Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

"Borrowing money? Why are you making such a fuss? Do you think I'm lending you my head?"

...It's not that we're making a fuss, it's just that this is really a meeting of eunuchs, utter nonsense.

The emperor himself borrowed money from a eunuch?

If word gets out, it'll sound like we've bullied the emperor, hehehe.

"Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, you seem to have an unusually strong desire for money?"

"I'm terrified of being poor."

Chen Shao explained, "I owed a lot of high-interest loans before I ascended the throne; I still have to pay them back, don't I?"

In the Great Yan Dynasty, powerful and wealthy individuals engaged in rampant lending, exploiting and ruthlessly squeezing the common people dry.

It was not uncommon for princes with no power or influence to take out loans.

Eunuch Wei's eyes darted around. "Your Majesty," he said, "though this old servant would like to help, I... this old servant is utterly incorruptible..."

"One million taels, or I will immediately go and inform the Empress Dowager that I have taken a liking to you and wish to make you my concubine."

"What?"

Male concubines... were not uncommon in the Great Yan Dynasty, and Eunuch Wei suddenly felt a breeze behind him.

I'm a eunuch, not a lowly one.

We have principles; how could we do something so absurd!

...

After a short while, the two bargained and settled the matter of borrowing money.

The price was reduced from one million taels to one hundred taels.

One hundred taels—any more would be greedy, any less might make Eunuch Wei appear cunning.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the current side quest. You have been awarded one chance to draw a keyword. Do you wish to draw a keyword?]

"Is that even a question? Just smoke!"

The next moment, the image of the starry river reappeared in Chen Shao's mind.

Inside the palace, the candlelight was dim.

A hunched-over man, looking like a groom, was carrying a precious vessel.

Dip it in a little bit of dark yellow...feces?

He solemnly put it in his mouth.

Seeing this, Chen Shao had already guessed his identity.

Lucky you, King Goujian of Yue!

I wonder if I'll be able to get a gold one this time.

If I could draw his entry, "Three thousand Yue soldiers could conquer Wu," then I'd be set for life.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have drawn the keyword: "Enduring hardship and biding your time."]

Chen Shao thought this entry was pretty good: "Enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens will surely lead to great achievements."

That perfectly reflects his current situation.

But when he saw the explanation of the term the next moment, he felt like dying.

[Sleeping on firewood and tasting gall: Boldly try the bitter gall. You will sleep on firewood, and each time you lick the gall, you will receive 1 tael of silver.]

[Ding! Side quest activated. You now have a way to get rich, gradually filling the national treasury: 0/100000 taels!]

You f***ing...

This dog system is really abstract!

How did a perfectly good entry become so distorted?

And... this is supposed to be a way to get rich?

Gallbladder, even dogs won't lick that stuff.

......

In the Imperial Study, Chen Shao dismissed everyone.

He sat upright, looking wistfully at the thin rope hanging from the roof beam.

At the end of the rope, a bitter gall bladder was tied.

Yes, it's fresh.

If you get close, you can smell a complex odor that is both fishy and bitter, which hits you right in the head.

Chen Shao stared at it, mentally preparing himself for the full time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

If this were in his previous life, and it cost one or two taels of silver each time, he would have said, "Give me ten, one isn't enough to lick."

But now it's the emperor...

Chen Shao was on the verge of tears, pinched his nose, and stuck his mouth out.

"vomit!!!"

The moment his tongue touched the surface of the gallbladder, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

He leaned on the desk and dry heaved seven or eight times.

[Current progress: 1/100000!]

"Forget it, I'll just go for it, otherwise I'm going to die sooner or later anyway."

"Every startup begins with licking..."

"In my past life, during the early stages of starting my business, when facing those wealthy female entrepreneurs, didn't I also..."

"Just bear with it."

After a short while, Chen Shao had gradually mastered the technique.

The frequency is frighteningly high.

This forbearance lasted all night.

[Current progress: 47328/100000!]

[Current progress: 78900/100000!]

As dawn broke, Chen Shao continued his tireless efforts on the entry.

By this time, he had already mastered the art of controlling his emotions.

With one hand supporting his chin and his eyes slightly squinted, he can still make money at a high speed.

As was customary, Eunuch Wei came over to serve him.

The old eunuch, with a smile on his face, pushed open the door to the imperial study.

"Your Majesty is truly diligent in your duties, spending the entire night in the Imperial Study. But I wonder..."

