Reborn, I Beg the Rebel to Keep Me Imprisoned

Song Chengwang was a useless emperor in his previous life, but he was reborn. Well, would you look at that, he got another life! There's hope! Song Chengwang sprang up from his imperial bed and saw the treacherous minister who had rebelled kneeling at his feet. Song Chengwang: "..." The tall, handsome man bowed his head and read an intimate private memorial at an unhurried pace, like the most obedient dog in the world. Except he was going to imprison Song Chengwang very soon. At this point, Cen Guangji, whose power towered over the court, had yet to show his treacherous true colors. He diligently handled state affairs for the emperor. Though he came from a family of scholars, he used his hands to deal with the dirty work, discipline the nobles Song Chengwang hated, and send anyone who displeased him into a bottomless prison. But Song Chengwang knew the truth. In his previous life, he'd spent his days indulging himself, and Cen Guangji gave him whatever he wanted. There was nothing Cen Guangji couldn't provide. It was all an act. Only at the very end, when Song Chengwang showed special favor to the new top scholar, did the treacherous minister finally reveal his true face. Afraid of losing his power, Cen Guangji surrounded the palace with troops, put the emperor under house arrest, and made himself the equal of the new emperor. On countless nights, Song Chengwang heard Cen Guangji kneeling outside his tent, mocking him gently. "Your Majesty, the late emperor entrusted you to me. You shouldn't abandon me." The more Song Chengwang struggled, the more the pain and humiliation intensified. Song Chengwang shuddered and took a hard lesson to heart! As Cen Guangji read a private memorial full of flowery praise for the handsome new top scholar and his declaration of admiration, his voice dark with sarcasm, Song Chengwang suddenly knocked the letter from his hand! Cen Guangji looked up coolly, only to see his mischievous, disobedient little emperor, who had recently seemed wary of him, grabbing him by the collar and throwing him onto the imperial bed. Song Chengwang kissed him fiercely, as if they were fighting. Song Chengwang picked up a basket of unread memorials and dumped them beside him, pointing decisively. "That one isn't interesting. Brother Ji, read these." Cen Guangji, recently being kept at arm's length and a rebel-in-waiting: . ? What? What did Your Majesty just call me? Cen Guangji, his murderous look vanishing from his eyes: No, that's not right. Cen Guangji, stunned, pupils trembling: His Majesty just confessed to me? Song Chengwang, who barely went to school: This emperor's job is a pain anyway. I'll just make you do the work! Then you won't have to usurp the throne, because you'll have a legitimate claim, haha. I'll have done my duty to Father by protecting the Song family's throne! Father, don't ask how I protected it! (clenches fist) · Song Chengwang didn't exactly waste his time after dying in his previous life. His soul traveled to modern society, where he received a general education as a high school student and went on to university. He had only been eighteen when he died. By modern standards, he'd barely reached adulthood. After returning as emperor, Song Chengwang didn't want to be the big feudal patriarch, either. He sat in a small courtyard, carving wood, wiring electricity, making cement, and manufacturing glass. With an invention almost ready, he excitedly told Cen Guangji, "Brother, lock me up and post guards. Don't let anyone in!" The man might not be good for much else, but he was absolutely reliable at imprisoning Song Chengwang. Not even a male mosquito could get inside. Cen Guangji's gaze gradually grew deeper, bewildered, and strange. After much soul-searching, the rigid, old-fashioned, straight-laced man finally accepted the fact that His Majesty loved him. His Majesty... loved him this much. Loved him so much that he wanted to be imprisoned by him. Fine. An endearing little quirk. As he passed by each day, he also heard that Song Chengwang was writing some kind of red book. It was a pity it wasn't a marriage certificate for him, but propaganda for something called Marxism. Fine. As long as he liked it. The ministers had long seen through Cen Guangji's wolfish ambitions. They cried out in grief: "Cen Guangji is a treacherous villain! He's imprisoned the emperor and seized power with his troops! We must kill him to rescue His Majesty and restore order to the court! Otherwise, the nation is doomed!" But they never expected that, several months later, His Majesty would drive a mecha out of the palace. He repaired dirt roads, made glass, introduced gunpowder, and improved crops. He blasted open the gates of an enemy nation and avenged his blood feud. Song Chengwang: I want to reform the system and bring peace to the world! Meanwhile, the traitor Cen Guangji, who was supposed to rebel, had a red mark on his face and several little red marks on his neck. He worked at his desk for Song Chengwang with blazing enthusiasm, obediently reviewing memorials and dealing with this one or executing that one. The most conservative of ministers issued an edict to execute anyone who opposed technological innovation. Cen Guangji: As his husband, of course I must make plans for him. His Majesty loves me so much. I cannot disappoint him. This is both the duty of a minister and the duty of a husband. Cen Guangji, writing furiously and tearing off another page: My wife wants to conquer the world. Don't interfere. I'll cut away every worry that might hold him back. The rebels hadn't heard from Lord Cen for months and were stationed in place, bewildered and seemingly abandoned. The traitors, waiting for the signal to revolt, were bewildered when Lord Cen assigned them to serve as the emperor's vanguard and put down rebellions. The enemy nation wanted to curse the heavens and earth. Lord Cen stood atop a war chariot, took a handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from His Majesty's face. A serene glow seemed to shine from him as he waved his hand calmly. "We follow His Majesty's orders." The ministers were dumbfounded. Only then did they realize that the sinister, ruthless traitor who had plotted to rebel... Had long since become one of the emperor's subordinates. A paragon of virtue and integrity, obeying only his wife. · A seemingly lazy, truly passionate little emperor who loves innovation and received a modern education × The peak of feudalism, a fatherly grand minister with immense power / later awakens to his devoted-husband side · # A man who meant to rebel, but gave up his ambitions after his wife kissed him # Where did your ambition, arrogance, and grand vision go? # Marriage is the grave of a tyrant # He's forgotten his roots --- I would wield the scales of my life as a blade to cut through these mountains and rivers' shackles. I would break my rebellious bones to make a stairway for your glorious name in history. · Theme: The clash between reform and feudalism