【Holy sh*t! Host! Big gossip! Earth-shattering gossip!】
【This system tried scanning the relationship web of these two people, and—】
The system paused for a moment, then continued:
【The superior of Official Zhang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Qian Feng… is in love with his subordinate!】
【Yes, Zhang Weili! And he’s been in love with him for over ten years!】
Silence.
The entire Golden Throne Hall felt like someone had hit the mute button.
The officials who were just quietly “chatting among themselves” froze instantly.
Stunned.
Speechless.
A few elderly ministers even doubted their own ears and scratched at them.
In… in love?
Vice Minister Qian Feng?
In love with Zhang Weili… for ten years?!
The jade pendant in Feng Zeyuan’s hand nearly slipped out.
【What the hell?!】
【Did I hear that wrong? Isn’t this direction a bit too wild?!】
【Did flattery feel so good it bent the boss?!】
This was absurdity calling its absurdity mother home—absurd to the extreme.
On the high platform.
Emperor Xiao Juechen nearly slipped off his dragon throne.
He quickly grabbed the armrest just in time to steady himself.
Front row.
The Third Princess was pinching the Crown Prince’s arm so hard that he almost screamed.
The Crown Prince was grimacing in pain, but he didn’t care—his face was written with pure excitement: “I’m witnessing peak gossip!”
WHOOSH—
Hundreds of gazes shot simultaneously toward Qian Feng.
Qian Feng, a man in his forties, usually stern, rigid, and unsmiling.
At this moment, his face turned red at a visible speed.
From his neck all the way to the top of his head.
Like a boiled shrimp.
Under the piercing gazes of the court officials, he lowered his head in panic, nervously twisting the sleeve of his official robe.
That shy, flustered, helpless look…
Confirmed.
Zhang Weili’s breathing quickened.
All those “care and promotion” he once thought were just superior treating subordinate kindly…
All those “unexpected promotions” he thought were due to his good flattery…
All those inexplicably generous treatments…
So it was all…
His mind flashed through countless memories.
Qian Feng always looked at him a few seconds longer than others.
Qian Feng remembered what tea he liked and would “accidentally” brew extra to send him.
When he was sick, Qian Feng even personally went to invite imperial physicians…
Zhang Weili felt his scalp go numb and a chill run down his back.
The system’s tone shifted from teasing to rare seriousness.
【This is not purely romantic love.】
【More accurately… he lacks emotional nourishment.】
Qian Feng suddenly lifted his head.
A glimmer of hope appeared in his otherwise despairing eyes.
So… he wasn’t some shameful deviant?
The crowd also froze.
There’s more to this?
【From a psychological perspective, his core issue is unmet “need for respect.”】
Need for respect?
The officials looked confused.
Even Emperor Xiao Juechen leaned forward slightly, curiosity piqued.
【Qian Feng came from a noble background, but his talents were mediocre.】
【Since childhood, he grew up under his father’s suppression and his mother’s neglect, leading to deep inferiority.】
【His colleagues were polite on the surface, but privately looked down on him, believing he only held his position because of his family.】
The system’s voice was like a surgical blade, dissecting the rotten flesh beneath his polished exterior.
Qian Feng’s breathing grew rapid.
【Only Zhang Weili constantly managed to notice his “strengths” from strange angles and praised him sincerely.】
【Making him feel respected and acknowledged.】
Qian Feng trembled violently.
Yes!
That feeling!
His father never affirmed him, his peers never truly acknowledged him.
Only Zhang Weili looked at him with such sincere admiration, praising him.
It nourished his withered heart.
That feeling of being admired, needed—it gave him unprecedented self-worth.
【So this intense emotional dependency… he misinterpreted it as love?!】
Feng Zeyuan finally understood.
【So that’s it!】
【This guy didn’t fall in love with Zhang Weili.】
【He fell in love with the version of himself that only existed when he was with Zhang Weili—the version that felt respected, admired, and all-powerful!】
She delivered the final verdict.
Qian Feng stood frozen.
It was as if the system had unlocked his fogged mind with a key.
Yes.
What he liked… might really just be the feeling of being respected.
Once he became lucid, all that remained was overwhelming embarrassment.
The court officials also began to understand.
So this was not deviant desire, but a kind of “mutual understanding fixation”!
Their gazes toward Qian Feng shifted from contempt to pity.
But…
So flattery could have such terrifying effects?
Many officials silently glanced at their subordinates.
The subordinates all stared blankly.
Ah… they were not worthy.
【So, in order to keep this “respect-satisfying praise machine” by his side…】
【He married his own sister off to Zhang Weili, forming a tightly bound relationship.】
Zhang Weili’s mood became extremely complicated.
So after all this…
He was just a tool?
【Host! Before marrying, Zhang Weili even told his wife honestly that he had someone in his heart.】
【At least he has some conscience.】
Feng Zeyuan commented.
【At that time, his wife—Qian Wan’er, Qian Feng’s sister—also generously said she had someone she liked too.】
【So she didn’t mind her husband having a “white moonlight.”】
This revelation struck Qian Feng like a bolt of lightning.
His sister had someone she liked?
How did he not know?!
【And the shocking part is—】
【The “someone she liked” was actually her own brother, Qian Feng!】
Another massive twist!
Qian Feng completely froze.
His sister… liked him?
His vision went dark.
His mind went completely blank.
The entire court no longer knew what expression to wear.
This was beyond chaotic.
【But this still isn’t love.】
The system delivered another decisive judgment.
【Qian Feng’s sister also grew up in an emotionally deprived environment.】
【Her brother was her only protector in childhood.】
【So her feelings are a mix of dependency and admiration mistaken for love.】
The officials nodded again.
So this brother-sister pair shared the same tragedy.
Feng Zeyuan asked:
【Then Zhang Weili is just pleasing his superior out of incompetence, right?】
The system immediately confirmed.
【Correct. His ability is average. His rise is largely due to Qian Feng’s support.】
【And most of his business ventures are loss-making.】
Feng Zeyuan reasoned further:
【So his attraction to a capable woman like Qian Yiran is just admiration of strength.】
【Exactly! Host, you nailed it!】
“Admiration of strength?”
The officials repeated the phrase, finding it increasingly reasonable.
Feng Zeyuan finally organized the chaos in her mind.
【Got it! This entire family has completely distorted emotional perception!】
【They should all go back to the factory for a reboot!】
That final line made the tension in the hall suddenly shift into suppressed laughter.
Yes.
The brother mistook flattery for love.
The sister mistook dependence for love.
The subordinate mistook admiration for love.
This wasn’t romance.
It was emotional hallucination born from inner lack.
Qian Feng was overwhelmed with shame, drained of all strength.
Zhang Weili slowly came to realization.
Looking at his superior, then thinking of his wife at home…
Had he truly never understood his own heart in forty years?
The court was still processing the shocking wave of gossip.
Not only was it exciting—it was strangely thought-provoking.
【So system, what kind of feeling actually counts as love?】
Feng Zeyuan asked curiously.
【Love? You’ve asked the wrong system, host. I’m just a gossip machine without emotions.】
The system rarely dodged.
【But I can still show you one “officially classified as love” case.】
Its tone shifted again, excited.
【Right here in this hall—there is still one!】
【A feeling that the system classifies as pure love!】
【And it’s also unrequited love!】
The moment it was said—
The entire hall, just beginning to relax, tensed up again.
There’s more?!
And this time… “pure love” certified by the system?!
Not dependence!
Not admiration!
Not ambition!
True love!
Everyone held their breath.
Who could it be?
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