Chapter 15: The Young General Has Really Gone Bad

The Empress's expedition and the destruction of Blood Cloud Tower had already happened yesterday.

A new day.

Imperial City, Zhong Residence.

Zhong Ling was rushing to leave the residence when someone called out to her just as she reached the gate: "Ling'er, where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Ah?" Zhong Ling turned her head and saw a middle-aged man wearing a bright red official robe, staring at her with a strange look in his eyes.

After stopping, Zhong Ling replied: "Father, your daughter plans to go to the palace."

The man before her was none other than Zhong Yangming, the current Minister of Revenue of the Great Yan Dynasty.

He was Grand General Zhong Lishuang's husband and her father.

"Go to the palace?" Zhong Yangming muttered, looking at his daughter.

Usually, his daughter dressed in a black tight-fitting outfit, clean and simple.

But now, she was wearing a loose fire-red robe with her hair tied in a high ponytail, looking more feminine than before.

"Yes, before leaving, Her Majesty instructed your daughter to look after the Prince. I'm going to the palace now to serve as his escort." Zhong Ling nodded.

Zhong Yangming frowned, feeling inexplicably displeased: "That Prince has Imperial Guards protecting him in the palace. Why do you need to be so attentive?"

"Moreover, I've heard that Prince is greedy for pleasure and does nothing productive..."

"Father!" Zhong Ling's tone was somewhat indignant. "You've never even spent time with His Highness the Prince. How can you judge him so casually?"

After saying this, Zhong Ling ran off, disappearing from Zhong Yangming's sight.

"Ling'er!?" Zhong Yangming quickly called out and chased after her, but by the time he reached the residence gate, he saw his daughter happily skipping toward the palace.

Standing at the residence gate, Zhong Yangming's mind went blank for a moment.

What was going on?

He remembered that just yesterday, his daughter was quite resistant to this Xiao Tian and complained that her mother had assigned her a terrible job.

How did things change so quickly overnight?

She even talked back to him, her own father, for the sake of that Xiao Tian.

For some reason, Zhong Yangming felt that something was very wrong.

Zhong Ling didn't care about Zhong Yangming's complicated feelings and quickly entered the imperial palace.

She had special permission to freely enter and exit the palace.

After arriving at the palace, Zhong Ling learned that Xiao Tian was in the Imperial Garden and hurried over.

"Young General..." The Imperial Guards stationed at the Imperial Garden entrance were very surprised to see Zhong Ling arrive.

Especially when they saw her outfit, they were even more astonished.

This was the first time they had seen Zhong Ling dressed like this.

"Is the Prince inside?" Zhong Ling asked while walking toward the entrance.

"Ah?" The two Female Imperial Guards at the gate immediately reacted. "Yes, but..."

Before they could finish speaking, Zhong Ling had already passed through.

The Female Imperial Guards exchanged glances and secretly turned around to peek inside from the courtyard gate.

"Do you think the Young General will lose her temper and attack when she sees the Prince like that?"

"Very likely. The Young General has always had that kind of temperament."

Sure enough, when they looked inside, they found Zhong Ling standing dumbfounded not far away, staring ahead.

There, by the ornamental lake in the Imperial Garden.

Palace maids held large fans, gently waving them so that Xiao Tian, who was lying on a soft reclining chair, could feel the gentle, cool breeze.

Xiao Tian lay on the reclining chair with his arms pillowed behind his head, one leg crossed and swaying, eyes half-closed as he gazed into the distance, seemingly looking at something.

Other maids peeled tribute fruits and served them to Xiao Tian's lips.

What did a dream life look like?

This was it!

"So comfortable!" Xiao Tian reached out to take the tea a maid handed him, took a sip, and continued to lie leisurely on the reclining chair, watching the System's recordings of past hosts' exciting lives.

Clothes handed to him, food brought to his mouth, enjoying the service of palace maids in the Imperial Garden, watching special effects blockbusters.

One word.

Awesome!

"A beautiful retirement life." Xiao Tian muttered contentedly. This was even better than the retirement plan he had imagined back on Earth.

He even hummed a little tune.

Liu Yan, standing nearby, frowned slightly. Her hand gripping the hilt of her sword at her waist tightened involuntarily.

Her Majesty had personally led the expedition to the frontlines to fight, yet her husband was here indulging in pleasure. It was truly infuriating.

Behind her, footsteps sounded. Liu Yan turned around and saw a graceful figure in fire-red approaching.

"Y-Young General?" Seeing who it was, Liu Yan was very surprised. She blinked, somewhat doubting whether she was seeing things.

Looking Zhong Ling up and down, she felt the other person seemed somewhat unfamiliar for a moment.

"Hmm?" Xiao Tian, who was resting and enjoying himself on the reclining chair, turned his head. "What are you doing here, little girl?"

"Her Majesty ordered me to protect the Prince, so naturally I must fulfill my duty." Zhong Ling spoke matter-of-factly, walking to Xiao Tian's side and standing still, assuming the posture of a personal bodyguard.

Xiao Tian looked at Zhong Ling and felt a headache coming on.

He really didn't want this little girl staying by his side. What if she misspoke one day and exposed him?

Thinking of this, Xiao Tian waved his hand irritably: "Go wherever it's cool. Don't make a fuss. Who asked you to protect me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the surroundings immediately fell silent. The serving palace maids all stiffened.

Liu Yan's eyes widened as she stared at Xiao Tian, wondering if he had a death wish.

With the Young General's temper, should she intervene or not when she attacked?

"I'm not leaving. I'm staying right here. This... this is Her Majesty's order. I don't want to disobey an imperial decree." Zhong Ling shook her head, standing in place without moving, as if her feet had grown roots.

This scene left the serving palace maids dumbfounded.

The Female Imperial Guards standing nearby, as well as those at the courtyard gate ready to watch the show, were stunned.

Liu Yan: "???"

Her neck seemed to stiffen as she mechanically turned around, staring fixedly at Zhong Ling.

Especially when she saw the smile on Zhong Ling's face and the strange way she was staring at Xiao Tian.

Liu Yan's heart sank: "It's over..."

"The Young General has really gone bad!"

"I must report this to the General, or there will be big problems."

Thinking this, Liu Yan's gaze toward Xiao Tian had completely changed.

Admittedly, Xiao Tian did have a handsome appearance.

But she never imagined that this man was actually a seductive demon who brought ruin to the nation.

First, he somehow bewitched Her Majesty into marrying this worthless man.

Now even Zhong Ling, the pride of the Great Yan Dynasty's younger generation, the Young General, had been seduced by this "Seductive Prince."

The more Liu Yan thought about it, the more panicked she became, as if she could see a future where Her Majesty became obsessed with male beauty, neglected state affairs, and the Great Yan Dynasty declined further.

"Commander!" Just as Liu Yan was lost in wild thoughts, she heard someone calling her from the Imperial Garden entrance.

Liu Yan looked over and saw it was the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards. She walked over: "What is it?"

"Something's happened." The Deputy Commander began to explain.

"What?" Liu Yan's eyes widened in disbelief.