Unscrupulous, Do Not Expect Too Much From Me

No matter what outsiders thought, both Ninth Royal Uncle and Serena Feng were perfectly satisfied with the way they got along. Even after returning to the Capital for more than half a month without seeing each other once, neither of them felt anything was amiss.

Neither of them were clingy, nor did they have much free time. If either spent all day glued to the other, refusing to give space, that would be the real problem for Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle.

After more than half a month, they finally had a moment to catch their breath—only to immediately face the upcoming Victory-Captive Offering Ceremony.

The Victory-Captive Offering Ceremony was to be conducted by Warren Yu, presenting the captives from Night City at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Besides Reid Yale and Wendy Summers, officials from Night City would also be presented to show the scale of the victory.

Originally, this event wasn’t even supposed to happen, and even if it did, Warren Yu wouldn’t have been chosen. As a defeated general, he had no right to such an honor.

But because Serena Feng spoke up for Warren Yu, and Ninth Royal Uncle intended to continue using him, he couldn’t let Warren lose face.

With this ceremony, it was perfectly reasonable for Ninth Royal Uncle to appoint Warren Yu to an official post. Of course, Warren would be given real authority, but never command over troops—he would never be allowed to touch military power again.

Warren Yu was more than satisfied with this outcome—it far exceeded his expectations. At the very least, he hadn’t been cast aside and no longer had to worry about being quietly disposed of now that he had no power or influence.

The ceremony was grand. The young Emperor was carried in by Empress Dowager Xie; Ninth Royal Uncle made sure both were shown full respect, never depriving them of the honors they deserved.

With this, no one dared to look down on the young Emperor or Empress Dowager Xie. Even the high-minded officials wouldn’t dare to openly accuse Ninth Royal Uncle of usurping power.

After the ceremony, Warren Yu was immediately swarmed by civil and military officials. Whether their joy was real or fake, everyone smiled brightly and congratulated him, as if they themselves had been promoted.

Warren Yu hadn’t wanted to deal with them, but knowing he’d be working with these people in the future, he forced a smile and made small talk until he could finally slip away.

"Who would've thought Warren Yu could make a comeback? I thought he was finished for sure this time, but he’s actually managed to rise again, switching from military to civil." As soon as Warren left, the officials who’d been so enthusiastic cooled off.

"He pledged loyalty early on. No use envying him now," someone said sourly.

Everyone knows: getting aboard Ninth Royal Uncle’s ship isn’t something just anyone can do—especially now. If you don’t have real ability, he won’t even look at you.

"The Yu clan has been generals for generations, and few military men lack strategic skill. Warren Yu... is not someone you want to offend." Those who hadn’t approached him looked serious; hardly anyone in court was truly happy about Warren’s arrival.

Civil and military are entirely different worlds. Though Warren Yu now held high rank and authority, he’d always led troops outside the capital and rarely clashed with the bureaucrats. Each guarded their own turf, exchanged polite smiles, and gave each other face when needed.

But this time, Warren Yu’s dramatic shift—handing over command and taking charge of the Ministry of War—meant he’d snatched a huge chunk of real power from their hands. Of course they weren’t happy.

Warren Yu couldn’t care less what people thought behind his back. All he knew was that he’d made it out safely—no more living in constant fear for his life!

He looked up at the bright sky and let out a long breath, feeling as if a weight had finally lifted from his shoulders.

His future looked bright!

"He really got the Ministry of War—Ninth Royal Uncle is truly putting him to use." Serena hadn’t expected Nolan to let Warren Yu head the Ministry, but it showed trust, and she was genuinely happy for him.

"It only looks impressive on the surface," William Wang Jinling cut in bluntly. "On paper, the Minister of War oversees all military affairs—the deployment of troops and appointment of officers—but in reality, Ninth Royal Uncle makes all the decisions. Warren has no real authority, just an advisory role. After taking over, his main job will be military logistics, like grain supply."

Right now, Eastlyn’s biggest problem is logistics. It’s not that the empire lacks grain, but that local allocation is delayed and big clans hoard supplies, turning distribution into a major headache.

Warren Yu, as Minister of War, would probably have his hands full. William half-sympathized, half-looked forward to seeing how he’d handle it—after all, politics was dull, and a little drama made life interesting.

"Are you just enjoying his misery, Grand Heir?" Serena rarely saw William so shameless and asked in mock seriousness.

"Ahem… I’m only concerned for Lord Yu’s well-being. You’re overthinking it, Serena." His gentle smile carried a hint of mischief—he was clearly looking forward to the spectacle, even as he spoke with perfect seriousness.

"Suddenly I feel sorry for Warren Yu. Coming back as an official might not have been the smartest move." Serena silently prayed he wouldn’t have too rough a time.

One Ninth Royal Uncle was enough to strip Warren of military power; add the Grand Heir to the mix... Warren’s days as a civil official were unlikely to be easy.

"You’ll see—this was actually the smartest choice Warren Yu could have made. Being squeezed is better than losing your life."

"If you didn’t look so harmless when you smiled, I might actually believe you." The more innocent William Wang Jinling looked, the worse Warren Yu’s future seemed.

William chuckled softly. "Would you rather I smiled in a sinister, scheming way?"

"Please don’t—upright gentleman, gentle as jade, that’s the Grand Heir’s proper image. Don’t ruin it." Just picturing William with a cold, wicked grin made Serena shiver.

"Upright gentleman, gentle as jade?" William repeated slowly, each word lingering on his tongue, his smile growing serious. "Serena, I’ve never claimed to be an upright gentleman, much less truly gentle." In other words, don’t expect too much of him, or she’d only be disappointed.

"It’s not like I just met you—I know exactly what kind of person you are." Serena dropped the banter, her tone turning serious. "I’m not some pure, kind soul either, and I’ve never seen you afraid of me."

"Afraid of you? With your little tricks, I really can’t say I’m scared. Even Feng Jin is three points stronger than you." Whenever Serena was away from the Capital, William would visit Feng Manor to see Feng Jin.

From the very first meeting, Feng Jin had clung to William. What started as courtesy for Serena’s adopted heir had, over time, turned into genuine affection.

No one could dislike the innocent, soft little boy—not even William was immune.

William truly cared about Feng Jin and paid close attention to his affairs. Thinking of the news he’d heard recently, a grave look flickered in his eyes...