Chapter 2 System

The imperial study was a place of utmost importance, yet someone had the audacity to eavesdrop outside the curtains!

Li Dequan’s mind went blank as he stiffly turned to look outside. The next moment, Hong Yan shuffled in with a guilty expression, as if he had done something wrong.

“Grandfather Emperor,” Hong Yan timidly raised his eyes and murmured, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

In an instant, the tension dissipated. Not only did Li Dequan breathe a sigh of relief, but the Emperor was also taken aback, his stern expression softening into a smile.

“Were you trying to scare me on purpose?” The Emperor couldn’t bring himself to scold the child. He beckoned Hong Yan over and feigned anger with a chuckle, “How much did you hear, Yuanbao?”

“You’re sending Father to the estate,” Hong Yan pretended not to hear the nickname “Yuanbao” and shifted uncomfortably. “Does that mean I have to go too?”

“How could I send you to the estate?” The Kangxi Emperor, who was revered as formidable in the eyes of the world, now looked as gentle as any ordinary grandfather, his eyes brimming with affection. He lifted Hong Yan onto his lap and coaxed softly, “Even if the Crown Prince goes, Hong Yan must stay in the palace.”

Hong Yan pouted, clearly not appeased. “Don’t send Father away.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t send your father away,” the Emperor laughed heartily and waved to Li Dequan. “Prepare a cup of Fruit Syrup for my dear grandson, using the strawberries from yesterday’s tribute. Not too sweet—adjust it as you see fit.”

Li Dequan wiped the cold sweat from his brow and cast a grateful glance at Hong Yan before hurriedly acknowledging the order.

With only the grandfather and grandson left in the hall, the Emperor set aside his memorials and patted Hong Yan’s head. “You woke up early to study today, didn’t you? If your mother hadn’t sent someone to stop you, you wouldn’t have taken a break, would you?”

“Grandfather Emperor, that’s not true,” Hong Yan whispered.

“Do you think I don’t know you?” The Emperor spoke earnestly, reasoning with him. “They say forcing a seedling to grow only harms it, yet here you are, eager to ‘grow’ on your own. But ruining your health would be a grave mistake. You’ll start formal studies next year—what if your tutors have nothing left to teach you? How could they accept their salaries with peace of mind?”

The dark dragon patterns swayed before Hong Yan’s eyes as he blinked and retorted, “Grandfather Emperor, even the tutors would bow to your knowledge. If they have nothing left to teach, shouldn’t they blame you?”

The Emperor had personally overseen Hong Yan’s early education, and these words left him both exasperated and amused. After laughing, he felt an indescribable warmth in his heart.

Truly, this child’s brilliance was rare in a lifetime. If Yuanbao was so diligent in his studies, wasn’t it because he had taught him well?

“You’re the only one who dares to talk back to me,” the Emperor pretended to glare at him, now too distracted to review memorials. He casually spread out a sheet of rice paper, pulled Hong Yan closer, and said cheerfully, “Come, let’s practice copying Dong’s calligraphy style…”

Li Dequan personally prepared the Fruit Syrup without delegating the task. Seeing the grandfather and grandson enjoying their time together, he quietly placed the tray within Hong Yan’s reach and silently withdrew.

He Zhuer had gone to fetch the Crown Prince, leaving only two personal attendants by Hong Yan’s side. Sanxi craned his neck nervously from the side room, while Linmen stood firmly in place, though his face betrayed a hint of unease.

The chief steward hurried to the side room and whispered, “Enough. His Majesty and the young master are practicing calligraphy. Get back to your duties.”

Linmen had noticed Li Dequan’s earlier distress and couldn’t help feeling anxious. His mentor rarely lost composure—something significant must have happened. Though their master was favored, barging into the imperial study uninvited could have provoked the Emperor’s wrath. What then?

Seeing this situation, the weight in his heart finally lifted. Linmen beamed with joy and bowed alongside Sanxi, saying, “Thank you, Chief Steward!”

