Douluo Continent: Copying Ya Li, the Carefree King of the Sun and Moon

Then he went straight to his room and went to sleep.

I had just lain down on the bed when, after a short while, I suddenly sat up abruptly.

No way, is the emperor sick?

He's only 12 years old, soon he'll be 13, but don't princes usually start attending court after they turn 18?

He doesn't want to be emperor, so why is he so eager to do it?

Forget it, I'd better go to sleep first, otherwise I won't be able to get up when I get back.

Xu Yanli lay down peacefully once again, but the thoughts in her mind surged like the sea.

The next morning, birdsong rang out from the courtyard.

Xu Yanli nestled in the blankets, her eyelids twitching slightly before she opened them.

He moved his body again, but still kept his eyes tightly closed, pretending to be dead.

Waking up in the morning feels like a constant struggle with myself.

"Your Highness." Luo Xu's voice drifted in from outside the door, unhurried, "It's already 3:45 AM. If you stay in bed any longer, you'll be late for court."

The blanket was suddenly thrown off, and Xu Yanli sat up, his hair sticking up like a bird's nest, his face scrunched up.

"Okay, okay, what's the rush?"

He grumbled as he got off the bed, letting Luo Xu and several maids come in to help him get dressed. The court robe was really heavy, wrapped in three layers, with three belts tied around his waist, three jade pendants hanging from it, and even his hair ornament was more than twice as heavy as his usual one.

Standing in front of the bronze mirror, Xu Yanli looked at himself, who was completely covered in gorgeous clothes, and couldn't help but sigh.

He's only thirteen! At thirteen, he should be sleeping soundly until he naturally wakes up, not getting up before dawn to go to court.

"Your Highness, that's enough." Luo Xu took a step back, looked you up and down, and nodded. "You look incredibly dashing in this outfit."

Xu Yanli twitched the corners of his mouth, a forced smile: "Heroic? I just want to go back to bed and sleep now."

Luo Xu pretended not to hear and bowed, making a "please" gesture: "Your Highness, let's go."

Xu Yanli resignedly took a step forward and pushed open the gate of the Prince's Mansion.

He was stunned when the door opened.

A delicate wheelchair was parked outside the door, and a person sat in it, dressed in a black brocade robe, tilting his head back and teasing a thrush that had flown in from somewhere on a branch.

So that annoying bird call was from this bird.

Hearing the door open, Xu Tianran turned around, a gentle smile spreading across his face.

"You're up?"

Xu Yanli looked at Xu Tianran's calm and collected face, and couldn't utter a word for a long time.

His elder brother, the emperor, gets up earlier than him, dresses more neatly than him, and still has the leisure to play with birds here.

Wasn't it one or two people who got up that early? Back at Shrek Academy, he didn't even get up that early.

"Brother... what are you doing here?"

Xu Tianran withdrew his gaze and gestured with his chin to the attendant beside him: "Waiting for you. Let's go to court together."

Xu Yanli paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay."

The two brothers walked side by side toward the palace; to be precise, one walked while the other was being pushed.

The streets were still quiet in the early morning, with only a few breakfast stalls opening occasionally, their steam carrying the aroma of soy milk and fried dough sticks.

However, these weren't originally there; they were added at Xu Yanli's suggestion, and he naturally taught them how to make them.

However, the business was booming as soon as the store opened, and with the carefree king as a backer, naturally no one dared to bother these stores.

It's really not worth it.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Xu Tianran suddenly asked.

Xu Yanli thought for a moment and said vaguely, "It's alright."

"Not bad?" Xu Tianran chuckled. "That means you didn't sleep soundly."

Xu Yanli did not deny it.

Xu Tianran turned his head to look at him, a complicated light flashing in his eyes: "What's wrong? Are you not used to it? You didn't sleep well last night, it seems the bed is not good."

"Your Majesty is joking." Xu Yanli shook his head. "It's just that I'm not used to having to attend court all of a sudden."

Xu Tianran was silent for a moment, then smiled: "It's okay, you'll get used to it. We're almost there."

In the main hall of the palace, the court session is about to begin.

Xu Yanli stood outside the hall, looking at the magnificent palace, and sighed inwardly.

Inside the hall, the civil and military officials had already formed ranks, with the right side filled with armored generals, exuding a powerful aura.

He spotted Xiao Dingtian standing in the middle at a glance.

This former Star Luo general now wears the general's uniform of the Sun Moon Empire, his back ramrod straight, his face expressionless.

