If you traveled back to ancient times, while others ate Guanyin clay, you would actually have giant

Li Tiancheng had originally planned to go and accompany the Empress early today, but unexpectedly, many important memorials were delivered, each one more urgent than the last. So he had to deal with official business first, and by the time he finished, it was already dark.

"Your Majesty, where shall we retire tonight?"

The eunuch, carrying a lantern, inquired of the emperor.

"Going to the Queen... It's so late, forget it."

Li Tiancheng instinctively wanted to go to the Empress's place, but suddenly realized that it was already dark and the Empress was probably resting, so he decided not to disturb her.

"Your Majesty, the Empress has not yet retired for the night."

Those who could serve as eunuchs by the emperor's side were all incredibly shrewd and perceptive; how could they not guess the emperor's thoughts?

"What? It's so late, why hasn't the Empress retired for the night?"

Because of her poor health in her early years, the Empress developed the habit of going to bed early. Even though her health has recovered now, she has not changed her habit of going to bed early. But it is strange that she is still not asleep so late tonight.

Li Tiancheng thought something had happened, so he hurried to the Empress's palace.

When Li Tiancheng arrived at the Empress's palace, he indeed heard the Empress crying inside.

Li Tiancheng immediately flew into a rage. He wanted to see who dared to make the Empress cry, and he would make sure they were torn to pieces.

"Empress, Empress, who has bullied you? Tell me, and I will make them regret ever being born."

After Li Tiancheng went in, he didn't see anyone else, but he saw the Empress holding a book, reading it by candlelight and crying.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"

"Um~ I heard you crying outside, and I thought you were being bullied."

Li Tiancheng felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Who in the palace, besides the Emperor, dares to bully me?"

"Oh, haha, Your Majesty, you're making fun of me again. Then why are you crying?"

"Isn't it all because of *The Story of the Stone*? You know, such a perfect couple, and Zhou Wu just wrote about Daiyu's death out of nowhere, waaaaah~~~~"

As she spoke, the queen began to cry again.

"Wait, Zhou Wu? What does this have to do with Zhou Wu?"

Li Tiancheng roughly understood that the characters in the book had been written to die, but the Empress seemed to have mentioned Zhou Wu's name earlier.

"Isn't this 'Story of the Stone' written by Zhou Wu?"

"what!!"

Li Tiancheng then realized that the person who made his empress cry so bitterly was actually Zhou Wu.

However, it was precisely because of the Empress's weeping that Li Tiancheng became interested in the Stone Record.

After coaxing the Empress to sleep, Li Tiancheng tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He got up, picked up the Stone Record beside him, and went to the desk to read it by candlelight.

. . . .

"Your Majesty, it's time to get up."

Although it was still dark, the eunuchs on duty had already begun waking the emperor.

People generally think that being an emperor is good, but in reality, an emperor has no freedom at all in his daily life.

Our daily lives, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation, are subject to a lot of scrutiny. Any slightly outrageous behavior will be magnified and criticized.

Li Tiancheng only woke up when he heard the eunuch's voice. He realized that he had been watching all night without even knowing it.

"Your Majesty, you...you didn't sleep a wink last night?"

The eunuchs led the palace maids in single file. The lead eunuch saw that the emperor was sitting at his desk and knew that the emperor was definitely not asleep.

"Shhh, keep your voice down."

The Empress was still sleeping, and Li Tiancheng didn't want her to worry, nor did he want outsiders to know that he hadn't slept all night because he was reading a storybook.

Urged on by the eunuchs, she reluctantly put down the Stone Record and changed and washed up with the help of the palace maids.

As dawn broke and many people in Dalong were still asleep, the imperial court's morning court session had already begun.

Already of advanced age, and having stayed up all night, Li Tiancheng went to court with dark circles under his eyes.

"When there is something going on, we will start, and when there is nothing going on, we will retreat."

Li Tiancheng sat on the throne and scanned the officials below, only to find that many of them also had the same panda eyes.

Li Tiancheng's eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he couldn't hear what the people below were saying at all.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty,"

The eunuch next to him saw that Li Tiancheng had actually fallen asleep during the morning court session, which was the first time in so many years, so he quickly and quietly woke him up.

Many officials below Li Tiancheng noticed his unusual behavior, but no one dared to speak up.

"What, court has adjourned? Hmm, good."

Li Tiancheng left in full view of everyone, leaving the court officials in the main hall at a loss.

The official who was halfway through the report even thought he had said something wrong and offended the emperor, which was why the emperor left directly.

When the emperor suddenly left, the eunuchs had no choice but to announce the end of the court session.

The departing officials whispered among themselves.

"Lord Zhang, what's wrong with His Majesty? He seems distracted."

"Lord Wang, I'm not entirely sure either. I haven't heard anything particularly unusual lately."

"Hey, Lord Zhang, what's with those dark circles under your eyes?"

"Oh, oh, it's nothing. I've just been busy with official duties lately. Lord Wang, you also have dark circles under your eyes."

"Oh, really? No, I don't think so. Oh, maybe it's because I'm busy with official duties."

Because the story of the Stone lacked a certain masculinity, men read it secretly.

. . . . .

"Shaman, can you ward off evil spirits?"

"Of course, who should we fight?"

"Zhou Wu".

"What law did Zhou Wu break this time? Every order is for Zhou Wu."

The fortune teller's stall at the temple entrance suddenly became bustling with business, as many believers came to beat the villains, but the target was always Zhou Wu.

Inside the courtyard.

"Zhou Wu, I am your sworn enemy."

"Give me back my Lin Daiyu."

Brothel.

"Oh, sir, you've arrived. Please come in."

"You said you have a new girl here?"

"Yes, the new arrival is petite, thin, and sickly."

"Lin Daiyu?"

"Wow, you really know your stuff."

The final chapter of The Story of the Stone has finally arrived, and the capital and the entire Longyou region are filled with the spirit of the Dream of the Red Chamber. Moreover, it has caused a great deal of grief among men, women, and children.

All the prestige that Zhou Wu had painstakingly built up crumbled at this moment.

Zhou Wu himself had no idea that because of a book called The Story of the Stone, he had become like a rat crossing the street, hated by everyone.

South China Sea.

Jin Xier has been searching for Zhou Wu these past few days. Although she knows he lives in the City Lord's Mansion, she has not paid him a visit because of his family background.

Today, Jin Xi'er finally cornered me at the city gate.

"What's wrong."

Seeing Jin Xier's red and swollen eyes blocking his way, anyone who didn't know better would think he had bullied her.

"Why did you kill off Lin Daiyu? Why didn't you let Baoyu and Lin Daiyu be together?"

Women are indeed emotional; Jin Xier actually came all the way to confront Zhou Wu because of this.

"Is it just such a trivial matter?"

"You're preventing people who love each other from being together, how can that be considered a trivial matter?"