Meng Huan looked sharply at the young boy beside him.
"This little brat is the little emperor who was seduced by Lin Bozhou and turned into a useless puppet?"
He showed a surprised expression while Emperor Xuanhe, feeling good about himself, raised his hand and said, "It's okay if you didn't recognize me. After all, I've always been unconventional and fond of unusual strategies. No need to be surprised."
"......."
Is the unusual strategy you're talking about referring to being afraid to jump off the wall? Meng Huan thought this in her mind, pursed her lips, but didn't say it out loud.
The young emperor stood proudly, saying, "No need to kneel either. Since you're my brother's concubine, we're family as well."
"..." Meng Huan: Okay, understood.
Emperor Xuanhe pretended to walk with solemnity. "I intended to charge you with the crime of deceiving the emperor, but since you led me to find my brother, I'll let it go."
The little brat gestured and walked step by step toward Lin Bozhou. "Brother, you've secluded yourself and haven't come to the court for several days. I missed you, so I had to come personally."
After all, he had sneaked out of the palace without permission. His voice couldn't hide his guilt. He glanced at the people kneeling on the ground and thought to himself, "Is your idea of an unusual strategy not daring to climb down from the wall?" He pursed his lips and didn't say it out loud.
The unexpected thing was that none of the ministers in front of the Wang residence dared to stand up.
Their heads seemed even lower, fearing Lin Bozhou's icy and murderous gaze.
Yesterday, the emperor cried bitterly in the Golden Phoenix Hall and said he wanted to find the regent king. The eunuchs, court officials, and ministers all advised against it. But who would have thought that today, he would change into eunuch's attire and have a few little eunuchs help him slip out of the palace!
What on earth was he doing?! Some emperors would rarely leave the palace in their lifetime, and each time they did, they would be accompanied by hundreds or thousands of guards, fearing the slightest mistake!
If he casually encountered any problems while leaving the palace, resulting in death or injury, the collapse of the emperor, who was the center of the state's system, would trigger a political upheaval. It would affect the promotion of officials and involve the interests and safety of countless people!
Emperor Xuanhe knew he was at fault and apologized, "Brother, I know I was wrong."
Lin Bozhou's face turned dark, and an intense stormy aura surrounded him. His handsome face was filled with gloom and irritability. The suppressed low-pressure made the emperor tremble in fear.
He had heard that the emperor had come to the Wang residence without permission, and he had hurriedly searched for him, resulting in sweat all over his body. Now that it had cooled down and the wind blew, it felt icy cold.
But no matter how cold it was outside, it couldn't compare to the coldness in his heart. The emperor was so childish, ignorant of the overall situation, and failed to fulfill his duties as an emperor. What was the point?
This was a slap to the faces of the court officials who received Confucian ritual education.
Lin Bozhou's eyelashes drooped, and a cold light spread. He spoke in a suppressed calm tone, saying, "Your Majesty is not wrong."
This sentence was like a thunderbolt, leaving Emperor Xuanhe wide-eyed in astonishment.
After
a brief pause, Lin Bozhou's tone slowed down. "The ones who are wrong are the eunuchs who gave advice to Your Majesty, the relaxed Jinwu Guards, the Imperial Forest Army that opened the palace gates, and this group of negligent ministers. The fault lies not with Your Majesty but with the deceitful provocateurs."
His gaze swept over the people kneeling on the ground.
Everyone's cold sweat was flowing, desperately swallowing their saliva.
The mention of deceitful provocateurs felt like a slap to Emperor Xuanhe's face. "The idea was mine, not theirs—"
Lin Bozhou lifted his robe sleeve and knelt down on both knees. "No, there is also a mistake made by this humble official."
Emperor Xuanhe: "........"
Meng Huan: "........"
Lin Bozhou actually kneeled down?
This influential power figure who could twist the emperor's head off with just one hand in the book, he actually kneeled down?
Shouldn't he be reprimanding the emperor for his wrongdoing, confining him within the palace, or even giving him a few slaps?
Meng Huan realized that something was not right with the situation and quietly retreated to lower her own presence.
Emperor Xuanhe was extremely shocked by this unexpected turn of events. "Why are you kneeling, Brother? Please get up!"
Lin Bozhou had the privilege of not kneeling when meeting the emperor, a privilege that only two people had enjoyed since the founding of the nation. This showed how highly Lin Bozhou was regarded in Emperor Xuanhe's heart and how important he was to him.
