Chapter 39: A Tumultuous Scene in the Harem? No, it's the Start of a CEO Training Program!

Thanks to the disguise pills that could change appearance and voice provided by System Xiaoqi at a "discount sale," and the top-notch bodyguards sent by Eunuch Gao whose professional skills were far superior to those two unlucky guys, Dark Four and Dark Five, Yun Zhan's journey back to the capital was ultimately safe and sound.

When he stood at the side gate of the palace, covered in dust and dirt, and saw the anxious eunuch Gao kneeling down with tears streaming down his face as soon as he saw him, Yun Zhan felt a lump in his throat and almost couldn't hold back his tears.

"Your Majesty! My Majesty! You've finally returned!" Eunuch Gao hugged his leg, crying with such genuine emotion, as if he had finally found his long-lost son.

Yun Zhan quickly helped him up, and seeing how much more haggard the other man looked, he was also touched.

"Eunuch Gao, get up quickly, I'm fine." Yun Zhan patted his shoulder, trying his best to adopt the demeanor of an emperor. "How is the situation in the palace?"

Eunuch Gao wiped away his tears and lowered his voice: "Your Majesty, in your absence these past few days, those old foxes in the court have become even more unscrupulous! Especially Prime Minister Li Gang, who has practically taken control of the government! And..."

Listening to Eunuch Gao's report, Yun Zhan's heart sank lower and lower. Good heavens, this court is practically riddled with holes! It's even worse than he imagined!

No! We must stand up immediately!

Returning to his long-missed palace, Yun Zhan washed away his fatigue, changed into a dragon robe, and looked at the face in the mirror that belonged to "Chu Yin"—still handsome but with a somewhat unfamiliar majesty—and took a deep breath.

"System, scan me. How many people do I have available right now?" Yun Zhan asked in his mind. Since he had decided to do it, he needed a team.

[Scan complete. Core loyal personnel: Eunuch Gao (Strength A, Loyalty S). His direct secret guard squad (twelve members, average Strength B+, Loyalty A). The rest... none.] System Xiao Qi ruthlessly provided the data.

Yun Zhan: "..." What a huge "Nothing available"!

So, this emperor is just a figurehead?! No wonder the original owner of this body, Chu Yin, had to resort to such shady tactics; he was forced into it by having no one else to rely on!

"No, no, we need to build up our own power base quickly!" Yun Zhan rubbed his chin, his eyes darting around. "We can't touch those old foxes in the court for now, so we need to tap into their potential from within..."

His gaze involuntarily drifted towards... the direction of the harem.

Those muscle-bound hunks!

Oh right! How could he have forgotten about that!

Those who were sent to the palace to "serve" the emperor by various families were basically unfavored illegitimate sons from high-ranking official families, or discarded sons from their families used to appease this "tyrannical ruler." These people were practically given away for free!

"System! Quickly! Retrieve detailed information on all the 'concubines' in the harem! Family background, personality traits, personal abilities, ambitions... the more detailed the better!"

[Received. Database search in progress... Information transmission...]

In an instant, a massive amount of information flooded into Yun Zhan's mind. He seemed to see a thick "List of Male Concubines in the Harem and Instruction Manual".

He quickly browsed through the pages, making comments as he read:

"Oh my, this Lady Wang, is she the illegitimate son of the Minister of War? A natural-born superhuman? Her hobby is breaking stones on her chest?! Was she sent to the palace to perform acrobatics?"

"Tsk tsk, Consort Li, the nephew of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is exceptionally talented and has a photographic memory? She was thrown in here because she offended her stepmother with her straightforward personality? What a talent!"

"Zhao Jieyu, the illegitimate son of General Zhenyuan? Proficient in riding and archery, and well-versed in military strategy? Was she forced into this position because of her shady background? This is simply a treasure!"

Yun Zhan's eyes lit up the more he looked! This wasn't a harem; it was clearly a treasure trove of hidden talents! What kind of luck (or rather, vision) did the original owner, Chu Yin, have? He could pick out so many promising individuals just by randomly selecting them? Although the method was a bit bizarre…

No sooner said than done! That very evening, Yun Zhan's "President (Emperor) Secret Training Class" officially began!

The first one to be "chosen" was the talented and straightforward Li Cairen, named Li Muyan.

When the tall, handsome Li Muyan, with a scholarly air about him, entered the palace in a rather... well, slightly tight, ornate palace dress, his expressionless face revealed undisguised indifference and... a hint of disgust when he saw Yun Zhan sitting on the dragon throne.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." His bow was standard but devoid of warmth.

Yun Zhan cleared his throat and decided to get straight to the point: "Li Muyan, nephew of Li Jing, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, could compose poetry at the age of three and write prose at the age of seven, and was known for his talent. Is it true that he was framed by his stepmother and sent to the palace for speaking out against his elder brother's corruption?"

Li Muyan suddenly looked up, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes, which quickly turned cold again: "Since Your Majesty already knows, why ask again? I am now nothing more than a useless person trapped in this deep palace."

"A useless person?" Yun Zhan stood up, walked to him, and looked him straight in the eyes. "I think you are a pearl covered in dust. Are you willing to be trapped here for the rest of your life, forcing a smile for me, this 'tyrant,' while those who framed you live happily outside? Let the court continue to be corrupt and watch the people suffer?"

Li Muyan's lips moved, but he didn't speak. However, his clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.

