Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

Xiao Fang sat on the dragon throne.

The little prince in his arms was still asleep.

A bright yellow swaddle blanket with dragon patterns partially covered the child's face. The baby would occasionally move under the swaddling clothes, then fall silent again.

Not a single courtier spoke.

Beneath the dragon throne, there was a deathly silence.

Xiao Fang raised his eyes.

He looked at the faces in the hall.

Some were shocked, some were angry, and some turned pale.

Some people lowered their heads, not daring to look up.

Some people maintained a calm expression on their faces, but their hands, hidden in their sleeves, were clenched so tightly they turned white.

"Bring the person up."

Xiao Fang spoke.

The sound wasn't loud.

It even had a lazy, sleepy look to it.

But everyone in the hall could hear it clearly.

The palace gates opened.

The sound of shackles came from outside.

The first one to be dragged in was the wise king.

He's nothing like he was yesterday.

His face was covered in bloody cuts.

One eye was so swollen that it couldn't be opened, and the corner of its mouth was cracked.

The mourning clothes on his body had long been torn, and several whip marks were visible on the exposed flesh.

Some parts still bear the charred marks from being branded with a hot iron.

He was being held up by two imperial guards, his feet almost dragging on the ground.

There were more than a dozen clan elders behind them.

They all looked like they had been pulled out of a pool of blood.

Someone's arm was broken, hanging limply at their side.

Some people were already too weak to stand and had to be half-carried in.

They were thrown into the center of the hall.

As soon as the wise king landed, his head hit the gold brick with a "thud".

"Prince Zhenbei... I was wrong... I was wrong!"

He crawled forward two steps.

"I shouldn't have stopped the late emperor's funeral procession! I shouldn't have spoken nonsense!"

"Please, Prince Zhenbei, spare my life! Spare my dog's life!"

Another clan elder crawled forward, weeping.

"Prince Zhenbei! We made a mistake in a moment of confusion!"

We were deceived by the wise king!

"We dare not stop the late emperor's funeral procession!"

It was the wise king who made us kneel!

He said Xiao Fang wouldn't dare kill anyone in front of the coffin!

"We beg the Prince of Zhenbei to investigate! We also share the surname Long..."

We don't want to die! We don't want to die!

Xiao Fang didn't look at them.

He rested one hand on the armrest of the dragon throne, his knuckles tapping lightly.

"Weren't you quite talkative yesterday?"

The wise king trembled and kowtowed repeatedly.

"I was wrong! I was really wrong! I'll do anything for you from now on!"

"To be his slave?"

Xiao Fang repeated the sentence in a low voice, then suddenly laughed.

"You don't deserve it."

He no longer looked at the wise king, but turned his head to sweep his gaze toward the court officials in the hall.

"These people, under the guise of protecting the royal family, are doing things that are contrary to the late emperor."

"Yesterday, forcing the departure of the late Emperor and Empress's coffin was a capital offense."

His voice was still not loud.

It's like talking about a very ordinary little thing.

"Someone come here."

The imperial guards outside the palace responded and entered.

"Drag him away and beat him to death."

"His mansion was confiscated, and his family members were exiled."

After these words were uttered, the hall fell even quieter.

It was as if someone had sucked away the last bit of their breath.

The wise king's eyes widened suddenly.

"Xiao Fang! How dare you! I am the Emperor's brother!"

Xiao Fang did not respond.

The wise prince was both shocked and frightened. Seeing that the imperial guards were coming to drag him away, he knew that he was doomed.

He suddenly stopped kneeling.

He struggled to his feet and began to curse.

"Xiao Fang! You traitorous scoundrel!"

"You've used the emperor to command the feudal lords! You'll die a horrible death!"

"What you covet is the throne of Liang! Do you think holding the crown prince in your arms will absolve you of your ambition?"

"My ancestors will not let you get away with this!"

Several clan elders also joined in the shouting.

"Xiao Fang! You killed a member of the Long clan today; you will be punished by heaven tomorrow!"

"You'll die a horrible death! You'll die a horrible death!"

They used extremely offensive language.

