Chapter 2

The enthronement ceremony of the new emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty had never been so shabby and desolate before.

Eunuch Ruan stood on the high steps, his thin voice reciting the so-called deathbed edict of the late emperor.

Below, the civil and military officials bowed their heads, listening to the final wishes of the deceased emperor, and then kowtowed to the new emperor.

Nie Qinglin was crowned with the imperial headdress symbolizing the supreme authority of the throne.

His frail frame was draped in an ill-fitting dragon robe, and he sat alone on the vast dragon throne, perfectly embodying the loneliness of a ruler.

To say that the hastily made, ill-fitting robe made the new emperor of Great Wei appear shabby would be somewhat unfair.

The most striking contrast was actually the luxurious golden chair beside the dragon throne—adorned with pearls the size of dragon eyes, a coiling water dragon crafted from golden threads dominated the chair’s back.

This was the seat of Grand Tutor Wei.

Though the water dragon lacked horns, it was said that after a thousand years, it would transform into a true dragon.

Especially a fierce, sharp-toothed water dragon, which exuded an overwhelming aura of malevolence.

Even a true dragon would be no match for such a creature, destined to be slaughtered and devoured by this sinister beast.

At the very least, Nie Qinglin, the true dragon, had been completely overshadowed by this ominous presence.

With a three-pound crown on his head and a sack-like dragon robe draped over his small frame, he sat upright, half-closing his eyes, determined to be nothing more than a dutiful figurehead.

In the past, when the tyrannical late emperor held court, there were often heated arguments among ministers over differing political views.

But now, after the late emperor’s mysterious sudden death, this young, unfavored prince had suddenly ascended the throne.

Surprisingly, the court was unusually harmonious, with all the pillars of the state unanimously supporting the new ruler’s enthronement.

But anyone with eyes could see which of the two chairs they were truly kneeling to.

If there was still any doubt, one only needed to look at the faces of the colleagues who had been replaced and think carefully about the fates of those missing ministers.

The kowtows became even more humble and submissive.

Wei Lenghou was indeed a cunning and ruthless figure of his generation, a “pillar of the state” that only appears once in a century.

Thinking this, Nie Qinglin couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the man sitting beside him.

No wonder some called him the most handsome man in Great Wei.

His extraordinary looks, paired with his tall and imposing stature, and the black court robe embroidered with golden threads, might lead those unaware of his true nature to sigh in admiration: “What a celestial being!”

A man like him, possessing both looks and intelligence, along with a venomous heart, was truly enviable.

How did her once-arrogant father, with his discerning eye, manage to pick out such a “pillar of the state” from a hall full of candidates during the imperial examinations?

It seemed that the tale of the wise judge and the thousand-mile horse was only a step away from the tragedy of the ungrateful wolf.

Just as Nie Qinglin was lost in thought, Eunuch Ruan’s sharp voice pierced her ears: “Your Majesty… Your Majesty, it is time to rise and pay respects to the ancestors…”

Only then did Nie Qinglin realize that everyone in the hall was now looking at her.

The newly promoted Regent Prince Wei was extending his hand, his cold gaze fixed on the new emperor, who had been sitting dazed on the dragon throne.

According to etiquette, after the coronation ceremony, the young emperor should be supported by the appointed regent, who would lead him by the hand to the ancestral temple to pay respects.

But when Wei Lenghou reached out to the new emperor, the young ruler seemed to ignore him, leaving the fearsome regent awkwardly holding out his hand in front of all the officials.

Immediately, murmurs began to ripple through the crowd.

Though they had been cowed by Wei Lenghou’s ruthless tactics, his act of forcing his way into the palace and killing the emperor was an open secret.

They had thought the new emperor weak and destined to be manipulated by the villain.

But to their surprise, the young ruler seemed to have some backbone, daring to embarrass Wei Lenghou in front of everyone.

The late emperor’s soul could rest in peace!

Unfortunately, the new emperor was still young, and after this incident, he would likely fall victim to Wei Lenghou’s schemes.

Father and son dying one after the other would make for a tragic yet poignant tale of filial piety!

Nie Qinglin’s heart, however, trembled.

Why did her habit of daydreaming have to kick in at such a critical moment? Watching as Wei Lenghou expressionlessly withdrew his hand and prepared to leave, she inwardly screamed,

“This is bad!”

Wei LengHou was known for his cold demeanor and narrow-mindedness.

Today, during the enthronement ceremony, everything had gone smoothly in front of the civil and military officials, but he had been slighted by the figurehead.

How furious would he be?

Without even checking the almanac, tomorrow would be a good day for the emperor to “pass away.”

Before the officials could fully appreciate the moving aspects of this “twenty-fifth act of filial piety,” the new emperor had already sprung into action.

The frail figure, clutching the oversized robe, stumbled and fell into the arms of Prince Wei.

Wei Lenghou only needed to glance down to see a delicate face frowning slightly as the young emperor whispered, “Prince Wei, please wait a moment. My legs have gone numb from sitting and need a moment to recover…”

With that, Nie Qinglin calmly leaned against the powerful regent’s sturdy frame, stretching her legs slightly before placing her small hand into his large palm.

The new emperor’s lack of resolve disappointed the officials who had been eagerly anticipating a confrontation between the ruler and his regent.

As they lamented the impending fall of Great Wei, they once again bowed their heads and followed behind the imperial procession.

Eunuch Ruan wiped the sweat from his brow, muttering under his breath, “This little ancestor is going to be the death of me,” before raising his voice to announce, “The procession begins!”

According to protocol, after the new emperor boarded the imperial carriage, the regent should follow on foot below.

But even if the Minister of Rites had eight extra guts, he wouldn’t dare to suggest that the Regent Prince dismount and walk with the officials.

Seated in the spacious imperial carriage, Wei Lenghou glanced at the frail young boy beside him and once again realized that this prince, who had always been unremarkable in the palace, truly wasn’t afraid of him.

In the past, he might have been deceived by his own gentle and refined appearance.

But just a few days ago, this young prince had witnessed the bloody coup firsthand.

He knew full well that Wei Lenghou had personally executed his father, yet here he was, sitting so casually by his side?

As countless thoughts raced through his mind, Wei Lenghou finally asked in a calm voice, “Your Majesty doesn’t seem to fear me much, do you?”