Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign Novel - Chapter 338 (New)

The emperor, his countenance flushed a deep crimson, fixed a piercing gaze on Wei Yanho and roared:

“Your arrogance knows no bounds! How many lives do you possess to utter such blasphemy in my presence?”

“Everyone is granted but a single life. Unless, of course, you know of someone carrying a spare?”

“You insolent whelp!”

The sovereign’s rage began to give way to pure bewilderment:

‘What manner of being does he take me for?’

He was the Son of Heaven. He held dominion over the world. All things under the sky bowed to his will, and few dared to even lift their gaze to meet his. What hidden strength gave this youth the gall to be so defiant?

“Do you truly believe you will draw another breath after such words?”

“Weren’t you intent on ending my life regardless?”

“……”

“If my end is already written, what reason have I to be afraid? Since it seems my fate is sealed no matter my choice of words, I might as well speak my mind before I depart.”

The emperor stared at Wei Yanho, stunned by the cold logic:

‘He isn’t entirely wrong…’

He recalled tales from the founding of the dynasty—how certain heroes spoke with lion-hearted bravery before their executions. But in all his years on the throne, he had never witnessed such a thing firsthand. The emperor, finding that the threat of death held no sway over the boy, was momentarily silenced.

“Your kin will not be spared either.”

“That is acceptable.”

Wei Yanho answered with chilling nonchalance and reached for his chopsticks to continue his meal.

“…Can you truly stomach that food?”

“They say a well-fed ghost cuts a fine figure, so I should eat while I’m hungry. It isn’t as if you’ll grant me mercy just because I choose to starve.”

“…”

A flicker of hesitation crossed the emperor’s mind:

‘Perhaps I should have offered him a chance at life?’

He had already declared the death sentence, leaving himself no leverage to bend the boy’s will. To retract it now would be a stain on his imperial dignity.

“Does the prospect of torture not terrify you?”

“I am trying to eat!”

“…”

The emperor sat with his mouth agape.

Wei Yanho finished a piece of cake and let out a long burp:

“Ah, much better.”

The emperor’s brow twitched violently. What was he supposed to do with such an anomaly? Wei Yanho looked back at the sovereign and spoke:

“Hey.”

‘Hey?’

The emperor began to suspect Wei Yanho was an assassin sent specifically to induce a fatal heart attack through sheer audacity.

“Hahahaha.”

The emperor suddenly burst into a dry laugh:

“I suppose when a man accepts his demise, the world loses its terrors.”

“Precisely.”

“Then, you must try to understand my position.”

“Pardon?”

The emperor gestured to his own frame:

“I may not see the sunrise tomorrow. I can only sit here and speak because of the tireless work of physicians and a mountain of rare medicines. But even those have reached their limit.”

Wei Yanho narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t physically examine the man, but he could tell the emperor wasn’t spinning a yarn. The emperor was frail—broken at the very core. Wei Yanho was no healer, so he couldn’t name the malady. Even if he summoned Jin Soah, he suspected the outcome would be the same. This was the heart of the empire; the most gifted doctors in the land were already failing. If they were stumped, a lone clinic girl wouldn’t fare better.

“What have I to fear then? I am a dying man, so I have nothing left to cling to. I can sacrifice everything for the sake of the imperial palace.”

Wei Yanho’s gaze sharpened:

“And you believe that is the correct path?”

“Without question.”

“Then I was mistaken about you.”

“You admit your error?”

“Yes.”

Wei Yanho nodded slowly:

“I was wrong. I assumed you were a sane man, but you clearly aren’t.”

“……What did you just say?”

Wei Yanho’s expression turned frigid:

“Are you not the emperor?”

“I am.”

“And what is the purpose of an emperor?”

The emperor let out a soft, mocking chuckle:

“Do you mean to lecture me on my own station?”

“I do, because it appears you’ve forgotten it entirely.”

“I have forgotten it? I?”

The emperor looked at Wei Yanho in sheer disbelief:

“Are you suggesting I have forsaken my imperial responsibilities?”

“No, you haven’t forsaken them. You simply have no idea what they are in the first place.”

“Explain yourself.”

Wei Yanho didn’t dance around the issue. To do so would be a waste of precious time.

“Does everything simply conclude if you ‘protect the palace’?”

“No. The stability of the throne is paramount. But since my time is short, I must focus on the long-term survival of the dynasty…”

“And what of the common folk?”

The emperor stared at Wei Yanho. His face was a mask of confusion and shock. It was evident that Wei Yanho’s bluntness was piercing through his defenses.

“I may be a simpleton, but even I know an emperor’s first duty is to the people. Yet, in all your talk, the civilians were never mentioned.”

The emperor scowled:

“The emperor is the father of the nation. A father must secure the house to protect his children.”

