Facing Feng Zhao’s step-by-step pressure, Wen Chenglin gritted his teeth so hard it felt like his back molars would crack.
“This old minister obeys Your Majesty the Empress’s decree. I request that Your Majesty and the Ninth Prince preside over the coffin-sealing ceremony!”
With this final concession, Wen Chenglin had no choice but to step back.
And once he spoke, it represented the entire Wen faction—including Wen Mei’er.
Wen Mei’er stared at him in disbelief.
“Father… do you even know what you’re saying?”
You’re just handing the throne over?!
“Shut up!” Wen Chenglin snapped.
If he had a choice, would he do this?
Today’s defeat was already humiliating enough—and the root of all this chaos was her incompetence. Repeated mistakes, unable to even control a single eunuch!
Wen Mei’er knew she was in the wrong and fell silent.
Neither she nor Wen Chenglin spoke again. No one else dared to speak either.
And just like that, the legitimate heir—Xiao Hongyi—became the next emperor of the Cangyun Empire.
Xiao Hongyi was still kneeling on the ground. He had arrived late and missed most of what happened, so he didn’t understand the situation at all.
It wasn’t until Feng Zhao personally helped him up and told him to seal the emperor’s coffin that he finally realized—
It was settled.
He… became emperor?
Just like that?
He didn’t do anything… and he became emperor?
Xiao Hongyi was completely dazed. His round, bun-like face made him look even more confused and adorable.
Even Feng Zhao couldn’t resist pinching his cheek.
The texture really was good.
“You did very well today,” Feng Zhao praised him.
If he hadn’t resisted hitting the eunuch earlier, and if she hadn’t stepped in, things would’ve been much more troublesome.
Wen Chenglin that old fox… really wasn’t easy to deal with.
Xiao Hongyi didn’t think he had done anything special, but hearing Feng Zhao praise him made him very happy. It felt like warm water bubbling in his chest.
The coffin-sealing ceremony wasn’t just about closing the coffin.
They also had to travel by carriage with an honor guard and escort the emperor’s coffin to the imperial tomb.
The mausoleum had been under construction since the emperor’s ascension and was only completed earlier this year. Now it was already being used—perhaps fate itself.
The funeral procession left the palace in grand formation, passing through the streets of the capital.
Many commoners were forced to wear mourning clothes and kneel to pay respects. They spoke of grief on the surface, but inside, many felt secretly relieved—thinking the emperor’s death came at just the right time.
No one liked a ruler who was indulgent, lecherous, and obsessed with pleasure.
Sitting in the carriage, Xiao Hongyi looked at the kneeling crowds on both sides of the road. Only then did he truly feel what it meant to be emperor.
Strange emotions rose in him—nervous, excited, and uneasy all at once.
【Ding! Mission completed!】
The system’s voice rang in Feng Zhao’s mind.
【Reward: one treasure chest. Would you like to open it now?】
“Open it immediately,” Feng Zhao said without hesitation.
The chest flickered, then opened.
A book popped out.
On the cover were two large characters:
History.
“…What is this supposed to mean? A reward of a history book?”
Feng Zhao didn’t understand.
The system continued.
【Bonus reward for exceeding expectations in stabilizing the heir’s throne!】
Another red chest appeared.
Feng Zhao immediately activated it, silently praying for a character card.
She needed a powerful subordinate badly—Wen Chenglin that old fox would definitely strike again.
But when the chest opened—
It was another book.
This time it said: Cookbook.
Feng Zhao: “…”
For the first time in her life, she hated seeing books.
【Congratulations: History Book and Cookbook obtained. Skills unlocked permanently.】
Feng Zhao asked, “The cookbook I understand—but what does the history book do?”
【Books contain accumulated wisdom of generations. You will soon understand.】
Feng Zhao felt a sting of regret for her lost character card.
The imperial burial had ended, and the whole world now knew that the next emperor of Cangyun would be Xiao Hongyi.
His coronation ceremony was held with great grandeur.
He stayed close to Feng Zhao the entire time, refusing to leave her side, clearly treating her as his only support.
To be honest, standing before the ministers made him extremely nervous. His hands and feet were sweating.
“Mother… M-mother, can you not leave? Stay with Xiao Jiu…”
Sitting on the dragon throne, Xiao Hongyi felt that every official below looked like they wanted to tear him apart and drag him down.
Feng Zhao had originally planned to send him onto the throne and return to Fengming Palace.
But seeing him clutching her sleeve and trembling, she hesitated.
A child emperor on the throne, with a regent dowager… this was—
【Ding! New mission activated!】
【Use your acquired knowledge to help the heir grow and stabilize the empire.】
【Reward: 3 A-rank character cards + 10 treasure chests.】
【Current progress: 0.00%.】
Feng Zhao immediately focused.
Three A-rank character cards. Ten chests.
This was a major quest.
But she didn’t rush to accept.
Instead, she lowered her head and said calmly to Xiao Hongyi:
“Do you know what you’re saying? If I stay, you will lose your freedom.”
Throughout history, child emperors ruled by regents often ended badly—not only for the emperor, but especially for the regent herself.
Xiao Hongyi didn’t understand her concern.
He only knew one thing—he couldn’t let her leave.
There were so many officials below. He didn’t trust any of them.
Only Feng Zhao—she was the only one he could grasp.
He forced himself not to think about the emperor’s death. He only knew the person holding his sleeve was real—someone who would at least consider him.
“Mother… don’t leave. I need you…”
Feng Zhao looked at him for a long moment.
Long enough that Xiao Hongyi thought she wouldn’t respond.
Finally, she spoke.
“Fine. Don’t regret it.”
Then she added,
“If you ever do regret it, you can tell me at any time.”
Their trust was still shallow. Feng Zhao also needed an escape route—otherwise, when the child grew up, the first thing he might do would be to kill her.
Xiao Hongyi nodded desperately. He didn’t think that far ahead.
Right now, holding onto her sleeve felt the safest.
“Thank you, Mother! I won’t regret it!”
The ministers below couldn’t hear their conversation, but after being granted rise, they saw something behind the dragon throne:
A bead curtain.
And behind it sat Feng Zhao.
The setup looked exactly like a dowager empress holding court from behind the curtain.
In dynasties with child emperors, a regent empress was nothing unusual.
So no one was particularly surprised.
Only Feng Ying slightly furrowed his brows…