As the saying goes, "Listening to only one side leads to ignorance; listening to both sides brings clarity." As a model youth of the new era, we can't just take the protagonist's word for it. Let's switch to Emperor Richard Song's perspective and see how he experienced today's events.
[My name is Charles Zhao, birth name Zhao Yüju. My dad was a minor official, but he died when I was seven. Until I was sixteen, I was just a poor farmer in a tiny mountain village—so poor I couldn't even afford a wife. I thought this was it for me, that I'd live out my life in obscurity. But, surprise surprise—I was dead wrong. I became the emperor.]
[The reason I became emperor is pretty ridiculous: every possible male relative of the last emperor—direct, collateral, you name it—died out. Somehow, some ancestor of mine, who I don't even remember, was distantly related to the royal family, so they snatched me up. One minute I was kneeling in the mud, mourning the late emperor, the next I was hoisted onto the throne as the supreme ruler.]
[Of course, I wasn't the only super-distant royal relative. There were plenty of others. I had no skills, knew nothing, couldn't even read a single character. Compared to the competition, I was useless. But maybe that's exactly why—they died, and I made it. My incompetence didn't matter, as long as the person backing me was strong enough.]
[So I started learning how to be an emperor: I studied literature, martial arts, calligraphy, etiquette. I thought I was doing okay—until I quickly realized none of it mattered. The person who put me on the throne was way too powerful, and I had no chance to resist.]
[As emperor, of course I had ambitions—I wanted my word to be law. Being manipulated like this pissed me off, sure. But when I saw beauties I'd never even dreamed of lying in my bed, smiling at me no matter how rough I was... I realized, hey, maybe this isn't so bad after all.]
[Couldn't fight back against power, couldn't resist temptation, so I started living it up—and kept living it up for decades. The one who controlled me died, then another took their place. Whatever. Past emperors tried to rule wisely, but they all died young. I tried that too, but turns out I wasn't cut out for it. Now I don't care about anything. I just play the fool—and somehow, I've been enjoying myself all the way to old age.]
I'm no longer a poor farmer or a nobody from Dewmont Hall.
I'm not me anymore—I'm the emperor in Dewmont Hall.
I thought this was it for me, that I'd spend my days living it up in Dewmont Hall. But, surprise surprise—I was wrong again. I became... uh, a lowly servant.
[That day, just like always, I went to enjoy myself with the ladies. That seductive little enchantress was named Mia Wise. From the moment I first laid eyes on her, I was obsessed—hadn't felt that way in ages. She was like a wild phoenix, always ready to fly away. To keep her close, I risked angering the person who controlled me and made her Imperial Consort on the spot. I was afraid if I gave her a lesser title, she'd just scoff at me.]
[Sure enough, no woman could resist the Imperial Consort title—she came. I was dying to get together with her right away, but the rules said you had to offer a sacrifice to the gods after making someone a consort. Normally, I couldn't care less about rules; unless it was something major, my word was law. The one controlling me usually let me do as I pleased, too.]
[But this time was different. This time, the newly appointed Lady Mazu really was divine, so I had to grit my teeth and wait.]
[During the fasting and sacrifice, all I could think about was Mia Wise—her swirling sleeves, her dancing waist, like a phoenix soaring in the sky. But the more I thought about her, the more her image started to morph into Lady Mazu. That's when I realized the real reason I was so obsessed with Mia Wise: she reminded me of Lady Mazu in some ways.]
[It wasn't her looks, or her figure, or anything on the outside. It was the way she looked at me—that gaze, seductive to the bone, but clearly not taking me seriously at all. That look reminded me of Lady Mazu's awe-inspiring presence, reminded me of the noble ladies I saw as a kid working odd jobs. I just couldn't get enough of it.]
[What man doesn't want to defile a goddess?]
[I figured meeting Mia Wise was pure destiny looking out for me.]
Today, as soon as the sacrificial ceremony ended, I couldn't wait another second. Ever since I picked her, my heart was pounding nonstop. I kept urging the eunuchs carrying my dragon litter, and finally got so impatient I ran the rest of the way myself. For the first time, Dewmont Hall felt so far away.
Dewmont Hall—finally made it.
With my heart full of anticipation, I pushed open the doors of Dewmont Hall. Inside, she was waiting for me.