Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 154

In the palace.

Qin Mo, still in his armor, walked straight into the imperial study.

The Emperor had spent the entire day reviewing documents and was feeling dizzy and exhausted. He sat wearily behind his desk, weakly playing with the parrot in the cage.

“I’m going to die from exhaustion. If it weren’t for my elder brother’s trickery and my own ignorance when I was young, I wouldn’t have ended up as the Emperor!”

The parrot had heard this complaint a hundred times, its ears metaphorically calloused. It flapped its wings dismissively, sending a face full of dust at the Emperor.

The Emperor glared. “You rebellious little brat! If you defy me again, I’ll have the crown prince deal with you tomorrow.”

The parrot immediately wilted. “Long live His Majesty, long live, long live!”

The Emperor snorted with laughter. “Worthless!”

After a pause, the Emperor mischievously threatened the parrot, “When I die, I’ll give you to the crown prince.”

The parrot: Can you be more humane?

“Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince is here.”

The head eunuch entered from outside, standing at the door and reporting softly.

The Emperor turned his head in confusion. “Now? Is he ill?”

It was almost time to close the palace gates.

The head eunuch didn’t respond, standing silently and awaiting further instructions.

“Let him in.”

The head eunuch stepped aside, and Qin Mo, still in his armor, strode in. The Emperor looked at him with a mixture of dismay and irritation. “Are you mad? Can’t you go home, get some sleep, and come back tomorrow morning? I stay up all night and am on the verge of collapse. Can’t you show some concern for your old father?”

Qin Mo, anxious, replied, “No, I can’t wait.”

The Emperor looked at him disdainfully. “What’s so urgent? You act like you need to get married immediately.”

Qin Mo stared at the Emperor, heart pounding. “Father, I want to marry.”

The Emperor froze, his hand holding the parrot cage mid-air, his eyes widened, and then a burst of joy lit up his face. “What did you say?”

The enormous surprise dispelled all traces of fatigue from the Emperor’s face, replacing it with a radiant glow. The thought of an heir and the possibility of retirement filled him with delight.

“Marry?” His voice trembled with excitement.

Qin Mo, misinterpreting only the surface layer of the Emperor’s reaction, took advantage of his father’s happiness and said, “I also request that Father grant me the marriage.”

The Emperor beamed. “Whose daughter is it?”

“Not from a prestigious family.”

The Emperor waved a hand. “Family background isn’t important. For a match, we’d need a princess from a neighboring country.”

“She isn’t exceptionally intelligent.”

The Emperor laughed generously, resembling an enlightened father who respected his children’s choices. “She’s not taking the imperial exams. What does she need such intelligence for?”

“She is different from ordinary girls.”

The Emperor, thinking of his future retirement, couldn’t stop smiling. “Everyone is different. Do we care about that? Look at your sisters-in-law. How many are like ordinary girls? Can ordinary girls become generals?”

“She is different from extraordinary girls as well.”

The Emperor indulgently replied, “As long as you like her, it’s fine. It’s your marriage, not mine. I’m just here to grant the marriage.”

Qin Mo knelt down with a thud. “Thank you, Father, for fulfilling my wish.”

The Emperor chuckled. “So, whose child is it? How old is she?”

“She is from the Qiao family, and she is fourteen—no, fifteen.”

The Emperor’s smile froze for a moment. The Qiao family? Why did that sound familiar? Could it be the Qiao family he was thinking of?

“The Minister of Revenue’s family?” the Emperor tentatively asked.

“No, the Qiao family from Qiao Family Inn in Qinshui County.”

The Emperor’s smile cracked and then disappeared. “Nonsense! Just a few days ago, Song Qingzhan requested a marriage decree from me. What are you getting mixed up in? Our family does not steal others’ loved ones, especially not friends’ wives!”

“It’s not Lu Shuqing.”

The Emperor: Huh?

“Not Lu Shuqing?”

“The Qiao family from Qinshui County? Not Lu Shuqing?” After four consecutive questions, the Emperor’s eyes widened in gossip. “Do they have another long-lost child?”

“I don’t know if they have a long-lost child, but they have a young master, Lu Tang.”

Bang!

The Emperor dropped the birdcage in shock.

“Scared me to death!” the parrot shrieked, flapping its wings frantically.

The Emperor stared at his ninth son in disbelief. This son had never caused him any trouble, excelling in both academics and martial arts, and even in battle. Licking his lips, the stunned Emperor asked, “What did you say?”

Qin Mo knelt on the ground, clasping his hands. “I request that my wise, generous, and understanding father, who believes that my marriage is my own business, grant me the marriage to the young master of the Qiao family, Lu Tang.”

Bang!

The Emperor grabbed a teacup and threw it at Qin Mo.

Qin Mo dodged, avoiding the hit.

The Emperor was furious. “You fool! What nonsense are you spouting? You want to marry Lu Tang? Are you still human? You’re a beast!”

“Father, Lu Tang and I are in love.”

“Nonsense! Lu Tang is only fifteen—no, fourteen and a half. You’re over twenty, you old beast, deceiving a young boy. Aren’t you ashamed?”

The parrot’s eyes widened.

It had always thought the eldest prince was the best at cursing. It had never expected the Emperor to be so… proficient as well.

Truly, like father, like son!

“Father, please calm down. I’m sincere, and Lu Tang is devoted to me. This time, when I went to the northwest, Lu Tang sent me ten thousand taels of silver to support me. I can’t let down such deep affection.”

The Emperor was about to go mad.

“If you don’t want to let him down, do you plan to make the Qiao family extinct? What did they do to deserve this?”

“Father, how can you say that? I’m not going to destroy their family; I’m joining them.”

“They don’t need you to join!” The Emperor’s head ached with anger. “Get out, get out! I don’t want to see you.”

“If Father doesn’t agree, I won’t get up. I’ve endured sleepless nights and poor meals for this battle, eagerly waiting for victory. I hoped to use my military achievements to earn Father’s favor and have a beautiful wedding.”

“Get married, my foot! Will you get up or not?”

“I won’t. I will only marry Lu Tang.”

The Emperor breathed heavily with anger. “Fine, fine. I can’t outtalk you. Summon his eight brothers into the palace!”

The Emperor shouted to the head eunuch.