Note: This wasn't really requested, but I've already summarized the Replanted AU, Abandoned Yue AU, and the Fae AU, so why not this one? This particular AU has a place in my heart - mostly because it's silly. Also because there was a plot twist in there that I never managed to address so I'm writing it out now.
Summary: When Wukong wakes up in a trashy imperial harem novel he'd been reading, he's horrified. Why? Because he's in the body of a character who shares his name - a tyrant king who causes a lot of pain and suffering to everyone including the female lead. Wukong decides that, since he's here for the time being, he was going to fix the other him's mistakes and leave the world better than he found it by the time he finds a way back home.
(Sounds easy enough as a concept, but Wukong can't act for his life and he has serious imposter syndrome. Oh well, time to spam the amnesia button and fake it 'til he makes it.)
Everyone Else's POV:
The Monkey King was a tyrant who either spilt blood or added to his large harem. He selfishly ignored the matters of the crown and contributed to the suffering of his people.
Queen RinRin is left to manage the throne's affairs on her own, frustrated by her husband's selfishness and destructive tendencies.
Consort Macaque is tormented by the endless string of lovers his husband takes. He grows resentful after so many heartbreaks and lets it out on the harem. Violently.
Concubine Shanzha heard the rumors about the king. She tries to keep her head low but she's somehow gained his attention. And she's scared of all the trouble that is going to come with it.
Unexpectedly, the Monkey King suffered a head wound and was bedridden for days. Perhaps it was an assassination attempt? No one knows.
It didn't matter because the Monkey King woke up without his memories. It caused a bit of chaos all around. Everyone expected even more trouble.
To everyone surprise, he didn't.
The king started to participate in state affiars. He was clumsy and inexpierienced, but he was still trying his best. RinRin finds herself charmed by this new version of her husband.
While he doesn't remember Macaque, the king has become far more considerate and had dissolved the harem. The consort's resentment and bitterness was all but forgotten.
While the majority of the harem disbanded, Shanzha had to stay because of her political hostage position. But...it wasn't that bad? The king was respectful and gave her a lot of agency. She could pray and shoot at the archery range when she pleased.
Everyone doesn't say it out loud, but they liked this new king better. They hoped he never got his memories back.
Wukong's POV:
He's freaking out y'all.
I mean, it's pretty obvious, but it still needed to be said. He was freaking out.
Wukong didn't finish reading the novel before he was yeeted into it. He got so frustrated that he tossed it away. He regrets it so much now.
Wukong is the sheer definition of faking it til you make it. He spammed the HELL out of his amnesia while he tried to get into the groove of his role as Emperor.
Wukong's initial goal was to survive and not have any one find out he was an imposter. Then, after seeing just how much the OG!Wukong fucked everything up, he took it upon himself to unfuck as much as he can.
Good news: Wukong is making more progress than he expected. He's taking some of the load off of RinRin's shoulders by participating in meetings; he's taking away the major stressor in Macaque's life by dissolving the harem; and he's trying to make Shanzha's time in the kingdom as bearable as possible.
Bad news: All three of them somehow took his actions as an invitation to start trying to seduce him. Don't get him wrong. They're all gorgeous and amazing - Wukong isn't blind - but he's not really their husband. He's just some loser who hijacked their real husband's body. So he puts on the "I don't know I'm dumb" vizor on and hopes to high hell that no one sees through it.
They eventually do, so Wukong elects to scream and run.
When Shanzha opened up to Wukong and told him about her life and of her niece, he cried. He was always a sucker for tragic backstories. Why didn't the novel talk about this?
Not long after, he requested demanded Shanzha's homeland to send over her niece. Shanzha was overwhelmed when he gave her the exciting news.
Since Wukong taking a ward was huge, the entire court were there to recieve Yue. It was actually the first time RinRin and Shanzha crossed paths. It was butterflies at first "hi" for the queen who was regretting not being more involved with the harem.
Shanzha and Yue's reunion was so tearjerking that Wukong had to take a minute. Then, it was revealed that Yue was actually Macaque's family too. The six ears kinda made it obvious. Plot twist after plot twist, why didn't the author of the trash novel focus on THIS?!
Wukong never saw a baby monkey before so he's practically exploding because of Yue's cuteness. He was super duper doting.
Wukong also saw a way out of the entire "making an heir" business, so he names Yue his heir and hopes that this stops his spouses from trying to jump him.
It doesn't. Wukong's "Baba" energy just made him even more irresistable. Sorry Wukong.
The three have also joined forces. Oh no.