Yun Zhan pressed his advantage: "I know you look down on me. But I can tell you, my past folly was all just to lull the enemy into a false sense of security. I've always wanted to be a good emperor! I need talented people, people who can truly serve the country and its people! Are you willing to lend me a hand?"

He extended his hand, his eyes filled with utmost sincerity: "Not as a 'concubine,' but as a subject, as a partner! Join me in purifying the court and restoring order to this world!"

Li Muyan looked at Yun Zhan's outstretched hand, then at his clear and resolute eyes, so different from the ones in the rumors, and felt a fierce internal struggle. The loyalty to the emperor he had been taught since childhood clashed violently with his dissatisfaction with his family and the status quo.

Ultimately, the desire to realize their ambitions, and a sliver of hope for the seemingly "hidden and patient" emperor before them, overcame their doubts.

He slowly raised his hand and placed it on Yun Zhan's hand, his voice trembling slightly but perfectly clear: "Your subject... is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

Yun Zhan was overjoyed: One secured!

In the days that followed, Yun Zhan began a "nightly revelry (working overtime and holding meetings)" mode.

Today, I "favor" Zhao Jieyu (Zhao Polu), who is well-versed in military strategy, and analyze the border situation with her and discuss military system reform.

Tomorrow, the emperor will "summon" the naturally strong Consort Wang (Wang Tiezhu) and have her secretly train a guard force loyal to the emperor.

The day after tomorrow, I will spend time with Li Muyan discussing how to use his photographic memory to organize and analyze evidence of crimes committed by officials in the court...

Yun Zhan used all the knowledge he had learned in the modern workplace—no, I mean, vision motivation, team management, SWOT analysis, etc. (at a mediocre level)—to fool these originally disheartened "discarded pawns" into... uh, to inspire them into getting excited and ready to follow the "wise ruler" to make a big splash!

"System, see that? This is leadership charisma!" Yun Zhan looked at his "tough guy think tank" that was gradually being united as one, and was very proud of himself.

[Host, are you sure this isn't a pyramid scheme? Also, please note that your actions of 'aiding the enemy' have indirectly led to the expansion of the target's influence, which still needs to be addressed.] The system timely poured cold water on the situation.

When Yan Linye was mentioned, Yun Zhan's eyes darkened.

...

Meanwhile, in Hejian Prefecture, at the Yan Prince's villa.

The atmosphere was so somber it could freeze you to death.

Yan Linye sat in his study, maps and documents spread out in front of him, but he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word. His eyes were dark and swollen, and stubble had sprouted on his chin; he exuded a decadent yet dangerous aura.

Half a month has passed since Yun Zhan disappeared.

For the past two weeks, he has been acting like a madman, using every available resource to search Hejian Prefecture and its surrounding areas thoroughly, but he hasn't been able to find even a single hair on Yun Zhan's head.

That person seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Preparations for the uprising almost completely stalled. Chen Feng and the others were so anxious they developed blisters on their lips, but dared not offer any further advice. Everyone could see that the prince's heart had been lost along with that young man named Yun Zhan.

"Your Highness, please eat something..." Liu Yingying carefully walked in, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup.

Yan Linye didn't even look at it, his voice hoarse: "Put it down and get out."

Looking at him, Liu Yingying sighed inwardly. That clever and mischievous young man had actually managed to turn the usually calm and wise prince into this state.

She put down the soup and silently left.

It was late at night.

Yan Linye walked to the window and looked at the bright moon in the night sky. He felt as if a piece of his chest had been hollowed out, and he felt a dull pain all over his body.

Yun Zhan...where are you?

To live or to die?

Why did you lie to me? Why did you leave?

He remembered that night, the boy in his arms, his eyes "sincerely" saying he supported him; he remembered the warm touch and rapid breathing when they were tightly embracing; he remembered the empty bed and the cold jade pendant the next morning...

His heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, the pain making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He had never realized so clearly that the boy named Yun Zhan had already taken root in his heart and become part of his very being. Losing him was more painful and terrifying than any defeat on the battlefield.

"Yun Zhan..." He called the name softly to the bright moon, his voice filled with endless longing, pain, and a barely perceptible plea, "No matter where you are... wait for me... I will find you..."

And the imperial palace, a thousand miles away.

Yun Zhan also stood by the window of his bedchamber, looking at the same bright moon.

After a busy day, I finally managed to get rid of those energetic "concubines," and exhaustion washed over me, but I felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

He finally began to struggle for his fate.

However, occasionally, in the quiet of the night, that person's image, those deep, gentle yet obsessive eyes, would uncontrollably intrude into my mind.

I recall his clumsy tenderness, his unwavering ambition, the earnestness with which he said, "I want both the world and you," and the deep-seated hatred in his voice when he mentioned "Chu Yin," along with the words "crush his bones and scatter his ashes"...

My heart felt like a jumble of emotions, a mixture of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty flavors—I couldn't quite describe the feeling.

“Yan Linye…” He sighed softly, his voice filled with complex emotions he himself was unaware of. “What are you doing right now? Are you… looking at the moon too?”

His longing, tinged with guilt, helplessness, and a touch of melancholy, was like moonlight, cool and hazy.

Yan Linye's longing, however, was like a raging fire, carrying a destructive obsession and a madness of certainty, almost scorching through the silent night sky.

The same moon shines on us, but our hearts are filled with different sorrows.

One is just beginning to make his mark in the deep palace, with an uncertain future ahead;

One of them went nearly insane in the villa, and the search yielded no results.

The chessboard of this chaotic world underwent a change that no one could have predicted, due to the escape of a single variable.