The day of General Shentu Yang began with being kicked off the dragon bed by the Emperor of Yin.

Shentu Yang, who had been resting with his eyes closed while guarding the dragon couch, had kept his ears strained until the middle of the night. It was no easy task waiting for the beauty’s breathing to become long and steady as he fell into a deep sleep. Only then did Shentu Yang stealthily climb onto the dragon bed, cautiously holding the beauty as he slept for less than two hours before being sent flying by a kick from Yin Shuhuai.

With the beauty in his arms, Shentu Yang only felt a massive force strike him from within his embrace. His entire body soared into the air uncontrollably. After a dizzying spin, he landed heavily on his backside on the floor below the dragon bed, letting out a loud, muffled thud.

The eunuchs and palace maids whom Shentu Yang had previously driven out of the bedchamber immediately rushed inside, followed by a squad of heavily armored Imperial Guards. Gao Jingde, leading the group, instantly spotted the Emperor of Yin sitting on the dragon bed with his clothes disheveled and a furious look on his face. Right after that, he noticed Shentu Yang, who was also disheveled and sitting sprawled out on the ground.

Gao Jingde’s eyes widened in shock as he looked back and forth between the two men, his mouth hanging wide open uncontrollably.

The hall was dead silent, and everyone stood frozen in place like wooden posts.

This lasted until Shentu Yang burst out laughing, completely unfazed. He looked up at Yin Shuhuai, whose face was as cold as frost yet flushed like rogue stained on jade, noticing that the young emperor’s earlobes were completely red from embarrassment. “Your Majesty is much more well-behaved when asleep than when awake.”

Yin Shuhuai was so furious that his hands clenched tightly into fists. His cold eyes, ignited by anger, shone with a sharp and piercing intensity, shooting like two blades straight at Shentu Yang. “The General is being a bit too reckless.”

Staying overnight in the imperial palace, crawling into the dragon bed…

“Do you believe that I will issue an imperial edict to the entire world right now to summon the lords to protect the throne and save the emperor!”

The lords of the eighteen regional states hadn’t even gone far yet!

At this moment, Yin Shuhuai deeply regretted his actions. He should not have hastily trusted Shentu Yang’s morals and conduct just because he saw that the man could fight the Xiongnu, let alone appoint him as General to oversee the eighteen lords. This had created a perilous situation akin to driving away a tiger only to let in a wolf, leaving him riding a tiger that was impossible to dismount.

Back then, he should have listened to the Prime Minister and directly dispatched a million troops to pacify the State of Yan, executing this rebellious and treacherous madman!

Seeing that the young emperor was truly enraged, Shentu Yang finally crawled back up from the floor with a slight pout. He waved his hand to dismiss his brothers who were standing at the door enjoying the show, and then loudly ordered the stunned eunuchs and palace maids in the hall to attend to the Emperor’s washing.

The palace attendants looked toward Yin Shuhuai in fearful silence, not daring to move an inch.

It wasn’t until Yin Shuhuai waved his hand with a dark expression that everyone moved away like flowing quicksilver, stepping lightly as they withdrew. A moment later, they walked back into the bedchamber carrying hot water, washbasins, tooth powder, towels, and other items, keeping their eyes cast down and making no sound throughout the entire process.

“Leave it to me!” Shentu Yang blocked the path of the palace maids, unreasonably snatching the washbasin right out of a maid’s hands, and personally wrung out the towel to serve Yin Shuhuai in washing his face.

The palace maid whose washbasin and towel had been stolen gave a secret glare at Shentu Yang for stealing her job, but she quickly lowered her head before Shentu Yang could turn around. She was truly full of anger but did not dare to speak up.

Yin Shuhuai watched the overly attentive Shentu Yang with cold eyes, remaining completely unmoved. “As the Duke of Yan and the General appointed by the imperial court, you do not need to grovel like this. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be managing the provisions and forage needed for the return of the various lords outside Luoyang City? I have already ordered the left and right Treasury Sections and the Granary Section officials in the Prime Minister’s office to cooperate with you. Official business is urgent, so you had better hurry up and attend to your duties.” He truly did not want to see this rogue ever again!

