Give Me an Official Post

Though the Chenghuan Emperor had many sons, the Crown Prince was unfortunately obsessed with building his career, wild and boorish by nature, unable to say a single pleasant word. It was hard to cultivate any father-son affection with him, while the rest of his sons both revered and feared him. There was not one he could truly speak his heart to.

Having spent half his life scheming against others and hiding knives behind smiles, the Chenghuan Emperor now held great power in his hands and stood high above all. Yet he had instead begun to long for the ordinary family happiness of common folk.

Shen Tingjue was frank and genuine, unlike others with their stomachs full of twists and turns. Whenever he heard an amusing story or found something delicious, he would come share it with him, and from time to time he would ask after his well-being. He was simply more obedient and considerate than any of the emperor's own sons.

The Chenghuan Emperor inexplicably felt the satisfaction of becoming a father for the first time, and could not help indulging him all the more.

The palace attendants set up a ladder and watched in terror as the Chenghuan Emperor climbed onto the roof. They truly could not understand why Young Master Shen wanted to sit on a rooftop drinking.

What if he slipped and fell? His head would split open.

Shen Tingjue stuffed a wine jar into the Chenghuan Emperor's arms. "Your Majesty, have a taste. I steeped this myself."

"Oh? You know how to steep wine too? What did you put in it?" The Chenghuan Emperor eagerly lifted the lid of the jar, only for the fragrance of tea to rush into his nose.

The Chenghuan Emperor: "?"

So... he had meant steeped in the literal sense?

"Mount Lu Cloud-Mist, the finest tea in the residence." Shen Tingjue spoke with a straight face. "Drinking harms both body and mind, so I poured out the wine and replaced it with tea. That way, the elegance of drinking beneath the moon remains no less than before."

The Chenghuan Emperor's mouth twitched.

Don't think I don't know your alcohol tolerance is terrible.

Holding the tea-filled wine jar, the Chenghuan Emperor felt as though he had returned to his spirited youth. He too had once sat on rooftops with friends, drinking beneath the moon, laughing and talking freely.

Sadly, times had changed, and those bonds were gone.

Thinking of this, the Chenghuan Emperor could not help feeling a little sentimental. He shook his head and sighed.

Using tea to bolster his courage, Shen Tingjue rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Your Majesty, could you grant me an official post to play with... ahem, so that I may spread my wings and serve the country?"

The Chenghuan Emperor paused, intrigued. "You want to become an official?"

Shen Tingjue opened his large eyes and nodded heavily.

While eating dinner, he had suddenly realized that he could clearly take a shortcut. Why should he suffer like everyone else, studying hard and taking the examinations to become top scholar?

If you hugged the right thigh, you could save ten years of effort.

I'm such a clever little thing.

Shen Tingjue said, "Forget about civil office. I can't write essays or policy papers."

After pondering for a moment, the Chenghuan Emperor lifted his wine jar and tapped it against Shen Tingjue's, producing a crisp chime.

The Chenghuan Emperor took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "The position of Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Bureau remains vacant. If you want it, I will have the Imperial Guard Bureau's badge and command tally brought to you shortly."

The Imperial Guard was divided into the Imperial Guard Bureau and the Palace Front Bureau, each performing its own duties. The Imperial Guard Bureau patrolled outside the palace and maintained order in the city, while the Palace Front Bureau oversaw the palace's military defenses and attended the emperor.

Shen Tingjue curled his lip. "Isn't the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Bureau just someone who patrols the streets? I don't want that."

It was not impressive at all.

Like sworn brothers, the Chenghuan Emperor hooked an arm around his shoulders, lowered his voice, and patiently coaxed him. "The Imperial Guard Bureau governs order throughout the city. Don't underestimate the position of Commander-in-Chief; it has great use. Countless people rack their brains trying to obtain it, yet it has fallen into your hands without any effort. You truly don't want it?"

Wearing an expression that said, Don't regret this later, he added, "Then I shall give it to someone else?"

"Wait..." Shen Tingjue looked conflicted and frowned as he thought for a while. "Does it pay well?"

The Chenghuan Emperor clicked his tongue. "Are you short of money?"

Shen Tingjue's expression turned grave. "Desperately. Without money, I can't marry a wife."

Then he leaned over mysteriously and whispered, "To be honest, my goal is to become rich enough to rival a nation. Your Majesty, considering our friendship, you must give me more support in the future."

The Chenghuan Emperor nodded readily.

Fine.

I shall support you in spirit.

Shen Tingjue thought some more, planning ahead for a rainy day. "If I accidentally make a mistake, will I be punished?"

