollipops here?"

"Because this is ancient times."

"Ancient times suck."

"Yeah."

"I want to go home."

"Yeah."

"Do you miss Dad too?"

The hand holding my brush paused. I didn't answer.

My son crawled over and touched my face, the same way he used to at home.

"It's okay."

"Once we find Dad, we can go home."

Right then, something heavy hit the floor outside the door.

Bang!

A little eunuch who'd been eavesdropping scrambled out on all fours, his face red as a monkey's ass.

He ran. He yelled.

"I didn't hear anything—"

"The Crown Prince and the Consort are too sweet—"

That was the moment it finally hit me.

This thing was heading in a very weird direction.

I'd already heard bits of the palace gossip. A little. Here and there.

But after I learned the truth, I was still stunned.