The prince is very cruel

Rather than calling it a study, it would be more accurate to say that this is a palace covering an area as large as more than a dozen football fields. It is magnificent and golden, with jade dragons circling the pillars and a collection of countless books... It is so majestic and grand.

There were very few people in the imperial study.

Apart from a few eunuchs and palace maids bending over and waiting, only Yuwen Hongdu was standing there.

Guan Ning saw from afar an old man vaguely sitting on the dragon throne in the imperial study. In that instant, he felt an unprecedented sense of oppression!

He was horrified!

Is this really the emperor who people say is dying and doing ridiculous things?

No, how could it be that simple after being an emperor for decades?

He put away his contempt and inexplicably felt a little guilty. Strictly speaking, in addition to the dragon hat, the old emperor also had another hat on his head, which he had put on him unintentionally.

"Guan Ning, I pay my respects to His Majesty." He knelt down and bowed, not showing any fear or frivolity, but rather a state of neither servility nor arrogance.

"Cough cough."

"Well, is the kid from the Guan family here?" The old voice sounded a little hoarse, like a winter draft, a little harsh.

Although the old emperor was not too old, he looked older than his ancestors.

Guan Ning was surprised again, because the other party's tone was actually a little friendly?!

"Your Majesty, it's me." Guan Ning said.

The old man on the dragon throne tried to open his eyes wide and look down. His old body could no longer support the dragon robe. His white hair was loose and looked very casual. He did not seem like the image of an emperor.

But Guan Ning still felt a sense of oppression and a bottomless black hole.

The old emperor looked at Guan Ning for a long moment. His old eyes were a mixture of sharpness and decrepitude, making it impossible to discern his true nature. He smiled and said, "Not bad, not bad."

"The descendants of the Guan family are not dogs and horses."

"You have some of the demeanor of your father, Duke Guan." He looked like an elder, not like a ruthless emperor at all.

"Your Majesty, you are too kind." Guan Ning replied politely. It was the first time that he was so confused about someone.

"Ah." The old emperor stood up and said calmly, "Thinking back to the days when Duke Guan followed me on my campaigns, suppressing the rebellion of the Three Kings in the Central Plains, it was such a glorious time, such a comfortable time, and such a loving relationship between the monarch and his subjects."

"Unfortunately, times have changed. Now the emperor and his subjects are separated by life and death. I can no longer find such a subject who is like a brother." His tone revealed a kind of reminiscence and longing.

Guan Ning was completely stunned, his eyes filled with self-doubt.

The old emperor had such a good relationship with the deceased Duke Guan? Then why did he turn a blind eye to the strange extermination of the Guan family, practically treating it coldly?

Could it be that my suspicion was wrong?

At this moment, he suddenly wanted to ask about what happened in the past. Just when he was about to ask, he calmed down!

He was more cautious, pretending to be completely unaware of the inside story of the Guan family's extermination, and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, please remember the past. I am deeply grateful."

"If my father knew this in the afterlife, he would surely be touched. However, birth, aging, sickness, and death are normal in life. I hope Your Majesty will not miss me too much and take care of your health."

As soon as these words were spoken, the old emperor's eyes flickered.

After examining him for a long moment, he smiled again: "Well, well, well, birth, old age, sickness, and death are the normal course of life. You, a young man of twenty, can have this awareness. It shows that you are a teachable child."

"But." He changed the subject and changed the topic.

"It's not a good thing for young people to have too much temper."

"Over the past six months, you've caused so much trouble. Even if I wanted to protect you, my nephew, I'm powerless!"

When ordinary people hear the word "nephew", they will be so moved that they will kowtow and express gratitude, and they will be brainwashed to work hard for him.

After all, this is a great honor!

But Guan Ning didn't fall for it, his mind clearer than anyone else's. Is this the art of imperial power? Amazing!

Since everyone is pretending, he might as well pretend too.

Guan Ning showed gratitude: "Your Majesty, I admit my guilt!"