Reincarnated as the daughter of my mortal enemy, all I want is to ascend the throne.

"Your Highness!"

When Lai Fu saw Li Qingyan about to climb onto the dragon throne, he prepared to help her.

As a result, Li Qingyan waved her hand, grabbed Li Yan's clothes with both hands and feet, and rolled up to the top. Standing on top, she straightened her slightly disheveled clothes and sat down next to Li Yan.

Several black claw marks appeared on Li Yan's dragon robe.

Lai Fu resignedly ordered someone to prepare a change of clothes for Li Yan, as he would have to change out of his soiled clothes soon.

"Where have you been? Did you raid the rats' nest? Did I starve you so much that you had to fight with wild rats for food?"

Despite his apparent disdain, Li Yan didn't push her away. Li Qingyan didn't argue with him; she simply rubbed her face against his dragon robe, and soon a face appeared on the golden robe.

"Li Yan, Mr. Zhou from Changning Academy is rumored to be the child of the former crown prince who was lost abroad."

"Yan Feizhang concealed the truth and let the person go in order to repay a debt of gratitude."

"I sent Yan Feizhang to the seven southern counties."

Li Qingyan told him her decision truthfully. Li Yan paused, picked up a handkerchief, dipped it in tea, and wiped Li Qingyan's face.

"You did a great job."

Hearing him say that, Li Qingyan was somewhat shocked. She had released the remnants of the previous dynasty and sent away the person suspected of colluding with the enemy. Was that considered good?

As Li Yan wiped her face, he said, "You're only three years old. It's already very good that you can do this."

"Yan Feizhang is exactly like his father. After repaying his debt of gratitude, he will have no further dealings with that person."

"He is intelligent and decisive, a useful man. Keep him if you will, after all, he is the son of an old friend of mine."

"As for the one who escaped, if you hadn't discovered it, I'm afraid there are very few people in this world who would even know that such a person exists."

Li Yan held the filthy Li Qingyan in his arms, led her to review some memorials, and then had Su Xue take her to the bath to clean her up.

Making mistakes is something everyone goes through.

How many Zhuge Liangs in this world could calculate everything perfectly?

In the late summer and early autumn of the fifth year of Jianning, the case of favoritism and corruption was investigated and clarified.

The Duke of Xicheng and the Marquis of Ping'an were the masterminds whose homes were raided. All adult males in their households were immediately executed, while the women and underage men were exiled thousands of miles away.

Other officials involved were also imprisoned, awaiting execution after the Autumn Equinox.

Changning Academy, a place long controlled by the old aristocracy, was reprimanded by Li Yan because of a mistake made by the old headmaster.

How dare the old aristocracy speak up?

If this fire isn't controlled properly, it could burn them, and they might be accused of treason, which could cost them their lives.

In the end, the person chosen by Li Yan became the dean.

This man, Ye Wenzhou, was a commoner with great talent, yet he had always lived in seclusion. Many scholars wanted to consult him, but he refused to see any of them. It's unknown how Li Yan managed to bring him back.

Upon learning what Li Yan had done, Li Qingyan's lips twitched.

"Old Deng, you've tricked me again."

【Um? 】

Feicha, who was still eating spicy snacks, looked completely bewildered. What was Li Yan plotting?

"Are you a system? Your brain isn't even as fast as a human's."

Li Qingyan looked disgusted.

"How could Lao Deng not know what I've been doing outside? I was wondering why I was brought back to the palace the day I left the Duke of Wencheng's residence."

"That old Deng probably started plotting back then, taking advantage of my investigation."

"He found all those hard-to-recruit people; do you believe he did it in a day?"

Li Qingyan rubbed her chubby face. Li Yan's brain was truly terrifying...

"Achoo~"

Li Yan sneezed.

Lai Fu, standing nearby, was startled. "Your Majesty, should we summon the imperial physician to take a look?"

Li Yan shook his head. "No need. It seems some brat is talking badly about me behind my back."

A smile crept onto his lips.

"They probably just realized what was happening and were still annoyed."

Li Qingyan handled this case very well, and no one dared to question the token in her hand that could mobilize troops.

Because he was too young to be granted an official position, he received many rewards.

