Yinti, the Fourteenth Prince of the Qing Dynasty, dies in his original timeline filled with resentment toward his brother, the Yongzheng Emperor. Upon his death, he encounters a supernatural entity called the Ideal System, which offers him a contract to restart his life in a parallel world. Yinti agrees, desiring the throne above all else. However, due to temporal turbulence during the transit, the System malfunctions and binds to a three-year-old version of Yinti in the past, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. Yinti’s consciousness merges with his younger self, while the System’s original host, Yunti, is trapped within the digital interface, forced to guide the child toward his goal of becoming emperor in exchange for eventual freedom.
The story begins with Yinti navigating life as a spoiled, energetic toddler in the imperial palace. He is the favored son of Consort De, who openly displays bias against his elder brother, Yinzhen, the Fourth Prince. Yinzhen, raised by the late Empress and viewed as cold and rigid by the court, struggles for his mother’s affection and respect. A central conflict emerges between Yinti and Yinzhen, exacerbated by Consort De’s interference and Yinti’s own childish defiance. Yinti, retaining the memories and ambitions of his former self, finds the throne a burden of endless political maneuvering and prefers the freedom of his dream simulations. He frequently enters dream states via the System, where he experiences modern naval battles and commands fleets as a general, finding more joy in these fantasies than in palace politics.
A key turning point occurs when Emperor Kangxi visits Yonghe Palace. Yinti, displaying precocious intelligence and audacity, charms the Emperor by reciting classics and challenging Kangxi’s knowledge. Kangxi, amused by the boy’s spirit, promises to take him to see real warships. Yinti seizes this opportunity to leverage the Emperor’s favor, while Yunti, the trapped system entity, grows increasingly frustrated by the child’s lack of seriousness regarding the throne. Yunti attempts to manipulate Yinti through dreams, showing him the grandeur of naval warfare, but Yinti remains fixated on play and comfort.
As the narrative progresses, Yinti’s relationship with his brothers becomes more complex. He clashes with Yinzhen, who represents the strict, disciplined path Yinti rejects. Meanwhile, Yinti’s interactions with the Emperor deepen, with Kangxi beginning to see potential in the youngest prince. The court factions, including Noble Consort Niohuru and Consort Yi, watch these developments with suspicion, aware that the succession struggle is intensifying. Yinti’s mother, Consort De, continues to shield him from criticism, creating a protective bubble that isolates him from the harsh realities of palace intrigue.
The story direction shifts as Yinti realizes that achieving the throne requires more than just childhood charm. Yunti pressures him to engage more seriously with his studies and political alliances, but Yinti resists, preferring his dream adventures. The tension between Yinti’s desire for freedom and Yunti’s demand for ambition creates internal conflict within the protagonist. As the princes grow older, the stakes rise, and Yinti must decide whether to embrace his role as a contender for the throne or continue seeking escape in the virtual worlds provided by the System. The narrative sets the stage for a prolonged struggle between destiny and personal desire, with Yinti’s unique position as both a child and a reincarnated adult complicating his path to power.
