Reborn to Set the Spoiled Little Emperor Straight

Han Songming was the regent appointed by the late emperor to guide the young ruler, Zhao Yu.

In the eyes of others, Han Songming's power was unmatched, and he was just one step away from the throne. He was powerful enough to seize it at any moment. Thankfully, Han Songming was a loyal subject and had never harbored treasonous thoughts against the emperor. Otherwise, the dynasty might have changed hands.

Only Han Songming knew that he was so busy he could barely catch his breath. He had no intention of usurping the throne, and even if he did, he didn't have the time or energy.

It was all because the young emperor was too playful and never took care of state affairs.

Zhao Yu ascended the throne at ten, and Han Songming cleared every obstacle in his path.

When Zhao Yu was fifteen, Han Songming wanted him to try governing for himself. Instead, Zhao Yu slipped out of the palace to have fun and got himself into a whole heap of trouble.

At seventeen, Zhao Yu made a huge fuss about leading a campaign in person. He nearly died of illness on the march, but after returning to the palace, he still wouldn't behave. He kept insisting that he wanted to go to the battlefield and stand shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers.

To placate the young emperor, Han Songming ordered that the prisoners be released to stage a mock fight with Zhao Yu. The prisoners tried their hardest to act, pretending none of them could match Zhao Yu. After getting his fill of playing general, Zhao Yu finally stopped pestering them to let him go to war.

At nineteen, Zhao Yu began indulging himself every day, drinking and gambling. When the Ministry of Revenue refused to release funds, he extorted money from the ministers.

After working all day, Han Songming still had to clean up Zhao Yu's messes. He was so exhausted he didn't even have the strength to hang himself. More than once, he wanted to pry open the late emperor's coffin and demand to know whether Zhao Yu was really his son!

At twenty-one, Zhao Yu defied the ministers' objections and threw a tantrum for three days and three nights until he managed to run off to Jiangnan for fun. Less than two months later, he came back on the verge of death after catching a chill.

Zhao Yu never recovered from his illness, and died less than half a month after returning to the palace.

As he lay dying, Zhao Yu clutched Han Songming's hand and cried and cried.

Through his tears, he told Han Songming, "I'm sorry... The truth is, I... I like you... But you're so busy, you don't even have time to look at me. I kept acting out just to get your attention, so you'd care about me a little more..."

Later, Han Songming was reborn, back in a time when Zhao Yu still didn't dare act too wildly and his own health was still fairly good.

Before he could go find Zhao Yu, news arrived that Zhao Yu had caused trouble outside the palace.

Han Songming finally snapped. "Tie him up and bring him back to the palace. I'll give him a proper scolding!"

[Powerful Regent Gong x Emperor Shou]

[Older Gong, thirteen-year age gap]

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