Chapter 7

The system happily reported on Chu Ye’s favorability score for me.

[System: “As expected, one he birthed himself is different. Host, Chu Ye’s initial favorability for you is the highest in history.”]

I was slowly weaned after my first birthday. Chu Ye had breastfed me for a full year.

He even personally taught me how to walk, just as a mother would.

But for a father, and an emperor at that, to do such an ordinary thing…

…was absolutely shocking.

Forget the palace, even when the news spread to the common people, their first reaction to hearing “His Majesty personally raises the princess, they eat and live together, inseparable day and night,” was disbelief.

It wasn’t until they caught a glimpse of the small child held in the emperor’s arms during a major ceremony that they finally believed it.

Thus, following the example from above, a trend of doting on daughters swept through the court and the country.

In the palace, the system was reading me a guide titled “How to Win the Monarch’s Favor.”

[System: “Display your cuteness, not your ambition. Do not arouse his suspicion.”]

I said okay, then climbed onto the dragon throne.

I pointed at the Imperial Jade Seal. “Mama, I want this!”

Chu Ye’s expression changed.

[System: “See!! Chu Ye hates people who covet the throne. Even his eldest son was-“]

“Didn’t I tell you to call me ‘Father Emperor’ in front of others!!”

Chu Ye hurriedly covered my mouth with one hand while stuffing the jade seal into my arms with the other.

I said, “Okay, Father Emperor. Thank you, Father Emperor. I want that one too.”

The system was shocked.

But it didn’t give up. [“It must be because you’re too young, so he doesn’t take what you say seriously. You must work hard to please him now, so that Chu Ye will dote on you, his daughter, even more.”]

Please him? What pleasing?

The moment I could run and jump, the first thing I did was deftly snatch the tribute of tropical fruit from Chu Ye’s hands!

I dashed and climbed all over the place, with imperial guards trailing behind me and hidden guards following closely.

Shengchen Hall was no longer enough to contain my activities.

When I was tired of playing, I didn’t care if Chu Ye was in a meeting with his ministers. I would just swagger in, flop onto his lap, and lie down.

The Chancellor, unfazed, would continue his report, while Chu Ye stroked my hair as he listened.

When I was bored, I’d meaninglessly call out “mama, mama, mama, mama,” and when Chu Ye came over, I’d just grin at him.

I did this over and over until he got annoyed.

Me when I first arrived at Shengchen Hall: Wow, is this your house~?

Me after living there for a few years: Is this your house, bro?

I only had to put on an act for two months to secure a lifetime of luxury. Now that I had him wrapped around my finger, why would I keep pretending?

Perhaps finding me too rambunctious, Chu Ye sent me to the Imperial Academy to study after I was old enough.

The system started issuing quests again.

[“Here we go, Host. You’re about to start interacting with the male leads. You must gain their favor over the next few years! Over there is the Chancellor’s son, that’s the Grand General’s son, and that’s the heir of the vassal king…”]

[System: “Oh no, they’re all surrounding Chu Yue! Host, go on, you have to win! You must defeat Chu Yue and win their love! Then there’s a wedding of the century, blah blah blah…”]

I said, what? How outrageous!

Then I walked around them, holding an essay on current political policy.

I approached a young man dressed in an instructor’s robe.

[System: “??? Host, what are you doing? You’re actually here to study??”]

[Me: “Duh. Even at their highest ranks, those guys won’t have a title higher than mine. Why should I marry them?”]

My titles, ranks, and fiefdoms had long been increased by Chu Ye to the point of boredom.

In the entire Zhao nation, the empress’s throne was vacant, and no crown prince had been named.

My status was already second to only one person.

And the new instructor before me was the top scholar from the last imperial examination, Xie Yun.

A young genius from a poor family, he had achieved a “triple first”-placing first in all three levels of the examinations at the age of fifteen-and was personally selected by the emperor as the Number One Scholar.

After a few years of training in the Hanlin Academy, he was now, not yet an adult, pulled out by Chu Ye to teach at the Imperial Academy.

Thanks to the system, I knew that Xie Yun possessed the talent to govern the world and would one day become the Grand Chancellor, a first-rank official.

-Most importantly, he managed not only to survive under that tyrant Chu Ye but also to reach the highest position.

Truly impressive. This man was a legend!

A top scholar from a humble background would typically be a staunch loyalist to the emperor, but he hadn’t yet been given significant responsibilities by Chu Ye.

-Good. Then you’re mine.