Rebirth As a Fatuous and Self-indulgent Ruler

Translator: Storm in a Teacup

Fang entered the imperial palace.

Then, he was summoned by Emperor Zhou soon.

Emperor Zhou looked at his son in surprise because Fang came back again soon after he left.

“Huh? Shuoyang? Why are you here again?”

Fang said in a low voice, “Father, something just occurred to me. I think that I must come here and tell you.”

“Oh? What’s that?” Emperor Zhou looked at him.

After thinking for a moment, Fang said, “Father, on my way back just now…”

When Fang left the imperial study, it was already two hours later.

Although there was a little sweat on his face, he was in high spirits.

Once Fang returned to the mansion, Long and Shi went to him.

“How is it? Has Emperor Zhou been convinced?”

Fang immediately gave them a look, showing that he didn’t let them down. “Yes. Although the process was very dangerous, I can feel that Emperor Zhou has begun to doubt Northern Barbarians’ intentions. In addition, he’s already agreed that Huhe Huangcheng has to show the poison to us if he wants to use it. I proposed an experiment under Emperor Zhou’s nose and he didn’t doubt it. I also revealed a little information about the imperial palace of Heaven Dragon when I was there. Emperor Zhou was lost in thought.”

Long nodded and patted Fang on the shoulder. “Shuoyang, well done!”

Fang smiled faintly. “I was afraid that I would screw it up. I’m relieved now.”

Long and Shi looked at each other and smiled. “Now, we have to get the poison as soon as possible and send it to the border.”

“Some of Wang Qi’s men can leave first,” Shi added.

Long nodded. “Yes, some of them can set off first. Once we get the poison, we’ll send it to them. Given their identity, it’s best for them to go there. We must speed up.”

Fang hurriedly said, “I will go to meet Huhe Huangcheng tomorrow.”

At night, Long and Shi were staying in the room.

Shi said, “Wang Qi’s men need to be rearranged.”

“What do you mean?” Long immediately raised his eyebrows and asked.

“Now Emperor Zhou is still unaware of Wang Qi’s existence. Otherwise, he and his men would have been exposed a long time ago. However, when they contacted those ministers… they all used their real names. If one of the corrupt officials isn’t afraid of being punished and reports them to Emperor Zhou, it would be bad.”

Hearing that, Long looked more serious. “It’s not impossible. But… we found those ministers according to the account book. I think all of them are very greedy for money and they won’t have the courage to expose themselves. But there might be an exception. If it really happens and Wang Qi’s men are exposed, then… We need some other people to send the poison.”

“Right.” Shi nodded. “It’s necessary to send some other people. Ask a Shadow Guardian to do it and one man will also travel fast.”

“Okay.” Long thought about it carefully and finally decided to allow a Shadow Guardian to do the task.

After making the decision, Long took a look at the sky and put his arms around Shi’s waist.

“Qingzhou, I was so scared today.”

“Oh?” Shi turned to look at him. “So what?”

“Of course I… need comfort.”

Shi became speechless.

Long looked at Shi with much enthusiasm.

After a while, Shi asked slowly, “What kind of comfort do you want?”

Long immediately said, “Qingzhou, what do you think?”

Shi said coldly, “I don’t know.”

Suddenly, Long laughed evilly. Holding Shi’s waist, he leaned forward and pressed his body against Shi’s.

“Qingzhou, you really don’t know, or you’re just pretending…”

Shi didn’t speak.

Long’s mouth had got closer.

Shi moved and Long just pecked him on the ear.

“We still have a lot of things to do tomorrow.”

Long blinked his eyes and got upset. “Qingzhou… I’m so poor…”

Shi rolled his eyes. “I don’t think so. Stop it! Go to sleep!”

Shi answered in a domineering manner and directly pushed Long away, so… Long became much more upset.

He wasn’t even as powerful as his wife… He really felt ashamed when he thought of it!

Naturally, they didn’t do what Long wanted at last.

Long still cared much about Shi and he understood what Shi said was the truth.

There were still too many things to be done.