Shamelessly, he tried to secure a few benefits. "How about, besides the badge and command tally, you give me a gold plaque granting immunity from death? Just one is enough. I don't want too many."

"..." It was the Chenghuan Emperor's first time seeing someone who had picked up such an enormous bargain and still dared to push his luck so brazenly. He was speechless for a long while, then laughed. "As long as you work properly, I will bear the burden if anything happens. All right?"

Shen Tingjue wrinkled his nose and smacked his lips, clearly not very satisfied.

The Chenghuan Emperor poked his cheek. "My word carries the weight of nine tripods."

Shen Tingjue reluctantly agreed. "Fine. I'll give it a try first."

Had it been anyone else, they would already have been overwhelmed by favor, offering a thousand thanks.

The Chenghuan Emperor reached out and roughly ruffled his hair.

This way of gaining an advantage and then acting spoiled was surprisingly adorable.

The two chatted about this and that for a while longer before climbing down from the roof together. The Chenghuan Emperor waved over He Fulu, the chief palace eunuch. "Go fetch the Imperial Guard Bureau's badge and command tally."

He Fulu froze and instinctively glanced at Shen Tingjue.

After ascending the throne, the current emperor had carried out sweeping reforms, continually stabilizing the court officials and gradually building a center of power that belonged to him. Over the years, the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Bureau had remained vacant, with the commander of the Imperial Guard managing it on an acting basis.

Yet now, the Chenghuan Emperor had handed this duty to Shen Tingjue, making no effort to conceal his favor and trust. Who knew whether he truly favored him, or whether he had some little scheme turning over in his heart?

He Fulu did not dare speculate further. Lowering his head, he acknowledged the order and hurried away to retrieve them.

Mount Li rose lofty and perilous, stretching for hundreds of li. It served as the training ground and main base of the Nine Great Camps.

Yet it had now been openly seized by the Crown Prince as the Black Tiger Camp's training ground. He had also found every possible excuse to gradually replace the generals stationed in Mount Li's core region with his own men, clearly harboring the ambition of turning all of Mount Li into Black Tiger Camp territory.

The Nine Great Camps were the direct forces of the Military Affairs Bureau. Their military authority was held by aristocratic clans, and factionalism ran rampant within their ranks. They schemed and fought among themselves, utterly incapable of uniting against external threats. Their prestige had nearly all been seized by the Black Tiger Camp.

A fierce wind swept across the mountain, carrying waves of stifling heat. The Black Tiger Guard had trained under the blazing sun for half the day since early morning. Every one of them was exhausted, lying stiff as corpses beneath the shade of trees, unwilling to move even a finger.

Yuchi Sheng sat boldly beside Xiao Hanye, bare-chested as he wiped his neck with a wet cloth. "Bandits have been running rampant in the Southern Four Commanderies lately, Your Highness. Should we go lend a hand?"

Overheated, Xiao Hanye had loosened his collar. He cast him a sidelong glance. "Are you very free?"

Yuchi Sheng buried his face in the cool cloth and scrubbed it. "Not exactly. It's just that I've heard the bandit chief can summon wind and rain, pinch fingers and calculate fate. They've made him sound like some demonic Daoist. This general wants to go meet him."

No sooner had he spoken than a figure suddenly shot out beneath the blazing sun—a Gyrfalcon swooping down.

Yuchi Sheng froze. "Why has it come?"

During the campaigns across east, south, west, and north, this Gyrfalcon had been a great help. After they returned to the capital, the Crown Prince had kept it in the East Palace and cared for it well.

Yuchi Sheng threw away the cloth and hurried to take the letter tied to the Gyrfalcon's leg. "A letter from the capital. Could something major have happened?"

He did not dare open it without permission and instead offered it to the Crown Prince with both hands.

Xiao Hanye unfolded it and glanced over it. His expression grew darker and darker.

Yuchi Sheng craned his neck, but could not glimpse a single word. Filled with worry, he asked, "Has something truly happened in the capital?"

Xiao Hanye crumpled the letter in his hand, his tone perfectly calm. "No."

"Then, Your Highness..."

"I am fine."

With that, the Crown Prince turned around expressionlessly and slammed a fist into the tree trunk.

Damn it!

He had never been threatened by anyone in his life!

"..."

Leaves rustled down over Yuchi Sheng's head. Completely baffled, he stared at the tree that was nearly broken in half and could not help wanting to speak up for it. But when he met the Crown Prince's gaze, he cowardly shrank back, tucked in his head, clamped his mouth shut, and pretended to be a quail.