Setting aside their emperor-subject relationship, Emperor Xuanhe was a sensitive, delicate, and somewhat fragile young boy. He became emperor at the age of seven, surrounded by courtiers loyal and treacherous, with wolves lurking in every corner. There wasn't a single person he could see through or defeat among them. All those who flattered him did so for the sake of the power he held, except for Lin Bozhou...
His elder brother... who genuinely supported him.
Emperor Xuanhe had always treated Lin Bozhou as his only pillar of support and as the closest person to him.
He would follow his advice obediently and even for trivial matters, he would ask for Lin Bozhou's opinion. If Lin Bozhou didn't stand by his side during court sessions, he would be so frightened by the court officials that his voice would tremble.
But now, Lin Bozhou was kneeling on the ground, and no matter how hard Emperor Xuanhe tried, he couldn't help him up. His knees felt as heavy as iron, and he spoke slowly and with emphasis, "Today, all the eunuchs serving Your Majesty, the on-duty Jinwu Guards, and the Imperial Forest Army guarding the palace gates will be sent to the Northern Garrison and executed by the cruelest methods, their heads displayed as a warning to others."
Emperor Xuanhe's face turned pale, and his pupils dilated. "Brother!"
There might be his favorite eunuch in there!
"Your Majesty, it is I who failed to properly assist you, leading to Your Majesty's unchanged whims and private ventures out of the palace, nearly causing a major catastrophe that would shake the foundation of the country. I request Your Majesty to punish me with fifty strikes and dismiss..."
Lin Bozhou was about to scold him, but instead of scolding, Lin Bozhou actually said he wanted to resign and even offered to be beaten by him?!
Emperor Xuanhe knew that his brother was furious, and after a scream, he burst into tears. "Brother, I was wrong! It's my fault! Ahhhhh..."
The Emperor cried bitterly, just like a child.
Meanwhile, Lin Bozhou knelt on the ground, with a calm expression and an indescribable icy oppression in his eyes.
Although he was kneeling, his posture was straight, and everyone knew he was the one in control.
Help...
Meng Huan finally understood how Lin Bozhou used PUA tactics.
It was truly terrifying.
For a child who lacked a sense of security, the cruelest thing was to be abandoned!
Meng Huan knew this feeling all too well from his own experiences, and his face turned pale as he empathized with the situation. Emperor Xuanhe hugged Lin Bozhou tightly and sobbed uncontrollably.
Outside the palace gates, the courtiers were also in tears.
Someone saw through Lin Bozhou's manipulative tactics and couldn't help but straighten their back, their expression filled with pain and anger. "How can the prince deceive the emperor like this—"
Emperor Xuanhe turned his head and shouted furiously, "Shut up! Who are you? Drag him down and execute him!"
The courtiers' faces were filled with sorrow. "Your Majesty—"
In the past, Meng Huan couldn't understand the relationship between emperors and officials in ancient times. The relationship between them was ambiguous, filled with affection, like that of a husband and wife or father and son. If one wanted to become a respected official, they had to worry for the emperor and protect the emperor's reputation, even if they were misunderstood by the emperor, they should remain loyal even in the face of death. That was the character of a loyal official.
"Enough! Enough! All of you, shut up! Brother, please don't leave!" Emperor Xuanhe waved his dragon robe. "It was him who manipulated me, who gave me terrible ideas. Brother, kill him!"
Eunuch: "..."
Emperor Xuanhe frantically admitted his mistakes, crying and causing a scene. Lin Bozhou's expression finally eased, and he raised his hand, gently pressing Emperor Xuanhe's shoulder. "Your Majesty, we must maintain decorum."
This sentence proved that Lin Bozhou still recognized him as the emperor.
That meant he would not leave.
"I understand."
Emperor Xuanhe quickly knelt upright, with a solemn expression, but his eyes were still red and tears kept flowing.
After a long while, Lin Bozhou finally announced the end of this power struggle with the emperor.
"It's over. It's all right now."
He stood up, and if someone didn't know any better, they would think he was the emperor. He tidied his scarlet royal robes meticulously, lowered his gaze, and wiped the bloodstains from his fingertips.
Unintentionally, he turned his head and saw Meng Huan hiding behind the shade of a tree, his face pale, his gaze fixed on Lin Bozhou.
"..."
Meng Huan was
frightened, gripping the tree branch tightly, his shoulders slightly trembling. He dared not move, watching the scene with bated breath, his lips tightly pressed together. His pupils slightly dilated, still harboring the lingering fear.