“There is no father who sells his children into slavery for his own comfort. You know the nightmare the people will endure if Nokgi seizes total control. It is happening even now. You see the suffering Nokgi inflicts, yet you turn a blind eye just to preserve the throne. That makes you nothing but a tyrant.”

The emperor’s beard began to quiver with indignation:

“A tyrant? You dare label me a tyrant?”

“I do.”

Wei Yanho replied with complete indifference.

“I—”

“Why the look of shock? You know it’s the truth.”

“What are you saying?”

“You once said an emperor must be a student of all things.”

“……”

“You should have learned this from any basic text. Even I, who slept through history, know that a ruler who crushes his people for his own ends is a tyrant. You simply refuse to look in the mirror.”

“You little brat…”

“Look, if you want to live in a fantasy, that’s your business. Life is hard; deceive yourself if you must. But don’t stand there and tell me you’re suffering for some noble cause. It’s sickening to listen to.”

The emperor sat in stunned silence. No one had ever dared to address him with such raw honesty. Even the villainous Nokgi maintained a veneer of respect. The emperor was the father of all, the ruler of the world. Yet this youth was stripping him bare. Shame, more than anger, began to well up in his chest.

“You boy…” the emperor’s voice cracked. “What could you possibly know of my burden?”

“I know nothing of it.”

“I wanted to be a benevolent ruler! I dreamed of being a great king. But I am trapped in a body that is failing. The palace is a pit of vipers greedy for my throne, and the crown prince is too young and innocent. Do you have any idea what it’s like to carry this weight alone? I can’t even trust my own brother; I am forced to execute him.”

“I don’t know that feeling,” Wei Yanho shrugged. “But…”

“But what?”

Wei Yanho spoke with a cold, flat tone:

“The historians won’t care about your feelings. They will write: ‘A weak-willed emperor puppeted by the villain Nokgi. The people bled while he sat idle.’ You will be the textbook example of a ruler who failed his subjects.”

The emperor’s entire body began to shake. Wei Yanho had just voiced his deepest, most private nightmare.

“Everyone has an excuse. Even the most wicked kings of old probably felt they were justified. They likely didn’t think they were tyrants either.”

“…….”

“Judgment isn’t yours to make; it belongs to the world. If you truly believe you sacrificed your soul for the throne, then you must accept the historian’s lash. Claiming you’ll be ‘reevaluated’ later is just a coward’s excuse. You are lying to yourself because you can’t face the judgment of the present.”

“Your insolence is unparalleled.” The emperor’s face turned to stone. “If you truly have no regard for your life, then you shall pay the price for your tongue.”

“No… wait…” Wei Yanho scratched his head. “I didn’t say all that because I was ready to die.”

“You don’t intend to die?”

“I certainly don’t.”

“Hahahaha.” The emperor sneered. “Do you imagine you can just walk out of here?”

“No. I have no plans to run.”

“Then what?”

“It isn’t that I haven’t considered it. I thought about knocking you out and fleeing to a distant land, or even joining the Demon Cult.”

“…You are truly insane.”

“If I were truly mad, I would have done it already. But I decided those weren’t good options.”

The emperor’s interest was fading into irritation. Why was he entertaining this nonsense? He waved a hand dismissively:

“Enough. Your words carry no weight. Leave. My brother meets the headsman at dawn.”

“You really should listen to what I have to say.”

“I told you there is nothing left to discuss. Guards!”

In that moment, a dark smile played on Wei Yanho’s lips. “Let’s make a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Yes. A trade.”

The emperor stared at him. The audacity was almost impressive. To propose a bargain to the emperor…

“My father and the others, especially Yi Wangya, were foolish enough to think I could talk sense into you. That was never going to work.”

“…What?”

Wei Yanho’s expression became predatory:

“But our little chat has been very enlightening. I’ve identified your greatest problem. If I can provide the solution, the rest will fall into place. So, I’m going to solve it.”

“Guards! Why is this lunatic still speaking?”

The doors slammed open, and palace eunuchs rushed in to seize Wei Yanho.

“Throw him in the deepest dungeon. Execute him for high treason at sunrise. Erase his family and burn their records. And furthermore—”

Wei Yanho leaned in and whispered a few choice words.

“…Wait.”

The emperor’s eyes widened, a tremor of shock passing through him. “What? What did you just say?”

Wei Yanho’s smile widened. He let the emperor stew in the silence for a moment before speaking up:

“I’m starving. Can I sample the dishes reserved for the emperor? I find I’m much more articulate when my stomach is full.”

The imperial kitchens, which had just begun to settle for the night, were suddenly thrown back into a frantic blaze of activity.

Would you like me to describe the specific deal Wei Yanho proposed to the emperor, or would you like to know more about the political tension surrounding Nokgi and the imperial throne?