Rebirth As a Fatuous and Self-indulgent Ruler

Translator: Storm in a Teacup

They left the secret chamber.

Long Xiaoyuan noticed that something was on Shi Qingzhou’s mind, so he went back to the room with him.

Once they entered the room, Long Xiaoyuan grabbed the hand of his empress. “Qingzhou, are you unhappy?”

Shi Qingzhou didn’t answer the question but asked in reply, “When are you setting off?”

Long Xiaoyuan thought for a while and said, “Tonight.”

“Who are you leaving with?” Shi Qingzhou asked again.

Long Xiaoyuan asked in reply, “What do you think?”

Shi Qingzhou didn’t say anything, as if he was contemplating or suppressing something in silence.

Finally, Shi Qingzhou looked down and lowered his face. Long Xiaoyuan found that he could not see his expression.

He simply lifted Shi Qingzhou’s chin. “Qingzhou, are you unhappy?”

It was the same question he asked when he entered the room.

This time, Shi Qingzhou stared at Long Xiaoyuan and said slowly, “I’m not unhappy, but… I don’t know why, I have a bad feeling that something will happen.”

Long Xiaoyuan was taken aback and smiled. “Are you worried about my safety?”

Shi Qingzhou didn’t deny, and he nodded honestly. “Yes, you’re right. I am indeed worried about your safety.”

Long Xiaoyuan found Qingzhou very adorable in this way.

He reached out and gently caressed his cheek, and then slowly kissed him.

Knowing that they would be separated for a while, Shi Qingzhou didn’t refuse the kiss.

This kiss almost drove Long Xiaoyuan out of control!

In the end, Shi Qingzhou’s eyes flickered, and he pushed him away.

Long Xiaoyuan was reluctant to stop the kiss, but he knew that time was running out.

Thinking that they had to be separated for a while, Long Xiaoyuan hugged Shi Qingzhou in distress. “Qingzhou, what  could happen? We’re not exposed yet. If we talk about danger, you’ll be much more dangerous than me if you stay here.”

Shi Qingzhou slowly asked, “Have you thought of one thing?”

“What is it?”

“Fang Shuoyang’s guards. He came from Tianlong Dynasty and he brought with him twenty odd people, who were Shadow Guardians. A few of them died, but quite a few remained with him. These people are now in the Fourth Prince’s Mansion.”

“Yes. I’ve thought about it. “Long Xiaoyuan said softly, “Fang Shuoyang said that he brought these people out of Tianyin Post, and there were a few who he met on the road. Although they are from Tianlong Dynasty, they are independent, and now they all work for him. Now that Fang Shuoyang is the Fourth Prince, those people are just servants, and no one is looking for their mistakes. However, if someone takes advantage of that, or their identity of Shadow Guardians in Tianlong Dynasty is exposed, Fang Shuoyang will be dead meat.”

“Yes. Someone had put a tail on the Shadow Guardians in their previous missions.”

“Yes, I’ve thought about this. But Qingzhou, it is fine.”

“Really?” Shi Qingzhou frowned. “It’s fine?”

“Yes, it’s fine.” Long Xiaoyuan kissed his lips and said softly.

Shi Qingzhou frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Since Fang Shuoyang says those people are guards, they are guards in Tianyin Post! That’s it. Besides, as long as Fang Shuoyang does not betray the kingdom, it doesn’t matter.”

“But what if someone poses as guards?” Shi Qingzhou was worried. “You know that they can fake up evidence.”

“But it takes time,” Long Xiaoyuan smiled.

Shi Qingzhou was taken aback. “Time…”

“That’s right, Qingzhou. We are taking advantage of the time. Zhou Suye won’t do anything now, and he might take action after Emperor Zhou’s birthday. Besides, Zhou Suye doesn’t have the courage to do it right now. Fang Shuoyang is a prince, who is the only prince who competes with him. If Fang Shuoyang is slandered, who would people suspect of? ”

Shi Qingzhou fell silent.

Long Xiaoyuan smiled. “Only Zhou Suye.”

“Moreover,” Long Xiaoyuan continued with a smile, “Now Zhou Suye doesn’t have a sound footing in the court, and he is convicted. Shadow Guardians won’t be a problem for the time being.”

Shi Qingzhou pondered.

