LOT – Chapter 3 Tsk tsk tsk, I’ve never seen such a poor emperor! Even his underwear has been patched three times

Lin Mo wasn’t paying attention to anyone else’s reaction at all. She was starving, sleepy, and now being fed juicy gossip—she had no mental bandwidth left to care about anything else.

The system cheerfully announced: [Your emperor is seriously poor! Don’t let his fancy outerwear fool you—his underwear is full of holes. It’s already been patched three times!]

Lin Mo was stunned for a second before bursting into uncontrollable laughter in her mind: [Hahahahahaha! So poor! No wonder the emperor always hands out plaques as rewards. I used to think he was being cultured and refined, but it turns out he’s just broke!]

Her laughter seemed to echo all around the hall, reverberating in everyone’s ears. The word “poor” struck like a drumbeat, thumping heavily on every official’s head.

Especially the Emperor—his ears were practically glowing red.

Minister Lin was now silently pondering how best to prepare their entire family’s burial. But looking at the situation, it was more likely they’d just end up lying dead in the wild somewhere.

Emperor Xuande’s mouth twitched, and even his thick-skinned face was starting to flush.

How in the world did that system know about his underwear? And more importantly, how could that Lin girl not feel the slightest bit embarrassed upon hearing it?

Down below, the Crown Prince, Second Prince, and Third Prince were all shooting their father some strange looks. They hadn’t realized things were so rough for him…

The officials all looked at the Emperor with eyes full of sympathy. So it wasn’t fake after all—His Majesty was actually poor, to the point where even his underwear was falling apart!

Emperor Xuande was getting goosebumps from all their bizarre glances. Why the heck were they all looking at him like that all of a sudden?!

Wasn’t his “poverty” just because the national treasury was empty? He even had to supplement it with his own money!

It’s not like he had any other income—of course he had to cut back on himself!

The system continued: [But your emperor is truly a good one. He might be a bit poor, but in all other aspects, he’s excellent—much better than the emperors I’ve seen before.]

Lin Mo responded proudly: [Of course! Our emperor even allows women to take the imperial examinations and become officials. That level of open-mindedness isn’t something ordinary people can reach.]

Emperor Xuande was a little elated by the praise. It seemed this “Tongzi” had seen quite a few emperors. It must be some sort of spirit or magical being. If even it said he was better than the rest, that meant he really wasn’t doing a bad job at all.

The system continued listing examples of muddle-headed and foolish emperors. Lin Mo was utterly captivated as she listened, and the rest of the court officials—including the emperor—were also drawn in.

Their voices gradually quieted, and the atmosphere in the court lightened considerably. Everyone was listening to the gossip from the system while simultaneously discussing national affairs—multitasking like this was oddly thrilling.

Suddenly, a minister stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the heir of Prince Qi is abusing his status—seizing women, taking over farmlands, and even killing innocent people. This cannot be tolerated!”

Another chimed in, “Yes, Your Majesty! Even royalty must obey the law. The actions of Prince Qi’s heir are simply outrageous!”

Lin Mo’s interest was piqued, and the system also perked up to listen. Now that Lin Mo and the system were silent, the two ministers began to elaborate.

“Your Majesty, Prince Qi’s heir is arrogant and lawless in the capital. Countless people have suffered because of him. This document details his numerous offenses. Please have a look.”

A memorial was handed up. Emperor Xuande’s face grew darker as he read it.

“Outrageous!”

The emperor roared, and everyone immediately dropped to their knees.

Lin Mo, caught off guard, didn’t kneel in time—fortunately, Minister Li reacted quickly and kicked her down.

Lin Mo lay flat on the floor, full of silent complaint: […Couldn’t you have just pulled me down? Was kicking really necessary?!]

The officials standing behind them struggled to hold back laughter, their lips twitching uncontrollably. Hold it in—we’re still in court!

The emperor was about to launch into a furious tirade, but Lin Mo’s comedic timing nearly killed the momentum.

The tense atmosphere that had just built up instantly evaporated.

Minister Lin was starting to feel faint from stress. Those beside him quickly supported him, their eyes full of pity. Having a daughter like this is truly a cruel twist of fate.

Then a voice spoke: “Your Majesty, the heir of Prince Qi is his only son. Back then, Prince Qi was wounded defending the frontier, and his injuries later relapsed, leading to his unfortunate death. I believe his only remaining heir should be handled with care—lest we discourage the morale of our border troops.”

As soon as the Protector General of National Defense spoke, everyone’s expressions shifted —even the emperor’s.

Lin Mo, still looking down, silently rolled her eyes: [To punish a criminal, we have to worry about all that? What a joke.]

The Protector General’s face immediately darkened. But others seemed relieved, and the emperor’s expression also softened slightly.

The Protector General glared coldly at Lin Mo. The Crown Prince and Second Prince subtly moved to block his view.

Hmph! This empire belongs to the emperor and the people—not to Prince Qi! That Lin girl was right. Why should we hesitate to punish someone clearly in the wrong?

Lin Mo remained blissfully unaware of the undercurrents swirling around the court. She was far too chill for that.

Suddenly, the system blurted out: [Pfft! Died from an old injury? He died in a woman’s bed, that’s what!]

That line nearly made everyone in the hall collectively suck in a cold breath.

Even the emperor shifted in his seat, as if trying to move a little closer to listen better.

Because the official story was that Prince Qi had died from old battle wounds, the emperor had always treated the Qi household generously—after all, Prince Qi had supposedly been wounded defending the borders.

But if that wasn’t true… if he hadn’t died from battle injuries, then the Qi family’s years of favor were all built on a lie. The thought of having been tricked by a dead man made the emperor feel like his head was about to explode.

Lin Mo was extremely curious too: [Tongzi, give me all the details. What exactly happened?]

The Protector General’s face had turned a terrifying shade of black. He tried to approach Lin Mo, but with just one look from the emperor, the two nearby military officers pulled him back. The civil officials in front quickly closed ranks to block him.

To avoid tipping Lin Mo off that everyone was secretly eavesdropping, they pretended to continue discussing matters—only in much quieter voices now.

After organizing the facts, the system began to explain: [This Protector General used to be one of Prince Qi’s subordinates. It was Prince Qi who promoted him. Their relationship… wasn’t exactly simple.]

Lin Mo: [Gasp! So scandalous!]

Emperor and ministers: Gasp! So scandalous!

The system continued: [On the surface, Prince Qi was stationed at the border, but he spent most of his time there drinking and womanizing. The real one fighting battles and guarding the frontier was Prince Xin. His leg was injured in battle.]

Prince Xin… The emperor’s eyes flickered. He had never paid much attention to this younger brother. Quiet, low-profile, always following Prince Qi around. Later, when Prince Qi claimed Prince Xin had hurt his leg in a fall, Prince Xin returned to the capital and rarely left his estate.

If Prince Qi had truly done all those things, then it needed to be announced to the world. After all these years of suffering, Prince Xin deserved proper recognition.

The system wasn’t done: [Prince Qi’s poor health had nothing to do with war injuries—it was due to excessive indulgence. And he wasn’t picky about gender. When the Protector General was young and handsome, Prince Qi took him as well.]

Everyone’s gaze toward the Protector General changed instantly. Who would’ve thought that this seemingly upright and tough man had that kind of past?

_{Ohh what a gossip. I am squirming in my seat to listen more.}