FDUTTD Part 1

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01

A long, long time ago, there was an emperor.

One day, the emperor went hunting and spotted a fox. He drew his bow, ready to shoot, but the fox quickly transformed into a stunning beauty.

The beauty was so breathtaking that she outshone the emperor’s entire harem of three thousand concubines.

At that moment, the emperor’s mind started to wander.

02

Ignoring the protests of his ministers, the emperor brought the fox-turned-beauty back to the palace and made her his noble consort. From then on, he doted on the fox demon exclusively, not even sparing a glance at any other woman.

Before long, the fox demon became pregnant and gave birth to a child—a purebred little fox cub.

Cradling the newborn fox cub in his arms, the emperor lovingly said, “Look at my little prince, he looks just like me.”

The old eunuch, who had served the emperor for over twenty years: “…”

His Majesty truly loved this fox.

The emperor insisted, “Just look at his eyebrows, they are the exact same as mine.”

The old eunuch craned his neck to peer at the swaddled fox cub: “…”

What eyebrows!?

03

The fox demon basked in endless favor within the palace and even bore a little fox cub. Since the emperor had no other heirs, he was set on making the fox his crown prince.

The ministers were outraged. They petitioned the emperor, but he refused to listen.

In desperation, the ministers banded together and wrote a memorial to the heavens, which they burned on an auspicious day, appealing to the gods for intervention.

Originally, the fox demon had five hundred more years before facing her heavenly tribulation, but the ministers’ actions forced it to arrive early. A lightning strike descended, nearly taking her life. Severely injured, she reverted to her fox form and fled to the mountains to recover.

The fox demon had disappeared. The emperor, heartbroken, lost his appetite and wasted away. Within months, he succumbed to lovesickness and passed away.

His ambitious younger brother wasted no time ascending the throne.

The new emperor had a son of his own and naturally wanted the throne to stay within his own bloodline.

So, sword in hand, he scoured the palace, determined to exterminate the little fox cub and eliminate any future threats.

04

The loyal old eunuch, who had served the late emperor for over twenty years, fled the palace with the little fox, carrying a bundle of valuables. He settled in a peaceful, remote village.

Even if the child was just a fox, he was still the late emperor’s bloodline. His lineage must not be severed.

Worst case scenario, the eunuch thought, he would raise the fox on two chickens a day for the rest of its life.

Thus began the eunuch’s days of raising a fox cub in the countryside.

Meanwhile, the new emperor’s son was growing up at the same time as the little fox.

When the prince learned to walk, the fox was already dashing around on all fours.

When the prince learned to talk, the fox learned to bark from the village’s big yellow dog.

When the prince studied the Four Books and Five Classics, the fox mastered forty-five different ways to flirt with female dogs.

When the prince trained in horseback riding and archery, the fox was busy sneaking into villagers’ homes at night to steal chickens…

The eunuch had no choice but to go door to door, compensating for the stolen chickens.

The villagers gathered around, scolding the fox.

The eunuch sighed helplessly, “What can I do? I’m desperate too.”

05

Time flowed on.

The prince grew into a handsome young man. The old emperor passed away, and the prince ascended the throne, unifying the land.

Meanwhile, the fox grew into a sleek, well-fed adult, ruling over all the chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs in the surrounding ten miles.

One night, after years of healing in the mountains, the fox demon returned. She found her son in a farmer’s chicken coop, mid-theft.

Summoning her inner elixir, she split it in half and gave one part to her son.

The little fox swallowed the elixir, and in an instant, he transformed from a chicken-thieving fox into a naked, chicken-thieving young man.

His human form was an exact copy of the fox demon’s—only one was male, the other female, one younger, one older.

As for his eyebrows… they looked nothing like the late emperor’s.

The fox demon sighed in guilt. “I spent so many years recovering that I nearly forgot about you.”

The young man clutched the chicken’s beak tightly, afraid it would squawk.

The fox demon conjured up a set of clothes and tossed them over. “It’s not too late to start now. Come, I’ll teach you how to use magic.”

Thus, while the young emperor was learning to govern the nation, the young fox began mastering enchantment and illusion spells.

The eunuch was utterly heartbroken.

First, the prince had gone astray.

Second, the prince’s eyebrows really didn’t resemble the late emperor’s.

06

Several more years passed.

The young emperor had matured, and his ministers began urging him to take a wife and fill the palace with concubines.

Meanwhile, the little fox had spent years learning from his mother. He understood little else, but he had become a master of fox magic—and cooking chicken.

The fox demon instructed him earnestly, “That throne should have been yours. Those three thousand beauties should have been yours. Even the emperor himself should have been groveling at your feet, serving you. If not for those meddling old fools who tattled to the heavens, you would already be emperor. I’d be the empress dowager, and we’d be living in luxury.”

The little fox nodded, half-understanding. “Mm.”

The fox demon continued, “Actually, fox demons and humans can’t have children. You were formed directly from my flesh and blood—you have no actual blood relation to your so-called emperor father. But the world doesn’t know that.”

The little fox blinked in confusion. “Oh.”

The fox demon: “Go back to the palace and reclaim the throne. I’ve taught you plenty of magic. Use it wisely.”

The little fox boldly took a big bite of chicken, wiped his mouth, and declared, “Alright.”

07

The little fox returned to the palace.

At the gates, he cast an illusion, making himself invisible to the guards.

Thus, he strolled leisurely through the palace, bypassing all obstacles, until he arrived at the imperial study, where the emperor was buried in paperwork.

The emperor looked up from his mountain of memorials. “Who goes there?”

Seeing the handsome young man before him, the little fox panicked and accidentally cast a charm spell.

The emperor: “…Why are you batting your eyelashes at me?”

The little fox quickly composed himself. “Are you the emperor?”

The emperor smiled slightly, his features refined and elegant. “I am.”

The little fox: “My mother said this throne should have been mine. Give it back.”

The emperor pondered for a moment. “Ah, so you’re the fox prince.”

The little fox patted his backside to confirm his tail wasn’t visible, then declared righteously, “I’m human now.”

The emperor: “By that logic, I should call you cousin.”

The little fox, ever straightforward, corrected him, “No need for that. My mother gave birth to me herself—I have nothing to do with my father.”

The emperor: “…”

The little fox pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh. Don’t tell anyone.”

The emperor couldn’t help it—he burst into laughter.

T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi oage, thank you🍊🍊🍊