On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

The Imperial Palace, Hall of Mental Cultivation.

It was almost afternoon, but Nangong Xiong's eyes were still bloodshot. He threw porcelain vases, inkstones, and other items all over the ground. Several eunuchs and maids knelt in the corner, thinking to themselves, "What's gotten into this old man today?"

Are you bored? You always go crazy when I'm serving you.

"No, she's sick in the head!" Nangong Xiong was reviewing memorials when he suddenly cursed, "Bitch! They're all bitches!"

The palace maid had lost count of how many times she had brought him new calligraphy brushes, and each time she did so with trepidation.

It's no wonder Nangong Xiong was angry; anyone would be upset in this situation.

He kindly took in Luo Hongtu's family, only to be scammed.

This is like your closest brother's family falling on hard times and coming to you for shelter, only to be tricked into helping you pay off their debts through a honey trap.

Isn't that insane?

However, if we were to encounter such a situation, we might have no way to express our suffering, but Nangong Xiong was the emperor.

If it really came down to killing someone, it was just a matter of a word. So, without hesitation, he issued an imperial decree that morning, accusing Luo Hongtu and Li of attempted assassination and ordering them to be dragged to the execution ground and beheaded.

As long as they are dead, what happened last night will forever remain a secret.

"I am the emperor! I can kill whomever I want! Dare to plot against me, and I will make sure you die a gruesome death!"

Snapped.

This calligraphy brush has had the worst luck today.

Just then, Sun Fu, as if he had heard some news, hurriedly came in with small, quick steps.

As soon as Nangong Xiong saw him, he couldn't wait to ask, "How did it go? Did you manage to cut it?"

Sun Fu came to his side, his face grim: "Your Majesty, something has happened. The man wasn't killed."

"What did you say?!" Nangong Xiong roared in fury. "What does it mean you didn't manage to cut him? What are the people in the Ministry of Justice good for?! Do they dare disobey my imperial edict? Tell me, who is the official on duty today? I'll have him beheaded!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Zhao Chang'an was on duty at the Ministry of Justice today, but this matter is truly not his fault. It's not that he disobeyed orders; it was the Shenji Battalion that suddenly stormed the execution ground!"

"Lin Yi's men? Why would he storm the execution ground?" Nangong Xiong was taken aback upon hearing this.

Lin Yi and the Luo family are mortal enemies.

Luo Hongtu had initially swindled Lin Yi out of a million taels of betrothal money, and Li Shi had even caused trouble at the Regent's Palace the day before yesterday. Logically, Lin Yi should have torn the Luo family apart, so why would he send people to storm the execution ground and rescue them?

Sun Fu swallowed hard and, forcing himself to speak, recounted the whole story.

"Your Majesty, Yue Nan, the commander of the Divine Machine Battalion, led his cavalry into the execution ground and publicly read out the Regent's decree. The Regent said... that he spared the Luo couple from death out of consideration for family ties and repaid evil with kindness, and exiled them to Lantian County."

Repay evil with kindness? Bullshit!

If that brat Lin Yi had any conscience, would I be eating coarse food and wild vegetables?

But this matter is so vague and unpredictable, it's really hard to guess.

"Did something go wrong along the way?"

Sun Fu nodded: "Yes, the Luo couple cursed His Majesty on their way to the execution ground, and they even brought up what happened yesterday..."

"What?!" Nangong Xiong understood immediately.

This is Lin Yi's open conspiracy!

When I wanted to kill someone, he deliberately saved them under the pretext of family ties!

It's still at this critical juncture.

"Sun Fu, tell me, what is the reaction of the people?" Nangong Xiong still held a sliver of hope.

He always felt that the common people were ignorant, and that as long as the Ministry of Justice insisted that the Luo couple intended to assassinate him, the common people would definitely stand on his side.

Just like dealing with corrupt officials, no one cares whether the corrupt officials actually embezzled or how much money they embezzled. As long as you handle it in this way, the people will applaud.

Even if the one executed is a political opponent.

Sun Fu raised his head, his face full of bitterness: "Your Majesty, the people are all praising Lin Yi, saying he's a living bodhisattva descended to earth. As for Your Majesty..."

Sun Fu didn't dare to continue.