Shentu Yang chuckled and said with good humor, “Distributing provisions to a million troops is naturally important, but serving Your Majesty is an even more important matter. I am Your Majesty’s minister, and taking care of Your Majesty is also my duty.”

As Shentu Yang spoke, he dropped to one knee and, with lightning speed, grabbed Yin Shuhuai’s foot. He even gave it a natural squeeze, saying with deep concern, “Why is Your Majesty’s foot so cold? Could it be a deficiency in your vital energy and blood? My State of Yan’s Liaodong Commandery produces a specialty ginseng that can greatly restore vital energy and benefit the spleen and lungs. I will have them select the finest hundred-year-old wild ginseng to present to Your Majesty.”

Being a military general and in the prime of his youth, Shentu Yang’s large hands were as hot as a freshly forged branding iron. A continuous stream of heat flowed from his palm into the sole of Yin Shuhuai’s foot. Yin Shuhuai was startled and instinctively kicked out hard, but Shentu Yang used the momentum to grab his ankle instead. “Does Your Majesty only know this one move? I am capable of learning from experience and turning it to my advantage.”

His rough, heavily calloused hands firmly held the Emperor’s slender and fair ankle. Shentu Yang even leaned close to Yin Shuhuai’s instep as if showing off, making a motion to kiss it.

Shame turned into anger as Yin Shuhuai grabbed a pillow and threw it forcefully at Shentu Yang’s face. “Let go of me!”

Shentu Yang raised his hand to catch the soft pillow gifted by the Emperor, letting go of Yin Shuhuai’s foot in the process. “Your Majesty is indeed Your Majesty, even your pillow carries a pleasant scent. I thank Your Majesty for the reward. It seems that from now on, I will certainly be able to sleep peacefully every single night.”

“Who rewarded you?” Yin Shuhuai’s face flushed completely red with anger. “Return the pillow to me.”

“Why must Your Majesty be so stingy? There is no reason to take back a gift that has already been given.” Shentu Yang held the soft pillow tightly against his chest with a successful, mischievous grin on his face, acting like a spoiled child who got a good deal. “I have given it more thought, and Your Majesty’s words make a lot of sense. I will go to the Prime Minister’s office right now to discuss the matter of provisions with the treasury and granary officials, striving to send off the million-strong army outside Luoyang City within three days. I absolutely cannot let down Your Majesty’s deep affection and great love for me.”

Enduring Yin Shuhuai’s murderous gaze that looked ready to spit fire, Shentu Yang walked out of the Chongde Hall feeling completely refreshed, only to be immediately surrounded by Gao Jingde and his men.

Hundreds of soldiers who had followed Shentu Yang all the way from fighting the Xiongnu into Luoyang looked at him with excitement. Gao Jingde, leading the group, leaned in with a knowing wink and asked in a lowered voice, “Big brother, you and this…”

Shentu Yang looked back at the Chongde Hall, which was still quietly bathed in the morning light. Unable to keep the corners of his mouth from rising, he waved his hand, patted the soft pillow in his arms, and replied in an equally lowered voice, “Too many walls have ears, let’s talk when we get back.”

Oh ho!

Gao Jingde raised an eyebrow, exchanging a knowing smile with the soldiers on his left and right.

“There is nothing that can’t be said about this. Big brother simply wants His Majesty to become our sister-in-law!”

“Not at all! Not at all! I see that our master wants to move into the Jiaofang Palace; he wants to be the Empress!”

That evening, the brothers were drinking and making merry at the General’s mansion granted by the imperial court, and they naturally brought up the matter of Shentu Yang staying overnight in the imperial palace.