Lin Bozhou's fingers paused for a moment, and he averted his gaze. Emperor Xuanhe, with teary eyes, said, "Elder Brother, can't we spare this eunuch? He plays Go very well, and he's the little eunuch I've liked the most recently."
Lin Bozhou looked at the small eunuch who had knocked his head and was covered in blood.
"No."
"Elder Brother, I really know I was wrong."
Lin Bozhou's expression turned serious. "I've said it before, Your Majesty is not wrong. The pivot of Your Majesty's supreme power, the word 'power' is not wrong. Only those who attempt to gain power will make mistakes."
Emperor Xuanhe stood frozen in place, unable to determine whether he was right or wrong.
His elder brother, in his eyes, was too intelligent, too perfect. In front of him, any of his own thoughts would appear childish and foolish.
"Elder Brother..."
"The handling of these people is not something I can interfere with. The people in the palace should be dealt with by the Supervisor of the Imperial Household and the eunuchs under his command."
Emperor Xuanhe looked somewhat disappointed.
—The Supervisor of the Imperial Household is also under his elder brother's command.
At this point, Emperor Xuanhe knew that the life of this little eunuch couldn't be saved. He sighed, "Fine. Elder Brother, since there's nothing else, shall we play a game of Go?"
"According to the time, Your Majesty should be studying in the study room, not playing Go," Lin Bozhou's voice was cold.
Emperor Xuanhe wore a dejected expression and nodded. "Then I'll go back." After walking a few steps, he remembered something. "When will Elder Brother return to the court?"
"When my eye ailment is cured, I will return."
Emperor Xuanhe's eyes lit up, showing a relieved expression. "Good."
The emperor left. The people in the palace came out, carrying buckets to wash away the bloodstains on the ground.
The tension on Meng Huan's back disappeared, and he realized his legs had gone weak. He released the branch and slowly lowered his head.
The power-hungry ministers you thought of: openly scolding the emperor and not caring about his authority.
The real power-hungry ministers: loyal and respectful to the emperor, but a single word makes the emperor's legs tremble.
It was truly terrifying. If he were to face Lin Bozhou as an opponent, he probably wouldn't survive even a chapter.
Choosing to obey him was indeed the right path... Meng Huan was lost in thought when a voice sounded ahead, "Come here."
Lin Bozhou's deep voice.
Knowing that he was being called, Meng Huan stumbled and walked towards him, unconsciously nervous and fidgeting with his fingers.
"Have you had breakfast?"
Meng Huan smelled the scent of blood on him and lowered his head. "Yes."
It was a bit puzzling how he could act as if nothing had happened right after doing something bad.
"Good," Lin Bozhou looked at the bloodstains on his clothes and frowned. "Come here and help me change and bathe."
After walking a few steps, the young man behind him lowered his head and moved a bit slowly. He couldn't keep up with his pace, as if he had been too frightened.
Lin Bozhou turned his face. "Scared?"
Meng Huan grabbed his hair but remained silent.
He remembered from the book that no matter how well the original owner was treated, he still had to run away. Lin Bozhou would never have his heart.
Why
was that? Lin Bozhou had a sinister personality, and people tend to lean towards the light. Being by the side of someone dark and gloomy, he would worry that one day he would be consumed by his darkness.
He was malevolent and cruel, killing anyone who touched his reverse scale. Would there come a day when he accidentally made a mistake and had his head chopped off?
Thinking about this, Meng Huan felt a sense of powerlessness as if his marrow had been drawn out. He stared blankly at his back and, for the first time, felt extremely bold to stay by his side.
Will he harm me?
Even though I've been obedient and well-behaved, will he still harm me?
"Speak."
His jaw was held up by Lin Bozhou's finger.
Before him were a pair of clean and clear eyes, somewhat innocent and confused. They were as moist as a lake under the gentle breeze of a sunny day in March, unlike his own eyes, which were deep and difficult to fathom.
Meng Huan stumbled as he spoke, nodding, "Um."
His voice was hesitant, admitting.
"You're scared."
With reddened eyes, he added, "Scared badly."
The sun was shining, and Lin Bozhou's heart was calm. The smoke and the desire for killing had settled in his veins. "Scared badly, what should we do?"
A slightly cool breeze swept by.
Meng Huan turned his head, looking at him. His voice trembled as he choked, "Can you not harm me?"