Chapter 14

Chu Zhaoyou instantly snapped out of his daze, nearly rolling off the bed, and was pushed back by the Regent Prince, who looked at him with disdain.

“Nobody. I dreamt that I raised a dog, and it bit me,” Chu Zhaoyou stammered.

“Your Majesty, it’s time for court,” Eunuch Xue, noticing Chu Zhaoyou’s nonchalant expression and his irritable mood, cautiously reminded him.

Don’t provoke the Regent Prince, or you’ll suffer.

Chu Zhaoyou was indeed a bit angry, especially when he saw Xiao Heng’s scowling face. How could he not consider why he couldn’t wake up!

He dressed with his eyes closed, making a lot of noise, clattering and clanging as he put on his boots. Eunuch Xue felt like his heart was about to stop.

This obvious display of anger was clearly directed at the Regent Prince. His Majesty was truly fearless.

Xiao Heng, however, paid no attention and casually picked up a book from the shelf. His slender fingers, like jade, flipped through the thin pages, revealing various theatrical makeup and hairstyles. The most finely detailed was a flower-like bun worn by a female role, with clear delineations of the forehead and temples, vividly portrayed.

Clearly, one couldn’t expect to find any sage advice on statecraft in the Emperor’s sleeping quarters. Xiao Heng’s eyes flashed with extreme aversion and disgust as he picked up several books and said, “Throw them out.”

Chu Zhaoyou, adjusting his headpiece, paid no attention to his erratic behavior.

Why did he ever consider nurturing him with theater? Perhaps it was he who was the foolish one during those three days?

If they were to be thrown out, his knowledge of drama was probably hundreds of times greater than the entire bookshelf. If he were to trap the Regent Prince’s soul in his mind, he would probably suffocate in ten seconds.

Chu Zhaoyou felt a sense of satisfaction at the thought. His anger dissipated, his eyes brightened, and he felt a bit pleased. One day, he would write it all out and infuriate the Regent.

The Regent hadn’t visited the Funing Hall in years, and now, for some reason, he was inspecting it, throwing out anything that didn’t meet his standards, as if he were planning to stay the night.

Eunuch Xue was extremely worried. Was the Regent preparing to take over the Funing Hall?

Fortunately, the Regent’s taste was similar to Chu Zhaoyou’s. He disliked having too many unnecessary items in the palace and preferred a simple, clean, and uncluttered environment. A couple of potted plants were enough.

Unfortunately, he had to maintain his image without going too far.

Just as he was thinking this, the Imperial Guards brought in a pot of plum blossoms with a blue-and-white porcelain base and placed a large, lush green bamboo plant in the courtyard. Well, the Regent was showing his charitable side, so there was nothing to criticize.

The most perplexed person in the room was Eunuch Xue. His Majesty was clearly furious when his precious theatrical items were removed by the Regent, yet he didn’t show any anger?

The two of them went about their business, ignoring each other, leaving everyone else bewildered.

Chu Zhaoyou noticed a young man in the corner who looked like a civil official. He wasn’t a eunuch or a guard, and he was fervently writing in a small notebook, which struck Chu Zhaoyou as odd.

His sleeping quarters were as lively as a marketplace.

“Who is that?” Chu Zhaoyou asked casually.

Xiao Heng glanced at Chu Zhaoyou upon hearing him speak, finding his just-awoken appearance a bit dull. Eunuch Xue answered first, “That’s Historian Cui Geng, temporarily responsible for His Majesty’s daily affairs.”

A historian recorded the major events of the state, while a daily affairs attendant recorded the Emperor’s words and actions. In ancient times, with the supreme power of the Emperor, the two roles seemed to have little difference. However, if the superior was a puppet, the job would be quite redundant.

“Why didn’t I see him yesterday?”

“In the past few days, His Majesty was not in the palace, so Attendant Cui took leave to attend to his family.”

Chu Zhaoyou noticed that Cui Geng hadn’t stopped writing with his pen. He angrily placed his hand on the table. Since the Regent wasn’t coming to the court, this person was clearly his informant.

The Regent is busy with state affairs, and others wouldn’t deliberately inform him about how the Emperor scolded him today, to prevent the young Emperor from being punished and to avoid offending the Regent first. However, it’s different for the daily affairs attendant. He is responsible for recording things truthfully, and the Regent can review it when he has time. If he happens to see something, it won’t be blamed on the attendant.

In the future, he cannot casually scold the Regent, even when no one is around.

Xiao Heng glanced at Chu Zhaoyou and saw him looking thoughtful, with a somewhat embarrassed expression. He sneered inwardly.

It wasn’t in vain that he had called Cui Geng back from the outskirts of the capital overnight.

“Are you ready?” Xiao Heng adjusted his sleeve. “The ministers are waiting.”

“Where’s the food?” Chu Zhaoyou tapped the table.

Two voices sounded simultaneously. Chu Zhaoyou and Xiao Heng looked at each other, seeing anger and disbelief in each other’s eyes.

Xiao Heng: “You dare to ask for food at this hour?”

Chu Zhaoyou: “It’s early morning, and there’s no food?”

Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes widened. When Xiao Heng was down and out, he shared his meager meals with him. Now that he was prosperous, he wouldn’t even provide breakfast!

“I want to eat!” Chu Zhaoyou was so hungry that his back was sticking to his front. If he didn’t eat, he wouldn’t be able to take a single step. He was about to make a scene.

Eunuch Xue was in a dilemma. He wanted to advise His Majesty to attend court first and eat after the court session. After all, with the Regent present, the military officials were efficient, and the civil officials wouldn’t dare to dawdle. The morning court was highly efficient, and enduring it would soon pass.

Eunuch Xue cautiously watched the Regent’s expression, feeling that he was about to grab His Majesty by the collar and throw him onto the Golden Luang Hall. “Your Majesty, why not…”

After returning last night, Xiao Heng had been correcting the backlog of memorials until the rooster crowed at dawn. He didn’t know what had gotten into him this morning, as he inexplicably came to see if the young Emperor had caused any trouble again.

The Regent hadn’t eaten yet, and yet the young puppet was demanding it.

Xiao Heng endured to the limit, clenching and then releasing his fist. He caught a glimpse of Chu Zhaoyou’s left hand pressed against his abdomen, his shoulders hunched, and said coldly, “Let him eat!”

His tone was both fierce and malicious, and Eunuch Xue’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat. He couldn’t believe it and had to ponder for a moment before confirming that the Regent had said “let him eat,” and not “don’t let him eat for three days.”