The Nine Thousand Year Old Lord’s Little Palm-Sized Fox

[A beautiful, silly fox gong whose stats all went into his physique rather than his IQ × A powerful, paranoid, but secretly gentle “Nine-Thousand-Year-Old” eunuch shou.]
The first time this silly little fox went down the mountain, his older sister gave him a piece of advice: if things look bad, just play dead. People at the foot of the mountain don’t eat dead foxes. Ji Qing took this to heart.
He went into the city and bought two big steamed buns. As he was walking and eating, he accidentally stumbled into something he shouldn’t have seen. Ji Qing immediately flopped onto the ground. Instead of being ignored, he was hoisted up by someone who said, “I think this idiot looks alright. Let’s have him be the replacement.”
Just like that, a local dummy fox from the mountains transformed into a long-lost Little Imperial Prince.
The “Nine-Thousand-Year-Old” Lord (Ting Lan) stared at him for a long time before dropping a comment: “You have the look of a fox-spirit seducer.”
Hearing this, the fox couldn’t help but puff out his chest with pride. We foxes are supposed to look like foxes! You have great taste; you’re a good person.
A silly fox has silly luck; even when people insulted him, he couldn’t understand them. Someone warned the fox: “The Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Lord is a man of deep ‘xin-ji’ (schemes). Stay far away from him.” The fox blinked. New chicken? What kind of chicken? A fresh, free-range chicken? That sounds delicious.
The fox spent his days eating, gnawing on snacks, and pestering the Lord to play with him. Finally, one day, the Lord stood by the fox’s bed. “This servant is here to attend to Your Highness’s rest.” The fox nodded, overjoyed, and used Ting Lan’s chest as a pillow to sleep on all night. So soft, so big, so comfortable! (Starry eyes)
Later on, an accident happened. The fox took a sword strike meant for Ting Lan.
Ting Lan fell in love with someone. He wouldn’t allow that person to smile at others, or even give them a second glance. Regardless of his status, he went to offer himself in bed, yet he never wanted to take off his clothes. “Close your eyes. Don’t look at me.”
To the officials and palace servants, he was the unfathomable “Nine-Thousand-Year-Old” Lord, but every day he calculated a hundred times whether Ji Qing actually loved him. He used power and fame like a golden lock to bind the person to his side, unable to let him leave.
Suddenly, one day, blood splattered all over him. His favorite guy—the one who loved to talk and laugh, the one who would jump around on the bed and accidentally bump into people—had blocked a blade for him and stopped breathing.
Ting Lan nearly went mad. The capital shook, and blood flowed like a river outside the palace gates. He was sure now that the Little Prince loved him, but it was too late…
Small Theater: Hehe, you didn’t expect this, did you? I’m a little fox with nine lives! I’m back!
Before his transformation was even fully finished, the fox—sporting a big fluffy tail and pointy little ears—slipped into the Lord’s bed covers, clutching an apple he had grown himself. When Ting Lan frowned and pulled back the quilt, the fox jumped out holding the apple: “Did you miss me?!” Looking at the frozen, stunned Ting Lan, the fox slowly started stuffing himself back under the covers. “If you didn’t miss me, then never mind…”
Ting Lan’s heart trembled violently. Tears streamed down his face. He didn’t know if it was a dream or reality, but he couldn’t help but poke the soft fox ears. He should have known. There is no beauty this exquisite in the world; if it isn’t a demon, it’s a fox.
Later, rumors spread through the capital that the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Lord was keeping a body double of the late Thirteenth Prince…
Author’s Notes:
Characters are not perfect; they have their own personality flaws.
The Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Lord is a real eunuch!
Mutual doting, 1v1. It’s a sweet story with only a tiny, tiny bit of “angst” for flavor.
Technically “Nian Xia” (younger top)? But the fox is over 200 years old, so strictly speaking, he’s actually older.
It’s a story about a young couple in love; don’t take the political scheming too seriously—just enjoy it!