Long Xiaoyuan added, “Of course, I don’t deny that it will be the biggest hidden danger in the long run. It will be fine as long as we can confirm that these Shadow Guardians are from the Tianlong Dynasty palace. Therefore, I think that Zhou Suye gets in contact with Shadow Guardians outside with such an intention. However, the only thing he and Emperor Zhou are wrong about is that they think Fang Shuoyang will take time to obtain a sound footing and fight with them. However, that is not true. We are always looking for opportunities to take action.”

“Long Xiaoyuan, I have a plan,” Shi Qingzhou said suddenly.

“What is it?” Long Xiaoyuan immediately asked.

“I know you plan to make Zhou Suye go to the border and pin him down. Then we will deal with Huhe Huangcheng and return. Your plan is conservative and not too dangerous. However, it will take too long.”

Looking at Shi Qingzhou’s determined eyes, Long Xiaoyuan was slightly taken aback. “Qingzhou, you want to…”

“Do two things at the same time and scheme a big trap. When we dispose of the prince of Northern Barbarians, we kill Zhou Suye. At the same time, we plan a sudden death of Emperor Zhou in the Imperial City.”

Long Xiaoyuan took a deep breath. “In this case… everyone will know that Fang Shuoyang is behind this, which will have an adverse effect on his ruling.”

“It’s just an adverse effect, but we can cover up his involvement, or help Fang Shuoyang make a great military contribution at the border. Besides, make it look like Emperor Zhou dies in the hands of Northern Barbarians. Fang Shuoyang would become the emperor, and we ally with the Eastern Darkness, crushing Northern Barbarians. There will be only the Eastern Darkness and Tianlong Dynasty left in this world. Even if the bright sparks know what is going on, they won’t dare to breathe a word. How does the world know about who is right and who is wrong?”

Long Xiaoyuan fell silent.

Shi Qingzhou stared at him with deep eyes.

After a long time, when Shi Qingzhou thought that he would reject the plan, Long Xiaoyuan smiled faintly. “Alright. Let’s make a detailed plan for this ambitious goal.”

Shi Qingzhou’s eyes lit up. “Long Xiaoyuan…”

“You are my Empress, my general. If you want to expand our kingdom, how can I disagree? Besides, Northern Barbarians has been coveting our territory for a long time. If we don’t fight back, they will think they can walk all over us”

Shi Qingzhou smiled. “Okay.”

Long Xiaoyuan smiled back and then turned serious. “If we do this, Qingzhou, do you know… how dangerous the plan is? If we are reckless…”

Shi Qingzhou had a firm look in his eyes. “I know. However, it takes a strong mind, courage, luck and the right people to achieve great things, and none of them can be dispensed with. We have momentum, internal advantages and human factor.

“Momentum, internal advantages and human factor…”Long Xiaoyuan let out his breath in a long exhalation. “You’re right. We have all three of them!”

That night, Long Xiaoyuan left with Wang Shu and a Shadow Guardian.

Wang Shu was a careful man whose martial arts were second to Wang Qi. They could not take the action without Wang Qi, so Shi Qingzhou chose him.

The other Shadow Guardian was also selected by Shi Qingzhou for his top ranking and martial arts.

Ying Feng was still with Tianxiang Zi.

On the third day after Long Xiaoyuan’s departure, Tianxiang Zi came to the Fourth Prince’s Mansion late at night.

Fang Shuoyang met him with Shi Qingzhou and a Shadow Guardian protecting him in the study.

Tianxiang Zi made an obscure request to discuss an important matter with Fang Shuoyang alone, implying that Shi Qingzhou and Shadow Guardian should stay outside the study.

However, Fang Shuoyang rejected his request directly.

“I believe firmly in my people.” He refused flatly.

Fang Shuoyang indicated that he trusted his people, but he didn’t trust Tianxiang Zi. He preferred his people to be present no matter how big the secret was. He didn’t care if Tianxiang Zi told him about it or not.

Could Tianxiang Zi refrain from telling? No, because she came to discuss the cooperation plan.

So, Tianxiang Zi went ahead and discussed with Fang Shuoyang.

She stayed in Fang Shuoyang’s study for an hour.

When Tianxiang Zi left, Fang Shuoyang said solemnly, “I will give serious consideration to it.”

After confirming that Tianxiang Zi had left, Fang Shuoyang asked the Shadow Guardian to leave and kept Shi Qingzhou alone with him. The two of them entered the secret chamber in the study and started talking.

Tianxiang Zi came to bring some news.