The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

After the grand ceremony concluded, Liu Kun gently raised his hand, signaling everyone to rise. His voice was steady and powerful: "Proclaim the imperial decree."

At this moment, Zhu Guang, the newly appointed chief eunuch, dressed in a brocade robe and holding a bright yellow imperial edict, slowly stepped forward. Although his face was young, his eyes revealed an undeniable majesty.

Zhu Guang slowly unfurled the imperial edict, which gleamed softly in the sunlight: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Wei Wuji, possessing both talent and virtue, is hereby enfeoffed as Duke of Qin, appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and granted a fief of ten thousand households; Yu Jin, loyal and devoted, is enfeoffed as Duke of Chu, appointed Attendant-in-Ordinary, and granted a fief of ten thousand households; Jiang Zhan, wise and brave, is enfeoffed as Duke of Han, appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and granted a fief of ten thousand households; Lian Cheng, with outstanding military achievements, is enfeoffed as Marquis of Linchuan, appointed Commander of the Central Army, and granted a fief of ten thousand households; Xiao Jinyan, skilled in both literature and martial arts, is enfeoffed as Marquis of Yanling, appointed Commander of the Central Army, and granted a fief of ten thousand households; Xue Wenyi, brave and skilled in battle, is enfeoffed as Marquis of Anlu, appointed General of Ningyuan, and granted a fief of five thousand households; Zhan Ying, having repeatedly rendered meritorious service, is enfeoffed as Marquis of Jinxi, appointed General of Ningshuo, and granted a fief of five thousand households. The remaining officials are also granted their respective titles and rewards. This is the imperial decree!"

Zhu Guang's voice echoed in the hall, each word like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Upon hearing this, some civil and military officials showed joy, while others frowned, secretly pondering the deeper meaning behind the reward.

Xiao Jinyan thought to himself, "This makeshift team is now set up..."

After the imperial edict was read, the hall fell into a brief silence once again. Then, the officials knelt down to express their gratitude, and the entire Qianyang Hall was once again enveloped in an atmosphere of peace yet hidden brilliance.

After the court session, Liu Kun walked steadily through the many gates of the palace in the morning light, finally arriving at the magnificent Xuanzheng Hall, the place where the emperor was responsible for reviewing memorials.

Sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting dappled patterns on the golden embroidery of Liu Kun's dragon robe, making it shimmer with dazzling light.

Just then, Wei Wuji appeared quietly, his eyes flashing with an unfathomable light.

Liu Kun turned around, his gaze gentle yet carrying a hint of authority: "Duke of Qin, what important matter do you have to discuss?"

Wei Wuji slowly stepped forward, his aged face etched with the vicissitudes of time and deep worry: "This old minister dares to remind Your Majesty that you must be very wary of Xiao Jinyan."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun frowned slightly and asked, puzzled, "Oh? Why does the Duke of Qin say this?"

Wei Wuji sighed softly, as if bearing a thousand-pound burden: "Your Majesty, are you aware that Xiao Jinyan's father, Xiao Cheng, is currently the governor of four provinces—Qing, Xu, Yan, and Yu—and commands 300,000 elite troops. He obeys orders but not summons, and is extremely arrogant. His only son, Xiao Jinyan, was originally a hostage in Jiankang, but recently unexpectedly gained command of 50,000 imperial guards. Imagine, if the father and son of the Xiao family were to join forces, their power would be enough to shake the court. If they harbor rebellious intentions and plot a rebellion, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun's expression changed slightly, and his heart skipped a beat. He wondered if he had been too hasty in appointing Xiao Jinyan as the Protector General, allowing him to command 50,000 Imperial Guards outside Jiankang.

However, Xiao Jinyan has just stripped Han Xiu of his military power, quelled the rebellion, and rendered a great service. There's no reason not to reward him. Moreover, the 50,000 Imperial Guards are currently under his control. The position of Central Protector General is merely a matter of the emperor stamping his seal; there seems to be no reason not to grant it to him.

