If you're made a fake emperor, why did you change the country's name?

After dealing with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhao Yu turned around, lifted the beaded curtain, and returned to the inner palace.

The curtains hung low, and the warm fragrance in the bedroom grew stronger, mixed with a hint of the sweet scent unique to women.

"His Majesty……"

A soft, sweet voice came from under the covers, with a hint of languid nasal tone.

Zhao Yu chuckled, took off his outer robe, and crawled back into the warm quilt.

Xiaoyue Beier immediately became like a docile kitten, taking the initiative to cling to him, resting her head in the crook of his arm, her little hands mischievously roaming over his chest.

"Your Majesty, have you finished your business?"

"Yes, it's nothing."

Zhao Yu held the soft, warm body in his arms, his fingers twirling her smooth hair.

"Bei'er, do you want to be an imperial concubine?"

Xiaoyue Beier's body stiffened slightly, then she raised her head, her big, watery eyes filled with surprise.

"Is Your Majesty serious?"

A ruler's word is his bond.

Zhao Yu pinched her delicate, flawless face.

"As long as you behave well, I guarantee you a place in this harem."

"Um!"

Xiaoyue Beier nodded heavily, buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled but filled with joy.

"Your Majesty, I will obey your will."

Zhao Yu smiled with satisfaction.

He was enjoying the tenderness of the moment, but his mind was already planning for tomorrow.

Shen Miaochu, the Holy Maiden of the Daoist lineage, is the perfect candidate for the Zhennan Prince's Mansion, which needs a Celestial Realm expert.

This would solve Ji Yue's problems and also temporarily transfer the woman away from the palace, killing two birds with one stone.

As for how to get her to go willingly...

A playful smile curved Zhao Yu's lips.

He lowered his head and kissed Xiaoyue Beier on the forehead.

"Go to sleep."

"Um……"

The person in his arms let out a contented murmur and soon fell into a deep sleep.

As night deepened, the candlelight flickered inside the hall, creating a beautiful scene.

……

Meanwhile, in the secret chamber of the Yichun Courtyard, the atmosphere was like an ice cellar.

Snapped!

A crisp cracking sound suddenly rang out in the deathly silent hall.

A fine white jade teacup was slammed to the ground and shattered into pieces.

The scalding hot tea, mixed with tea leaves, splashed all over the floor, steaming slightly.

Grandpa Hai lowered his head and waited silently for Zhao Yu to vent his anger.

Ever since his confrontation with the beggar, Zhao Yu's emotions have been unstable, and he frequently smashes cups and bowls.

In the hall, Zhao Yu, dressed in magnificent robes, had a livid face, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes were filled with violent rage.

"Well done, Ji Yue!"

He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words.

"You shameless wretch! Does she really think I can't live without her?"

"A fugitive princess dares to put on airs before me!"

Grandpa Hai lowered his head even further, remaining silent as Zhao Yu vented his anger.

Zhao Yu paced back and forth in the hall, his murderous aura growing stronger.

After a long while, he stopped and his gloomy gaze fell on Eunuch Hai.

"Did she really say that? Has the debt of gratitude already been repaid?"

"Your Majesty, Princess Ji Yue... that was her exact words."

Grandpa Hai's voice was dry and hoarse.

Zhao Yu was so angry that he laughed, but his laughter was hoarse and unpleasant.

"Pay it all back? Her brother's life is still in my hands. How can she possibly pay it back?"

Grandpa Hai hesitated for a moment before tentatively speaking.

"Your Majesty, should this old servant send someone to 'invite' that young master? I'm sure Princess Ji Yue will change her mind."

"No need."

Zhao Yu sneered, his tone full of cruelty and disdain.

"Since she has chosen not to help me, then I will give her a great gift."

"As for her precious younger brother, he's just a dying man."

A dying person?

Under Hai Gonggong's lowered eyelids, his cloudy eyes moved slightly.

The words Zhao Yu had blurted out earlier, "The antidote is not in Sun...", flashed through his mind, and he pondered them silently.

Why did His Majesty know the antidote wasn't in Sun Kingdom? And why was he so certain, and so afraid?

"I'll write a letter later, and you can have someone give it to my uncle."

Zhao Yu seemed to have given up on worrying about Ji Yue's matter. He changed the subject, and his voice became even colder.

"How are the arrangements with the doctor?"

"Your Majesty, everything went smoothly."

Grandpa Hai answered immediately.

"Miyamoto, begin the preparations."

"very good."

Zhao Yu nodded, a satisfied look finally appearing on his face.

"Where is the Celestial Master?"

"The letter has been sent. According to his pace, the Celestial Master will definitely return to the capital within three days."

"Three days..."

Zhao Yu narrowed his eyes, his gaze revealing a murderous intent.

"Three days from now, I will ensure that that wretched beggar sitting on the dragon throne dies a horrible death!"

"This old servant obeys."

Hai Gonggong respectfully kowtowed, then silently retreated, his figure disappearing back into the shadows of the hall.

In the empty hall, only Zhao Yu remained.

He walked to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and gazed into the distance toward the palace, which was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

"A body double is just a body double. Just because you sat on the throne for a few days, you think you're the real emperor?"

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with disdain and jealousy.

"That chair is mine!"

