Chapter 1 Late Night in the Taishan Palace

Late at night in the Taishan Palace.

Two middle-aged sorcerers, their robes tattered and faces covered in soot, silently infiltrated Jiang Zuo Wang's palace.

It was already the latter half of the night, and the disturbance by the altar had subsided.

The members of the royal family and ministers had all returned to rest and prepare for the Feng Chan ceremony (imperial sacrifices to Heaven and Earth) the next day. Jiang Zuo Wang was no exception.

He pushed open the door to his bedchamber and walked inside with a normal expression. After washing up, he excused himself to retire for the night, dismissed the palace servants, and remained alone in the room.

With a creak, the door closed, and Jiang Zuo Wang's calm, gentle gaze instantly turned sharp!

He whispered angrily, "Come out!"

"You failed such a simple task. What use are you to me?!"

As soon as he spoke, two ragged figures rolled out of the darkness, kneeling on the ground, begging, "Your Highness, we deserve to die!"

"But please, give us another chance to redeem ourselves, seeing as we still have some skill!"

Ignoring the two trembling sorcerers on the ground, Jiang Zuo Wang paced to the window, his sinister gaze piercing the night, focusing on Jiang Chen's bedchamber several miles away with malicious intent.

After a long while, his expression darkened, and he said, "There won't be a next time."

"If you fail in the next operation, don't bother coming back!"

Hearing this, the two men on the ground breathed a sigh of relief, their hearts finally at ease. They cautiously asked, "Your Highness, what other tasks do we brothers have? Do you need us to..."

As he spoke, the older sorcerer gestured towards the depths of the mountains, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.

The direction he pointed to was the location where Xu Jia Ying was imprisoned.

Seeing his intention, Jiang Zuo Wang raised his eyelids and gave him a warning glare: "Put away your petty cleverness. No one is qualified to interfere with my affairs!"

"Also, this woman, Xu Jia Ying, is of great use to me. Before everything is done, whoever touches her will pay with their life!"

Hearing this, the sorcerer, who had been filled with malice, lowered his head and dared not speak again.

Jiang Zuo Wang was pleased with his tact and did not dwell on his previous presumption. He said blandly, "Mei Ruo Ying will be in charge of the subsequent plan. You will follow her orders and not act on your own. Do you understand?"

"When the Feng Chan ceremony officially begins, I will make sure that Jiang Chen, that dog emperor, is completely discredited!"

The next morning.

Jiang Chen woke up very early, or rather, he hadn't slept at all.

The events of the night had taken a toll on him, and many aftermath issues were waiting for him to resolve.

In addition, Xu Jia Ying was still missing, and the mastermind behind the rebels was still at large. These thorny problems made it impossible for Jiang Chen to sleep.

"Your Majesty, it's time for breakfast."

At the door, Consort Shu called out softly, her slender white hand carrying a vermilion food box, walking gracefully into the room, her beautiful eyes full of heartache.

After returning last night, His Majesty had been busy in the side hall until dawn without closing his eyes. Such toil would surely exhaust him.

As a woman, she couldn't help His Majesty with matters of state, but she could do her best to take care of the trivial matters of daily life and be a virtuous assistant to His Majesty.

Meeting Consort Shu's concerned gaze, Jiang Chen felt a warmth in his heart. He stood up, embraced her, and said softly, "Yun'er, did you sleep well last night?"

"I have too many things to deal with and didn't accompany you. It's my fault..."

Consort Shu placed her delicate fingers against Jiang Chen's thin lips, interrupting him. She put down the food box, raised her eyes, and said with heartache, "Your Majesty must not say that. It is Yun'er who is at fault!"

"As a consort, I rested while Your Majesty was busy, failing in my duty as a wife. Yun'er should apologize to Your Majesty!"

Jiang Chen gently kissed her palm, pulled her to sit behind the imperial desk, and instructed, "There will be many people at the Feng Chan ceremony at noon, and it will be crowded. Yun'er must not run around. Stay乖乖(guai guai: obediently) by the side of the dark guards and imperial guards."

"I will have very important things to do at that time and may not be able to take care of you. Be a good girl and don't make me worry, understand?"

Jiang Chen understood Mei Ruo Ying very well. This woman always used any means to achieve her goals.

If Yun'er was too close to him, she would likely be targeted and used by Mei Ruo Ying as a tool to control him.

Consort Shu was not a meddlesome woman. She could hear the concern in Jiang Chen's words and solemnly promised, "Your Majesty, Yun'er understands."

"Do whatever you want to do. Yun'er vows that she will never be a burden to you!"

After speaking, she took the rare initiative and shyly placed a kiss on Jiang Chen's face before saying softly, "But, I hope Your Majesty can also promise Yun'er that no matter when or where, you will always prioritize your own safety, not put yourself in danger, and not let yourself get hurt!"

After speaking, she looked at Jiang Chen expectantly and timidly asked, "Your Majesty, can you promise Yun'er?"

The gentle and tender eyes made Jiang Chen's whole body heat up.

He couldn't help but lower his head, seizing the beauty's soft red lips, kissing her lingeringly.

Kissed by Jiang Chen until she couldn't breathe, Consort Shu's delicate body softened, almost turning into a puddle of spring water.

The enchanting atmosphere made the surrounding palace servants slow their breathing and carefully retreat from the room.

"Um, Your, Your Majesty, please have breakfast first. It's broad daylight, so it's better not to do such things. It's too inappropriate..." Feeling the large hand roaming over her gauze skirt, Consort Shu begged shyly.

But Jiang Chen didn't have so many scruples. He let his hands wander freely and said with a wicked smile, "Breakfast? Aren't I eating it right now?"

"The ancients all said that beauty is a feast for the eyes. Naturally, I will enjoy a beauty like Yun'er!"

Consort Shu's eyes, rubbed until moist, were filled with charm, and her delicate body softened like a boneless snake, leaning against Jiang Chen's chest, but she was still shy in her heart, complaining, "Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven, how can you, how can you be so undignified?"

"These messy, lewd words are not something you should say!"

Jiang Chen was hooked by her coy attitude of both accepting and refusing. He exerted force with his large hand and directly plunged into the hidden place.

Raising his eyebrows, he said, "Is this lewd? It seems my Yun'er is still too inexperienced!"

"Saying that you don't like it, but actually..."

Consort Shu covered Jiang Chen's mouth in shame and anger, begging with a sob, "Your, Your Majesty, if you bully me again, I will really have no face to see anyone!"

Jiang Chen grabbed her wrist and kissed her blushing face hard, lowering his voice and said, "Then I'll ask you, do you like my lewdness?"

Consort Shu's beautiful eyes darted away, she groaned and buried her pink face in Jiang Chen's chest.

After a while, the inner hall, with its doors tightly closed, was filled with bursts of delicate moans, melodious and charming, captivating the mind...

At the same time.

Dozens of miles away in Taishan.

People were coming one after another, wanting to witness the grand Feng Chan event and share in the Son of Heaven's good fortune.

In the endless stream of people, a carriage's curtain was fluttering in the breeze, faintly revealing a stunning face with a sneer...