On the Golden Throne Hall.
The past story of Wang Dehai drew sighs of emotion from the crowd.
Many sensitive civil officials were still quietly wiping away tears.
However, the system’s notification sounded like an emotionless transition machine.
It forcibly dragged the atmosphere from a “melodrama” straight into a “sitcom.”
Upon hearing it, the civil and military officials’ eyes lit up instantly.
Sorrow?
That didn’t exist.
Gossip was the true nature of humanity!
Feng Zexuan adjusted her stance, her interest fully piqued, continuing the thought in her mind.
“So? That brat Xiao Mingyu is finally willing to come back?”
“I’ve already been made a prince for so long, and he’s only now slowly dragging himself back to the capital.”
“When I was in the northern desert, I repeatedly told him to hurry up and come to court as the king of the tributary state ‘Tingxia Kingdom’ to officially confirm the vassal relationship.”
“This efficiency… is he a turtle or what?”
The system calmly explained, even showing a hint of sympathy for the overworked.
“Host, you really can’t blame him.”
“After the locust disaster in the northern desert, a heavy snow sealed the mountains. Everything was in ruins and had to be rebuilt from scratch.”
“He had just ascended the throne, and everything—inside and out—was chaos.”
“Pacifying the nomads, rebuilding tents, counting cattle and sheep, planning agriculture…”
“This system detected that he lost a full ten jin in these two months!”
“Only after Tingxia Kingdom stabilized did he dare to set out.”
“Ten jin?” Feng Zexuan’s tone turned playful.
“Looks like being a king isn’t easy. That kid really went through a ‘transformation show’.”
Several old ministers couldn’t help but curl their lips.
Serves him right!
Instead of being a proper prince, he insisted on running off to some barren land.
Several generals exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.
What luck.
Truly incredible luck.
Change identity—and he even got a throne out of it.
On the dragon throne, Emperor Xiao Juechen rubbed his forehead.
I… almost forgot I still have this unfilial son.
Lost weight?
Good.
Serves you right!
Weren’t you enjoying luxury in the palace before? Now you finally know what hardship feels like.
But when he heard that the useless son had actually governed the country in an orderly manner…
Even this old father felt a trace of long-lost comfort.
Whatever the case, it was still better than loafing around in the capital.
Feng Zexuan sneered inwardly.
“Hahaha!”
“Among all these civil and military officials, probably only me and Old Xiao know that Xiao Mingyu is the king of Tingxia Kingdom.”
“When he comes back, they’ll definitely not recognize him.”
“They’ll only treat him as a newly arrived small vassal king.”
“Just imagining that scene is hilarious.”
The officials maintained calm expressions, showing no reaction at all.
They lowered their gazes and held their breath, desperately suppressing their excitement.
In truth, they already knew everything!
The Minister of Personnel Wang and General Li of the Imperial Guard felt a tightness in their chests.
That scandal from their households…
Wasn’t it spread from their families in the first place?
Thoughts swirled wildly among the court officials.
But Feng Zexuan had already shifted topics again.
“By the way, system!”
“The real one is back—so what about that fake second prince still occupying the second prince’s mansion?”
“That Huyan·Agula… what did Old Xiao do with him?”
“The second prince’s residence has been tightly sealed lately—can’t even a fly get out.”
“Don’t tell me he was quietly sent off with a cup of poisoned wine?”
As soon as this was said,
Minister Wang and General Li’s faces turned darker than a pot bottom.
That Xiongnu barbarian!
He stole their concubines and branded them with shame they could never erase!
If he died like that, it would be too easy for him!
Emperor Xiao Juechen glanced downward.
Death?
Such a release—I would never grant it so easily.
The system spoke excitedly, like someone enjoying a show.
“Host, you underestimate His Majesty’s darkness!”
“He has placed Huyan·Agula under house arrest in the second prince’s residence under the name of ‘convalescence.’”
“You see, the real prince is far away.”
“So there still needs to be someone occupying the position of the second prince.”
“Otherwise, the maternal clan of the second prince would cause chaos.”
“So this substitute continues to play the role of ‘second prince’.”
“Only under strict imperial surveillance.”
In the ranks, the second prince’s maternal uncle, Minister Chen, blinked.
Cause chaos?
Now that the real heir had become a king abroad…
Their Chen family was too happy to even complain.
“Oh, so he’s imprisoned then.”
Feng Zexuan sounded amused.
“Then there’s nothing left to gossip about?”
“There’s plenty!” the system said excitedly.
“Huyan·Agula, even while imprisoned, hasn’t changed his nature of loving food and especially married women!”
“Before his confinement, he used the second prince identity to forcibly take two beautiful concubines from Minister Wang and General Li!”
Their faces turned green with rage and humiliation again.
“After being confined, he never stepped outside.”
“But he shifted all his energy into life inside the mansion.”
“The original eight concubines of the second prince’s residence, plus the two newly taken—ten in total—served him quite comfortably.”
“He even hired six top chefs from various restaurants to cook new dishes every day!”
Feng Zexuan clicked her tongue in amazement.
“Good grief… is this house arrest?”
“This is basically retirement life in advance!”
“No early court, no political work.”
“Eat, sleep, repeat.”
“And ten beauties keeping him company…”
“Isn’t this life way too comfortable?”
A few faint sighs echoed through the hall.
Many officials unconsciously touched their waists, recalling the exhaustion of early morning court duty.
Even Emperor Xiao Juechen, who reviewed memorials late into the night, felt a subtle imbalance.
Then he thought of his useless son Xiao Mingyu again.
Going to the northern desert to eat sand, fight locusts, and do hard labor…
Suddenly, he felt—
His own son… seemed to have lost.
At that moment, the system suddenly shifted tone.
“Host, this is only the beginning!”
“At first, those ten beauties were still reserved.”
“But Agula—strong build, abs, and quite charming…”
“You know how it goes.”
“Once tasted, it becomes addictive.”
“Later, those women looked at him like wolves seeing sheep.”
“And since he always satisfied their requests…”
“They learned to demand more in return.”
“At first, Agula thought he had fallen into paradise.”
“After all, besides eating, he loved women—especially married ones.”
“But slowly…”
“The once-mighty Xiongnu prince…”
“He… started to lose it.”
“Pfft—!”
Xiao Mingxuan, the crown prince, almost burst out laughing.
“L-lost it?”
Minister Wang and General Li buried their heads even lower, nails digging into their palms.
Stop talking about it!
This is the Golden Throne Hall!
Have some mercy!
Feng Zexuan was laughing internally.
“Hahahahaha!”
“What a workload! Even an iron man can’t handle that!”
“He thought he entered heaven…”
“Turns out it was a spider’s nest!”
The entire hall struggled to suppress laughter, faces red with effort.
Minister Wang and General Li exchanged complicated looks.
They felt vindicated—but also… like the green on their heads had deepened even more.
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