我还没想好名字。【Lu Ren x You】
This is kind of an Ancient China AU.
Lu Ren solo.
you = you, with an isekai element.
Disclaimer: I don't really know much about ancient settings, so I might not be able to write in that style properly, and there may be plenty of plot holes. In short, please turn your brain off while reading.
This has absolutely nothing to do with the original work. It's purely fanfiction.
(I just wanted to read this so badly that I had no choice but to feed myself.)
OOC warning.
If you're okay with that, then GO, GO!
"Hey, did you see that notice?"
"Yeah, I did."
The tavern was still packed at noon. You were sipping the complimentary tea while treating the gossip from the neighboring table as your "side dish."
"They've been recruiting over and over again. Never stopped."
"My neighbor's daughter even went into the palace to work as a servant."
"And what happened?"
"In less than a month, she was crying and begging to come back. Tsk tsk."
The man downed his cup in one go and let out a long sigh, shaking his head.
"Tell me, what was the point?"
The skinny man pursed his lips and replied helplessly
"Who isn't running around for a few taels of silver?"
"The palace pays so much. There's always going to be people rushing in one after another."
"These ridiculous taxes… If I weren't a man, I'd want to give it a shot too… even if it cost me my life."
The words seemed to strike a nerve. The man slammed his cup onto the table and burst out angrily,
"Damn, taxes, taxes, taxes! No money? Then they'll tear down my shop!"
"I've run that butcher's shop for years and slaughtered who knows how many animals. What gives them the right to touch it?!"
"That dog of an emperor——worse than pigs and dogs!"
"Pfft."
Suddenly, a soft laugh came from beside you.
Turning your head, you saw a man dressed luxuriously, his face partially covered with a veil. Probably some pampered young master from a wealthy family.
"Ah, sorry" he apologized when he noticed your gaze. "Mind if I sit here? There aren't any seats left."
Meanwhile, the man who had been cursing just now shut up after being reminded by his companion.
Just when you were lamenting the loss of your entertainment and thinking how boring things had become, the young master sitting beside you spoke up.
"So, what do you think His Majesty is planning by recruiting so many servants? Choosing concubines? Eating people? Or using them as target practice?"
You paused with your cup halfway to your lips and stared at him suspiciously.
"Relax, I'm not some inspector or official, and I have no interest in reporting anyone." He gestured to his clothes to show that he carried no badge or symbol of office. "So, can you tell me what you think?"
＂I don't know.＂
"What kind of person is the Emperor, then?"
"Unsure"
You were starting to get annoyed. Whatever his intentions were, you had no interest in these matters.
Because you weren't even from this era.
Even though you wanted to know more about this world yourself, having someone constantly questioning you was definitely not the way.
You were just a modern-day otaku.
"Ah" He looked surprised by your response. "I thought everyone was talking about this already… You're from outside the city?"
"Something like that."
"I see."
Just as he was about to continue, he seemed to notice something and stood up.
"Excuse me. Something came up. I'll take my leave."
You watched him walk away and thought that perhaps you should go take a look at this famous servant recruitment notice after all.
You figured you'd already been starving for several days. Living off tea alone wasn't going to work, and besides, you were homeless.
So when you saw the words "monthly pay," "no requirements," and "easy work," you signed up without the slightest hesitation.
now, you were kneeling on the floor alongside the other women, waiting to be chosen as personal attendants.
You watched as the old matron examined everyone one by one, selecting the most outstanding candidates.
Everything came to a halt when someone announced,
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
"This is the group you're selecting according to my instructions?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. These are all the new girls who entered the palace today."
"Then I'll look through them row by row."
With that, the man opened his folding fan and walked slowly down each line.
His heavy, unhurried footsteps echoed throughout the room, filling you with inexplicable unease.
Fortunately, you were in the last row.Being chosen was practically impossible.
Or so you thought.
He hadn't stopped for any of the stunning beauties in front.
Then, he stopped right in front of you.
You heard the snap of his fan closing.
"Raise head."
Oh God.
Reluctantly, you lifted your head.
The tip of the folding fan tilted your chin upward, and only then did you finally see the Emperor's face.
Young.
Unfathomable black eyes.
A faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.and skin even paler than normal.
This was the Emperor whose rumors you had been hearing for days.
And somehow…
He felt strangely familiar.
Before you could recover, the Emperor used his fan to tilt your face from side to side, examining you carefully.
Then he let out a few chuckles and left behind only one sentence:
"Utterly hideous."