Good news: Jing Nian has been reborn as a prince.
Bad news: This dynasty's tradition is to kill all your brothers and seize the throne by force.
In his old life, he was a useless rich kid who knew nothing about political maneuvering. Fortunately, he met someone with more schemes than a sponge has holes:
Xu Yunhui, the posthumous son of a general.
He looked like a refined, gentle gentleman, but in truth, he plotted to take the realm with Jing Nian.
They eliminated all his brothers, killed his father, and successfully put him on the throne.
Jing Nian thought they were following the script where a loyal subject gives his life for his sovereign. But Xu Yunhui, now prime minister, betrayed their comrades-in-arms and turned into a treacherous minister.
Not only did he monopolize the government, he openly planted spies all around Jing Nian, making him a puppet emperor known to everyone in Great Yong.
Jing Nian wanted to govern, but Xu Yunhui wouldn't let him.
Jing Nian wanted to be useless, but Xu Yunhui wouldn't let him do that, either.
He cursed the treacherous minister day after day, night after night, until he was hoarse, but the minister kept smiling gently.
At his wits' end, Jing Nian shouted something like,
When will the teacher update?