The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

"Raising a tiger invites calamity? A good person?" Luo Jingfeng only caught these two phrases, sneering, "In your heart, I'm just a damned villain. So why keep me around? Kill me then!"

Jin Cheng hung his head low, murmuring, "You're my uncle, the one who dotes on me most. I won't kill you."

He had eyes—he could see Luo Jingfeng's sincerity.

"Ha!" Luo Jingfeng didn't want to hear it.

Eunuch Huang brought over the meal again, only for Luo Jingfeng to kick it over the moment it was set down. "Get out! All of you, scram!"

Eunuch Huang hesitated. "Your Majesty, won't you eat something first?"

Jin Cheng shook his head. "If Uncle won't eat, neither will I. You may leave."

Eunuch Huang cast a worried glance but obediently withdrew.

Luo Jingfeng remained unmoved, spitting venom. "You think this will soften me? That I'd still care about you? Liar. Pathetic! Eat or don't—we can just die together!"

He stopped his tantrum after that.

Refusing food and water, he spoke only of wanting death.

The proud Duke of State Protection—his world had collapsed. How or where he died meant nothing now.

There was nothing left in this world worth clinging to.

Jin Cheng sat silently by the bed, offering no rebuttal.

In the afternoon, Buyan entered. "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Shen is waiting in the study to instruct you on reviewing memorials."

Jin Cheng lifted his gaze. "Tell Prime Minister Shen to rest. Have the memorials brought here—I'll read them myself."

"Yes." Buyan hurried off to comply.

Luo Jingfeng scoffed.

To him, Jin Cheng was just being arrogant—whether locking him up or insisting on handling memorials alone, it was all to prove his independence.

A twelve-year-old child—what did he know?

If Luo Jingfeng hadn't let his guard down, the boy would never have succeeded!

The memorials arrived, and Buyan even brought a small desk, placing it neatly by the bed.

Jin Cheng quietly hunched over the desk, brush in hand, scribbling notes. After finishing one memorial, he looked up. "Uncle, do you want to see how I review these?"

Luo Jingfeng refused outright. "No."

Jin Cheng continued anyway. "The Minister of Justice submitted a list for promotions—most are his faction. If Prime Minister Shen were advising me, he'd reject it. But guess what I did?"

Luo Jingfeng didn't bother guessing.

Jin Cheng answered, "I transferred them out. Away from the Ministry of Justice, the minister's influence weakens. I won't just curb their faction—I'll dismantle it piece by piece."

Luo Jingfeng turned his head, eyes sharp with scrutiny.

Jin Cheng didn't elaborate, returning to the memorials.

He worked faster alone than under Prime Minister Shen's guidance, but every note was deliberate. He read each decision aloud, unveiling his hidden competence—now that Luo Jingfeng posed no threat.

"This official keeps submitting nonsense—either slacking or stirring trouble. He's the one who needs disciplining. The usual penalty would be docking half a year's pay, but officials need to live too. If fines pile up, corruption festers." Jin Cheng finished writing his verdict. "Fifty lashes."

Luo Jingfeng listened, growing uneasy.

The young emperor's meticulousness covered every angle—not just factional politics but human nature itself.

This was nothing like the child who once parroted, "Prime Minister Shen is right," or "Prime Minister Shen is amazing."

Had the boy been hiding his brilliance all along?

When had he learned all this?

From Zong Zhao?

No.

His grasp of official appointments was the art of rulership.

—Chu Heng taught him.

No wonder he favored Chu Heng so much.

Chu Heng had groomed him for the throne—without ever wanting it himself.

Jin Cheng stole a glance at his uncle's expression before adding, "Uncle, have you figured it out? I started learning at eight. His Highness taught me for a year and a half. He said I was a quick study."

Luo Jingfeng stiffened at the confirmation but scoffed. "Chu Heng's rulership? Just managing officials. He's soft-hearted—no kingmaker. If you follow him, you'll end up just as weak!"

Jin Cheng shook his head. "You're wrong, Uncle. His Highness isn't weak—he loves this world, its people."

Luo Jingfeng couldn't comprehend it.

Jin Cheng resumed reviewing until a familiar name caught his eye. "Bao Guyu—him."

The young emperor sprang up, darting to the bookshelf to fish out a worn booklet from a crevice—its frayed edges betraying frequent use.

Luo Jingfeng realized how little he knew his nephew. Jin Cheng was full of secrets.

Seated again, Jin Cheng cross-checked the name and rank before nodding. "He's the biggest embezzler colluding with Prime Minister Fan. Censor Wei accused him again, but without proof, we can't act. Yet I know he's guilty..."

Luo Jingfeng shot him a derisive look.

His way? Execute first, evidence later.

But Jin Cheng wasn't him. The brat learned rulership from Chu Heng—mercy over might, forced to endure injustice.

Jin Cheng muttered, "If we ignore him, he'll bleed the people dry. Since we can't raid his home, we'll give him a reason."

Luo Jingfeng: "…?"

Jin Cheng called out, "Buyan, come in."

Buyan ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‍entered. "Your Majesty, what else do you need?"

Jin Cheng was blunt. "I want to ruin a corrupt official—Bao Guyu, the Vice Minister of Revenue. Set his house on fire."

Buyan: "???"

Jin Cheng elaborated, "Have someone infiltrate the fire brigade to search during the chaos. If they find valuables, raise the alarm. Once the authorities notice, the rest—searches, confiscations—will follow naturally."

"Yes." Buyan gulped and left to carry out the scheme.

The little demon was still a demon—even as emperor, his tricks were ruthless. The corrupt officials' doom was sealed.

Their reckoning had come.