Long sighed inwardly, wondering when all the annoying things would come to an end.

He wished that he and his empress would eat, drink and be merry every day. He wouldn’t mind even if both of them gained much weight. Really.

The next day, Long and Shi went to see Huhe Huangcheng with Fang.

Even as the crown prince of Northern Barbarians, Huhe was still very polite to Fang. After all, he was in other people’s territory!

Huhe inherited typical characteristics of Northern Barbarians, looking very rough and tall.

After contacting for a short while, Long and the others thought that he should be a very straightforward man.

However, as a person who had been staying in the palace and was brought up as the only royal heir, he couldn’t be like the children from ordinary families!

Therefore, Huhe must have hidden some of his real personality!

But Fang and the others didn’t care about this. Anyway, they should always stay alert.

After Fang and Huhe met, they exchanged warm greetings. Then, Fang said directly, “Brother Huhe, to be honest, both my father and I are looking forward to using this poison, but before that, we still have to know its effect.”

Huhe had agreed the previous day, so he didn’t hesitate and nodded directly. “I understand.”

Fang smiled. “Brother Huhe, this way please.”

“Your Highness, you’re so polite. Please.”

“Brother Huhe, don’t say that. I’ve already regarded you as my brother, but you still call me Highness. Do you look down on me?”

Fang pretended to be unhappy.

Huhe laughed and said, “You’re straightforward. I admire you, Brother Shuoyang.”

“That’s more like it,” Fang smiled and said, “Please.”

Huhe also stretched out his hand, “Please.”

Long and Shi followed them, being the guards silently.

When they arrived at the secret place, Fang only led Shi into the room, leaving Long to guard outside.

Then, Huhe entered.

A group of people had been waiting in the secret room.

Those people were prisoners on death row from Eastern Darkness and they would be used for the experiment.

Huhe took out the poison.

“Can you give me a pack?” Fang demanded openly.

Huhe wasn’t stingy and also wanted to show his sincerity. In addition, he was very confident in the poison made by his people and didn’t think that Eastern Darkness could develop something like that in a short time.

Therefore, Huhe directly gave a pack to Fang and there was much powder in it.  Fang guessed hundreds of people would be hurt by that.

Fang took it seriously, “Is it okay to keep it on me?”

“Don’t worry. It’s okay. As long as you don’t put it into the water and drink it, nothing will happen.”

Fang nodded and then gave it to Shi.

Shi dutifully put it away.

Huhe put the poison into the water.

Fang blinked and said, “Brother Huhe, if my own subordinates took it accidentally…”

“Brother Shuoyang, don’t worry about that. If it happens, you can come to me. As long as it’s within ten days, they’ll be fine. But after ten days, they won’t be saved even by heaven. As for the antidote… I can’t give it to you no matter what. Brother Shuoyang, please understand me.”

“Alright. People in our nation don’t like to force others. In that case, Brother Huhe, you’ll have to act under our noses,” Fang said frankly. He wasn’t shilly-shally at all, which would make others feel good.

So Huhe had a good impression of Fang. “Sure! No problem!”

After the poison was put into the water, he forced three prisoners in the secret room to drink it.

Fang asked, “How long will it take effect?”

“Within three days at least, there’ll be symptoms of a cold. After five days, their hands and feet will gradually go limp and any cold medicine won’t work. After ten days, they’ll lose all the strength. Moreover, after they’ve taken the poison for three days, anyone who has physical contact with them will be infected. If you don’t touch them, you’ll be fine.”

“Does physical contact mean skin-to-skin contact?” Fang asked.

“Yes.” Huhe nodded. “In particular, as long as your hand touches their hand, you’ll immediately be infected and feel like you get a cold three days later.”

“Whoa… In this case… this poison is really amazing.” Fang’s eyes sparkled.

“Of course. Our royal pharmacists have studied it for a long time. A lot of effort and many good things have been spent on it.”

“That’s admirable,” Fang said with a smile.

Huhe also smiled faintly. “We’re flattered, Brother Shuoyang.”

Fang smiled again and looked at him… poisoning other prisoners.