Hong Yan entered the palace with a solemn expression and returned just as gravely, his steps slow and deliberate.

Sanxi and Linmen followed on either side, exchanging a glance—something was off.

Whether in the palace or even in his own bedroom, the young master usually wore a cheerful face, never showing such an expression. Seeing their master deep in thought, they dared not disturb him. Thus, they inched along at a snail’s pace into the East Palace and finally into Hong Yan’s private courtyard.

Hong Yan had moved out of the main courtyard at the beginning of the year. His new residence was adjacent to the Crown Prince’s study, with every plant and decoration arranged personally by the Crown Princess. A large osmanthus tree stood in a pot by the door, lush and towering, its fragrance permeating the air for miles around come autumn.

A palace attendant approached to report that the Crown Prince had brought the Fourth Prince back to the study. Hong Yan nodded, clasped his hands behind his back as he entered his bedroom, then said sternly, “I’ll go pay respects to Father later. You may leave.”

Linmen hesitated for a long moment before finally pulling Sanxi away and gently closing the door behind them.

Hong Yan sat on the couch, his gaze distant, lost in thought for a long while. Gradually, his sharp phoenix eyes brightened.

What he had accidentally overheard… was truly his grandfather’s great secret.

Hong Yan suddenly understood—the fog before him had completely cleared.

No wonder Father and Mother married so young. No wonder his eldest uncle was only granted the title of Prince. Everything now made sense—the Emperor had a big problem!

Yet that commanding aura of his was impossible to fake; it couldn’t be the same kind of “opportunity” as his own. There were only two plausible explanations: either his grandfather had been reborn, or he had foreseen the future. Which one was it?

After pondering for a while, he dismissed the thought. It didn’t matter which it was. Hong Yan only felt that the path ahead had suddenly brightened—his unlucky father’s fate could still be saved. Just look at what the Emperor had said: “No need to move the Crown Prince to the estate,” and he had even mentioned Empress Renxiao, Hong Yan’s own grandmother. Wasn’t that an indirect show of protection?

They always said the Hesheli clan was the Emperor’s “white moonlight.” Now, Hong Yan finally believed it.

They also said that “to scold is to care.” Hong Yan believed that too. Just listen to those words—they were filled with deep concern for his father.

If the Emperor truly harbored resentment toward his father, why would he suppress his eldest uncle’s rank? Why would he dote on Hong Yan himself? If he wanted to depose the Crown Prince, the sooner the better—nipping it in the bud would be most effective. Waiting until later, when it would throw the court into chaos, would only lead to greater losses.

If given a second chance, would the Emperor really let himself suffer again? Would he still endure such grievances?

Hong Yan mulled it over carefully. The more he thought, the more he felt he was right. The more he considered it, the more the word “reluctance” perfectly captured his grandfather’s state of mind. After all, this was his most beloved child. Having already tasted the bitter consequences in his past life, and now with a chance to set things right—what ruler would give up on that?

If that was the case, why should he keep studying so hard? Why fight for favor? Why bother acting cute?

The deadlock had already been broken—why not just lie back and enjoy the win?

Hong Yan pressed his lips together, revealing a small dimple. Every fiber of his being thrummed with excitement, and a long-buried desire suddenly broke free, stirring restlessly.

Having been a workaholic for too long, spending his days surrounded by microchips, he had long forgotten what the grasslands he once yearned for in his youth even looked like.

Perhaps Heaven took pity on him and sent him here to enjoy life…

With great solemnity, Hong Yan walked to the small desk, suppressing the upward curve of his lips. He smoothed the paper, dipped his brush in the half-dried ink, and wrote down his life’s plan:

*The scenery of Jiangnan is beautiful;*  

*The grasslands of the north are rich with cattle and sheep.*

Halfway through writing the character for “fat,” a sudden buzzing noise erupted in his mind, followed by an impassioned mechanical voice:

“Ding! The Monthly Ability System is now online! Note that monthly abilities may have a chance of repetition, and the system reserves the final right of interpretation. Here’s a beginner’s gift pack with two options to choose from—  

[Good at Confiscating Homes], ability holder: Yinzhen, duration: one month, non-transferable, abilities to be explored independently.  