On the left were civil officials, a dense crowd, each wearing loose official robes, holding tablets in their hands, with lowered heads and meek eyes, none of them looking easy to mess with.

Xu Yanli's gaze swept across their faces, silently memorizing those familiar and unfamiliar faces, before finally settling on the princes in front of the civil officials.

The eldest prince, Xu Tianran, was naturally at the front, sitting in a wheelchair, his posture still composed.

The Second Prince, Xu Yanming, stood behind him. He was in his thirties, with a gloomy face and his eyes glancing at Xu Yanli with a half-smile.

The fourth prince, Xu Ji; the fifth prince, Xu Gang…

Of the seven princes, besides the third prince who was tortured to death by the crown prince, there were also the sixth prince and the eighth prince who died young, and they were all here to make up the numbers.

Xu Yanli withdrew his gaze, lowered his hands, and returned to his place.

"His Majesty has arrived..."

As the eunuch's high-pitched announcement faded, the emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire slowly walked out from the rear hall and sat down on the throne.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

All the officials knelt down in unison, their voices shaking the very beams of the palace.

"Flat body."

The emperor's voice sounded quite gentle, but Xu Yanli always felt that there was something else hidden beneath that gentleness.

Sure enough, not long after the court session began, someone started making trouble over Xiao Dingtian's matter.

“Your Majesty,” a civil official stepped forward, bowing with his official tablet in hand, “I heard yesterday that Your Majesty has appointed a new general to command the Left Battalion of the Imperial Guards. May I ask, what is the background of this general?”

The emperor smiled and said, "What, do you have a question?"

The civil official quickly bowed his head: "Your Majesty, I dare not. However, the Left Battalion of the Imperial Guards is the elite force of the capital, and its importance is paramount. I believe..."

"What do you think?" the emperor interrupted him, his tone still soft, but his eyes turned cold.

The civil official choked and dared not speak again.

The emperor then turned to Xiao Dingtian: "General Xiao, come forward."

Xiao Dingtian strode forward and knelt on one knee: "Your subject is here."

What happened to the mines planted at Shrek Academy before Chapter 79?

"From this day forward, you are officially appointed General of the Left Battalion of the Imperial Guard, commanding 30,000 elite troops." The Emperor's voice echoed in the hall. "I trust you, and I hope you will not disappoint me."

Xiao Dingtian kowtowed, his voice booming: "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust!"

The entire hall fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Xu Yanli lowered his eyes, but his mind was racing.

Thirty thousand elite troops!

The Left Battalion of the Imperial Guard is one of the core forces guarding the imperial city. Did the emperor really hand it over to Xiao Dingtian so easily?

Moreover, he should know in his heart that if he gave this thing to Xiao Dingtian, then he was not afraid of him.

He suddenly looked up and met the gaze of his adoptive father.

All that could be seen was a meaningful glint in the emperor's eyes, and then the emperor spoke.

"The Carefree King".

Xu Yanli was taken aback, and quickly stepped forward: "Your subject is here."

The emperor looked at him with a loving smile: "You have rendered meritorious service to the country during your year at Shrek Academy, and I am very pleased. In particular, the talents you brought back are invaluable."

He paused, then said, word by word, "From this day forward, I grant you the power of regent. You may participate in the decision-making of all major affairs of the court."

The entire hall erupted in chaos.

The power of regency?

That's not a privilege reserved for the crown prince!

Xu Yanli was also stunned and subconsciously turned to look at Xu Tianran.

Xu Tianran was still sitting in his wheelchair, with that gentle smile on his face, but the light in his eyes was dim and unreadable.

Xu Yanli felt a sudden sinking feeling in his heart, and instantly understood.

The emperor is... trying to sow discord!

This further strained his already poor relationship with the other princes and sowed discord between him and Xu Tianran.

"Your subject..." Xu Yanli was about to decline when the emperor interrupted him.

"No need for further words, my mind is made up."

Xu Yanli opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words and silently retreated to his seat with his head down.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the faces of his older brothers.

The Second Prince, Xu Yanming, turned green with rage, his eyes filled with a sinister glint that looked like he wanted to devour someone.

The fourth prince, Xu Ji, was even more direct, letting out a cold snort and not bothering to pretend anymore.

The Fifth Prince, Xu Huai, remained expressionless, but his eyes kept darting between Xu Yanli and Xu Tianran, as if he were plotting something.