Claire and Grace could never have expected that their master would end up regretting being unable to stomach the imperial palace cuisine.

Sigh, forget it. Anyway, I’ll be hungry again by evening, so I’ll just have a good feast then. For now, I suppose I can only sample a little.

I had that little eunuch lead me to the dining hall of the temporary palace, with Claire and Grace, as my personal maids, naturally following behind. As soon as we stepped out the door, we were greeted by a chorus of voices: “Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long, long live!”

I looked over in surprise and saw a squad of guards kneeling respectfully on the ground. Leading them was none other than the sword-bearing guard Brian Bolton from yesterday.

“Rise, all of you. Brian Bolton, why are you here?” I waved my hand, signaling them to stand and speak.

“Your Majesty, this humble servant was concerned for Your Majesty’s safety in the sleeping quarters, so last night I led my brothers to stand guard outside all night,” Brian Bolton replied respectfully.

Only then did I notice that Brian Bolton’s eyes were bloodshot—he really hadn’t slept a wink all night. I couldn’t help but feel touched. This guy was probably the first truly loyal person I’d met since coming here.

“Sir Bolton, you’ve worked hard. All of you have worked hard—go and rest now. When we return to court, I will reward you handsomely.” I issued a blank check, then turned to Brian Bolton again: “You, come with me.”

The group of guards, hearing there would be rewards, immediately beamed with joy and left, thanking me happily. Only Brian Bolton followed me all the way to the dining hall.

Inside the vast hall, there was only a single large table. Yet the table was already laden with all sorts of exquisitely prepared imperial dishes.

“Sir Bolton, you’ve toiled and worried for me, truly you’ve worked hard.” I said calmly, “I grant you the honor of dining at my table.”

Brian Bolton immediately knelt and said solemnly, “It is my duty to share Your Majesty’s burdens. I dare not take credit for it, nor dine with Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to retract the order. To be able to remain by Your Majesty’s side is already enough for me.”

This kid is quite clever. If I nurture him well, he’ll surely become a trusted aide. Besides, I’ve just arrived in this noble place and hardly know anyone. To come across such a capable fellow—how could I let him slip away? Instantly, I raised my eyebrows and said in a deep voice, “I am the Emperor—my word is law. How could I take back what I’ve said?”

Only then did Brian Bolton reluctantly agree. After I took the seat of honor, he respectfully sat at the lower seat.

“Claire, Grace, you two sit down as well.” I beckoned to them kindly.

With Brian Bolton as a precedent, and after sharing a bed last night, the two girls felt less distant. They didn’t refuse much and each took a seat on one side.

TV dramas can be annoying sometimes, but at moments like this, they’re actually quite helpful. At least, I could imitate the form of things. So, I didn’t make any particularly embarrassing mistakes.

I glanced at the dishes on the table—everything was vegetarian, not even a jug of wine. I was about to ask for some meat dishes when I suddenly remembered that tomorrow was the day of the Fengshan ceremony. So, abstaining from alcohol and meat made sense. After yesterday’s incident with Claire, I didn’t want to stir up more trouble. I obediently ate the vegetarian food.

Still, the palace chefs’ skills were extraordinary—even the vegetarian dishes were exceptionally delicious. By the end of the meal, I was completely stuffed.

But I noticed the other three ate very little, barely picking up their chopsticks, and only taking food I had already tasted. I knew this was the custom, but it would be hard to change them in a short time.

“Sir Bolton, Claire and Grace might be eating less to keep their figures. But you’re a man of martial prowess—why are you eating so daintily? How will you achieve great things for me like this?” I pretended to scold him: “I order you to finish off these dishes—not a single bite left!”

When I mentioned achieving great things, I saw a flash of ambition in his eyes. Clearly, this man has lofty aspirations. If used well, he’ll be my right-hand man.

Under my command, Brian Bolton stopped holding back and nearly cleared all the leftovers from the table. The way he ate made the two girls cover their mouths and giggle, which made Brian Bolton scratch his head and laugh sheepishly.

“How dare you! You three insolent servants, how dare you dine at the same table as His Majesty!” An aged voice rang out from outside the door.

It was Chancellor Harris, the old man, storming in with his beard bristling and eyes glaring fiercely at the three of them.

Brian Bolton’s expression changed instantly. Claire and Grace were even more terrified, their faces drained of color.

……

Chapter Three: The Unscrupulous Deal (Part 1)

I couldn’t help but feel puzzled—how did that guy before me ever manage to be Emperor? How did things get to the point where even a mere Grand Tutor dares to act so brazenly? If I let things slide, life will only get harder from here.

Brian Bolton immediately stood up, trembling with fear, and stepped aside. The two girls were even more frightened and knelt on the ground at once.

“Your Majesty, you’re not young anymore. How can you be so lacking in self-respect? As the dignified Son of Heaven, dining with servants—if word of this gets out, what will become of the royal family’s reputation?” Chancellor Harris cast a cold glance at the three and righteously turned his criticism on me.