I don't want to put Your Majesty in a difficult position

Xiao Yu opened his eyes to find a face looming over him. Startled, he squeezed his eyes shut and nearly passed out again.

He steadied himself.

Opening his eyes again, he smiled. "Good morning, Your Majesty."

"What's this?"

Emperor Jinyuan sounded slightly displeased. "One nap, and you've forgotten your own Emperor Father?"

He added, "Do you still feel unwell anywhere?"

Unused to talking while lying down, Xiao Yu threw back the covers and tried to get up.

Emperor Jinyuan pressed him back down. "You have my permission to speak lying down."

"I'm fine." Xiao Yu sat up again.

"You coughed up blood, and you call that fine?" Emperor Jinyuan frowned.

Xiao Yu froze, suddenly feeling rather guilty.

[Actually... that wasn't blood. It was just grape juice...]

Emperor Jinyuan's face went pale, then dark.

And to think he had been so worried about him!

Hearing that he had coughed up blood had nearly scared him to death!

Now the boy was saying it had all been a joke?!

Emperor Jinyuan opened his mouth, ready to berate him!

But he feared he might frighten him into actually coughing up blood...

After studying Xiao Yu for a moment, he finally turned away. "Hmph! You're only making all this trouble because you know I spoil you!"

Xiao Yu shamelessly seized the opening.

With a hint of grievance, he said, "Perhaps Your Majesty should withdraw the decree... I'm simply not fortunate enough to be Your Majesty's son!"

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless. That's enough!

I haven't even blamed you. What more do you want?

If you're not fortunate enough, who is? You've gotten your way, and now you're making snide remarks at me!

Don't think I don't know you're plotting something again!

Still, he played along. "An emperor does not jest. The decree has already been sent to the southern border! Do you want to make me a laughingstock before the whole realm?"

Xiao Yu pursed his lips.

"It's not that I wish to put Your Majesty in a difficult position... I simply don't want to drive a wedge between you and the princes!"

[Touched yet, you foolish emperor? Who else is as understanding and considerate as I am... I'm just too kind!]

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless. Why, thank you so very much!

He asked bluntly, "What exactly do you want?"

The flash of cunning in the boy's eyes hadn't escaped him.

He was surely hatching some mischief again.

Xiao Yu's eyes lit up. "May I really say anything?"

"It's just the two of us here now..." Emperor Jinyuan was glad he had dismissed everyone earlier.

Otherwise, if the Xiao boy said something outrageous, even he would struggle to smooth things over.

"Speak. I pardon you in advance!" Emperor Jinyuan went over to the table and drank some tea to steady himself.

"Then make me an imperial uncle," Xiao Yu replied.

"Pfft!"

Emperor Jinyuan spat out his tea.

His eyelid twitched. "Y-you... what do you mean?"

"I wish to become Your Majesty's sworn brother!" Xiao Yu declared firmly.

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless. I treated you as a son, and you want to be my younger brother?

If Xiao Yu really became his younger brother, wouldn't the Prince of the Southern Garrison become his father?

"No!" Emperor Jinyuan refused without hesitation.

This was nothing but an attempt to get one over on him!

"Why?" Disappointment flickered in Xiao Yu's eyes.

Emperor Jinyuan fell silent.

You have the nerve to ask why?

I'm sure you're deliberately taking advantage of me, but I have no proof!

Seeing his spirits suddenly sink, he finally said, "Go ask your father. Would he agree?"

Xiao Yu's eyes instantly shone. "So it's fine if my father agrees?"

"Yes. If the Prince of the Southern Garrison agrees, I have no objection," Emperor Jinyuan replied.

Given the Prince of Zhennan's loyalty to him, he would never do anything that defied his sovereign.

He had faith in the Prince of Zhennan!

The next day.

The imperial study.

"Your Majesty, Father agreed!"

Xiao Yu happily handed him a memorial.

"..."

Emperor Jinyuan's face cycled through a spectacular array of colors!

"Are you sure you aren't fooling me? Besides, how could a letter sent to the southern border receive a reply so quickly?"

"Have you forgotten, Your Majesty? I'm no ordinary person. I have magical treasures!" Xiao Yu answered truthfully.

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless.

He had nearly forgotten that when this boy was born, an immortal master from the Spirit Realm had descended from the mountains to take him as a disciple...

He had been careless!

Could he take it back?

"Your Majesty, don't tell me you're trying to back out?" Xiao Yu exposed him.

"...Nonsense! Would I ever break my word?" Emperor Jinyuan retorted.

That hit a sore spot!

"I was merely considering what title to bestow upon you..."

"Sorry for the trouble, Elder Imperial Brother!"

The corners of Xiao Yu's mouth rose despite himself.

Sure enough, "Elder Imperial Brother" came much more easily than "Emperor Father."

