I may be the emperor of the Empire, but I'm also Rory Dongling. I absolutely refuse to let those ministers control my life under the pretense of 'it's for my own good' or 'for the sake of the realm.'
My adoptive father was right. No matter how gentle and refined I look on the outside, deep down I'm just like Father Emperor—a strong, domineering man!
Before I ascended the throne, I hid my strength and ruthlessness perfectly. Even those closest to me—like Cui Xiaoting—never saw my true nature.
The only ones who truly know me, besides Father Emperor and Mother Empress, are my childhood companions Zed and Feng Jin.
Zed is my secret right-hand man, Feng Jin is my uncle in name and my trusted minister in public. Even though they know my true self, neither would dare speak of it—they understand exactly how cold and merciless I am!
When it comes to ruthlessness, I’m just like Father Emperor. Zed and Feng Jin know me well; they know what kind of person I am, and they wouldn’t dare betray me!
Father Emperor, because of his bloody upbringing, had to show his strength and ruthlessness openly to protect himself—only then did no one dare cross him. But...
I don’t need to do that!
I have powerful parents, noble birth, and the right to decide life and death for all under heaven. I keep my dominance and ruthlessness hidden, watching the drama of court unfold like a spectator.
As long as the ministers’ demands aren’t outrageous, I usually agree. After all, I need them to run the government—I can’t just kill them all and work myself to death.