At the tender age of eight, he was hastily dragged out and made emperor!

Night comes silently, and night goes silently.

At dawn, the sky began to lighten with the pale white of fish's belly.

The rosy glow of the sunset cast a golden reflection on the glazed tiles.

The Liangyi Hall stands in the cold wind, but it is warm inside.

On the couch, hidden by curtains, there seemed to be a figure moving, but it quickly stopped moving.

Xu Yun, her shoulders partially exposed, rested her chin on her hand, her phoenix eyes fixed on one spot, her slightly furrowed brows seemingly reflecting her current mood.

Unlike when she first entered the palace, her husband, upon seeing the sleeping emperor before him, felt a strange pang of tenderness amidst his curiosity.

Having grown up in the household of the Duke of Qing, Xu Yun has a keen understanding of things. Power and status bring many benefits and adulation, but they also come with various sacrifices and precautions. After all, there are good and bad things in this world, and you won't get everything you want.

Xu Yun knew that as a legitimate daughter of a noble family, she had enjoyed a life that many of her peers had never had, longed for, or even dared not dream of since childhood. However, she would have to pay back all of this when she grew up. Unlike some legitimate daughters of dukes and marquises, Xu Yun disliked lively occasions. It wasn't that she didn't have playmates, but because of the reasons between her ancestors and parents, their relationships had changed.

"Is the way I look when I sleep very handsome?"

The sudden sound snapped Xu Yun out of her reverie, and her somewhat evasive gaze met Chu Ling's slowly opening eyes.

Chu Ling sized up Xu Yun.

Xu Yun stared at Chu Ling.

"It is quite beautiful." Xu Yun, her jade cheeks slightly flushed, lowered her head as Chu Ling looked her over. "At least it is most real when His Majesty is asleep."

"reality?"

Chu Ling laughed, reaching out to gently stroke Xu Yun's smooth skin. "Does the Empress think that when I woke up, I was wearing layers of disguise?"

"No."

Xu Yun held Chu Ling's hand and said softly, "Your Majesty, I feel that you bear too much. Some of these burdens should be shared by others, but..."

As he spoke, Xu Yun turned to the side and lay on top of Chu Ling.

A faint fragrance lingered around Chu Ling's nose.

"But some people are always scheming and plotting," Xu Yun continued, "They've forgotten one thing: His Majesty is the true ruler of Great Yu!"

"hehe…"

Chu Ling smiled and stroked Xu Yun's hair. "The Empress's words have truly surprised me. Yes, I am the ruler of Great Yu." As he spoke, Chu Ling's words carried a hint of emotion.

As time went by, Chu Ling gained a good understanding of the women in the harem. He knew their temperaments, their ways of dealing with people, and everything about them perfectly.

In this position, Chu Ling knows that matters of love between men and women are a luxury for him. Chu Ling never denies that there is good love between men and women in this world, but he also knows that he cannot pursue these things. He is more concerned with the responsibilities and obligations that come with his identity.

There is injustice in this world, but there is also fairness in some things.

For every gain you have, you are destined to lose something else.

Through his interactions with Xu Yun, Chu Ling discovered that this empress was very similar to him in some ways—lonely, intelligent… This made Chu Ling somewhat curious about Xu Yun.

Logically speaking, born into a family like the Duke of Qing's, and bearing the halo of a legitimate noblewoman, Xu Yun's personality shouldn't be like this. She should have an innate pride, which is the real Xu Yun. However, Xu Yun didn't have this, especially in important matters, where she could stand firmly on his side, which was what surprised Chu Ling the most.

Even the slightest hesitation is only human nature.

But Xu Yun did not.

"Your Majesty, I will assist you in changing your clothes."

While Chu Ling was pondering, Xu Yun stood up and said, "It's getting late. His Majesty still has to go to the Daxing Palace to handle important military and political affairs. Your Majesty, I..."

"Are they trying to get rid of me?"

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow and smiled as he looked at Xu Yun.

"No."

Xu Yun shook her head and said, "Although I do not know what has happened in the outer court, I know that Your Majesty must have something important to do." As she said this, Xu Yun's jade-like cheeks inexplicably turned red.

Last night, His Majesty was even more...

"I'm a little tired, so I'll stay up a little later these next few days."

Seeing Xu Yun's reaction, Chu Ling smiled and said, "Does the Empress also wish to advise me?"

"Then get up later."

As soon as Chu Ling finished speaking, Xu Yun knelt down and hugged Chu Ling, saying, "Your Majesty, I want to hold you and sleep a little longer."

"Ha ha……"

Chu Ling's laughter echoed in the bedchamber.

There is so much to do, but some situations have not yet achieved the desired results. Compared to before, Chu Ling has been visiting the inner palace more often these days. Chu Ling needs to use some people to let those outside the palace know about these things.

The situation in the outer court has become tense.

But the emperor became obsessed with women.

What kind of existence does this stark contrast convey?

The current imperial guards are completely under Chu Ling's control. The Imperial Guards and Feathered Guards will not leak palace secrets to outsiders, but the Imperial Guards and Merit Guards on duty in front of the Emperor may not be so.

Among them, there are always some who will gossip in private.

Little did they know, this was precisely what Chu Ling had done intentionally.

In the past, some special remarks were arranged by Chu Ling.

Most of the time, when Chu Ling was in the Daxing Palace, apart from a few people who could serve in front of the emperor, the rest had to stand guard outside the palace.

When the sun was high in the sky, Chu Ling finally arrived at Daxing Palace.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Chu Hui, who had been waiting for a long time, saw his elder brother's figure and immediately bowed.

From his expression, Chu Ling knew that something had happened in the outer court.

Have you had breakfast?

Chu Ling lifted his sleeves and sat down on the daybed.

After spending the night in the Liangyi Palace, Chu Ling felt much more relaxed.

"Ate."

Chu Hui's mind was clearly not on this. "Your Majesty, the public opinion these past two days has been a bit off. Also, Liu Chen from the Customs Administration specifically sought me out."

"is it?"

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow and looked at Chu Hui, asking, "What did Liu Chen say?"

"Some people are encouraging the reopening of border auctions."

Chu Hui said in a low voice, "Liu Chen is secretly investigating this matter, and I think..."

"Since there's no progress, let's not think about it for now."

Before Chu Hui could finish speaking, Chu Ling waved his hand and said, "Alright, don't be so nervous. Some things can't be solved by rushing. I can tell you haven't slept well. Go on, take another nap. The key is to balance work and rest. In the coming days, the key is in the central government, in Yudu, and in the capital region, but the key is not in these areas either."

"Brother Emperor~"

Chu Hui was surprised, but seeing his elder brother's firm gaze, he didn't say the words that were on the tip of his tongue. However, doubts arose in Chu Hui's heart.

"have a good rest."

Seeing Chu Hui's reaction, Chu Ling reached out and patted his shoulder lightly. "In the coming days, I will be unable to leave the palace, but there are some matters that I need you to inspect on my behalf. The Arsenal is the first place I need to go."

"Yes."

Chu Hui lowered his head and said.

Only then did Chu Hui begin to realize that his elder brother was doing this intentionally, and it seemed that the upcoming court affairs and current events would exceed many people's expectations...