The Incompetent Emperor

The imperial palace of the Jin Kingdom.

"Eunuch De,"

"Why has His Majesty summoned me to the palace... in such a hurry?"

Xiao Yu stared suspiciously at the back of the man leading the way.

Dequan smiled. "This old servant does not know. You should ask His Majesty yourself when you see him, Young Lord."

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered.

Hmph! Even if you won't tell me, I know.

I'd barely set foot in the capital before the old emperor sent someone to 'invite' me to the palace...

He must want to keep me in his clutches and use me to pressure Father and Mother.

The smile on Dequan's face suddenly froze.

Young Lord... please stop.

My life matters too...

Dream on!

If I, Xiao Qi'an, let that old emperor find a single fault with me, I'll take his surname!

Dequan wiped away his sweat.

He wished he could reach the imperial study in a single stride.

These were no ordinary words coming from the young lord's mind. They were a deadly curved blade hanging over his head!

The imperial study.

Emperor Jinyuan's face was dark.

He was waiting for the brat outside who kept calling him "the old emperor."

Did he think I was deaf?

Does he believe I won't charge him with disrespecting the throne?

"Your Majesty! The young lord of the Xiao family has arrived!"

Dequan announced him from the doorway.

His voice was full of urgency, as though the person behind him were some terrifying beast.

"Send him in-"

No sooner had Emperor Jinyuan spoken than he regretted it.

He should have made that little rascal wait outside for a while.

He needed to learn what it meant to observe the proprieties between sovereign and subject: the sovereign stood above all and was not to be discussed so recklessly.

Yet.

Once he saw Xiao Yu, the reprimand caught in his throat, refusing to come out.

Worry creased Emperor Jinyuan's brow.

The Prince of Zhennan had already mentioned in his letter that his youngest son was frail and asked the emperor to be patient with him...

But he had never said the boy needed a wheelchair.

Twelve-year-old Xiao Yu wore green robes. His face was fair as jade, his features refined and noble, his bearing like bamboo-a little immortal descended into the mortal world.

Untroubled by Emperor Jinyuan's scrutiny, he remained composed. His pale fingers rested on the wheelchair's armrests and curled slightly.

He lifted his eyes. "Emperor Uncle, I cannot walk, so I am unable to rise and pay my respects. Please forgive me."

For a moment, Emperor Jinyuan had no answer.

He silently withdrew his gaze.

Hmph.

Emperor Uncle?

How sweetly he addressed me now.

Who was it calling me the old emperor over and over outside just a moment ago?

"It's all right," he replied.

He would hardly make things difficult for a sick child.

So this is the damned emperor who believed slander in my previous life and sent my entire loyal Xiao family to unjust deaths?

D-damned emperor?

A crack appeared in Emperor Jinyuan's expression.

He looks respectable enough. Too bad he's a brainless, incompetent ruler.

In my previous life, he decided Father had betrayed the kingdom just because of a treacherous minister's lies and a forged family letter...

A flicker of guilt passed through Emperor Jinyuan's eyes.

He stared intently at Xiao Yu.

...His mouth hadn't moved?

Could it be that I was hearing his thoughts?

Incompetent fool!

Why don't you think about who repeatedly went to all that trouble to rescue you during the years the rebels held you captive?

Father was already a powerful general then. Did he ever conspire with anyone to harm you?

Ha! Father's achievements overshadowed his sovereign, so the damned emperor simply discarded him once he'd outlived his usefulness!

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless.

Lately, he had indeed often heard rumors that the Prince of Zhennan harbored treasonous ambitions and that the people wanted to crown him emperor.

But he had not fully believed them.

He had also summoned Princess Ning'an back to the capital to discuss her marriage with the intention of keeping the Prince of Zhennan in check.

But he swore.

He had truly never intended to act against the Prince of Zhennan.

What he had not expected was this.

The young lord, who had left home as a small child to cultivate on Spirit Mountain, had suddenly descended the mountain and volunteered to come to the capital as a hostage.

The incompetent emperor is fickle and believes slander, while Father is blindly loyal, clinging to nonsense like 'when the sovereign orders his subject to die, the subject must die'...

If this continues, Father will meet the same fate, Mother will follow him to the grave, and I'll be an orphan all over again!

The incompetent emperor is only a little over ten feet away... Why don't I rush over right now and smash his skull open with one palm strike, ending this threat for good?

"How dare you!"

