Being a wise and decisive ruler was difficult, but being a depraved and indulgent emperor was much easier. In just a month, Wei Xicheng had tasted all the delicacies inside and outside the palace and grown bored of all the amusements available to him.
“Xiao Taozi!” Wei Xicheng pulled the reins and leaped off his horse, making Xiao Taozi’s heart skip a beat. “Since the day I asked you to count, how many days has it been?”
“Ah, Your Majesty, be careful! From that day until today, it has been forty-five days.” Xiao Taozi helped Wei Xicheng steady himself, raising a hand and flipping his fingers as if counting again.
Wei Xicheng swatted his hand away and leaned in close to his ear. “Tell me, why hasn’t my great general returned yet?”
“This… This servant has no idea!” Xiao Taozi’s face scrunched up like a chrysanthemum. He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that ever since that day, the emperor had become even more difficult to serve.
“You think Yan Bei is planning to rebel?” Wei Xicheng asked with a serious expression as if he truly believed it.
“Your Majesty, please be cautious with your words.” Xiao Taozi lowered his voice and glanced warily around. He wished he could cover his master’s mouth—how could he speak so carelessly? The emperor might be carefree like a child, but he was not. Who knew how many eyes and ears were watching and listening? Such talk was dangerous.
“Hmph, as if he would dare.” Wei Xicheng let down his rolled-up sleeves and strode toward the exit. Xiao Taozi quickly scurried after him.
As expected, the emperor’s words spread like wildfire—not only reaching the Empress Dowager’s palace but also making their way to the imperial court.
With a loud crash, all the objects on the table were swept to the floor, shattering upon impact. A sharp female voice rang out in fury.
“Foolish child!”
“Your Majesty, please calm down!”
“Calm down?!” The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, pressing her fingers against her throbbing temples. Her long, sharp nails traced a line from the corner of her eye to her forehead.
“Do you know how much effort I put into getting him on the throne? And now? Yan Bei has yet to surrender the military seal, and he dares to speak such reckless and alienating words! Does he think his throne is too stable?”
She inhaled deeply before demanding, “Where is the emperor? Summon him! Tell him I am feeling unwell.”
…
Though the Empress Dowager wielded power, she still refrained from openly interfering in state affairs. At this moment, her influence did not extend into the imperial study. However, her absence didn’t make Wei Xicheng’s situation any easier—facing a group of elderly ministers was just as unpleasant.
Their constant lectures and the disappointment in their eyes filled him with an oppressive feeling. It wasn’t his own emotions but the lingering sentiments of the original owner of this body.
The unfamiliar wave of emotion startled Wei Xicheng, and he quickly pulled himself together, refocusing on the officials below.
The elderly ministers were already red in the face with anger, shaking their heads in exasperation. They no longer had the energy to continue reprimanding their young and ignorant emperor, only muttering among themselves, “A hopeless case.”
Wei Xicheng leaned back against the throne. Until Yan Bei returned, he wouldn’t do anything that might put himself in danger. As far as everyone was concerned, he was an unambitious, hopeless fool—whether he played the part a little longer or not made no real difference.
“Are you all done talking?” He stretched lazily and stepped down from the dragon throne. His posture was relaxed, and his strikingly beautiful face made the old ministers avert their gazes uncomfortably.
Seeing their avoidance, Wei Xicheng smirked in satisfaction. “Since you’ve finished, I’ll be leaving now.”
“Your Majesty—” By the time they looked up, the emperor’s bright yellow robes had already disappeared around the corner.
“Sigh… what a misfortune for the nation…”
Wei Xicheng ignored the murmurs behind him. He still had to visit the Empress Dowager’s palace for another round of scolding. No wonder the original owner didn’t want to be emperor—having to listen to this endless chatter every day would drive anyone insane.
“Greetings, Your Majesty~”
Before he even got far, a group of elegantly dressed women blocked his path.
Wei Xicheng frowned. This wasn’t in the plot—since when did the original owner have such a large harem?
His suspicion was correct. These women were not his consorts; they were imperial concubines from the previous reign.
Although the original emperor often mingled with noble sons in brothels and places of ill repute, those around him never dared to let him truly indulge. Everyone feared that if they overstepped, those in power would hold them accountable.
After all, the original emperor had once been the Empress Dowager’s beloved little prince.
At the time, she didn’t care much about his actions. As long as he posed no threat to her chosen heir, she paid no attention to how he spent his time.
It wasn’t until the previous emperor passed away that she realized how fortunate she was not to have given him a final push toward debauchery. Otherwise, today’s situation would have been even worse.
The late emperor had died young, leaving behind a harem full of young, idle concubines. With nothing better to do, they naturally began scheming.