Returning to the palace from outside, Li Qingyan felt constrained in every way, which made her somewhat unhappy.

They also resumed their daily routine of attending court, going to court, and attending classes.

One day, Li Qingyan was shocked to learn that Tao Jiannan was leaving. She hurriedly went to see him.

The people were stopped at the city gate.

"Mr. Tao..."

Li Qingyan looked at him; this was the man she had chosen to infiltrate the imperial court.

Tao Jiannan bowed to Li Qingyan and said, "I thank Your Highness for helping me find out what happened back then. I also thank Your Highness for requesting an imperial decree from His Majesty on my behalf."

"Was the imperial edict issued by Li Yan?"

Tao Jiannan's purpose in coming here is to replace Zhao Ke's position. Only by achieving results there can he gradually climb back into the capital. People of his background can only gain a foothold in the court by making contributions.

After hearing the whole story, Li Qingyan understood what was going on. She didn't try to keep him any longer, as her mission couldn't be delayed.

"Old Deng did at least do one decent thing."

Compared to Li Yan, Li Qingyan felt that she was still a bit weaker, and it was indeed because she hadn't considered things thoroughly.

If Tao Jiannan were placed in the capital now, wouldn't that be telling everyone that Tao Jiannan is her person? By then, before he has even matured, he would probably have been devoured by various forces until nothing was left.

Before you become powerful, you should place your pieces far away. When you become powerful, these pieces will have grown and become useful.

However… Li Qingyan forgot one thing.

"Your Highness...where is Yan Liren?"

Yan Xu appeared behind Li Qingyan at some point, and Li Qingyan swallowed hard when she heard his voice.

"die"

Before the character was even formed, Li Qingyan quickly realized what was happening.

"...the banquet preface."

Normally she wasn't afraid of Yan Xu, but when she heard Yan Li's name, she felt a little guilty. Naturally, she couldn't help but be afraid, and she almost called him by the wrong name.

She quickly covered her face.

"Is it okay to hit someone in the face?"

"what?"

Yan Xu picked her up. He tightened her cloak, then said coldly, "Our Yan family has no rule against hitting daughters."

Li Qingyan's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this; she liked this rule.

But... when she actually saw the Yan family's rules, she felt it was worse than being beaten.

Yan Li, balancing a basin of water on his head and standing on one foot on a plum blossom stake, wobbled precariously, making Li Qingyan's heart pound with fear. At such a height, wouldn't he be bedridden for ten days to half a month if he fell?

Yan Li was an intelligence talent she had finally found; she couldn't afford to kill him. But since she was the one who caused this mess, Li Qingyan didn't dare to say anything.

Yan Xu interrupted her several times when she pleaded for mercy, insisting that she eat. She almost finished half a plate of pastries.

Yan Xu sat in his armchair drinking tea, while a servant stood on a ladder to refill the basin of water above Yan Li's head.

"Add an incense stick to the spilled water."

Yan Li broke the family rules by entering the brothel, but since he didn't do anything wrong, the punishment was light. If he had done something wrong, he would probably have been beaten half to death and thrown out.

The steward couldn't bear to watch. Now, only the Yan brothers, Yan Xu and Yan Li, remained in the General's Mansion. If either of them were to have a problem, he would feel ashamed before the Yan family members in the underworld.

"General, please stop punishing him. This young master can't take it anymore."

The old butler was so anxious he kept stamping his feet.

Li Qingyan hurriedly said, "Yan Xu, don't punish him, I... I'll speak up."

All eyes turned to Li Qingyan, making her feel a little embarrassed.

Yan Xu looked at Li Qingyan, and it was only after Li Yan reminded him that he remembered that his younger brother had not returned to the military camp.

What Li Yan said at the time was, "Don't let that brat sell your brother."

He then chased after Li Qingyan to the palace gate and asked her where the banquet was. Seeing Li Qingyan's guilty look, he knew it was definitely not a good thing.

After a thorough investigation, they finally caught Yan Li writing something while hunched over a table in Nuanchunlou.

The servant helped Yan Li down from the plum blossom stakes and knelt down in front of him with a thud.

Seeing his appearance, Li Qingyan felt embarrassed to sit down and quickly stood next to him.

Should I kneel too?