Upon hearing that Xiao Yu actually intended to smash his skull open,

Emperor Jinyuan could no longer remain seated. He sprang from his dragon throne, furious.

"Your Majesty! What's wrong?"

Dequan hurried forward to ask.

He stole a glance at Emperor Jinyuan.

Could His Majesty hear the young lord's thoughts too?

Only then did Emperor Jinyuan realize he had overreacted.

And it seemed that other people could not hear young Xiao's thoughts.

He gave me a fright... They say incompetent emperors are unpredictable. They certainly weren't lying!

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless.

Dequan broke out in a cold sweat.

Oh, Young Lord... please stop talking.

It won't end well if you truly anger His Majesty.

Come to think of it, the incompetent emperor met a miserable end in my previous life too!

After Father and the Xiao Family Army died, military morale collapsed. The enemy kingdom seized the opportunity and marched straight into the imperial capital-

In the end, an enemy general chopped off the incompetent emperor's head and limbs, leaving his corpse outside the city for wild dogs to fight over. He didn't even die in one piece. What a wretched end!

Thud-

Emperor Jinyuan dropped back onto his throne in shock, utterly dumbfounded.

He had died so horribly in his previous life!

He instinctively touched his head, shaken.

Thank goodness his head was still there! His limbs too!

"Your Majesty!"

Dequan stepped forward to support him. "Your Majesty, how are you feeling? Shall I summon an imperial physician?"

His Majesty had been so pitiful in his previous life...

I failed to protect him.

Eunuch De really is just as loyal as he was in my previous life, thinking only of the incompetent emperor's welfare.

Even when the enemy attacked, he never left the incompetent emperor's side.

In the end, he shielded the incompetent emperor from the arrows with his own body and died with countless arrows piercing his heart!

Dequan was speechless.

That... really wasn't necessary...

But even that couldn't stop the enemy general from chopping off the incompetent emperor's head and limbs.

Could he stop mentioning my head and limbs being chopped off?

Emperor Jinyuan rubbed his brow.

He glanced at Dequan beside him, a complicated look flickering through his eyes.

Who would have thought the old fellow was so loyal...

"No need," he replied. "I just need some rest..."

"Your Majesty..."

A woman's soft, alluring voice drifted in.

Emperor Jinyuan's brow immediately relaxed.

He looked up at the newcomer.

"My beloved consort, you're here," he said gently.

As Xiao Yu watched the woman approach with graceful steps, his eyes flickered.

Could this be Consort Cui, the most favored woman in the harem? She really is as pampered as the rumors say. She doesn't even need to be announced before entering the imperial study.

Hearing this, Emperor Jinyuan suddenly frowned as he looked at Consort Cui.

Consort Cui was speechless.

Had she just heard something?

She must have been so excited last night that she hadn't slept well and was now hearing things.

She looked at Emperor Jinyuan-

"I knew Your Majesty would be too occupied with affairs of state to spare a thought for your meals, so I specially made some chicken soup and brought it to refresh you."

Consort Cui spoke softly, her eyes alluring, her expression filled with concern and tenderness.

Emperor Jinyuan was deeply comforted by the sight and drew her to his side. "How thoughtful of you, my beloved consort."

He took the chicken soup from her hands and drank a mouthful.

Here she comes, here she comes, bringing her soul-snatching soup!

The incompetent emperor would never guess that Consort Cui, whom he showers with affection, is secretly poisoning him!

Pfft!

Emperor Jinyuan spat out the entire mouthful of soup.

The poison won't kill him. It will only cloud his mind, making him obey whoever poisoned him.

Startled, Consort Cui scanned the imperial study.

Who was it?!

Who had overheard her plan?!

With no time to think it through, she turned to Emperor Jinyuan and said plaintively, "Your Majesty..."

Looking at the delicate, pliant Consort Cui before him, Emperor Jinyuan could not help softening. "My beloved consort, I-"

Whoa! Who would have thought the normally frail, delicate Consort Cui harbored such ambitions!

Wanting to become empress regnant is one thing, but she even wants a harem of three thousand male consorts-with the incompetent emperor among them!

Thud-

Emperor Jinyuan abruptly shoved Consort Cui to the floor. "Wretch!"

"Outrageous!"

His gaze was full of suspicion and wariness as he looked at Consort Cui.

"..."

Clutching her aching backside, Consort Cui was stunned.

Had her flawless plo... plan really been exposed just like that?