"ah?!!!"

Eunuch Wei's smile froze.

What did he see?

The young emperor, his face haggard and eyes bloodshot, was licking a bitter gall bladder...

What kind of hobby is this?

He had been in the palace for decades and had seen many storms, but he had never seen anything so outrageous!

Oh, some of the concubines did practice like that.

Can...

Suddenly, Eunuch Wei felt a gust of wind behind him, and with a howl of fright, he ran away as if fleeing.

They went straight to the Empress Dowager's palace.

"Neuropathy."

Chen Shao was too lazy to pay attention to the old eunuch.

He continued his great undertaking.

Finally, the emperor pays off.

[Current progress: 100000/100000!]

[Congratulations, host, you have been granted one chance to participate in a prize draw. Do you wish to participate?]

"Slap!" Chen Shao suddenly covered his mouth.

He's started slurring his words.

The familiar scene reappeared in my mind.

Across the vast expanse of water, a banner proclaiming justice on behalf of Heaven flutters in the wind atop the mountain.

The hall was filled with wine and meat.

One hundred and eight heroes sat on both sides, toasting and drinking, creating quite a lively scene!

A short, fat, dark-skinned man was holding a wine bowl.

"We eagerly await the Heavenly King's decree to grant us amnesty; only then will our hearts be at peace."

"Recruit amnesty, recruit amnesty, all they talk about is recruit amnesty, what a load of crap!" Chen Shao muttered to himself unconsciously.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have drawn a general card and obtained the entry: Bow down in reverence!]

[Prostrating oneself in obeisance: When you win someone's heart through your personal charm or actions, there is a chance to trigger prostration, causing the other person to kneel down and become completely devoted to you.]

[Ding! Side quest activated. Ten thousand taels is a drop in the ocean for an empire. Silver collected: 0/5000000!]

Even if it's a lisp, Chen Shao still can't stand it.

"System, you son of a bitch!"

"This means I have to lick your lip five million times? Why don't I just die?!"

One hundred thousand times almost killed me.

Five million taels is simply a cruel insult.

"We'll have to use other methods."

Now that we have 100,000 taels, it might not be difficult to make money from money and turn it into one million taels.

"But the prerequisite is that you have to be free."

What should we do?

Chen Shao looked at the entry, seemingly lost in thought.

......

Kunning Palace.

Empress Dowager Yuwen Xingye leaned against the phoenix couch.

She takes good care of herself and her face has no fine lines.

But at this moment, his brows were furrowed.

The puppet emperor he just appointed, does he really have that kind of ability...?

It would make you seem very stupid.

General Yuwen Huagu whispered:

"Your Majesty, Chen Shao was able to defeat Chen Jing in one fell swoop; his strength is extraordinary. Wouldn't it be risky to choose him as a puppet?"

The Empress Dowager summoned him for this very reason.

"I don't understand this. Is he really that amazing?"

"Your Majesty, although Chen Jing is a reckless man, he is a true master, a rare talent among the younger generation."

"Chen Shaoneng was able to defeat him; he was practically a match for a thousand men."

The Empress Dowager frowned even more deeply.

"That shouldn't be the case. His every move has been under control; he couldn't possibly be a master. This... might be a trap?"

Chen Shao is the emperor, he's not scary.

But if an emperor's status is combined with such power, then it becomes truly troublesome.

It would be better to let a fool like Chen Jing ascend the throne.

At least, Chen Jing does whatever comes to mind; he's very direct.

At this moment, the young man behind Yuwen Huagu stepped forward.

"Aunt, this is easy."

Yuwen Chendu!

Yuwen Huagu's eldest son and the Empress Dowager's nephew.

He also has another identity—

If Chen Jing is the number one expert among the younger generation of the royal family, then he is the number one expert among the younger generation in the capital!

"Let me test Chen Shao's abilities to see what he's made of!"

The Empress Dowager shook her head.

"No, he's the emperor now, you'd be deceiving him."

Yuwen father and son exchanged a smile.

"Your Majesty is overthinking it. In terms of kinship, Chen Shao is my son's cousin."

"According to etiquette, he should address my son as 'elder brother'."

"It's perfectly harmless for cousins ​​to have a friendly spar."

"Among all the officials in the court, who can find even half a reason to argue against this?"

Yuwen Huagu stroked his beard and smiled shrewdly.

"Perfect timing, it also lets those court officials see the prodigy of my Yuwen family."