Gao Jingde spoke with spit flying as he described the thrilling scene of Shentu Yang and the young emperor fighting, and he even pointed at Shentu Yang’s neck to mock him loudly. “Back with the Xiongnu and in the State of Yan, big brother never showed any interest in the noble ladies and refined beauties who came to flatter him. I thought big brother hadn’t opened his eyes to romance yet. Who would have thought that big brother just had high standards, locking his eyes onto the one sitting on the dragon throne from the very first glance.”

“It’s just a pity that he didn’t get to taste the meat, and he almost capsized his boat in a hidden ditch, nearly getting his throat slit by a sword from the young emperor.”

“Oh, this young emperor’s martial arts skills are not bad at all, to actually be able to injure big brother?”

“Far more than that! He even kicked big brother right onto the floor!”

“As the saying goes, to die for a beautiful woman is worth it even as a ghost. That is the Emperor after all! If big brother could sleep with the Emperor, it would be worth it even if he got kicked off the dragon bed.”

“He didn’t sleep with him at all!”

“Wait, how do you know big brother didn’t sleep with him?”

“Isn’t that obvious! My brothers and I were guarding right outside the hall. If there was any action inside, could we brothers have missed hearing it?”

“Maybe it’s because big brother isn’t capable in bed…”

“Cut the crap!” Shentu Yang threw a wine cup over. “You’re the one who isn’t capable, your whole family isn’t capable! I am perfectly capable!”

Zhou Tai, who was struck in the shoulder, smoothly tucked that golden cup into his shirt and said dismissively, “If big brother is capable, why wasn’t there any sound coming from the hall?”

“What do you know?” Shentu Yang sat cross-legged, holding a wine jar as he argued righteously, “I genuinely like him, so how could I force myself on him? Wouldn’t he just hate me to death then?”

“I think it’s pretty much the same right now.” Gao Jingde chimed in with a laugh. “The young emperor wishes he could kill you.”

“You guys just don’t understand, do you?” Shentu Yang held the soft pillow given to him by the Emperor and said with a smile, “His Majesty is a benevolent ruler who is loyal, affectionate, and truly cares for the common people. As long as we can fight the Xiongnu, protect the people of the Yin dynasty from being bullied by foreigners, and keep the various lords from harming the citizens, His Majesty will not cut off his own arms.”

…And just like that, they had become his arms!

The military strategist Yao Wenruo shook his head with a click of his tongue, intentionally asking, “Does His Majesty know about this?”

Let’s hope they aren’t completely focused on becoming His Majesty’s arms while His Majesty wishes nothing more than to wipe them out as a bunch of rebellious traitors.

“How could he not know!” Shentu Yang said with absolute confidence. “If His Majesty didn’t have such thoughts, why would he have the imperial court allocate provisions to our Yan state camp? And even appoint me as the General to oversee the lords of the world?”

This was clearly a desire to tame and use him for his own purposes, or so Shentu Yang thought, having deliberately altered “oversee the eighteen lords” to “oversee the lords of the world.”

“Even if His Majesty truly thought so, that should have been his thought before you stayed overnight in the imperial palace, right, master?” Yao Wenruo continued to throw cold water on the idea.

“It’s all the same.” Shentu Yang picked up the wine jar and took a long, satisfying gulp. “Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has always been a prisoner of powerful eunuchs, losing his grand authority and reduced to a puppet. Would he be content with that?”

“I observe that His Majesty possesses great talent and bold vision, and he also has a heart that loves the people, so I fear he will not be content.” Since they were talking about serious business, Yao Wenruo immediately became serious.

“Exactly.” Shentu Yang smiled confidently. “Now I lead hundreds of thousands of troops occupying Luoyang, holding absolute power, yet I am completely willing to assist His Majesty. As long as His Majesty’s head hasn’t filled with water, why would he push me thousands of miles away?”

And as long as Yin Shuhuai still had the intention to use him, Shentu Yang had the confidence to win the beauty over.

“Then you must be careful not to get consumed by this young emperor instead.” The Minister of the Imperial Stud, Zhang Yan, suddenly spoke up. “Throughout history, an inferior defying a superior has always been viewed by a ruler as a supreme humiliation. You are single-mindedly supporting His Majesty, but let’s hope that once the young emperor secures his throne, he doesn’t slaughter the hound once the hares are caught.”

