After he had led the empire to its pinnacle, Xiao Yan's old habits flared up again.
As everyone knew, Xiao Yan was sworn enemies with gambling and drugs. So, after reaching the pinnacle in this lifetime, he chose to sink into the tender embrace of beauties, indulging in their charms all day long.
A minister tried to remonstrate with Xiao Yan, only for him to angrily smash his wine cup on the floor.
"I brought the empire to these heights! Can't I enjoy myself a little?"
His face flushed with drink, Xiao Yan stared at the minister before him.
"Your Majesty, if you keep this up, sooner or later it will bring disaster!"
Tears streamed down the old minister's face as he cried in anguish, "Where has that wise and mighty young sovereign of former days gone?"
"Insolence! How dare you slander your emperor!"
Xiao Yan roared and ordered men to drag the minister away.
"Keep playing! Keep dancing!"
Looking at the countless beauties below, Xiao Yan smiled.
Before long, the old ministers passed away one after another. Though Xiao Yan felt some sorrow, he soon immersed himself in the pleasures of beautiful women again.
The newly appointed ministers were far better at pleasing him than those old fogeys. They constantly presented Xiao Yan with the finest beauties, the finest scenery, and dazzling visions of a prosperous golden age, keeping him happy in both body and mind.
But already lost in feminine charms, he never noticed the countless undercurrents surging within the empire that had reached the very height of its prosperity.
Twenty years later, chaos engulfed the land, and corpses littered the wilderness. A general Xiao Yan had once greatly favored led an army of a hundred thousand against the capital. Only then did Xiao Yan finally awaken completely