Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Gu Mingli's mind went blank for a moment, and he was instantly stunned.

He stared wide-eyed in horror, looking at Xiao Ye in disbelief.

How did Xiao Ye know about the system?

Or is it that... Xiao Ye also has a system?

wrong!

If Xiao Ye has a system, he must have some kind of cheat code, right?

For all this time, Xiao Ye has shown no unusual behavior.

Gu Mingli tried hard to control his breathing so that he wouldn't look so surprised.

He was waiting for Xiao Ye to continue.

Xiao Ye didn't seem surprised by Gu Mingli's reaction.

He looked away, leaned back in his chair, and casually recounted the past.

"I was only ten years old when I first heard this name."

"In his later years, the late emperor became obsessed with the art of immortality and gathered a bunch of charlatans from all over the country to enter the palace."

"Most of those people are liars. The ministers in the court know this, but no one dares to say it."

That winter, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau calculated the nation's fate and said that the undecided succession to the throne might bring disaster. The late emperor then issued an edict to invite an old Taoist priest from the common people who was said to be able to "observe the will of Heaven" to the palace.

Xiao Ye glanced at Gu Mingli, lowered his voice, and spoke in a mysterious tone.

"That old Taoist priest's Buddhist name was Xitong."

Gu Mingli stared wide-eyed in horror, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"And then...?"

Xiao Ye seemed quite satisfied with Gu Mingli's reaction and chuckled softly.

He then returned to his normal tone, calm and composed.

"After Xitong was invited into the palace, the late emperor asked him to read the fortunes of several princes. His brothers, who were vying for the throne, were all eager to show off."

After all the imperial characters had been examined, hope Tong said something to the late emperor.

Gu Mingli asked instinctively, "What did you say?"

He said, "Among all the princes, only the second prince has the appearance of a true dragon; the others are all useless."

Gu Mingli blinked.

The second prince is Xiao Ye.

At that time, Xiao Ye was only ten years old. His birth mother had died, and he was ignored in the palace.

A child who grew up on the edge of the cold palace was told by an old Taoist priest in front of the late emperor that he had the "appearance of a true dragon".

Was the old Taoist priest protecting Xiao Ye's life, or did he want to make him a target of public criticism?

Xiao Ye continued speaking, his voice tinged with coldness.

"Upon hearing this, the late emperor's expression immediately changed."

"His favorite son at the time was the third prince. Moreover, he had many princes, and if they were all incompetent, hope Tong's words would be a slap in his face."

"And then?"

"Later, the late emperor imprisoned Xitong in the imperial prison, accusing him of spreading heresy and misleading the public. He was imprisoned for three days, with the intention of forcing him to change his tune."

Xiao Ye paused for a moment after saying this.

"But on the third night, Xitong disappeared from the prison."

Gu Mingli's heart skipped a beat.

Xiao Ye's gaze fell on the teacup on the table, recalling something from a long time ago.

"That night, I stayed in the most secluded side hall. I had already sent the fourth prince to the border with someone, and he was accompanied only by an old nanny who was half-deaf."

"I was asleep in the middle of the night when I suddenly felt someone standing by my bed."

"When I opened my eyes, I saw an old man with a white beard wearing prison clothes, smiling at me."

Gu Mingli: "..."

This scene sounds a bit like something out of a ghost story.

"My first reaction was to call for help. But the old man raised his hand and tapped my forehead, and then I couldn't move."

When Xiao Ye said this, his tone was calm, and he seemed to have no fear at all.

Gu Mingli's back began to break out in a cold sweat.

How calm and composed must a ten-year-old child be to encounter a paranormal event without screaming in terror?

He was still able to calmly listen to what that strange old man was saying!

"What did he say?"

Gu Mingli couldn't help but ask.

Xiao Ye turned his head and looked calmly at Gu Mingli.

He said, "I will surely cross mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the future and sit on the most honorable chair in the world. However, I have committed too many killings in my life, and my lifespan... is only thirty years."

Thirty years?!

Gu Mingli's eyes widened suddenly, his pupils trembled, and his chest ached with a dull pain, unable to tell whether it was heartache or intense regret.

Emperor Xiao Ye, who was so dedicated to his country and loved his people, and who never got enough sleep, only lived for thirty years!

Xiao Ye is twenty-four years old this year.

In other words... he can only hold onto this vast empire for another six years?!

Xiao Ye glanced at Gu Mingli's deathly pale face, gave a slight smile, and continued nonchalantly:

"He also said that the powerful clans that have dominated the court for a hundred years are my destined calamity. If I can eliminate the scourge of these powerful clans before I turn thirty and restore peace and order to the world, then Heaven will reward me with a way to defy fate."

Gu Mingli's temples throbbed twice when he heard the words "Heaven's Way".

Heaven's Way, the Task, the Reward.

This logic... is exactly the same as that broken system in his head!

Hold your breath and listen to Xiao Ye continue his story.

But Xiao Ye paused for a long time, his gaze becoming increasingly deep.

After a moment, he continued:

"hope Tong also said that there is a person in the world who has been given the mission of a 'renowned minister'."

"When the time is right, that person will appear by my side to help me overthrow the powerful clans and assist me in becoming a wise ruler."

The room remained quiet for a while.

The steam in the wooden tub had long since dissipated, and the water had cooled down.

The candlelight cast two shadows on the wall: one sat upright like a pine tree, the other slumped and stiff.

Xiao Ye slowly turned around to face Gu Mingli, his gaze focused.

"reasonable."

Gu Mingli shuddered: "...Huh?"

"I have waited for fourteen years."

"From the age of ten to twenty-four, I racked my brains to deal with the powerful clans in the court. Even when I felt I couldn't hold on any longer, I gritted my teeth and persevered, waiting for that person to appear."

"Until... I met you."

Gu Mingli felt a tightness in his chest and a sore throat. He opened his mouth slightly, but didn't know what to say.

Seeing that Gu Mingli hadn't spoken for a long time, Xiao Ye spoke up again.

"When I first met you, I suspected that you might have been sent by a powerful family to get close to me. So I had the Censorate investigate the Gu family."

Gu Mingli's heart sank.

Xiao Ye spoke frankly.

"Gu Debai has a son and a daughter. His daughter has been unable to speak since childhood and has never left the mansion."

"Although my son can speak normally, he is extremely dull and never interacts with others. He only buries himself in his books. The Hanlin Academy describes him as 'dull,' 'stupid,' and 'unsophisticated in social interactions.'"

"Prime Minister Gu has cultivated his influence in the court for many years. He may appear to be indifferent to politics, but in reality, he wields immense power. I don't believe he can't see the unusual behavior of his two children."

Gu Mingli's palms began to sweat.

Xiao Ye's gaze fell on Gu Mingli's face, and he continued:

"Then one day, the two children suddenly changed. The daughter was shrewd and experienced in business, while the son was knowledgeable, cheerful, and straightforward."

Gu Mingli felt a chill run down his spine, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

Xiao Ye's voice remained calm, devoid of any murderous intent or threat; he was simply discussing something that seemed like a trivial matter.

"Therefore, understand reason."

He asked directly.

"Are you the original Gu Mingli?"