A fierce glint flashed through Shentu Yang’s eyes. “A ruler of men, even if he is a puppet, will naturally have the temper of an emperor. My liking him is my business, and his wanting to kill me is his business. My being able to sleep with him is my capability, and if I get killed by him, then that just means I lacked capability. There is no such thing in this world as wanting to eat meat without expecting to take a beating.”

“But as long as I am alive for one day, you all must treat him as your sister-in-law, showing him the same respect as you show me.” Shentu Yang stared intently at Zhang Yan with burning eyes.

It wasn’t until Zhang Yan uncomfortably shifted his gaze away that Shentu Yang continued to smile and say, “But then again, people say that serving a ruler is like keeping company with a tiger. Since I dare to play a dangerous game with a tiger for its hide, how could I not have made any preparations?”

“Besides, why are you all so certain that he will definitely kill me? What if he falls in love with me too!” Shentu Yang still had quite a bit of confidence in his own charm.

In short, he wanted both the person and the power. If a great man cannot rest his head on a beauty’s lap while waking up to control the power of the world, what joy is there in living?

For some reason, after hearing this speech from Shentu Yang, the atmosphere at the banquet suddenly fell silent. Everyone looked at Shentu Yang with glowing eyes.

The Yin dynasty had been passed down for six hundred years, and though its spiritual energy was not yet exhausted, the signs of chaos throughout the world had already appeared. They, as brothers, had followed Shentu Yang to fight all the way from the Xiongnu and the State of Yan to Luoyang, risking life and death along the journey, so how could they not possess the grand ambition to occupy the central plains and enter the imperial palace?

Big brother was right!

Even if he stayed overnight in the imperial palace and slept with the Emperor, so what?

A great man living in this world should sleep with the Emperor and control the realm; messing around in the inner palace to sleep with the Queen Mother shouldn’t even count as a real achievement!

A group of rough men who had spent over ten years as slaves under the Xiongnu or had grown accustomed to being treated as barbarians in the remote borderlands of Yan, and who in any case had never really learned that set of central plains rites and morals, instantly began drinking fine wine heavily, slamming tables and roaring wildly, “Big brother is right! A great man living in this world should drink the strongest wine and sleep with the most beautiful person. We support big brother sleeping with the Emperor!” If the young emperor really dared to slaughter the hound once the hares were caught, they would strike first to gain the upper hand!

In any case, three thousand of their brothers were guarding the imperial palace, so no matter how much the young emperor jumped around, he could never escape from the palms of their hands!

The military strategist Yao Wenruo looked left and right, also smiling as he teased, “This plan of our master is truly wonderful.”

Once everyone looked over, they saw Yao Wenruo speaking absolute nonsense with a serious face, “The imperial power and the empress’s power of our great Yin are integrated as one. Throughout history, there has always been a tradition where the ruler is young and the nation is uncertain, leading to the Queen Mother taking control of the state. Although our master cannot usurp power and seize the throne right now, as long as he proceeds gradually to obtain the position of Empress, he can select the Crown Prince once he holds the empress’s seal. If by some chance His Majesty passes away one day, our master can ascend to the status of Queen Mother to govern the empire from behind the curtain!”

Hearing this, everyone scratched their heads. “Big brother is a man, can he really become the Empress?” And even become the Queen Mother?

Yin Wenruo gave a wave of his feather fan. “Human effort can achieve anything!”

“This won’t be easy to achieve, right?” Everyone tried to imagine it, and they felt that the level of difficulty in making big brother the Queen Mother sounded much harder than holding the Emperor hostage to control the lords!

“Ah!” Yao Wenruo lightly shook his feather fan, tilting his head as he murmured, “What kind of hero is our master? How could the usual drama of a powerful minister holding the Emperor hostage to control the court court attract his interest? Naturally, he has to choose the one with the highest difficulty! Under this heaven, men who call themselves rulers and kings are a common sight, but have you ever heard of a man becoming the Empress?” Let alone becoming the Queen Mother!

