The first procedure for the new emperor's ascension was to succeed the throne before the spirit tablet.
The true Longshun Emperor had long since turned to dust. Li Shuchen ordered someone to find the true Longshun Emperor's crown and robes and place them in the coffin.
After Prime Minister Du read the imperial edict, Li Shuchen took control of imperial power.
The civil and military officials all knelt and shouted:
"Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
"Rise," Li Shuchen said.
His sharp gaze swept over this group of useless officials, temporarily suppressing the urge to execute them.
He selected a few capable officials from among them and assigned three tasks.
First, to bury the coffin containing the true Longshun Emperor's clothes and crown in the imperial mausoleum. Then to take an urn of ashes from the Phoenix Feather Palace and bury it in the empress's tomb.
Second, to announce the crimes of the deposed emperor to the world.
Third, to prepare for the coronation ceremony.
After the officials dispersed, Li Shuchen knelt before the spirit tablet and bowed solemnly: "Father Emperor, please rest in peace. Your son will protect this vast empire and its people."
When he rose again, the young emperor exuded an aura of imperial majesty, calmly setting out to mend the devastated realm.
As one imperial edict after another was issued—
Construction on the Star Plucking Pavilion was halted, and all laborers were released;
The heavy taxes were reduced to their original levels in the name of the new emperor's ascension;
The excess women in the harem were all relocated to detached palaces, with those willing to leave the palace secretly released;
Wrongful convictions were overturned, and exiled talents were reinstated;
The Imperial Guards and palace guards were reorganized, weeding out the deposed emperor's few remaining loyalists;
The second prince and Imperial Consort Yao were placed under house arrest to ensure they wouldn't be rescued by the Marquis of Xuanping's people. A manhunt was launched for the Marquis of Xuanping, who had fled the imperial city in defiance of the new emperor;
Current officials were screened one by one and classified into three categories: usable, temporarily usable, and... worthless.
After Li Shuchen swiftly dealt with the corrupt elements, half the court was empty at the next morning assembly.
Most of these worthless officials had bought their positions. After taking office, they exploited the common people, each becoming disgustingly wealthy.
Like a flock of lambs waiting for slaughter.
After confiscating their property, the national treasury was considerably enriched.
Some officials who had bought their positions but behaved honestly, though lacking in ability, were temporarily kept in their posts.
They would be replaced one by one once talented individuals were selected through the imperial examinations.
The remaining capable officials were entrusted with important duties, taking on extra work for the time being.
In the future, they would be promoted based on ability and performance.
Li Shuchen worked day and night on state affairs, hoping to stabilize the situation before the second day of the second lunar month so he could marry Qi Huan with peace of mind.
He was so busy that he skipped meals and only slept two hours a day.
When Qi Huan begged Yan Wu to sneak her into the palace, she found a Li Shuchen with dark circles under his eyes and stubble on his face.
In the imperial study.
Hearing familiar footsteps, Li Shuchen seemed to sense her presence and looked up.
The usually stern and cold emperor's expression instantly softened when he saw his beloved.
Reaching out his hand, he said, "Huan'er, come here."
Qi Huan, dressed as a young eunuch, quickly threw herself into his arms. After he pulled her onto his lap, she touched his stubble and said, "It's prickly."
Then she touched the dark circles under his eyes and said, "Ugly."
Li Shuchen let out a soft chuckle, holding her tightly in his arms. "In all the world, only you dare to say such things to me."
Tears welled up in Qi Huan's eyes.
Li Shuchen immediately panicked: "What's wrong? Who bullied you? I... I'll support you."
"You bullied me," Qi Huan said, half concerned and half teasing, as tears streamed down her face.
"You're mistreating my future husband."
Li Shuchen gently wiped away her tears while coaxing her softly: "I know I was wrong. From now on, I'll eat and sleep on time."
"Once I get through this busy period, I'll bring you into the palace as my wife, so you can keep an eye on me at all times."
"Don't cry anymore, alright?"
Qi Huan, satisfied with his response, stopped crying: "Your Majesty has given his word, you must keep your promise."
