1皇上？

Just as Li Xing was foolishly laughing, a sharp voice suddenly rang out, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Li Xing looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a five-clawed golden dragon robe and a crown adorned with two dragons and a pearl, striding in with an imposing aura.

It was none other than his adoptive father, Emperor Lin Zhen of Da Ye.

Emperor Lin Zhen was a ruler with an iron-fist policy, similar to the Emperor Taizong of the Great Tang, known for eliminating his brothers to seize the throne.

Seeing that Li Xing had awakened, Emperor Lin Zhen was momentarily stunned.

Li Xing felt a tremor of fear at being scrutinized so closely.

Afraid of revealing any flaws, he quickly mimicked the former Crown Prince and respectfully bowed.

"Your Majesty, your humble son pays respects!"

Since he had taken over someone else's body, addressing him as his father was not too much.

"The Crown Prince has actually awakened? Haha... Truly worthy of being my son, blessed with great fortune!"

Emperor Lin Zhen was delighted and walked briskly to the bedside to examine him carefully, saying, "You look well. It seems there are no major issues."

Then he sighed and continued, "However, your mother, the Empress, fell ill upon hearing about this incident."

Li Xing had originally thought to himself that his son was dead long ago. However, upon hearing about the Empress falling ill, he inexplicably felt a pang of sadness and subconsciously replied, "It's my fault for causing worry to Father and Mother."

"No matter, your awakening is the best comfort for your mother!"

Emperor Lin Zhen smiled and then his gaze turned cold, a hint of murderous intent flickering as he spoke.

"As for the assassination, I've ordered the Flying Fish Guard and the Ministry of Justice to collaborate on the investigation. They have one month to solve the case. Otherwise, I'll remove their heads. Once we capture the assassin, I'll ensure justice is served."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Although he said so, Li Xing didn't hold much hope.

Anyone daring enough to attack in the heavily guarded Shanglin Garden would be hard to trace.

"In addition..."

Emperor Lin Zhen looked at Li Xing with a complex expression and said, "During your coma, I issued a decree to hold the Talent Selection Ceremony tomorrow at the Xuanhe Hall."

"This selection will include poetry and strategy. It serves to assess the virtues and talents of the imperial princes and also to see if there are any outstanding talents among the noble youths in the capital."

"Now that you're awake, you should also participate. If you fail to stand out, I..."

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Will depose you and appoint another Crown Prince!"

In fact, Emperor Lin Zhen's actions were out of necessity.

With the Crown Prince assassinated and seemingly unable to wake up, various factions in the court had taken advantage of the situation to petition for a new Crown Prince.

Initially, Emperor Lin Zhen had tried to avoid it.

However, these factions were too influential, forming a united front. After several refusals, Emperor Lin Zhen had to consider the impact and consequences, so he chose to comply.

But he hadn't expected Li Xing to wake up at this time.

Since the decree had been issued, he couldn't go back on his word. Emperor Lin Zhen could only make a desperate move, allowing Li Xing to participate in the selection and see if he could turn the tide and retain his position as Crown Prince.

If he succeeded, all the better.

If he failed, then he would be banished from the capital, living as an idle prince away from the court's struggles.

Upon hearing this, Li Xing almost jumped up...

Damn, you old fox, are you trying to trick your son like this?

Without the position of Crown Prince, wouldn't I be at the mercy of others?

Originally, Li Xing wanted to argue with Emperor Lin Zhen, but when he heard about the poetry and strategy examination, he couldn't help but laugh.

Poetry exam?

I've been familiar with Tang poetry and Song lyrics since third grade, plus the blessings of poetry and literary gods behind me. Why should I be afraid of this?

As for strategy...

With five thousand years of history and the basic "The Wealth of Nations," land transfer systems, and the papers passed down by top scholars from various dynasties...

Am I afraid of your strategy exam?

There's just too much heritage.

Five thousand years of heritage, and you think a few ancient people can outwit me?

Li Xing decided to open the eyes of the natives in this world. Without hesitation, he nodded and said, "Your humble son obeys the decree!"