Xiao Mo's consciousness detached from the Hundred Lives Book.
For nearly two months now, Xiao Mo had spent every day wallowing in cultivating immortality, paying next to no attention to court affairs.
When Xiao Mo got hungry, he simply had the imperial kitchen send food over.
As an emperor, after all—even a puppet emperor—there was always someone to wait on him for every need, from eating and drinking to the crudest bodily functions.
Xiao Mo figured that even the Longevity Emperor himself was less of a homebody than he was.
"Wei Xun," Xiao Mo called.
Wei Xun, who had been waiting on duty outside the hall, hurried in at the sound of his voice. "Your Majesty..."
At first, Wei Xun had assumed His Majesty's Daoist cultivation was only a way to lull Yan Shan'ao while he secretly made preparations in the dark.
Like that prince of Chen: after a powerful minister had stripped him of all real power, he secretly raised deathsworn retainers and did all sorts of things to keep the minister off his guard.
Then one day, that Chen prince summoned the minister into the palace, his deathsworn lying in ambush, and killed him, seizing back power.
But His Majesty really had spent this whole stretch cultivating the Dao...
And a single session of sitting meditation lasted an entire day.
Could His Majesty really have given up on seizing back power?
At the thought, Wei Xun sighed inwardly, feeling a little lost.
But on second thought, it was just as well His Majesty had given up.
Killing Yan Shan'ao was no easy feat—the man was himself a Dragon Gate realm cultivator.
If anything went wrong, forget seizing back power—His Majesty would more likely end up dead inside his own palace.
"Wei Xun, you look awfully grave. Has something happened?" Xiao Mo asked.
"In answer to Your Majesty, this slave is grateful for Your Majesty's concern—what trouble could this slave possibly have? If Your Majesty is well, this slave is well," Wei Xun said with a fawning smile.
"All right, all right, enough of the flattery every other breath. Have someone bring some food—I'm a little hungry," Xiao Mo said.
"The imperial kitchen has it ready and is already on the way to Your Majesty."
Ever since His Majesty had taken up cultivation, Wei Xun had more or less figured out his mealtimes.
"Mm." Xiao Mo nodded. "What have they been saying about me at court these days?"
"Well..." Wei Xun hesitated.
"Just say it." Xiao Mo looked at Wei Xun. "The truth!"
"..." Wei Xun marshaled his words, then said, one word at a time, "Quite a few ministers have... misgivings about Your Majesty's cultivation... they feel Your Majesty ought to... ought to..."
"Ought to devote myself to governing?" Xiao Mo smiled. "Are they also cursing me as a muddle-headed ruler behind my back?"
The moment the words left Xiao Mo's mouth, Wei Xun threw himself to his knees before him: "No one would ever dare say such a thing about Your Majesty!"
"All right, all right, what are you so nervous for? I never said it was you." Xiao Mo said mildly. "Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Wei Xun climbed shakily to his feet and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
As for those ministers cursing me, most of them are just putting on their "loyal minister" act.
Everyone at court knew that Empress Dowager Yan and Chancellor Yan held the inner palace and the outer court between them.
With his own power gone, how could he personally handle court affairs?
And if Yan Shan'ao ever felt threatened by him...
The man might well actually swap him out for a different emperor.
For an emperor, being forced out of the job had exactly one outcome: death.
So until he had enough strength, he had to keep his head down.
It wouldn't be long before his first life in the Hundred Lives Book ended. Then he'd see what kind of reward it brought.
"Your Majesty, the Chancellor requests an audience," a palace maid called from outside the bedchamber.
"Quick, show the Chancellor in," Xiao Mo said.
"Yes." The palace maid dipped in a bow outside the chamber, then opened the door. "Chancellor, this way, please."
With a sword hanging at his waist, Yan Shan'ao walked into the bedchamber and bowed to Xiao Mo. "This subject greets Your Majesty."
"Father Chancellor, there's no need for such ceremony." Xiao Mo hurried down from the bed without even putting on his shoes and went forward to receive him. "Father Chancellor, what brings you here?"
Yan Shan'ao took in Xiao Mo's Daoist robes. "Your Majesty has been cultivating for nearly two months now. This subject came to pay his respects and to ask how Your Majesty's cultivation is coming along."
"Hahaha... so-so, so-so." Xiao Mo said with a smile. "I find court affairs far too tangled and taxing. Ever since I began cultivating, my mind and spirit have been in excellent shape every day. It's only that the great and small affairs of the court have been troubling the Chancellor."
"What is Your Majesty saying? Sharing Your Majesty's burdens is this subject's duty." Yan Shan'ao bowed again. "However, Your Majesty, in about a month, Elder Huang of the Myriad Sword Sect will come to our Zhou. The Myriad Sword Sect is the number one sword sect under heaven, so Your Majesty will need to receive Elder Huang in person."
"That's no problem at all."
The original owner of this body knew very little about the cultivation world—he had only vaguely heard the name of the Myriad Sword Sect and nothing beyond it, not even the name of its sect master.
"In addition, Your Majesty is no longer young. This subject has selected some young women to enter the palace; all are daughters of distinguished houses. In particular, my Yan clan has produced a talented lady named Yan Ruxue, who is said to have both beauty and brilliance. I'm certain Your Majesty will like her."
"..." How could Xiao Mo miss his meaning? Yan Shan'ao had all but said it out loud: You must choose Yan Ruxue as your consort. And it wouldn't be long before she became empress.
"I have long heard of the Yan family's talented lady. I will certainly pay her careful attention!" Xiao Mo nodded, the very picture of compliance.
Seeing Xiao Mo so obedient, the corners of Yan Shan'ao's mouth curled upward.
In the past, Xiao Mo had still put up some fight against him, even tried to seize back power. But now it seemed he had given up entirely.
That was for the best. Otherwise, changing emperors would only bring needless complications.
"Since all is well with Your Majesty, this subject will take his leave."
"Take care, Father Chancellor, and mind your health in your daily life. Wei Xun, see Father Chancellor out."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Once Wei Xun had escorted Yan Shan'ao away, Xiao Mo's brows drew together. "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—just you wait, Old Turtle!"
Ten Thousand Laws World, Qinghe City.
The place was only thirty li from the border of Zhou.
On the streets of Qinghe City, Elder Huang walked with two "disciples" in Myriad Sword Sect robes following behind him.
Keeping their company these past days on the road had Elder Huang on pins and needles.
True, they wore the robes of inner sect disciples, but if he were really to treat the two of them as inner sect disciples, Elder Huang was quite sure he'd have a death wish.
These two.
One of them was his own sect master, the number one sword immortal under heaven.
The other was the sword attendant who served the sect master—Qiuye.
Honestly, Elder Huang had no idea why the Sect Master would want to come along with him to Zhou.
His own mission to Zhou was an ordinary piece of business—go through the motions, accept Zhou's submission as a vassal state of the Myriad Sword Sect.
But he never would have guessed that the Sect Master would tag along, and in disguise as an inner sect disciple at that.
Was there something special about this Zhou?