Nangong Xiong grew impatient and slammed his hand on the dragon table: "Speak!"

Sun Fu was so frightened that he immediately knelt down.

"The common people say His Majesty is a tyrant, that this was all a conspiracy orchestrated by His Majesty, deliberately instructing the Luo family to frame the Regent, and now that the matter has been exposed, they're rushing to kill people to silence them..."

"Bullshit!" Nangong Xiong roared, nearly spitting blood in his anger. "When did I ever plot a conspiracy? It was that old bastard Luo Hongtu who schemed against me! Don't the common people have brains? They believe a few words from Yue Nan?"

Sun Fu sighed and explained, "Your Majesty, it wasn't Yue Nan who made it up. During the parade, the Luo couple started arguing. Luo Hongtu publicly cursed Li Shi for being shameless. Li Shi also retorted by calling Luo Hongtu a coward. Everyone on Zhuque Street heard it; there was no way to hide it."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Xiong felt a wave of dizziness, his body swayed, and he almost fell off the dragon throne.

"His Majesty!"

Please take care of your health!

Now I finally understand why Lin Yi was able to easily reverse public opinion.

Those two idiots from the Luo family, are you trying to kill me already?! If I want to silence you, why don't you just obediently die?

They're determined to make a huge fuss about it!

Now look what's happened, I've completely lost face!

panic.

An unprecedented panic surged into Nangong Xiong's heart, even more so than when Lin Yi had sealed off the capital.

Because he knew that even if Lin Yi sealed off the capital, he wouldn't dare do anything to the emperor. But now it was different. Once the people began to complain about the current emperor, any voice would unite them, and then all it would take was for someone to raise their voice, and a massive rebel army would be formed.

Even if it's not that bad yet, Nangong Xiong guesses that day is not far off.

Moreover, what he fears most right now is not the people's criticism, but the 200,000 loyalist troops who are gathering in the capital.

If those feudal lords and generals who command troops knew that he had done such a disgraceful thing, who would still be willing to risk their lives for him?

You must understand that this army is his last trump card and his only hope for a comeback. If he fails, he will have no chance to make a comeback and will be Lin Yi's puppet for the rest of his life.

"Sun Fu, immediately issue the imperial decree!" Nangong Xiong grabbed Sun Fu's arm, his nails digging into his flesh. "Seal off the nine gates immediately! No one is allowed to enter or leave the capital! Arrest and execute all those who are talking nonsense in the streets! Remember, this matter must absolutely not be leaked out of the capital, and even more so, it must not be known to the loyalist army!"

Sun Fu winced in pain, thinking to himself, "My goodness! Have you forgotten that you no longer call the shots in the capital?"

"Your Majesty, the capital is still in the hands of the Divine Machine Battalion..."

"Heh, heh heh heh..." Nangong Xiong laughed bitterly twice.

That means there's no room for negotiation on this matter.

Whether the loyalist army will help him, and whether helping him will make him emperor, is all unknown.

Just then, another eunuch entered.

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Liu Wentao requests an audience!"

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Wentao ignored the eunuchs' attempts to stop him and barged in, not even bothering to bow. He said as soon as he entered, "Your Majesty! There's no need to block the news anymore. Lin Yi acted much faster than us. This traitor not only rescued people at the execution ground, but also had people turn what the Luo couple said in the prison cart into jokes, which are now being spread all over the streets."

"When I entered the palace just now, I saw fast horses galloping out of the city. I guess they were spies from the Regent's Palace. Within three days, the whole world will know what happened last night!"

Upon hearing this, Nangong Xiong gave a bitter laugh and slumped onto the dragon throne.

It’s over.

It's all over.

He had been scheming against Lin Yi for days, and was about to drive him to the brink of despair, but all of that was ruined by those few drinks last night and by that woman who offered herself to him.

Nangong Xiong covered his face with his hands, his heart filled with regret and resentment.

Liu Wentao was also feeling bad.

After planning for so long and uniting so many civil officials, they thought they could take this opportunity to completely bring down Lin Yi.

But who could have imagined that their strongest backer, the emperor of the Great Zhou, would turn out to be a fool who was more trouble than he was worth?

But no matter what, once something happens, it has to be resolved, otherwise everyone will have to go home and take care of their babies.

"Your Majesty, I have another idea."