Chapter 033: The Mistaken Claw of the Dragon
If there was ever a definition of embarrassment, Wei Wanlan was now the epitome of it.
He had lost his balance falling from the golden carriage and closed his eyes in fear.
When he opened them again, he found himself grimacing, having crashed into the body of the Regent, caught by the Regent’s arm. His face was now awkwardly close to the Regent’s expressionless face.
**ăWhat are you doing now?ă**
“Nothing, nothing!”
How could he dare say that just now, in the solemn Grand Court Assembly, he nearly face-planted in front of the entire court of Da Wei? Wei Wanlan hurriedly grabbed Su Jingzhiâs arm to stand up, but as soon as he tried, another wave of dizziness hit him.
The crown was too heavy!!!
The clothes on him weighed at least ten pounds!!!
This was a real ancient court, and the Emperor’s dragon robe was woven with genuine gold. Just imagine the density of goldâthe weight of the ceremonial robe was no less than that of a generalâs armor. This wasnât something a modern cosplay costume could compare to.
“Is His Majesty…?”
“Whatâs happening?”
From the Dragon Tail Road, countless ministers, initially bowing, couldnât help but raise their eyes to peek. Though they were too far to hear, they could see the young emperor, dressed like a golden dumpling, staggering.
The ministers were puzzled and, recalling that the emperor had stayed in the palace for years without attending to state affairs, suddenly appearing outside the palace, participating in suppressing a rebellion, and now presiding over the Grand Court Assembly…
Linking all these unusual events together, there was only one possible explanation:
âThe emperor was being forced by the Regent.
No wonder the Regent treated the young emperor with such deference just now.
It must be that after the Tianlu Pavilion incident, the Regent didnât want to destroy the six generations of the Su familyâs loyal reputation by usurping the throne.
But the Regent still wanted to hold actual power, so he changed his strategy. Instead of ignoring the young emperor and letting him play, he now controlled him, turning the emperor into his mouthpiece.
This tactic was nothing short of brilliant!
It allowed him to both hold real power and preserve a glorious legacy in history.
The ministers silently nodded, each thinking they had figured it all out.
However, officials like Tang Tuan and Xin Buyi, who had more frequent contact with the emperor, were in the minority. Their thoughts were drowned out in the prevailing tide of public opinion, unable to form any significant opposition.
Wei Wanlan, with tears welling up from the fall, held his robes, not daring to cry despite the pain. His knees were likely bruised again, and if he walked a few more steps, heâd probably fall again. Being an emperor hadnât been glorious for long, and now it was already so miserable!
But he knew that now wasnât the time to throw a tantrum.
With so many eyes on him, Wei Wanlan bit his lip, sucking in a sharp breath as he tried to stand up again. Suddenly, a hand appeared in front of himâit was An Ruyiâs hand: âYour Majesty.â
An Ruyi bent down, his palm flat, seemingly ready to support Wei Wanlan and help the emperor up the Dragon Tail Road.
Wei Wanlan saw that hand and was moved to tearsâSteward An, youâre such a good person, QAQ!!!
No wonder An Ruyi had become the chief steward of the palace. With his skill in reading the room, no one in half the imperial palace could compare.
Wei Wanlan flashed a silly grin, like someone finding a lifeline, and was about to put his small hand on An Ruyiâs: âThank you!â
â*Ahem*.â
â?â
But just as his hand was about to touch An Ruyiâs fingers, a soft cough echoed by his ear.
Wei Wanlan, drawn to the familiar voice, turned his head.
The Regent, Su Jingzhi, had silently stood up at some point and was now in a place Wei Wanlan hadnât noticed before. He, too, had extended a hand.
Wei Wanlan gasped slightly, staring in disbelief at that hand: âHissâŚâ
The Regent showed no intention of withdrawing his hand.
Nor did he say anything extra.
Su Jingzhi merely raised his chin slightly, letting out a long nasal sound:
â*Mm?*â
â*I was wrong! I shouldnât have forgotten to respect you in this trivial test!!!*
The Regent of Da Wei was not to be trifled with.
Survival was paramount, so his hand must go there.
Wei Wanlan quickly placed his hand on Su Jingzhiâs, his fingertips brushing across the calluses in the Regentâs palm, feeling that the texture didnât even seem human.
His fingers trembled slightly, but he adjusted his mindset, using just the right amount of strength to grip Su Jingzhiâs hand for support.
The cut of his ruby ring reflected a warm glow.
Behind him, An Ruyi lifted the long train of Wei Wanlanâs robes.
As Su Jingzhi led Wei Wanlan up the Dragon Tail Road, the two of them ascended the stone steps slowly.
The emperor entered the hall.
Only then could the civil and military officials follow into the Hall of Hanyuan.
Behind the Regent and the young emperor, the entire court of the capital followed, heads lowered, steps careful: ââŚâ
The hearts of Da Weiâs ministers were in turmoil.
Because in their eyes, the Regent, in his prime and full of strength, walked with firm, steady steps, while the young emperor, a full head shorter, had a slender figure and light footsteps.
âIt didnât look like the Regent was forcing the emperor to attend court.
âIt seemed more like the Regent was inviting the young emperor to the Grand Court Assembly to show him the kingdom he had managed over the past three years.
The officials were stunned by this illusion.
And then plunged into deep self-doubt:
This couldnât be real!
The Regent, with his lofty pride, wouldnât act like this!
This must be Su Yanâs ploy, a well-orchestrated act of harmony between ruler and minister!
To perform it so flawlessly⌠I almost believe it.
His Majestyâs acting is quite goodâenduring shame, cooperating seamlessly. Perhaps this young emperor isnât entirely without merit.
What kind of tacit understanding had been reached between the emperor and the Regent during this court session?
âŚ
A myriad of unspoken speculations filled the air.
Wei Wanlan, the person at the center of it all, was completely oblivious.
He entered the hall, took his seat at the main position, and when An Ruyi announced the start of court, he was only slightly puzzled by the fact that everyoneâs gaze seemed a bit different from earlier.
There was an air of⌠respect?
Wei Wanlan straightened his posture on the throne.
**ăDonât get cocky,ă** 404 suddenly reminded, **ăThey respect you now because of the Regent, not because of you.ă**
âSo what should I do now in court?â
Wei Wanlan asked, confused.
In life, he often couldnât even handle his own affairs well, frequently making a mess of things. Now he was being asked to deal with matters of the state, and he didnât feel confident at all. What should he do?
**System: ăYour task today is to continue building a good image and listen to them discuss.ă**
âCan I issue an edict?â
**ăNo, you havenât taken full control of the government yet. The power to govern lies in the Regentâs hands.ă**
âCan I speak?â
**ăAbsolutely not. In public, the emperorâs words are as precious as gold. If you speak carelessly, it could cause an irreparable situation.ă**
âOhâŚâ
Wei Wanlanâs soft strands of hair fell forward as he sat there, a little dejected. So he was just supposed to sit there.
**404: ăYouâre a puppet.ă**
404 continued: **ăOnly by killing the Regent can you escape being a puppet!ă**
Thus, the system once again tried to pump Wei Wanlan up with motivation.
The Sage Emperor Nurturing system never tired of this task.
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