Chapter 3: Seizing the Crown, Plundering Gold and Silver, Embracing the Beauty to Slumber in Ecstasy

“How dare this traitorous son come here? Does he not think he’s already disgraced me enough?!” Ye Lantian’s eyes blazed with fury, his face dark as iron.

Seeing his anger, Wei Wuji hurriedly sought to soothe him. “Your Majesty, please do not be enraged. Prince Qin must endure some mockery and hardship to truly understand. If he never invites humiliation upon himself, he will never mature.”

Wei Wuji, styled Fuchen, held the esteemed posts of Left Vice Minister of the Secretariat and Minister of Personnel. A pillar of the state and Duke of Zhen Guo of Greater Xia, he was the current Empress’s elder brother and Ye Lantian’s childhood confidant.

A man both steady and cunning, Wei Wuji was Ye Lantian’s trusted aide, having served him diligently over the years. He had eliminated many rivals, held immense influence at court, and remained loyal to Greater Xia despite his noble status.

During the imperial succession struggle, Wei Wuji’s venomous stratagems pitted the two most powerful princes against each other until both were disgraced and exiled, clearing the path for the then underestimated Ye Lantian to ascend the throne.

Since then, Wei Wuji’s sly reputation had spread throughout Greater Xia, earning him the moniker “The Poisonous Viper of Greater Xia.”

Though he comforted Ye Lantian now, in his heart he had already given up on Ye Xun. Despite being Ye Xun’s uncle, he was deeply disheartened by his nephew’s conduct.

“Hmph...” Ye Lantian slammed a white chess piece onto the board, “If this traitor dares to act recklessly again today, I will have his legs broken.”

At the same time, the Qujiang Literary Contest had begun.

Under the organization of several officials from the Ministry of Rites, one by one, talented scholars ascended the stage to recite their poetry.

Ye Xun, leveraging the might of his loyal bodyguard Wang Cai, successfully pushed his way to the front row.

Originally, the patrol guards intended to stop Ye Xun, but intimidated by Wang Cai’s imposing presence, they dared not intervene.

A dying camel is still bigger than a horse.

After all, Ye Xun was still a prince of Greater Xia.

However, compared to the other princes, Ye Xun’s situation was rather bleak.

Today, the third prince, Prince Wu Ye Tao, also attended and took the seat of honor.

Possessing the titles of Greater Xia’s foremost talented lady and daughter of the Minister of Revenue, Shangguan Yunqing was a prize worthy of Wu Ye Tao’s pursuit, especially as he had yet to take a consort. Moreover, Shangguan Yunqing’s beauty was said to be captivating enough to topple nations.

The Emperor had not forbidden princes from participating, effectively allowing it.

This alone showed the depth of the Emperor’s loathing for Ye Xun—he was being publicly humiliated before everyone’s eyes.

Yet Ye Xun was unperturbed, standing quietly beneath the stage, watching the performances and ignoring the surrounding whispers and sneers.

Today’s theme was the Four Gentlemen—plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.

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