A greedy smile slowly crept onto his lips.

.............

As dawn broke, the morning light shone through the window lattices, casting a few pale golden spots of light into the bedchamber.

Zhao Yu opened his eyes. The person in his arms was sleeping soundly, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyes, and her breathing was even and long.

He carefully pulled his arm out, and as soon as he moved, the person in his arms groaned and opened their eyes groggily.

"Your Majesty..." Xiaoyue Beier rubbed her eyes, her voice still hoarse from sleep.

"Awake?" Zhao Yu smiled. "It's getting late."

"Your Majesty, I will help you change your clothes." Xiaoyue Beier immediately woke up, quickly got out of bed, and took the dragon robe that had been prepared on the clothes rack.

She wore a light pink palace dress today, which made her skin appear even whiter.

Zhao Yu opened his arms, letting her dress him.

The girl's soft fingers straightened his collar, then went around to his back and tied the jade belt around his waist.

"Okay." She clapped her hands, tilted her head up, and looked very proud of herself.

"Your skills are quite good," Zhao Yu complimented.

Xiaoyue Beier's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head.

"Serve the meal." Zhao Yu pinched her cheek.

"Yes."

Soon, the eunuchs from the imperial kitchen filed in, placing plates of exquisite breakfast on the table.

Crystal shrimp dumplings from the East China Sea, crab roe siu mai from the West China Sea, and a bowl of steaming hot Lingmi porridge.

Zhao Yu sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and took out a shrimp dumpling.

Xiaoyue Beier sat next to him, sipping her porridge, glancing at him every now and then before quickly looking down again.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhao Yu put a peeled shrimp into her bowl. "I don't have any flowers on my face."

"Your Majesty looks good," Xiaoyue Beier murmured softly.

"Um?"

"Your Majesty, do you still stand by what you said last night?" She mustered her courage and raised her head.

"The position of Imperial Concubine?" Zhao Yu put down his chopsticks, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "I have said it before, a ruler's word is law."

A bright and charming smile bloomed on Xiaoyue Beier's face.

"However," Zhao Yu changed the subject, "to become a concubine, simply being obedient isn't enough."

"What else do you want?"

"He also needs to be able to share my burdens," Zhao Yu said slowly.

Xiaoyue Beier blinked, somewhat puzzled.

Zhao Yu didn't explain, he just smiled and said, "Eat quickly, it'll get cold soon."

After finishing his breakfast, Zhao Yu was preparing to head to Chaofeng Palace, where Shen Miaochu was.

He had just stood up when the light in the hall suddenly dimmed.

A figure appeared silently in front of him and knelt on one knee.

It's Qiu Ping.

Xiaoyue Beier was startled and instinctively hid behind Zhao Yu.

"You may leave now," Zhao Yu waved his hand at her.

"Yes." Xiaoyue Beier bowed and quietly led the palace maids out of the main hall.

The palace doors closed, shutting out the outside light.

"Speak." Zhao Yu walked to the window and looked at the flowers and plants in the courtyard outside.

"Your Majesty, Miyamoto has made his move." Qiu Ping's voice was completely flat.

Zhao Yu paused for a moment.

"Starting from noon yesterday, he obtained the late emperor's personal jade pendant from a junior eunuch, and then secretly summoned several newly promoted ministers."

"The first one is Gua Cheng, the Minister of Rites."

"Then they used poison to control Gua Cheng, and the same thing happened to the others."

"As for that little eunuch, my men went to investigate, but the lead went cold again."

Zhao Yu nodded.

Just as he expected, he used poison to kill him.

With his current cultivation at the peak of the Grandmaster realm, he can detect ordinary poisons by his internal energy as long as they come within three feet of him.

There is only one way to poison him.

That is to put poison in the food or tea that he puts in his mouth, and have it handed to him by someone he absolutely trusts and who will not be on guard.

The ministers in the imperial court are undoubtedly the best candidates.

After all, he was the one who promoted them to some extent.

"Keep an eye on them, but don't alert them," Zhao Yu ordered. "I want to see what tricks they can pull."

"Yes, ma'am."

"What about the Imperial Guards?" Zhao Yu changed the subject.

"No unusual activity," Qiu Ping replied. "We still have no clue about the 'General's' identity."

Zhao Yu frowned.

This isn't right.

According to Zhao Yu's plan, the sacrificial ceremony to heaven was the best time to make his move.

Now, the "general" lurking in the Imperial Guard should be taking action.

At the very least, the defensive layout of the palace should be sent out so that Zhao Yu's forces can coordinate an attack from within and without.

But now there's no movement at all.

Is Zhao Yu so arrogant that he thinks he doesn't need this intelligence?

Or……

The general's identity was even higher than he had imagined, so high that there was no need to secretly pass messages.

Thoughts flashed through Zhao Yu's mind, only to be suppressed one by one.

It's too early to think about these things now.

"Increase surveillance on the high command of the Imperial Guards," Zhao Yu ordered, "especially those generals who have access to the defenses of the sacrificial ceremony."

"Understood."

"Go down."

Qiu Ping's figure disappeared into the shadows once more.

Zhao Yu stood in the hall for a moment, clearing his thoughts.

"Wei An, prepare the carriage for Chaofeng Palace."

"Yes, sir."