Suddenly being addressed as "Your Majesty," Li Shuchen pinched her playfully as punishment: "In private, still call me Shuchen."
"Or husband."
When he was Prince An before, he never used the term "this prince" with her.
Now that he was emperor, he wouldn't use "We" with her either.
"We are the emperor of the realm, and also Huan'er's Shuchen."
"To Huan'er, I remain unchanged."
Qi Huan smiled sweetly and took out a prepared bowl of yangchun noodles from her spatial storage, placing it on the imperial desk.
Time was frozen in the spatial storage, so the noodles were as fresh as when they had just been cooked.
"Shuchen, eat while it's hot."
At her urging, Li Shuchen picked up the chopsticks, only now realizing how hungry he was.
After finishing the first bowl, he still wanted more.
Qi Huan took out a second bowl.
After he finished even the soup, he pinched Qi Huan's lips: "I can't eat a third bowl now."
Qi Huan pushed his hand away: "Don't worry, there isn't a third bowl."
Eating too much too quickly was also bad for the stomach.
The amount she brought was just enough to satisfy his hunger.
After the meal, Qi Huan helped him grind ink and quietly watched him review and approve documents.
When her system informed her it was already 10 PM, she quickly faked a yawn.
Li Shuchen put down his brush and closed the document.
The entire bureaucracy had been corrupted under the deposed emperor. After dealing with the officials in the capital that could be dealt with, he had begun to reorganize local governance.
After reading a pile of distressing reports, his brows were deeply furrowed, but he didn't let his bad mood affect Huan'er.
Li Shuchen stood up and gently embraced her from behind.
"Do you want to sleep in the dragon bed?"
"Will you sleep with me?"
Li Shuchen nibbled on her earlobe and whispered: "Of course."
"...Alright."
Li Shuchen brought "Little Qi the Eunuch" back to Qianqing Palace, where Little Qi supposedly attended to his bath, but in reality he attended to Little Qi's bath.
After drying her hair for her, he carried her to the dragon bed.
After two rounds, Li Shuchen fell into a deep sleep.
He was truly exhausted during this period.
Qi Huan tucked him in, got dressed, and tiptoed out of the palace, following Yan Wu back out of the imperial city.
After sending her back to the Song family home, Yan Wu seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Miss Qi, could you write a few notes for me?"
"I'm afraid His Majesty might settle accounts after autumn."
Qi Huan understood.
All the information about Li Shuchen had come from Yan Wu.
Leaking details about the emperor's daily life was a capital offense.
But Yan Wu was genuinely concerned about Li Shuchen's health, and he knew Li Shuchen wouldn't actually take his life, so he dared to walk this fine line.
As per his request, Qi Huan wrote a note saying "Do not punish Yan Wu" and gave it to him.
She looked at Yan Wu with a mixture of amusement and doubt: "Are you sure this will work?"
"Absolutely," he answered.
Despite his confident answer, Qi Huan remained skeptical.
She then wrote several more notes saying "Future husband, eat your meals" and "Future husband, go to sleep," and handed them all to Yan Wu.
"Since you think they'll be useful, show these to him when he's not eating or sleeping properly."
Yan Wu's face lit up with joy. Miss Qi was so clever!
When he returned to the palace, Li Shuchen fixed him with an intimidating gaze, and he immediately presented all the notes.
"Your Majesty, please spare me."
Li Shuchen's eyes fell on the repeated use of "husband," and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"This is the last time."
Before he knew it, the day of the coronation ceremony had arrived. Li Shuchen adjusted his robes and repeatedly instructed Yan Wu before leaving: "Protect her at all costs."
Yan Wu remained silent for a long time before saying: "Your Majesty, I want to accompany you."
"She is my life."
Although she had her mysterious spatial ability, he was still worried. She was his fiancée, and he feared someone might try to harm her.
Yan Wu led the secret guards to protect the Song family residence.
Li Shuchen, accompanied by the Blackfeather Guard and the Imperial Guards, set off for the coronation ceremony.
Outside the imperial city, the Marquis of Xuanping gazed towards the palace in the distance, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes.
