Jiang Lijin was woken up by the heat. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a mop of brilliant golden hair.
Tinia was wrapped around her like a koala, his face buried in the crook of her neck, breathing evenly, fast asleep.
Jiang Lijin moved her arm, which had gone numb under his weight. The kid looked lean, but his muscles were as solid as iron.
She lifted her other hand and, out of spite, gave his soft golden head a few rough rubs, turning his already messy bedhead into a full-on bird’s nest.
“Time to get up.”
Tinia’s lashes fluttered. He opened those blue eyes, his voice still rough with sleep. “Sister… morning.”
Instead of letting go, he nuzzled his face into her palm.
“Morning my ass. The sun’s already tanning your backside.” Jiang Lijin pushed his head away. “Move it. I’m roasting.”
Tinia reluctantly loosened his grip and rolled across the bed in one smooth motion. The loose collar of his pajamas revealed the outline of his toned abs. “Did sister sleep well last night? I did my duty as a full-time body pillow.”
“Not bad, except you’re a little heavy.” Jiang Lijin threw off the covers, got up, and headed into the bathroom to wash up.
By the time she changed and came downstairs, the scent of food filled the dining room.
Rowan sat at the table, dressed in a miniature version of imperial royal attire. Her red hair was neatly combed, and she held a warm glass of star-beast milk. When she saw Jiang Lijin, the little girl’s eyes lit up, and she immediately set down her cup.
“Sister!” Rowan jumped off her chair and scurried over on her short legs, tilting her head up to look at Jiang Lijin.
Jiang Lijin bent down and picked her up, hefting her weight. “Looks like you’ve put on a little meat,” she said in the playful tone of someone coaxing a child.
Rowan’s fair cheeks flushed at the compliment as she obediently wrapped her arms around Jiang Lijin’s neck.
Jiang Lijin carried her to the table and sat down. She grabbed a piece of grilled meat and shoved it into her mouth. “I’m taking you to the cabinet meeting today. You’re the emperor now, so you need to show your face for some things.”
At the word “emperor,” Rowan’s expression tensed. Her small hands clutched Jiang Lijin’s sleeve.
“Scared of what?” Jiang Lijin patted her red hair. “If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up. All you have to do today is sit in that chair and be a pretty little mascot.”
The words were blunt and fiercely protective. Rowan relaxed visibly and nodded with determination.
Just then, Chiron walked in from outside. He was wearing a sharply tailored deep black uniform today, with gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. The whole look gave off an air of cold, reserved intensity.
“The car’s ready.” Chiron approached Jiang Lijin and placed an electronic briefing on the table. “The cabinet meeting starts in half an hour. The Aegis Squad will secure the perimeter.”
Jiang Lijin glanced at the briefing. “Any movement from Darren?”
“He’s teamed up with a few old-line nobles to formally propose a regency council bill at today’s meeting,” Chiron said, his gray eyes sharp. “They want to sideline you.”
“Sideline me?” Jiang Lijin let out a derisive laugh. She finished the last piece of meat and wiped her hands with a napkin. “He should check if he’s got the lifespan for that.”
She stood up and took Rowan’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go walk off that meal.”
The Imperial Supreme Cabinet Building.
The hovercar stopped at the exclusive lane. The door opened, and two rows of fully armed Aegis Squad members quickly formed up. The suppressing pressure of S- and A-class alphas radiated freely, making even the imperial guards assigned to security feel a tightness in their chests.
A grand entrance, delivered in full.
Jiang Lijin stepped out holding Rowan’s hand, with Chiron half a step behind her.
The doors of the cabinet meeting room swung open, pushed by two attendants.
The chatter inside died instantly. On either side of the long table sat the empire’s top officials and nobles. Dozens of eyes turned toward her in unison.
Jiang Lijin ignored them. She led Rowan straight to the head of the table.
There, two chairs waited. One was the pure gold imperial throne, symbol of supreme power. The other, slightly lower but equally ornate, was the regent’s seat.
Jiang Lijin lifted Rowan onto the throne and straightened her bow tie for her.
“Sit steady,” she murmured. Then she turned and dropped into the regent’s chair beside it, crossing her legs and leaning back.
Her posture was as casual as if she were soaking up sun in her own backyard.
“Morning, everyone.” Jiang Lijin propped her chin on one hand and swept her gaze across the table, stopping at the first seat on the left, occupied by Prince Darren. “Everyone’s here? Let’s start. I’ve got to get back for lunch with my family.”
