[Your fateful entanglement with Saran began in this peculiar atmosphere.]
[Saran was born into a tribe of war slaves. Worse still, she was born without a fox tail, so the Borisin officer overseeing her tribe treated her as nothing more than a common slave.]
[But as Saran grew older, her striking beauty became impossible to ignore. The ambitious Borisin officer, desperate for advancement, took a gamble and entered her into the imperial selection for court concubines.]
[Yet the straightforward Borisin were no match for the cunning, cutthroat Foxians in the art of social climbing.]
[Some Foxian tribes, eager to elevate their status, would meticulously select and train young fox girls from birth—subjecting them to ruthless elimination rounds until only the most beautiful, graceful, and artistically gifted remained. These chosen few would then be groomed for the imperial selection when they came of age.]
[In terms of beauty, grace, or any other measure, Saran was far from the best. She was a latecomer, lacking even the most basic etiquette training.]
[And then there was the matter of her missing tail. For the Foxians, the tail was their most alluring feature—some cared for their tails more diligently than their skin or hair, all to ensure they looked their finest.]
[Under normal circumstances, a half-baked candidate like Saran wouldn't have even made it past the preliminary rounds, let alone stood before you.]
[But fate had other plans. On a whim, you decided to visit the selection grounds yourself.]
[The sudden arrival of the emperor sent the entire assembly to their knees. Not a single soul dared to lift their head and meet your gaze.]
[Except for Saran.]
[Amidst the crowd, her figure stood out—surreptitiously peering up at you with eyes that burned with defiance.]
[Her untamed glare was an anomaly amidst the sea of submission and reverence, an outlier among outliers.]
[Like something out of a cliché domineering CEO romance, you were instantly captivated by the owner of those eyes.]
[So what if it was cliché? So what if it was cheesy?! "I'm happy! I like it!"]
[Without hesitation, you bypassed the entire selection process and chose Saran on the spot.]
[You then casually picked another Foxian girl who caught your eye.]
[Under the envious, hate-filled stares of the other candidates, the court ladies escorted the two into the inner palace.]
Finally!
After all this time, the true female lead of this story—the great General Feixiao—had finally made her appearance.
Solon couldn't help but sigh in relief.
[From the moment she entered the palace, Saran's unyielding, rebellious nature was on full display—an innate defiance that radiated from her very bones.]
[Both she and the other chosen girl, Ningli, had skipped all formalities and been directly selected by you. The attendants in charge of arranging the imperial bedchamber knew the drill and immediately scheduled them for that very night.]
[But trouble arose almost immediately during their preparations.]
[Saran outright refused to wear the outfit prepared for her.]
["I'm not some brothel whore! Why should I wear something this indecent?!" she roared, shoving the Foxian maidservants trying to dress her to the ground.]
[The attending court lady's veins bulged in fury. 'Ungrateful wretch! Others bribe me for this chance, and you throw it away?!' she seethed internally.]
[Yet no matter how livid she was, the court lady couldn't lay a finger on Saran—not yet, at least.]
[This wildling had been personally chosen by His Majesty, who undoubtedly remembered her well. Until the emperor lost interest, the court lady was powerless—and could only pray this savage didn't rise too high in favor. Otherwise, she might end up trampled underfoot with no chance for reprisal.]
[In the end, it was Ningli's earnest coaxing that finally persuaded Saran to reluctantly don a slightly less revealing gown.]
[If Saran was an uncouth, untamed beast of the steppes, then Ningli—chosen alongside her—was her polar opposite: a refined noble daughter raised in the lap of luxury.]
[Ningli's Foxian clan had been among the first to embrace the ruthless competition of social climbing. She was the product of generations of meticulous grooming—a flawless masterpiece.]
[And masterpiece was the right word. Not only was she blessed with exquisite beauty and grace, but her manners, poise, and even the arts of seduction had all been honed to perfection.]
[Perhaps it was Saran's feral intuition that saw through Ningli's true nature: while Saran was a lone wolf forced into a collar, Ningli was a songbird trapped in a gilded cage. Both yearned for freedom.]
[Despite their differences, the two girls quickly became friends.]
[And Saran would only ever listen to Ningli's advice.]
[Once they were finally dressed, the two were led straight to your bedchamber.]
In period dramas—especially those set in the Qing palace—concubines were often stripped naked, wrapped in a blanket, and carried to the emperor's bed.
This was to prevent assassins from smuggling in weapons, as men were at their most vulnerable and unguarded during those moments.
But of course, that only applied to mortal emperors.
The Solon in the simulation was already among the most powerful beings beneath the Aeons—a mighty Emanator of Abundance, renowned for his boundless vitality.
Such crude assassination attempts were meaningless to him, which was why he could indulge in all sorts of costume play without fear.
Even the Solon outside the simulation couldn't help but admire: Damn, simulated me really knows how to live!
[When you laid eyes on the two, your expression brightened. The court lady in charge clearly knew exactly how to stoke a man's desires.]
[Saran was dressed like a desert dancer, her toned midriff and long, sculpted legs on full display.]
[Ningli, however, was a different story—clad in a sheer gauze that draped over her delicate frame like mist, teasing the imagination with glimpses of what lay beneath.]
[You couldn't help but laugh aloud. All those years of struggle, plotting, and relentless effort—all for this moment!]
[After so much hardship, wasn't it time to enjoy the fruits of labor? A life of wine, women, and decadence—this was true bliss!!]
[Special event triggered. Enter immersive mode? (Yes/No)]
Solon agreed wholeheartedly with his simulated self.
Right now, he was going to enjoy himself to the fullest!
Without hesitation, he selected 'Yes.'
A familiar wave of dizziness washed over him.
The next instant, a delicate fragrance filled his senses as a soft, warm body nestled into his arms.
It was the little fox maiden, Ningli.
For all her theoretical expertise, Ningli was still a novice in practice. The moment she found herself pressed against a man, her inexperience shone through.
Her face flushed crimson, her body trembled slightly, and her hands fidgeted awkwardly—too shy to even meet Solon's gaze.
Studying the flustered fox girl in his embrace, Solon smirked.
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