She hastily tried to soothe Emperor Jinyuan. "Your Majesty, I truly have no ulterior motives! I was only concerned about you..."

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless.

Since the matter had not yet been investigated, he could hardly confront her outright.

He could only reassure her. "Do not blame me, my beloved consort. My mind has been rather clouded lately, and for a moment I mistook you for someone else..."

A gleam of triumph flashed through Consort Cui's eyes when she heard this.

Was the poison beginning to take effect?

Excellent!

Before long, she would don the imperial yellow robes and become a revered empress regnant!

Then the incompetent emperor would kneel at her feet, cradle them in his hands, and address her as 'Your Imperial Majesty'-

Consort Cui suppressed her delight, rose, and wiped her face.

She said softly to Emperor Jinyuan, "Your Majesty is unwell. I can scarcely stop worrying about you, so how could I possibly blame you?"

Emperor Jinyuan looked at her with a peculiar expression. In the past, he would have been deeply moved, but now...

He wanted to slap her!

He did not want to see her for another moment. "My beloved consort, you should withdraw for now. I'm afraid I might not be able to stop myself from slapping... accidentally hurting you!"

At that, Consort Cui immediately halted her approaching steps.

She frowned.

"Your Majesty, I'm not afraid. I'm only afraid there will be no one to care for you... Please let me stay and tend to you."

If she left just like that, the foolish emperor would surely think she valued her own life too much and feared death.

Emperor Jinyuan looked at her and said inscrutably, "How thoughtful of you..."

Let you tend to me?

I think you're just afraid I won't die fast enough!

He refused. "Dequan will tend to me."

"You may withdraw."

Consort Cui pressed her lips together, feigning reluctance. "Then... shall I take my leave?"

She looked back every few steps. Seeing that the foolish emperor showed no intention of keeping her, she turned away in apparent disappointment.

When she caught sight of Xiao Yu sitting in his wheelchair nearby, a flash of disdain and contempt crossed her eyes.

The Prince of Zhennan's Residence had actually fallen so low that it needed a cripple to keep up appearances...

It seemed there was no longer any need to cooperate with the Prince of Zhennan's Residence.

Across both his lifetimes, Xiao Yu

had never even met unfamiliar women, let alone men.

Under Consort Cui's glare, he stiffened.

He suddenly recalled the lines his master had given him before he left the mountain, meant for dealing with women in the world below.

Parting his thin lips, he said, "Woman, you're playing with fire."

Consort Cui's foot slipped.

The corner of her mouth twitched.

Was there something seriously wrong with this young heir?

Suddenly, a realization flashed through her mind.

Wait.

That voice... wasn't it the voice she had just heard?

She turned to look at Xiao Yu, then stole a glance at Emperor Jinyuan.

His Majesty... knew about her plot?

Consort Cui's expression changed. Hastily gathering her skirts, she scurried away.

Xiao Yu was very pleased with this.

The lines his master had given him really did work.

He looked up and said to Emperor Jinyuan, "Emperor Uncle, it's getting late. I should return home."

Emperor Jinyuan still had many questions for him, but his head hurt terribly, and he truly had no energy to ask more.

He replied, "Just find a courtyard you like and stay there. I'll have more business with you later..."

Then something else occurred to him.

He amended his words. "Go to the Eastern Palace..."

"The crown prince is about your age. You two can keep each other company..."

"Very well."

Xiao Yu replied, "Emperor Uncle, may I take my leave?"

Emperor Jinyuan waved a hand.

...Just hurry up and go!

After Xiao Yu left.

Dequan looked at the still-warm soup on the table and asked Emperor Jinyuan, "Your Majesty... would you still like to drink this soup?"

"Drink it? Have I grown tired of living?!"

Emperor Jinyuan's face was full of indignation.

He had favored Consort Cui in the past precisely because she was so blatantly stupid.

He had never imagined she would dare entertain such delusions, coveting his throne-and him...

Such outrageous audacity!

He looked at the soup on the table, his eyes dark.

He ordered Dequan, "Take it away and have it thoroughly examined!"

A flicker of understanding crossed Dequan's eyes.

"This old servant will see to it at once..."

The next day, a piece of news rocked the imperial palace.

Consort Cui, who had been enjoying abundant imperial favor, had actually been secretly poisoning His Majesty.

His Majesty had been so furious that he stripped her of her consort rank overnight and demoted her to a second-class attendant.