Darren’s face was ashen. He stood up, bracing his hands on the table. “Princess Regent Jiang, today’s discussion concerns the future power structure of the empire. You may have the late emperor’s decree, but your experience is still shallow…”
Jiang Lijin wasn’t listening to his bullshit.
Her gaze bypassed Darren and locked onto three old men seated in the middle of the table.
Marquis Claude, Count Victor, and Finance Minister Howard.
Those three were the surviving imperial nobles from the hidden list—the ones involved in the “Scorching Operation” all those years ago.
Claude was a gaunt old man with a malicious gleam in his eyes. Victor had a beer belly and looked like a genial businessman. Howard kept his head down, studying his documents, an almost invisible presence.
Ten years. These three old bastards hadn’t just survived—they’d thrived at the very heart of imperial power.
Jiang Lijin looked at them, and in her mind flashed the cold file line: “Cleanup completed to perfection.” Along with the image Theon and Thyone had described—a hell on earth buried in a sea of green.
She let out a small laugh.
It wasn’t loud, but in the silent room, it was jarring. It cut directly through Darren’s long-winded speech.
“What are you laughing at?” Darren frowned.
“Nothing. Just find you all pretty amusing.” Jiang Lijin dropped her smile, straightened up, and tapped her fingers on the table. “Prince Darren, you were talking about forming some regency council to divide my power, right?”
“It’s for the stability of the empire.” Darren’s tone was righteous.
“Fine.” Jiang Lijin agreed without hesitation, so bluntly that everyone was stunned.
Darren’s mouthful of prepared refutations got stuck in his throat.
“But,” Jiang Lijin pointed at the three names on the list, “I have a condition. I’ve got a bad temper, and I don’t like looking at ugly people. These three old relics are an eyesore. Kick them out of the cabinet, strip their titles, and I’ll agree to your bill.”
The room erupted.
Claude shot to his feet, his bony finger stabbing at Jiang Lijin. “This is pure absurdity! We are hereditary nobles of the empire, who have served for decades. On what authority can you strip us of our titles with a single sentence!”
“On the authority of the regent,” Jiang Lijin said matter-of-factly, staring back at him. “What, has the late emperor’s decree lost its bite?”
Victor could no longer sit still. The amiable expression on his face vanished, replaced by a cold smile. "Prince Jiang, you've just arrived and probably don't know the Empire's rules. Not even the Emperor can revoke a hereditary noble title without cause."
"Cause?" Jiang Lijin repeated the word, her gaze turning utterly frigid.
She turned her head and looked at Howard, the Minister of Finance, who had remained silent the whole time.
"What do you think, Minister Howard?" Jiang Lijin called him out.
Howard lifted his head, his wrinkled face betraying no emotion. He adjusted his reading glasses and spoke in a hoarse voice: "Prince Jiang, it's fine for young people to be spirited, but one must have evidence when taking action. Saying we're an eyesore hardly counts as a legitimate reason."
Jiang Lijin stared at him, not missing the flicker of sharpness that passed through his eyes.
This old fox is on a whole other level than the other two.
"Evidence..." Jiang Lijin drew out the word, her fingers tracing idle circles on the table. "I heard that ten years ago, among the Empire's fiscal expenditures, there was a massive bad debt. The whereabouts are unknown, and the amount is large enough to buy half a star system."
The moment these words were spoken, Howard's hand, which had been adjusting his glasses, froze mid-motion.
Claude and Victor's expressions also changed instantly—if only for a brief moment, it was enough for Jiang Lijin to notice.
"I'm particularly sensitive when it comes to money." Jiang Lijin leaned back in her chair, a half-smile playing on her lips as she looked at them. "Now that I'm in charge, I suppose I ought to look into that bad debt, shouldn't I?"
The atmosphere in the meeting room plummeted to freezing point.
Darren keenly sensed something was off, but he didn't know what leverage these three men were holding that Jiang Lijin had uncovered. For the moment, he dared not speak rashly.
Chiron stood behind Jiang Lijin, his gray eyes calmly observing the three old men, as though he were looking at three corpses.
"We'll stop here for today." Jiang Lijin stood up and took Rowan's hand. "You three can continue your discussion. Once you've reached a decision, let me know."
She turned and walked out. When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Howard.
"Oh, by the way, Minister Howard." Jiang Lijin's tone was casual. "I've recently taken an interest in keeping plants. I heard there's something called Starbloom that's quite rare. You're a man of wide knowledge—do you know where I can buy one?"
