“No rush…”

Wei Yi spoke softly, the words barely leaving his mouth.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, turned to face the lamplight and gazed into the distance. The clear, pure air in his eyes no longer existed. Instead, it was tempered with the sky-reaching ambition and authority of an imperial family, revealing a resolute determination to strike down opposition.

Utterly chilling!

Shen Changqin bowed behind him, cupping his hands. “Since Prince Rong left the capital, the entire court is now filled with Your Majesty’s people. Those ministers harboring dissenting intentions have all been basically dismissed and expelled from the capital one by one. From now on, Your Majesty can rest easy without worry.”

“Rest easy without worry?” He laughed. “Sitting on this throne, when have I ever rested easy? That pack of demons and monsters has never submitted to me, even plotting to oppose me, trying to manipulate my decisions. In their eyes, I’m nothing but a fool, a puppet to be manipulated at will, ultimately just keeping this kingdom safe for Prince Rong, making wedding clothes for him.”

His tone carried a trace of desolation.

Since his ascension, the court officials had fundamentally never been convinced by him, never obeyed him, because in their eyes, this kingdom would sooner or later be returned to Prince Rong. This fool simply couldn’t sit steady on the throne.

Shen Changqin said, “Your Majesty stands above ten thousand people. No one can oppose you.”

“Minister Shen’s mouth truly knows how to speak.”

“Your subject speaks the truth.”

Wei Yi smiled without speaking. As Vice Minister of Rites, Shen Changqin had always been clever with words. Though his intent was flattering, it sounded comfortable to the ear, not tiresome at all. Those serving in the Ministry of Rites naturally spoke in bureaucratic tones. If one said they excelled at their official duties, it would be more accurate to say the people in the Ministry of Rites excelled at speaking. After all, they all came from scholarly examination backgrounds—their temperaments varied widely, and they knew how to handle themselves diplomatically in all situations.

Shen Changqin asked again, “As for Minister Qin’s matter, how does Your Majesty plan to handle it?”

Qin Shiyu! Wei Yi pondered for a moment, his fingers inside his robe lightly tapping a few times. He said, “Minister Qin is a good official. I don’t plan to punish him severely. After all, when the late Emperor was alive, he granted him permission not to submit memorial requests for approval and not to go through Ministry of Personnel review—he could arrange subordinate officials’ appointments on his own authority. Now that I’ve ascended, he probably hasn’t adjusted yet and thus overlooked me. One mistake this time—just remember for next time. I won’t punish him, but he should understand who rules this kingdom now.”

“Your Majesty is wise.”

Wise?

He had been a fool for over twenty years. What did it matter to be wise for a moment?

Speaking of this Minister Qin Shiyu—though he was somewhat stubborn, he had always been cautious with words and actions, proper and rule-abiding. But this time, he had made a great blunder! In his youth he fought in battles and injured his leg, so he had no choice but to step down and become a civil official, taking the position of Inspector of Military Personnel—like a human resources director, specifically promoting people for the Ministry of War. Emperor Qizhen had always been clear in rewards and punishments, and he understood the temperament of those military generals who campaigned year-round. They most feared being looked down upon and most feared losing their prestige. Moreover, this was Qin Shiyu who had retired with injury, so Emperor Qizhen worried about him losing face and specially granted him private authority. For Ministry of War personnel transfers, he could make his own decisions without reporting to the Emperor or the Ministry of Personnel.

Year after year, it had always been this way.

But the late Emperor had already died. Now with a new emperor ascending, there were new systems, new protocols. Qin Shiyu had recently taken in a protégé, felt this person was quite good and had unique insights, so with a stroke of his brush, he appointed him to the Ministry of War as Vice Minister. This stroke created a problem. By rights, now that the emperor had changed, he should have reported the recommendation and then had the Ministry of Personnel make the arrangement. But Qin Shiyu had overlooked this point. Following the old precedent, he had directly bypassed the Emperor, thus drawing dissatisfaction from court officials who filed complaints against him.

Qin Shiyu was Prince Rong’s man. These complaints that came up, Wei Yi had to receive. But the man was after all a veteran official whom the late Emperor had shown respect to. Wei Yi naturally couldn’t be too obvious or too harsh. He could only demote his rank and fine him to copy the Da Lin laws a hundred times as a warning.

With this move, Wei Yi neither lost popular support nor appeared too dictatorial.

Instead, he wore the hat of “enlightened ruler” quite high.

After a moment, he waved his hand, signaling to Shen Changqin behind him. “Enough. Minister Shen, you may withdraw.”

“Yes.”

But—

After taking two steps back, Shen Changqin stopped again, as if he had something to say. He lowered his eyes, the words reaching his lips but swallowing them back.

Wei Yi sensed the figure behind him hadn’t withdrawn. He turned his head and glanced at him. “Does Minister Shen have something else?”

Shen Changqin bowed low again, cupping his hands. “Does Your Majesty still remember… what you promised this subject?”

“You mean the matter of Second Miss Ji?”

“This subject humbly requests Your Majesty’s favor.”

“What I promised you, I naturally won’t go back on my word. Just go back for now. In a few days, I will issue an edict granting permission for her to enter the capital. As for your marriage, I will speak with your father, Minister Shen, another day. After all, for a son to marry requires his father’s consent. But rest assured, once I’ve spoken, Minister Shen won’t refuse.”

Shen Changqin was delighted. He knelt and kowtowed. “Thank Your Majesty.”

“You’ve helped me, so naturally I will help you. Just wait patiently for your wedding.”

Shen Changqin kowtowed again resoundingly.

Only then did he withdraw with full satisfaction.

Wei Yi continued standing there for a long time without moving.

More and more lights were lit in the palace. At a glance, it was like being immersed in a sea of lanterns. Perhaps the palace was too cold—only with more lights could it seem a bit warmer.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rose on the Moon Ascending Tower, blowing until Wei Yi’s eyes stung with pain.

He closed his eyes. Beneath his eyelids, he could only hazily perceive light. At this moment, he seemed to return to when he was confined in Consort Xiao’s palace—that small, dark room without lights. Allowing darkness to swallow him bit by bit, powerless to resist. He reached out but couldn’t grasp any point of support. Cold wind also poured into his clothes, his throat, his body, his blood. That sense of helplessness and despair—he would never forget it for his entire life. Because at that time, he truly and deeply felt… that he was actually just a single person.

A single person!

A person without support, utterly helpless!

Perhaps it was from that time that today’s version of him was destined.

And whenever he thought of it, the pain cut through his heart like a knife.

At this moment, his hands involuntarily gripped the red railing before him tightly, his fingertips growing increasingly pale.

“Your Majesty?”

A young eunuch beside him approached. Seeing he seemed somewhat abnormal, the eunuch called out several times.

“Ugh!”

Wei Yi opened his eyes. The dark mist dispersed. He saw the bright firelight before him and finally caught his breath.

Yet his forehead was faintly covered in cold sweat.

“Is Your Majesty unwell? This slave will summon the imperial physician to examine you?”

“No need. I’m fine.”

“But Your Majesty has been like this several times already. If…”

Before the eunuch could finish, Wei Yi raised his hand to interrupt. “I said I’m fine. You may go down first. I’ll stand here a while longer.”

The eunuch didn’t dare disobey orders, so he bowed and withdrew.

Wei Yi took a long time to recover from his earlier state.

Breathing lightly.

Supporting himself on the railing with one hand, standing tremulously…