The Plot Twist:
One day, little Yue blinks up at Wukong and asks him if he can pretty please take her to see the nearby waterfall together. When he does, Yue takes advantage of the waterfall being a natural white noise machine to talk to him.
Yue: "You're a transmigrator too, aren't you?"
Wukong: 😮"Whaaaaaaa-?!"
Yup, Yue's a transmigrator. She also read the trashy novel - all of it. So she has all the deets, which Wukong begs off of her by helping her reach high places and giving her treats.
Everyone: Aww, he's so good with her
Wukong: Oh wise senior, please share your wisdom
Yue: Tell the cooks to make the Dan Dan Noodles extra spicy hot and I'll think about it
Yue also helps her fellow homie out by being a deterrent for romantic advances. Can't talk or do anything beyond PG around the baby.
Wukong tells Yue about his plan to run away after setting everything and leaving the kingdom to her and she bluntly tells him that it was a dumb plan.
Yue: "At least wait until I'm not a baby to abdicate."
Yue also (gently) breaks it to Wukong that he's stuck here. The him in his original reality is most likely dead.
So, after a bit of spiraling, Wukong approaches his spouses and tells them the truth.
It was a bit shocking and they (Macaque and RinRin) needed some time to come to terms with the revelation, but this doesn't deter the three of them in the slightest. They're all in love with this Wukong and want to spend the rest of their lives with him.
(By the time Yue comes of age, Wukong does accept their advances enough to give her cute little brothers lol.)
Out of curiosity in the imperial harem au, how did Macaque and Rinrin stop their cold war towards each other?
Funny story, actually.
Pre-Transmigration, Macaque would often go into jealous rages whenever he heard Wukong getting...busy with his lover of the month. But he was used to it. He'd just cry and find a way to kill them off later to feel better.
Post-Transmigration? Macaque quickly got used to this new Wukong who was more considerate and sweet. A Wukong who dissolved the harem and refused to touch his queen or his consort. So, when he heard the sounds of Shanzha making out with someone she was calling "your majesty," Macaque was enraged. He felt betrayed. He stormed over and kicked down the doors and...found Shanzha tangled up with the other royal.
It was a complete icebreaker and it gave Macaque the chance to see RinRin without her courtly perfect mask. It was also super awkward so, after a little bit of staring, he excused himself and closed the door.
RinRin invited him for tea. He had to go to at least apologize for breaking in. They have a heart-to-heart. It wasn't perfect, but was the first step of what would eventually become a wonderful alliance and partnership.
Imperial harem- what's macaque and rinrin relationship like? Anything like king queen and warrior au where they are also lovers or do they resent each other
Two words: Cold. War.
Like, good god could a room freeze when they’re in the same room. The entire FFM court is split into two because of them.
(Warning: toxic relationship dynamics below)
OG!Wukong had been monogamous and a good husband to RinRin until Macaque came around. Macaque was the snake, the fox, the poisoned chalice who was brought into FFM’s court - and on Wukong and RinRin’s anniversary no less. He brought chaos and imbalance to the kingdom and influenced Wukong to become corrupt, lazy, lustful, and cruel.
…at least, that’s how the people in RinRin’s party tells it.
From Macaque’s point of view, he had simply fallen in love with OG!Wukong and decided that he’d follow his Sun to the end of the world. He didn’t know Wukong was already married or that he was a king. But he had already set his heart on Wukong and decided to stick by him, even if it made him the villain.
Macaque was friendless in FFM’s court so he had to make his own power. He refused to show weakness. Even though the whispers around him were cruel and unsavory, he would use them to his advantage. He became resentful of RinRin for being a paragon of virtue in everyone’s eyes - including OG!Wukong, who refused to divorce her despite telling Macaque that he was the only one for him.
Macaque would tell himself that RinRin might be the wife, but he’s the one with OG!Wukong’s heart.
That argument would crumble when Wukong brought a new lover. And another. And another. Until there was an entire harem of them. Macaque would remain at the top of the harem and have it completely under his control (RinRin was too busy with the affairs of her kingdom to take control or so she claimed).
Later, OG!Wukong would constantly complain and compare Macaque to RinRin when he started to take lovers.
“RinRin was so understanding when I made you my consort, why can’t you be understanding about (insert new lover)?”
It drove Macaque insane and made him hate RinRin even more.
Of course, OG!Wukong would always do something or say something that would assure Macaque that he’s still the one OG!Wukong loves. Macaque could slaughter his king’s new batch of lovers and get away with a slap on the wrist because he’s so beloved.
