On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

Li gave a smug, smug look.

Luo Hongtu felt very pleased with his wife's reaction.

Ha, serves you right for always relying on your family's power to give me attitude!

How about this time?

Did you slap yourself in the face?

He cleared his throat and continued, "Don't get so excited! His Majesty also said that I've shared the country's burdens this time and am a great hero. Once he finds a way to execute Lin Yi, he'll definitely promote me and grant me a title. At that time, our Luo family will truly rise to prominence!"

"Soar to great heights! Yes, soar to great heights!" Mrs. Li nodded repeatedly, clapping her hands in approval.

Suddenly, she saw her youngest daughter blushing, clutching her skirt, looking like a delicate and pitiful young lady.

A brilliant idea came to mind.

"Wan'er, my good daughter." Madam Li pulled Luo Qingwan over, looking her up and down, her voice becoming sweet and gentle, "Look at you, you've grown more and more beautiful. If His Majesty saw you, wouldn't he be completely captivated?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Hongtu immediately understood his wife's meaning, and his eyes lit up.

Yup!

How could I have forgotten about that!

Lin Yi, that madman, is no longer reliable, and his eldest daughter, Luo Qingyu, is also ruined.

But I have a young daughter!

Wan'er is fifteen years old this year and has already come of age.

If it weren't for arranging things for my eldest daughter recently, I would have found her a husband long ago. Moreover, Wan'er is in no way inferior to her sister in terms of looks and figure, and she is also gentle and obedient, unlike her sister who is so strong-willed.

This is the kind of woman that men like the most.

If only we could give Wan'er to His Majesty...

Even if it's just a minor position like a concubine or a lady-in-waiting, then I'd truly be the emperor's father-in-law!

At that time, let alone a Minister of War, even the Prime Minister of the court would have to treat him with great respect!

Thinking of this, Luo Hongtu's breathing became heavy.

Why didn't I think of that sooner!

"Wan'er," Luo Hongtu tried to make his voice sound as gentle as possible so as not to frighten her, "Now that you're staying in the palace, you must make sure to get close to His Majesty as much as possible. If you can win His Majesty's favor, then our Luo family will truly prosper!"

Madam Li chimed in, "Yes, yes, Wan'er, you have to be good. The entire Luo family's hopes are pinned on you!"

"Don't be afraid, Wan'er. His Majesty is only fifty-one this year, which is the perfect time for him to make a move. There's no problem with him favoring you!"

"That's right! You can't judge a man by his looks. Look at your father, isn't he ugly? But I still married him and I'm doing just fine. Listen to your mother, as long as you're willing to marry him, you'll enjoy endless wealth and luxury!"

"If you were to give His Majesty another child, the Luo family would be completely finished!"

"Yes, yes, it would be best if it were a boy, and then His Majesty would make him the crown prince! Then our Luo family would be..."

The Luo couple's words became increasingly illogical.

The matter is still far from being settled, yet they're already talking about making the child the crown prince.

Is this guy crazy for wanting to climb the social ladder?

Luo Qingwan took two steps back, looking rather awkward.

Although she didn't understand what "being favored" meant, she vaguely knew that it must be the most intimate thing between a man and a woman.

She was terrified and resistant to being asked to meet that old emperor with his white beard.

But looking into her parents' expectant eyes and thinking about the miserable state of her home, she just couldn't bring herself to say no.

She was taught from a young age to be filial to her parents and to share the burdens of her family.

Now that the family is in trouble, and the older sister can't be relied on, there is an older brother, Luo Zhongjun, who works in Lantian County and needs support.

As the youngest daughter, it seems that this is the only way I can repay my parents for raising me.

"Daughter...daughter will listen to her parents." Luo Qingwan lowered her head, her voice barely audible.

"Oh, my good daughter!" Upon hearing this, Madam Li happily hugged her. "I knew you were the most filial! Don't worry, once we enter the palace, I'll dress you up beautifully, and I guarantee His Majesty won't be able to take his eyes off you!"

Luo Hongtu nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, let's not delay!" Madam Li released her daughter and said decisively, "Quickly pack your things! Take all the remaining valuables from home, as well as my several boxes of jewelry, and we're moving into the palace right now!"

Then she remembered something and said to Luo Hongtu, "Oh, right, let's not keep these servants in the manor anymore. They're all just freeloaders. Let's dismiss them all! Otherwise, they might steal everything we have left!"

"Good! Let's do it this way!" Luo Hongtu also perked up, shaking off his previous dejection, and began to direct the few remaining loyal servants in the house to move out all the gold, silver and valuables hidden in the secret room and cellar, filling three large carriages.

The whole family headed to the palace before sunset.

......

As evening approached, the sun, reluctant to leave the charming city of Chang'an, lazily lingered, scattering its golden light across the land.

The main gate of the Regent's Palace, facing the street, creaked open. Pedestrians turned to look, then fled as if they had seen a ghost, clinging to the wall. Even street vendors hurriedly packed up their goods, wishing they had two more legs.

There's nothing else to it. The first person to come out was as fat as a meatball. Who else could it be but Fatty Wang?

Behind the fat man were thirty retainers dressed in black, each with a knife at their waist and a stick in their hand. Their eyes scanned the surroundings like wolves, and they exuded a fierce aura that said, "Don't mess with me."

The people of Beijing have had their eyes opened these past two days.

The Prince Regent's mansion was foolish before, and now he's insane.

He first ransacked his father-in-law's house, then forced the prime minister to kneel, and finally even dared to tear up the emperor's edict in front of him.

This isn't a spoiled brat; he's clearly a traitor.

"Big brother, hurry up! Mobi is rubbing against the sculpture!" the fat man shouted into the mansion.

Lin Yi slowly walked out of the door.

Today he was dressed in a moon-white casual robe with subtle gold embroidery, a jade-inlaid belt around his waist, and his long hair was tied back with a simple hairpin. He looked both the dignified elegance of a prince and the carefree spirit of a wandering knight.

As soon as he came out, the young women and wives on the street who hadn't yet run far away stared at him wide-eyed.

Although the former regent was handsome, he was foolish and followed Luo Qingyu around like a lapdog all day, which made him uninteresting to look at.

But things are different now.

The face was still the same, but the eyes had changed.

Profound, indifferent, with an indescribable domineering aura.

Even a casual glance can send shivers down your spine.

"My God, how can the Prince be so handsome!"

"Yes, no, no, I need to go back and change my dress."

"What are you changing? Watch it all before you go back! You can't see the Prince every day!"

"Oh, I wish it were a rubber track, then I could have it installed in my elementary school."

"My elementary school was the same way, it was practically empty, hardly anyone was there. If only Your Highness could find a way to move in!"

Seeing the unfriendly looks from the young women and wives, Fatty Wang glared at one of them, yelling at a young woman who was secretly glancing at Lin Yi, "What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge your eyes out!"

The young woman trembled with fright and quickly ran away with her child in her arms.

Lin Yi kicked the fat man and laughed, "You little bastard, how many times have I told you not to scare ordinary people! You never learn!"

"Hehehehe, Fatty is just afraid they'll bewitch you. As a prince, you must remain chaste. How could you flirt with those lowlifes? Hehehe~~"

Fatty Wang grinned and sidled up to me. "Brother, where do you think we should go show off today? How about... a visit to the Minister of Works' residence? I heard that old bastard has several boxes of calligraphy and paintings from the previous dynasty hidden away. Shall we 'borrow' them for him to appreciate?"