"What? Even my imperial throne was preserved by my old man?" It really is one generation covering for the next! They all wanted their own biological sons to succeed them. But speaking of which, why didn't my never-before-seen royal grandfather let his youngest son ascend the throne? Could it be that my little uncle wasn't actually my grandfather's biological son?
At this thought, a chill ran down my spine...
"If I may be frank, Your Majesty, yes." Mùróng Zhuó continued slowly, his voice steady and powerful.
"Before the Late Emperor passed away, he entrusted Your Majesty to my late father. The Late Emperor hoped my father could protect Your Majesty—who was only thirteen at the time—so you could securely hold the imperial seat."
Mùróng Zhuó let out a soft sigh. "To prevent Your Majesty's realm from falling into the hands of outsiders, my father betrothed my younger sister, Mùróng Yān, to Your Majesty as Empress. That is why..."
Ugh! This Yún Zhāo really is a useless fellow. How is it that he has to rely on women and his father-in-law at every turn? Isn't this textbook freeloading? Bah! A total freeloader.
Wait, didn't I also make use of Little Green Tea and my father-in-law last night? Heavens... Earth... What a sin!
Let me have a sip of tea to calm my nerves!
I picked up the cup of tea before me and took a gentle sip. My tongue was badly blistered by the hot tea last night, and I had spent all morning trading verbal blows with the ministers. Being the CEO of a country is exhausting!
"Prime Minister, did my father-in-law attend the morning court session today?" Mùróng Zhuó had already risen to the position of the realm's second-in-command at the tender age of twenty. Surely the official rank of the father-in-law who had always protected me must be even higher than his son's? If it were any higher, wouldn't that make him an emperor like me?
A trace of desolation flickered across Mùróng Zhuó's face. After a moment's pause, he raised his hands in a salute and replied, "Your Majesty, my father was killed by assassins two years ago when he accompanied Your Majesty to Fahua Temple to pray for the people's blessings."
"Ah!" The cold sweat on my body had finally stopped flowing, only to be coaxed out all over again by his words.
Being the top dog means getting targeted by assassins? Television dramas really aren't making things up!
Still, this father-in-law of mine was truly something else. Not only did he perfectly fulfill my old man's dying wish, but he actually laid down his life to save this good-for-nothing Yún Zhāo.
I truly admire this father-in-law of mine—from the bottom of my heart, completely and utterly.
It seems the late Yún Zhāo owes the Mùróng family a massive debt! Since that dead Yún Zhāo owes it, looks like I'll have to pay it back...
"Your Majesty, it seems you once again..." A flash of light crossed Mùróng Zhuó's eyes, filled with surprise and a hint of anticipation.
"If Prime Minister Lord has something to say, spit it out!" What I loathe most in this life is people beating around the bush. Just say what you have to say... It's utterly nauseating.
Seeing this, Mùróng Zhuó hurriedly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and brought his hands together in a salute. "Your Majesty, today you seem to have recovered the graceful bearing of your youth."
He took a light breath, and the starry eyes he turned toward me were brimming with deep reverence, tinged with a hint of affection.
Terrifying. I shuddered involuntarily.
It was as if I had been struck by a bolt of lightning out of nowhere...
"Lord Prime Minister, what do you mean by that?" What kind of person was the former Yún Zhāo, anyway? I furrowed my brow, my heart filled with curiosity.
Yuán Shí wore a smile at the corner of his lips and spoke at a leisurely pace, "Your Majesty, you really have lost your memory thoroughly!"
"Lord Murong and I have accompanied Your Majesty since childhood, sharing a deep bond. In the past, we played and frolicked together, as close as can be, practically joined at the hip, and we weathered many dangers and hardships hand in hand."
He smiled as he glanced at Mùróng Zhuó, but Mùróng Zhuó ignored him.