Emperor Jinyuan's face darkened further.

What Elder Imperial Brother?

I haven't even issued the decree yet!

This boy will be the death of me!

Somehow, I've suddenly gained a younger brother...

I refuse to accept this!

"Qi'an, is there really no room to reconsider?" Emperor Jinyuan asked, unwilling to give up.

An imperial brother and an imperial son were quite different things.

Xiao Yu pretended that his eyes had dimmed. "Are you going back on your word, Elder Imperial Brother?"

"Fine, fine! A younger brother it is!" Emperor Jinyuan said through gritted teeth.

As the Sovereign of a Nation, surely he could accommodate one sworn younger brother?

With a sweep of his brush, he committed himself beyond recall-

The heir to the Prince of the Southern Garrison is possessed of virtue and talent, distinguished in appearance, and greatly pleasing to me. I therefore wish to become his sworn brother...

I hereby bestow upon him the title of Prince Yu and grant him a Golden Ruler, with which he may punish treacherous ministers and discipline imperial princes on my behalf.

In short, he could beat anyone he disliked, as he pleased.

Once the decree was issued, objections poured in from the court officials.

But none of that concerned Xiao Yu.

At that moment, he was busy disciplining his dear nephews in the Hall of Diligent Study.

The Hall of Diligent Study.

"Aah-"

Screams rose one after another, echoing throughout the palace.

It was the crown prince's first time witnessing such a scene.

He couldn't help pleading, "Little Imperial Uncle... my younger brothers are still children. Perhaps-"

Xiao Yu gave the crown prince a cool glance.

[Tsk. The little crown prince is still too kind! These younger brothers of his have pulled plenty of dirty tricks behind his back and bullied him.]

[With such a tender heart, it's no wonder he died so young in his previous life.]

[Looks like I need to teach him that endlessly giving way won't make anyone grateful!]

A trace of coldness entered Xiao Yu's voice. "Crown Prince, don't you-"

"Little Imperial Uncle!" The crown prince hastily changed tack. "The sun is rather strong now. Shall I wheel you beneath the tree?"

"No need," Xiao Yu refused.

Then he instructed the guards beside him, "Hold them all down firmly!"

He looked at the princes. "Disrespecting your elders, fighting among brothers, bullying the weak..."

Holding the Golden Ruler, Xiao Yu surveyed them. "Since my Elder Imperial Brother has entrusted you to me, today your imperial uncle will teach you properly."

"I'll teach you brotherly affection and respect, respect for your teachers and their teachings, and why you must never look down on a young man just because he's poor!"

"Let me go, you worthless dogs!"

The sixth prince had always been adored and pampered by everyone. When had anyone ever treated him like this?

But these guards answered directly to Emperor Jinyuan.

Emperor Jinyuan had ordered them to obey Xiao Yu, so Xiao Yu was the only person whose commands they needed to follow. Everyone else fell outside their chain of command.

When the sixth prince saw the guards ignoring him, he flew into a rage!

They were tall and burly, and he couldn't fight them...

He turned to Xiao Yu, his eyes full of hatred. "Xiao Yu! Just you wait! One day-"

"Aah-"

Before he could finish, the sixth prince took a blow across his backside!

Xiao Yu came up to him.

Smiling, he asked, "What did you call me?"

"...I-Imperial Uncle," the sixth prince said through gritted teeth, tears brimming in his eyes.

"That's a good boy," Xiao Yu said.

The rod really did make a dutiful child!

The sixth prince was speechless.

After the sixth prince's outburst, the princes who had been about to protest that they had done nothing wrong fell silent, lest they earn another blow.

The second prince wore a gloomy expression. He was the eldest among the princes being punished, and he hadn't expected to be beaten along with them.

But judging by his Emperor Father's attitude toward this heir of the Xiao family, he dared not defy him for now.

His face twisted, and a vicious glint crossed his eyes.

One day, I'll repay every bit of today's humiliation!

I can't touch Xiao Yu, but surely the crown prince-

"Aah-"

The imperial study.

Emperor Jinyuan's brush hand trembled involuntarily.

Listening to the miserable screams drifting over from the Hall of Diligent Study, his face was as black as coal.

"Your Majesty... shall this old servant go over and have a word?" Seeing his displeasure, Dequan stepped forward to ask.

"...No need."

"It's merely children roughhousing!" Emperor Jinyuan said through gritted teeth. "Adults shouldn't go over and meddle!"

He had promised the Xiao boy full authority over this matter. Could he really go back on his word now?

Forget it. They're all boys. A little beating won't hurt!

Dequan was speechless.

You've been listening so closely to everything over there that I thought you wanted to sneak over...

It seems this Xiao... Prince Yu truly enjoys His Majesty's favor.