Everyone froze upon hearing this, and then burst out into roaring laughter!

The Minister of the Imperial Stud, Zhang Yan, laughed so hard that tears almost came out, unable to stop clutching his stomach as he said, “This is indeed a very good temporary strategy. It’s just… did His Majesty agree to it?”

Shentu Yang shook his head, regretting seriously, “His Majesty is shy, so he temporarily cannot accept me as an intimate partner.”

But it didn’t matter, he would work hard for it!

“There is one more matter,” Yao Wenruo said, turning serious after teasing Shentu Yang. “The brothers guarding the Sishui Pass sent word that the old scoundrel Huo Yan has sent people multiple times demanding that we fulfill our promise to escort him back to Luoyang. Big brother, are we really going to let him return to Luoyang alive?”

Once these words were spoken, the laughter vanished from everyone who had just been laughing out loud, and they looked at Shentu Yang with murderous intent.

The old scoundrel Huo Yan had originally dispatched a hundred thousand troops to the State of Yan to suppress the rebellion, and though he didn’t win the battle, he had caused the deaths of many of their brothers. According to what everyone wanted, they originally wished to kill Huo Yan to avenge their brothers! But the strategist wanted to enter Luoyang without spilling blood, and big brother also wanted the imperial court to be responsible for the provisions of the Yan state army, and even wanted to take over the three thousand Imperial Guards defending the palace.

After calculating everything together, they simply decided to use Huo Yan’s old life to exchange for some practical benefits, but they couldn’t just let the old scoundrel return to Luoyang so easily either. Shentu Yang pondered for a brief moment before speaking up, “How exactly is the old scoundrel’s injury?”

“The military doctor said he took an arrow directly to the center of his back, and it was thanks to the young emperor timely sending a physician from the palace to keep him alive. But he is advanced in years after all, and this injury has already drained his vital energy. Even if we let him return to Luoyang, he won’t live long.”

The military doctor also mentioned that based on the old scoundrel Huo Yan’s current physical condition, if he could stay at the Sishui Pass to quietly nurse his illness and follow the doctor’s orders for medicine, he might still live for another three to five years. But he just had to choose to make the exhausting journey back to Luoyang at this critical juncture, which was truly seeking his own death.

“The young emperor is quite deeply devoted to this old dog, actually sending a physician to treat his illness…” Shentu Yang snorted jealously, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. “Since he wants to seek his own death, we might as well help him achieve it. Send word to the Sishui Pass immediately to have them bring him back as fast as possible. A forced march the whole way, and they aren’t even allowed to stay at the post stations!”

Yin Wenruo lowered his head with a smile, cupping his hands in agreement.

With Shentu Yang’s warm heart that was eager to help those in urgent need, by the time Huo Yan returned to Luoyang, he was already reduced to skin and bones, breathing his last breaths.

When the Yan state soldiers escorting Huo Yan back to Luoyang drove the carriage to the entrance of the Prime Minister’s mansion, the originally orderly mansion instantly fell into utter chaos. Huo Yan’s second son, Huo Quan, ran out barefoot and carefully carried Huo Yan into the mansion with the assistance of the Yan state soldiers. A moment later, the sound of earth-shaking crying echoed out from within the mansion. People who didn’t know better would have thought the Prime Minister had already passed away.

Deep within the inner palace, Yin Shuhuai also received the news of the Prime Minister’s return from Shentu Yang’s mouth. He immediately ordered a carriage to be prepared so he could leave the palace to visit Huo Yan at the Prime Minister’s mansion.

In front of Yin Shuhuai, Shentu Yang jealously remarked once more, “Your Majesty and the Prime Minister truly share a perfect relationship between ruler and minister.” Without waiting for Yin Shuhuai to snap back at him, he personally drove the carriage to escort Yin Shuhuai out of the palace.