Some people shouted themselves hoarse.

Xiao Fang simply leaned back on the dragon throne.

He was neither angry nor impatient.

They didn't even shut them up.

Until those people were dragged out of the temple gate.

The shouts and cries finally faded into the distance.

Xiao Fang then raised his eyes again.

"Any court officials have reports to submit today?"

His gaze slowly swept over the officials.

It's very light.

It could even be described as warm.

The entire court of civil and military officials trembled in unison.

No one stepped forward.

No one dared to look up.

They all knew it in their hearts.

Today, Xiao Fang was able to drag Long Yuanqi's younger brother, a member of the imperial family, out and kill him in front of the entire court.

What about the lives of these people?

The Imperial Censor clearly made a move just now.

Xiao Fang saw it.

He looked at the Imperial Censor and suddenly smiled.

"Your Excellency Censor-in-Chief, it seemed you had something to report just now?"

The Imperial Censor was stunned, as if struck by lightning.

His mind went blank.

In that instant, he imagined himself being beheaded.

He thought of his wife and daughters being exiled.

He thought of his whole family kneeling outside the Meridian Gate, crying.

His calves cramped, and cold sweat streamed down his back.

He wanted to stand up.

But my feet felt like they were nailed to the ground.

After half a day, it only moved half an inch.

Finally, he asked the question on the spot, his voice trembling.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty only wishes to ask... When will the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony be held?"

Xiao Fang hummed in agreement.

He seemed quite satisfied.

"What you've mentioned is exactly what I've been thinking about these past few days."

"The auspicious day will be in five days. Let the Ministry of Rites handle it."

Time is a bit tight, but we should still make it.

As soon as he finished speaking, officials from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward.

"It's not too late! It's not too late!"

Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly make sure the ceremony is a great success.

"But I wonder if the Prince of Zhenbei has any other requests?"

Xiao Fang said.

No, it's done according to ancestral rules.

It was completed properly from beginning to end.

"The Crown Prince is young. If there are any inconveniences, I will act on his behalf."

The Ministry of Rites official's face was full of wrinkles from smiling.

"Yes, yes, yes! I understand!"

"We will strictly adhere to ancestral rules and leave no room for regret for the Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhenbei!"

Xiao Fang didn't look at him again.

He stood up, picked up the little prince, and slowly walked down the jade steps.

"Then... let's adjourn the court."

All the civil and military officials knelt down.

"Respectfully seeing off the Crown Prince, respectfully seeing off the Prince of Zhenbei!"

Until Xiao Fang walked out of the main hall.

Many people finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief.

Some people's backs were already soaked with sweat.

As some people exited the palace, their legs gave way and they leaned against a pillar.

"I thought it was my turn next..."

"I've even figured out how I'm going to die."

"This Xiao Fang kills members of the royal family like dogs. How can we possibly speak to each other anymore?"

"What are you still talking about? You should be grateful you're even alive."

"But the Crown Prince is only a month old, and he alone is going to be in charge of the Great Liang."

"So what? He has the late emperor's edict, the crown prince in his arms, and two hundred thousand troops outside the city. Do you dare to oppose him?"

"I don't dare, I don't even dare to look him in the eye."

"From this day forward, no one in this court will dare to test his blade again."

Xiao Fang didn't hear any of this.

He carried the young prince and went to the inner palace.

He wants to meet someone.

And that person was waiting for him.

Xiao Fang left the previous dynasty and went to see the late emperor's empress, who was also Long Yuanqi's birth mother.

He was also one of the people he respected most in the palace.

The palace servants announced the news early on.

Before long, a female official came out and led Xiao Fang into the hall.

The Empress Dowager is no longer young.

Her temples were gray, and her face was gaunt.

After the deaths of Long Yuanqi and the Empress, she felt as if most of her vitality had been drained away.

But she still sat upright.

Xiao Fang entered the hall, first holding the little prince in one arm.

He knelt down, lifting his robe, and performed a grand salute with perfect decorum.

"Your subject Xiao Fang pays respects to the Empress Dowager."