[River Management Expert], ability holders: Jifu and Li Guangdi, duration: one month, non-transferable, abilities to be explored independently.”  

The incessant buzzing noise left him disoriented and questioning his existence. Hong Yan stared blankly at the half-written character for “fat,” his brush clattering to the floor.  

My Misty Rain Pavilion.  

My roasted lamb.  

With trembling hands, Hong Yan pulled out a second wolf-hair brush, gritted his teeth, and raised it—  

“Ding-ding! Host response exceeded five seconds. System automatically selects the default option. [Good at Confiscating Homes], ability holder: Yinzhen has been bound, duration: one month, non-transferable.”  

“Monthly ability activated, enhancement loading…” The system’s voice faded into the depths of his mind, vanishing without a trace.  

In an instant, an overwhelming impulse surged through him. Hong Yan threw down the brush and dashed outside.  

In the study of the East Palace, the Crown Prince happened to be discussing matters with the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen.  

Recently, a corruption case had emerged in Sichuan and Shaanxi, involving a relatively small sum of silver. After being reported to the court, it caused only minor ripples, with just a mention by a censor during the morning court session. Surprisingly, the Emperor personally drafted the punishment, but soon the fervor over the conferment of noble titles overshadowed the matter, and no one paid it any further attention.  

And rightly so—the worst offender was merely a county magistrate, far removed from their circles. Besides, the sum wasn’t even that significant. Why bother?  

The conferment of titles had nothing to do with the Crown Prince, so he merely observed the spectacle. The only thing that truly pleased him was the case involving the Eldest Prince…  

This made him ponder the Emperor’s stance.  

Could it be that His Majesty harbored intentions to reform the bureaucracy?  

The Crown Prince mused for a long while before tentatively bringing it up with his younger brother. Unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince had also noticed the matter and whispered, “Second Brother, His Majesty must have his own profound reasoning.”  

The Crown Prince hummed in response, studying Yinzhen’s inexplicable excitement before falling into thought.  

If bureaucratic reforms were to be implemented, the court would naturally be the first target. But the capital’s officials were deeply entangled in factions, with the most influential being Mingzhu and Suo’etu—one of whom was his own granduncle. This…  

The Crown Prince absentmindedly touched his sleeve, about to say something, when sudden commotion erupted outside. Someone cried out in alarm, “Hong Yan!”  

The Fourth Prince turned to look outside, while the Crown Prince paused, then chuckled. “Yuanbao? Who would’ve thought this child could make such a stir.” Raising his voice, he called, “Let the boy in.”  

Upon seeing Hong Yan again, the Fourth Prince felt an inexplicable surge of affection. He offered a faint smile and waved off his nephew’s formal greeting. “Good child, no need for formalities with your Fourth Uncle.”  

“Thank you, Fourth Uncle.” Hong Yan straightened up, his bright, clear eyes tinged with an unusual redness. He called out to his father, then frowned, scrutinizing the Crown Prince’s sleeves up and down.  

The Crown Prince felt a fleeting pang of guilt and subtly tightened his sleeves.  

The Fourth Prince noticed his nephew’s odd behavior and opened his mouth to speak—

“Father, during this morning’s court session, did Minister Su give you two banknotes?” Hong Yan spoke, his frown deepening. “Totaling one hundred thousand taels.”

Without waiting for the Crown Prince’s reply, he said calmly, “Return them. If you need money, I’ll earn it. We don’t take bribes!”

As he finished speaking, the redness in his eyes slowly faded. Hong Yan extended his hand, palm facing his father’s handsome face.

The Fourth Prince was stunned.

Crown Prince: “…”

Crown Prince: “……”

Author’s Note:

Yuanbao: Dethroning the Crown Prince early is best, a permanent solution is most wonderful!

Unlucky Father: Are you even being polite?