By the time Yin Shuhuai arrived at the Prime Minister’s mansion, Huo Quan had already sent people to invite all the famous doctors in Luoyang into the mansion to treat Huo Yan.

However, Huo Yan’s illness had struck the life force of his heart, and he refused to properly take care of himself. Adding to that the mental exhaustion and physical strain of traveling during this period, he was already beyond the reach of medicine, a condition that even immortals could not cure.

Huo Yan’s wives, concubines, and children heard these words, and in an instant, their crying shook the heavens.

“What are you crying for? I am not dead yet, don’t rush to perform a funeral for me!” Huo Yan impatiently shouted to dismiss everyone, turning his head to look at Yin Shuhuai, whose eyes had already turned red at some unknown point. He spoke slowly, “Your Majesty has arrived.”

“Please forgive this old minister for being unable to perform the proper greetings for Your Majesty.”

“What are you pretending for!” Yin Shuhuai stood by the bed, looking down at the white-haired, ancient-looking Huo Yan. “When you were well, you didn’t bow to me many times either.”

The world knew that performing greetings without using one’s name, entering the court without hurried steps, and wearing a sword and shoes into the imperial hall were the standard equipment of a powerful minister. As the Prime Minister who held absolute power and also held the position of Grand Marshal, when he held total control of the imperial court, he had never respected Yin Shuhuai as a puppet emperor.

Huo Yan laughed loudly upon hearing this, but immediately clutched his chest in pain. That stray arrow shot from behind had pierced through his chest and back, coming just a tiny bit short of hitting his heart. From that moment on, Huo Yan knew he wouldn’t live long.

“This old minister is likely going to die, and from now on I can no longer restrain Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty very happy?”

“It’s all the same.” Yin Shuhuai said in a low voice, “I am merely a puppet put forward by you all. No matter whose family altar I am worshiped upon, is there really any difference?”

Shentu Yang, who refused to leave and stayed stubbornly inside the room, felt his brow twitch. He silently looked at Yin Shuhuai’s back. At this time, the sky was turning dark, and the room had long been lit with candles made of beeswax for illumination. The flickering candle flames dragged the Emperor’s thin shadow onto the wall. Even with the imperial robes upon his body, it was nothing more than a thin, solitary shadow.

Shentu Yang instinctively took a few steps forward, attempting to merge his own broader, more robust shadow into that lonely and thin silhouette that seemed isolated from the world. Even if he couldn’t merge into it, he could at least walk side by side with him.

Huo Yan noticed Shentu Yang’s bizarre movements. He slowly raised his eyelids, his dim, old eyes fixed heavily upon Shentu Yang, who stood with his hands behind his back in the room, resembling a critically ill fierce tiger. He spoke in a deep voice, “Can the General allow this old man to spend a brief moment alone with Your Majesty?”

Shentu Yang looked at Huo Yan, and then looked at the silent Yin Shuhuai, frowning as he said, “Don’t you gentlemen always preach that a man of honor should have nothing to hide from others?”

Huo Yan said, “This old man is not a gentleman.”

Yin Shuhuai said, “Neither am I.”

Shentu Yang had nothing left to say and could only walk out of the room with a pout. Just as he was about to stand outside the door to eavesdrop, he was grabbed by Huo Quan, who had been guarding outside the whole time. “General, right this way. My humble home has already prepared tea, so please grant us the honor, General.”

Shentu Yang was speechless.

Shentu Yang looked at Huo Quan with a blank expression. The two men stared at each other for a long time, and in the end, Shentu Yang was pulled away by Huo Quan to drink tea against his will.

Hearing the commotion outside the door, the ruler and minister looked at each other and smiled. Huo Yan looked at Yin Shuhuai, who stood quietly in front of him. “Does Your Majesty blame me for handing over the power of defending the palace?”

Yin Shuhuai shook his head, analyzing the situation calmly, “Shentu Yang led a million troops to surround Luoyang. Even if the Prime Minister did not agree, he would have launched a military mutiny to firmly hold the power of defending the palace and even the power of defending Luoyang in his own hands.”