Before Wei Xicheng could say anything, Xiao Taozi stepped forward with a cold expression. “His Majesty is on his way to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Ladies, if you’ll excuse us—”
His unfinished words were clear enough. At the mention of the Empress Dowager, the women hesitated. Seeing the emperor’s impatient expression, they chose not to push their luck.
Once the two had walked away, the leading woman’s face darkened. “Hah. The late emperor abandoned us too soon, and now we have to lower ourselves to watch even a servant’s face. If you ask me, we might as well follow the late emperor to the grave.”
“Sister, mind your words!”
“I know, I just can’t let it go.”
“I recently got a new pot of fine tea. Why don’t we all go to my place today and sit down for a chat?”
“Alright, we’ll listen to you.”
The women laughed and chatted, quickly forgetting the earlier incident. Once they had walked away, a tall figure emerged from behind a decorative rock by the path.
He looked in the direction the emperor had left, then leaped away, vanishing without a trace.
Wei Xicheng looked at the Empress Dowager’s ashen face. Truth be told, she wasn’t old—barely in her early thirties. The previous empress had died in childbirth, and she had taken her place. However, not long after she entered the palace, a stream of beauties was sent in, leaving her no time to conceive before she was relegated to the position of Empress Dowager. How could she not resent it?
Even with her noble status, in this deep palace, how much power could a woman truly wield?
Thus, despite her young age, fine lines had begun to settle at the corners of her eyes.
“Emperor, you have truly disappointed me.”
Surprisingly, this time, there was no furious shouting—just a quiet sigh.
“I originally thought you were just playful and indulgent, but I never expected you to say something so reckless.”
Wei Xicheng sat to the side, head bowed, saying nothing.
“Emperor, Yan Bei still holds the military seal. Your blatant suspicion of him—he…”
“Mother, I know.”
“You—!” The Empress Dowager choked on her words, unable to maintain her composed facade. Her voice sharpened. “You know, and you still said it?!”
“Mother, I am not foolish. The border war is over, yet Yan Bei refuses to return to the capital. Is it not because he has grown too ambitious? I said those words precisely to force him back! If he still cares about his reputation, he will return within half a month and hand over the Tiger Tally.”
Wei Xicheng spoke with conviction, his confidence unwavering.
But the Empress Dowager sitting on her cushioned chair felt lightheaded, as if the world around her was spinning. And this was what he called not foolish?!
Wei Xicheng sneaked a glance at the Empress Dowager’s expression and felt a bit more satisfied. The original emperor had been so suffocated by these people—wasn’t it only fair to give them a taste of their own medicine?
Even if the original emperor had never been a wise ruler, this situation was never in his control. No one had ever asked for his opinion. They had spent years ensuring his incompetence, placing him on the throne, only to discard him the moment it became convenient.
From beginning to end, the original emperor had been nothing more than a chess piece, manipulated at will, never given a shred of autonomy.
“Do you realize that if Yan Bei truly rebels, your words will give him the perfect justification?” The Empress Dowager clutched her chest. The maid behind her swiftly stepped forward, offering her a cup of tea.
Wei Xicheng took two sips of his own tea. “General Yan will not rebel.”
“Get out.” The Empress Dowager slammed her teacup against the leg of the table with a loud crack. “Get out of my sight!”
“Mother, take care of yourself. I’ll be going now.” Wei Xicheng beckoned to Xiao Taozi and strode away, leaving behind an Empress Dowager struggling to catch her breath.
“Your Majesty, just now you…”
“What?” Wei Xicheng cast him a glance, making Xiao Taozi swallow his words in fear.
“Come out.” Wei Xicheng’s voice was indifferent. Ever since he had been stopped by those imperial concubines earlier, he had sensed a familiar energy fluctuation nearby through the system.
“Y-Your Majesty, who?” Xiao Taozi stepped forward cautiously, half-shielding Wei Xicheng with his own body as he scanned the surroundings warily.
Wei Xicheng ignored him and looked straight toward the decorative rock.
“If you don’t come out, I’ll go over there myself.” He took a step forward, but Xiao Taozi instinctively tried to hold him back.
Xiao Taozi swallowed nervously. “Your Majesty, let me check first—”
Wei Xicheng didn’t stop. Just as he was about to reach the rock, a flock of birds suddenly took flight from the nearby trees, their wings fluttering as they scattered into the sky.
Wei Xicheng looked up at the departing birds and smiled faintly.
Just as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of a shadow flashing past the rock.
“An assassin! Catch the assassin!” Xiao Taozi’s voice rang out across the palace, instantly alarming the entire imperial court.
Author’s Note:
“The day of peace shall return, when I can help you remove your battle robes.” — “Sending Off Mao Bowen”
Hahaha~
Wei Xicheng: “As long as General Yan does not rebel, I shall help him remove his battle robes~”
The Ministers: “Your Majesty, no! This will make General Yan suspicious!”
Yan Bei: “I look forward to it.”