Forget it, as long as Xiao Jinyan is loyal to me, then none of this matters.

Liu Kun regained his composure, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Duke Qin's words are rather alarmist. Xiao Cheng has shown no signs of rebellion recently. As for Xiao Jinyan, he was a meritorious official when I ascended the throne. He helped me stabilize the court and made invaluable contributions. I also treated him with great respect and rewards. How could he possibly plot a rebellion?"

Wei Wuji's gaze was deep as he asked, "Your Majesty, who exactly do you think Xiao Jinyan is?"

At this moment, Liu Kun recalled that just three months ago, in a secret room in Wei Wuji's house, Wei Wuji had asked him the same question.

So, Liu Kun gently stroked the exquisite embroidery on the dragon robe, his brows furrowing slightly as he recalled the past: "I thought he was quite talented back then, a rare talent. However, the Duke of Qin insisted that Xiao Jinyan was nothing more than a playboy who only knew how to indulge in pleasure."

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji smiled knowingly: "Your Majesty, Xiao Jinyan is truly unfathomable. He cleverly disguises himself as a dissolute and cynical playboy, but in reality, he is cunning, treacherous, and scheming. His scheming is so deep that even this old minister was deceived by him. Such a person is truly terrifying."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun's gaze suddenly sharpened, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure and confusion: "Duke of Qin, you once spoke with absolute certainty that Xiao Jinyan was nothing more than a troublemaking wastrel who should be kept at a distance. Now, when he has demonstrated extraordinary abilities, you have turned around and called him treacherous and cunning. I truly do not understand why you are so resentful of Xiao Jinyan and repeatedly make things difficult for him?"

Wei Wuji's expression changed slightly: "Your Majesty, this old minister is not speaking ill of Xiao Jin for no reason. It is simply that this man's behavior is completely unpredictable. At times he is unrestrained and unruly, and at other times he is shrewd and capable. His ever-changing personality makes him difficult to fathom. More importantly, he can always achieve his goals at crucial moments in unexpected ways. This skill and cunning make this old minister wary."

Liu Kun spoke slowly, his voice carrying a hint of earnestness: "Duke of Qin, you and Xiao Jinyan are both my loyal ministers. You serve in the same court and work together to govern the country. You should work hand in hand to assist me. How can you get caught up in the quagmire of factional strife, damage harmony, and ruin the affairs of the country?"

Wei Wuji quickly explained, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This old minister is wary of Xiao Jinyan, and this is not unfounded. His recent actions have made me very uneasy."

Liu Kun frowned slightly, his eyes sharp: "Oh? What exactly has Xiao Jinyan done recently that has caused the Duke of Qin such concern?"

Wei Wuji took a deep breath, as if to expel all the pent-up emotions in his chest: "Does Your Majesty know that Xiao Jinyan has taken it upon himself to seal up the renowned Mianyue Tower in the capital, and not only that, he has also placed Yang Rong under house arrest in his own residence?"

"Yang Rong?" Liu Kun frowned, quickly searching his mind for information related to the name. "Is she Wei Kui's ex-girlfriend?"

“It is indeed this person,” Wei Wuji nodded.

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun seemed to understand something...

So he was keeping a mistress hidden away!

You, Xiao Jinyan, are really something else! You hoard everything and won't let anyone else play. No wonder Wei Wuji is furious; his precious son can't find it...

Liu Kun then gave a cold laugh, showing extreme disappointment in Wei Wuji, and said earnestly, "Duke of Qin, you are an old minister, and even more so, a loyal subject of mine. You must prioritize the public good and never let personal grudges interfere with state affairs. You can't attack and maliciously slander Wei Kui just because Xiao Jinyan has taken Wei Kui's old flame. Besides, there are plenty of good women out there. How can you damage the harmony among the important officials of the court over a mere woman? It's not worth it."