Once a conflict began between the two sides, it would only result in a river of blood. Since he, Yin Shuhuai, was destined to be a puppet, why should he watch soldiers die in vain just for the sake of the empty dignity of the imperial family?

Furthermore, Huo Yan was captured by Shentu Yang while recovering from his injuries in Xingyang, and was later imprisoned at the Sishui Pass. If he wanted to return to Luoyang alive, he had to make a deal with Shentu Yang. Handing over the power of defending the palace was the choice Huo Yan made after weighing the pros and cons. Huo Yan used the chips in his hands to ransom his own life, so what could Yin Shuhuai say?

Everyone has the right to survive.

Compared to the chaos caused by Shentu Yang in the palace after taking over the Imperial Guards, Yin Shuhuai was actually more relieved that Huo Yan had returned alive.

Whether people called him weak and incompetent or hesitant and indecisive, in the end, Yin Shuhuai felt a slight sense of attachment to Huo Yan.

Perhaps it was because Huo Yan was the first person Yin Shuhuai encountered after crossing over into this world, and also the person he had spent the most time with and cooperated with most smoothly since his arrival.

Only now, he was going to die.

Yin Shuhuai blinked, and tiny traces of tears quietly vanished into his thick, curled eyelashes. “I have never blamed the Prime Minister. I am very glad that you came back alive.”

“I knew Your Majesty would think so. Your Majesty is kind and generous, and you certainly will not blame me. I merely wanted to tell Your Majesty that I had no choice but to do this.” Huo Yan smiled with relief upon hearing Yin Shuhuai’s words. He painfully raised his hand and grasped Yin Shuhuai’s fingers. “Because I had a reason why I absolutely had to return to Luoyang.”

“I want to perform the capping ceremony for Your Majesty.” Under Yin Shuhuai’s shocked and confused gaze, Huo Yan said word for word, “Your Majesty… only after performing the capping ceremony can you naturally and legitimately take personal control of the state.”

Before going to the Sishui Pass to suppress the rebellion, Huo Yan had never thought about performing the capping ceremony for the Emperor. This was because the Emperor had just turned eighteen and had not yet reached the age for the capping ceremony. Furthermore, at that time, Huo Yan was full of confidence, believing that his trip to the Sishui Pass would surely crush the rebellion and allow him to return in triumph. At that point, he would still be the Prime Minister holding absolute power, so why would he create trouble for himself?

It wasn’t until he was ambushed at the Sishui Pass and found by Shentu Yang’s men that Huo Yan knew his life was coming to an end.

Huo Yan was not afraid of death. A great man must die eventually, but he must die for a worthy cause. When Huo Yan’s life hung by a thread, the only thing he thought of was that the Emperor had not yet undergone the capping ceremony.

The gaze with which Huo Yan looked at Yin Shuhuai gradually became warm and gentle. At some unknown point, he had already come to view this guy who liked to play the fool and act mysterious as his own nephew.

This was truly a rebellious and traitorous thought!

But so what?

He, Huo Yan, had lived his whole life, and when had he ever followed the rules?

Huo Yan laughed loudly, his spirit bold enough to conquer the world, “Your Majesty no longer has to be a puppet.”

“This is my final wish. Even if Shentu Yang commands a million troops and exhausts all his calculations, he can forget about stopping me!”

Under this heaven, no one could take advantage of him yet! Let alone expect to harm him without paying any price.

“Didn’t Shentu Yang say that Your Majesty and this old minister share a perfect relationship? As a minister, it is my duty to show ultimate loyalty to the ruler. Since Your Majesty dislikes being worshiped on an altar as a puppet, this old minister will overturn this altar for Your Majesty even if it costs my life!”

“Without the three thousand Imperial Guards, Your Majesty still possesses hundreds of thousands of troops in the Southern and Northern Armies. As long as Shentu Yang does not dare to perish together with Your Majesty, what can he really achieve even if he controls the palace guards!”