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Warm breath sprayed onto my neck.

It tickled.

In a daze, I felt a pair of hands suddenly wrap around my waist.

A black snake slowly devoured me, a little white mouse.

“Your Majesty, do you think brotherly friendship can change?”

“Brother! Brother Huo Liang, long time no see!”

The next day, I received news that my imperial sister, Princess An Yang, had finally returned to the palace.

An Yang never liked staying in the palace since she was young, always sneaking out. Now that I have ascended to the throne, she’s become even more brazen, wandering among the common people and refusing to return.

“I heard, Brother, you and Brother Huo Liang are living together? Where is Brother Huo Liang now?”

An Yang, still as mischievous as always, managed to choke me with just one sentence.

“The Regent has gone to the Ministry of Revenue for some matters.”

An Yang pouted. “Such a pity. I brought a gift for both of you.”

I was curious. “What is it?”

Blushing, An Yang handed me a book. “Good thing I prepared two copies, one for Brother, and one for Brother Huo Liang.”

I casually opened a page and was immediately greeted by an indecent illustration of two men entwined together.

I hurriedly closed the book in fright.

“Why is Brother so shy? I carefully selected this one.”

Not wanting to dampen An Yang’s enthusiasm, I opened it again.

“The autumn moonlight through the window, the candle extinguished, the dragon robes undone, with a smile behind the bed curtain, a fragrant body embracing me.”

“Too weak to move a wrist, shy and coquettish, beads of sweat like pearls, hair in a disheveled mess.”

My face flushed bright red.

What kind of gift is this?!

An Yang retorted, “This is my best-selling book!”

She wrote this?

I was so angry I couldn’t even form a complete sentence. “You, you… How dare you! Do you know this could get your entire family executed?”

An Yang blinked. “Which is why only I could write it. Brother wouldn’t want to execute my entire family, right?”

“Don’t worry, the money I make from selling the books, aside from a bit for my own efforts, goes straight into the treasury.”

“Brother is still so easy to tease, no fun. I’m going to find Brother Huo Liang and give him his gift.”

“Hey, don’t—”

I seriously read through the book.

Finally, I understood what Minister Gu meant by “the fondness of Long Yang.”

That evening, the Regent returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

I cautiously probed, “Did you receive An Yang’s gift?”

“I did.”

My heart tightened. “Did you open it?”

“Not yet.”

I let out a long sigh of relief. “In that case, as a friendly suggestion, I advise you not to read it.”

Huo Liang seemed to remember something and took out a book titled Handsome Young Lord, The General’s Heart’s Treasure, frowning as he read a line:

“Hair adorned with golden pins, in a warm lotus tent through the spring night, the spring night is too short, and thus the emperor no longer attends morning court.”

The Regent fell silent.

Oh no!

The Regent continued reading without a word.

After a long pause, Huo Liang suddenly turned back, looking at me with an unreadable expression, his Adam’s apple bobbing:

“The character in this book, he resembles Your Majesty quite a bit.”

I felt my whole body heating up, and a faint ache began in my lower back.

“It’s just nonsense An Yang made up. I don’t have any fondness for Long Yang.”

Huo Liang stepped closer. “Then why is Your Majesty’s face flushed, and why is your breath so warm?”

His large hand suddenly rested on my waist. “Your waist is quite soft, Your Majesty.”

I suddenly felt something wrong with my body.

No way. Do I really have a fondness for Long Yang?

Outside the hall, the voice of an anxious eunuch could be heard.

“Your Majesty, the ministers request an audience!”

Huo Liang released me, donned his robe, his expression turning serious. “It’s about the border situation.”

I followed Huo Liang out of the hall.

“Your Majesty, urgent war reports from the frontier!”

We’ve suffered continuous defeats at the border, and Mo Bei’s invasions are becoming more aggressive. The situation is dire, and there’s no general in the palace capable of leading troops.

The Regent personally requested to lead the troops into battle.

“Your Majesty, I am the most suitable candidate.”

The Mo Bei forces are fierce, and this battle carries great danger.

Even though my heart was filled with a million reasons to refuse, when I saw Huo Liang’s determined expression, I suddenly understood.

Huo Liang longs for the battlefield more than the court.

“When the Regent returns, I will clear the Huo family’s name.”

That night, Huo Liang set off with his troops to the border.

After the Regent left, the court became restless.

My trust in the Regent had already sparked dissatisfaction among the ministers. Now that the Regent was gone, the ministers repeatedly petitioned.

“Your Majesty, I believe this is an opportunity to weaken the Regent and regain your freedom.”

“Your Majesty, the Regent has ambitions for the throne. If he returns victorious, his popularity among the people will rise, and that will not be in Your Majesty’s favor.”

“The rumors among the people about Your Majesty and the Regent have damaged the dignity of the royal family. Please, Your Majesty, dispel the rumors and eliminate the traitors.”

…

“Ministers, the Regent is fighting for the nation. I cannot betray him.”

“If supplies are delayed and the Regent dies on the battlefield, it would be understandable. If he dies, Your Majesty would naturally regain freedom and control over the military.”

I felt a chill in my heart. “Must the Regent die?”

For the sake of preserving my reputation and the royal family’s face, does the Regent have to die?

The ministers threatened me with their lives, urging me to ensure the Regent’s death in battle.

“We will discuss this later. Court dismissed.”

With the Regent gone, only the eunuch Zhang Shen remained by my side to speak with me.

“These past years, I have relied entirely on the Regent, but now, the ministers are forcing me to execute him. In the end, it’s all for their own benefit.”

“Thinking about it, I should be the one dying on the battlefield.”

“This throne should’ve been taken by the Regent long ago.”

Zhang Shen draped a long robe over me. “Even without the Regent, Your Majesty still attends court, showing strength despite your inner fear. Perhaps, Your Majesty, you are not as cowardly as you think.”

In my childhood, I was lively, always causing trouble, the least studious of all the princes.

As for my mother, ever since I was born, she was sent to the Cold Palace, and I’ve never seen her.

I would frequently skip lessons and sneak into the Cold Palace, but before I could see my mother, the guards would catch me and send me back.

They told me my mother didn’t want to see me.

Maybe I knew deep down I wasn’t cut out to be emperor, so I lived a carefree life.

Eating and drinking as I pleased, playing around with the eunuchs and guards.