Salvage the Remnants
is a The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong fanfic written by lunarcottoncandy on Archive of Our Own.
Shen Yuan transmigrates into an intrigue novel as Shen Qingqiu, courtesan to Emperor Yue of Cang Qiong. He's determined to escape the original's grim fate and decides to steer clear of the imperial harem. Instead of acting like a jealous lover, he peacefully spends his days with his personal guard, Luo Binghe.
However, Shen Qingqiu can’t keep away from all the drama—especially when the System gives him the objective of helping Luo Binghe find true love.
Contains the following tropes
- Adaptational Heroism: The System isn't focused on making Shen Qingqiu follow the path of the horrible, hateful scum villain from the original novel. Instead, it wants for the man to help the protagonist marry his soulmate.
- Arranged Marriage: A crucial point of the plotline is the upcoming nuptials between Emperor Yue Qingyuan of Cang Qiong and Qiu Haitang, ward to the king of Huan Hua.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Shen Qingqiu first rescues Luo Binghe from a bigot official then takes him as a bodyguard to teach him the subtleties of human society. It's hinted it played a huge part in making the half-demon enamoured with him.
- The Empath: Yue Qingyuan can feel emotions when he touches someone's bare skin. Shen Qingqiu is rather nervous around him as said power could potentially expose him as a transmigrator.
- Entertainingly Wrong:
- Shen Qingqiu believes he's there to ensure Luo Binghe will sweep Qiu Haitang off her feet, unaware that the young demon is blatantly crushing on him.
- Shen Qingqiu is nothing but a courtesan, and the Emperor cannot possibly love him. At least, most people in the imperial court think this.
- Fantastic Racism: Humans and demons tend to have a difficult relationship. An Imperial official hurls verbal abuse at Luo Binghe for being a mixed-breed and Shen Qingqiu needs to intervene.
- Gone Horribly Right: In order to protect Shen Qingqiu, Yue Qingyuan decided to keep him at arms' length as no one would think about harming someone the Emperor doesn't care about. He played this card so well that Shen Qingqiu genuinely believes it now.
- Green Thumb: Shen Qingqiu's ability, Thousand Leaves and Blossoms, lets him summon any kind of plant. It's extremely useful to brew medicine or poison.
- King Incognito: Luo Binghe went to be a guard in Cang Qiong as he wanted to learn more about his human mother's people.
- Lady and Knight: Male version with Shen Qingqiu as the tragically mistreated and imprisoned Lady while Luo Binghe serves as the devoted, attentive Knight bent on courting and rescuing his beloved.
- Loved I Not Honour More: Yue Qingyuan needed to be the Emperor before he could be Shen Jiu's lover. Deconstructed as Shen Jiu intellectually understanding why Yue Qingyuan treated him this way doesn't mean he wasn't suffering from this behaviour, and it ultimately destroyed their relationship.
- No Hero to His Valet: Luo Binghe (whose posting in the Imperial Court is a lowly bodyguard) isn't impressed by Yue Qingyuan's open neglect of Shen Qingqiu and his giving the courtesan all the tedious chores involved with being a concubine without any of the perks.
- The Power of Love: Luo Binghe genuinely falling for Shen Qingqiu manages to harness Xin Mo's energy — something he never was able to do in the original novel by lack of a definite soulmate.
- Replacement Goldfish: Yue Qingyuan admits he lavished favour and attention on his concubine Shiwu for reminding him of Shen Qingqiu. However, he winds up declaring both men are alike only on a superficial level and sends Shiwu away.
- Safety in Indifference: Yue Qingyuan tried to protect Shen Qingqiu from political intrigues by keeping him as a courtesan instead of marrying the man. It unfortunately backfires as Shen Qingqiu nonetheless becomes a target for assaults and loses faith in Yue Qingyuan's love for him.
- Shipper on Deck:
- Shen Qingqiu thinks he needs to help Luo Binghe and Qiu Haitang to fall into each other's arms. However, he's growing increasingly upset by the perspective...
- The System subtly encourages his host to do things that will make his relationship with Luo Binghe progress towards marriage.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Binghe's reaction to Shen Qingqiu confessing Imperial concubine Shiwu assaulted him with the intent to kill. Yue Qingyuan apparently shares said opinion as he banishes Shiwu to the countryside after learning of the attack.
