Sui Dynasty’s End: Rising to Power by Currying Favor with Emperor Yang

A modern young man finds himself transported back in time to the short-lived Sui Dynasty. Recognizing that Emperor Yang Guang is vain and ambitious, he strategically decides to cater to the ruler’s whims. Sharing the emperor’s appreciation for beauty, he ingratiates himself further by aligning their interests, positioning himself as a loyal confidant. As rebellions erupt across the empire, he steps in to help quell the chaos, ostensibly saving the dynasty from collapse. However, his true motive is revealed once he has accumulated overwhelming influence within the court: he was never a loyalist, but a sleeper agent working from within. Ultimately, he ensures Emperor Yang receives his posthumous title of "Yang" (meaning "reckless" or "disastrous"), promises to care for the imperial family, and ruthlessly exterminates the aristocratic clans that had previously opposed him.