Yuán Shí continued slowly, "Before Your Majesty turned thirteen, you were a Crown Prince with towering ambitions. But somehow, ever after your ascension, you suffered a few setbacks while managing state affairs and completely stopped handling government business altogether. Yet today at morning court, Your Majesty dared to openly refute the official historian, Lord Xuē Shào, right there in the grand hall, and even sternly rebuked Liú Diāo, the Empress Dowager's own younger brother. Your Majesty's actions today are just like turning back the clock, once again revealing the heroic youth we all looked up to before you turned thirteen."
Yún Zhāo had suffered setbacks—and multiple ones at that! His mental resilience was truly a bit lacking...
When facing trouble, don't cower; just charge ahead. Even if the heavens fall, human skulls are tough anyway; if you can't smash through the southern wall, keep crashing into the northern one—you'll eventually find the enemy's weakest spot.
My heart tightened violently, and a wave of panic surged up. I seemed to have vaguely heard Yuán Shí mention something about an official historian just a moment ago. In an instant, my thoughts tumbled into chaos, and I screamed inwardly: I'm completely screwed!
Could it be that I inadvertently roasted an official historian this morning?! What on earth should I do? The duty of an official historian is to record historical facts, and their brush is like a blade. If I offended him, there's no telling how he might portray me in the history books!
Think back to the First Emperor who unified the seven states, standardizing cart tracks, writing systems, and codes of conduct; his grand ambitions shook both past and present.
With his iron-clad armies, the First Emperor swept across the six states and brought the Middle Kingdom under one rule, achieving the great unification of the Chinese land for the very first time. Across vast territories, he standardized weights and measures, removing barriers to economic exchange between regions.
Yet, simply because he did something no emperor of any dynasty had ever done—"burning books and burying scholars"—he was recorded by historians and scholars as a great tyrant, reviled by later generations for thousands of years...
The cold sweat on my back poured down in sheets without stopping! I could feel it practically forming a little stream down my spine...
"Yuán Shí, who did you just say? Who is the official historian?" I forced myself to remain calm, but my slightly trembling tone still betrayed my inner anxiety.
I fixed my eyes firmly on Yuán Shí, as if trying to squeeze the answer from his face, or perhaps hoping he would say something other than what I feared.
Before Yuán Shí could reply, Mùróng Zhuó said slowly, "The first official Your Majesty roasted: Lord Xuē Shào, Lord Xuē."
"Your Majesty, do you know to be scared now?" Why is this kid Mùróng Zhuó's mouth so utterly obnoxious? Back in the imperial court, knowing full well I couldn't remember which minister was which, not only did he not help me out, but here he was actually taking a front-row seat to enjoy the show!
I'm dying of anger!
Scared as I was inside, I would rather die than admit my cowardice out loud.
"I—how could I possibly be afraid of a mere official?" To be honest, the drum beating in my chest was practically about to shatter! An official historian—that's a historian whose brush is like a knife!
And this kid Yuán Shí actually joined in, smiling as he said, "Your Majesty, what are you afraid of? Did that backbone you showed at morning court vanish so quickly?"
I seriously suspect the two of them were sent by the heavens to punish me. They aren't here to assist me; they're here to hold me back.
A moment later, Mùróng Zhuó gave a slow smile and said, "Your Majesty, no need to be afraid. Lord Xuē Shào is an elder who used to serve under my father. The reason he dared to speak to Your Majesty like that in court today was because he was acting on my instructions."
"What?" I nearly tumbled out of my seat. Mùróng Zhuó actually set a trap for me and even had someone openly challenge my imperial majesty!
Mùróng Zhuó bowed again quite politely, the smile on his face blossoming like a flower in spring. The temptation of this face of his was simply too much for me to handle.
"Calm your wrath, Your Majesty! I only did this to test whether Your Majesty has truly lost your memory."
"You, you... Fine. I'll ask you now: did your test yield any definitive answers?" I was both furious and helpless. Who told him to have a face so similar to my boyfriend from my past life? I'll endure it, I'll endure it, endure... activating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle supreme incantation!