The next day.
The sun was bright, a refreshing weather, and it was also a happy day for the couple.
After breakfast, the two children were called to the study by their father, Fan Zehao. Zhao Jiaqi was already sitting in a chair, touching her belly intermittently, her face beaming with joy that could not be concealed.
Fan Sen and Fan Yao, the brothers, were both bewildered. Just the day before, the face of worry for their daughter's wedding had filled their faces, and now they were so happy after a night's sleep.
The children watched their father not move, so they dared not. It was only when their father sat down in his chair that they finally sat down.
The eyes of the two little cubs darted back and forth between their mother and father, neither of them understanding why they had been summoned so early in the morning.
"Cough... cough." Fan Zehao cleared his throat and glanced at his wife. Seeing that she did not speak, he knew he would have to be the stern one again.
"Today, I have called you here to announce something important. You two listen carefully."
Fan Sen and Fan Yao were stunned again, both wondering what important matter there could be in the family.
Their elder sister had already married yesterday, so if that was not important, then there was only one thing left, which must be the little one in their mother's belly!
Before the two children could ponder further, Fan Zehao directly dropped a bombshell on them: "I will choose one of you two to inherit the throne."
After he finished speaking, he scanned their astonished faces and finally said, "Brothers, whoever is interested in this throne and can further develop the Inner City."
Fan Sen immediately declared his true feelings: "Father, my ambitions do not lie here, and my mind is not as quick as my younger brother's. Let my younger brother inherit it. I believe he can manage the Inner City very well."
The elder brother's statement was very sincere, and even the honest look on his face was feigned. Fan Yao rolled his eyes speechlessly.
He stood up leisurely, playing with the dagger in his hand: "Father, your son is an uncultured person, only good for eating and playing. My elder brother, although not intelligent, is diligent in learning. Therefore, it would be better for my elder brother to inherit the throne."
Fan Sen glared at his unreliable younger brother: "You jest. What I call dullness, my mind is not as agile as yours!"
"Brother, that is where you are mistaken. If your mind is not agile, then what I have cannot be called a mind; it would be akin to a cesspool."
Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi watched their two sons, in their attempts to evade the throne, daring to say anything at all, completely disregarding their own images.
Zhao Jiaqi rapped on the table, her sharp and scrutinizing eyes fixed on them, her voice laced with a hint of anger: "You are both nearly fourteen years old. If what you say is true, then your father and I would be facing either fools or madmen every day?"
"Let me tell you both, whether you are fools or imbeciles, the throne must be chosen from one of you two. No matter who is chosen, if the Inner City is mismanaged, I will break both your limbs. I always keep my word, and if you don't believe me, you can try."
When the tigress of the family spoke, the two children naturally dared not say another word. Their mother's temper was completely unpredictable.
They dared to say that if either of them spoke up, especially if it was to contradict their mother, then the throne would definitely fall to that person.
Fan Yao thought clearly, and Fan Sen was not foolish either. They naturally understood this pattern and therefore closed their mouths obediently.
Fan Zehao, who was watching the fun, sighed with emotion, thinking how four people of the same surname had been unable to contend with one surname for over a decade.
Fan Zehao seized the opportunity, immediately took out the pre-prepared slips of paper and placed them on the table. He pointed to the folded slips on the table and said solemnly, "One of these two slips says 'inherit the throne,' and the other says 'nothing.' You two choose yourselves. Whoever draws 'inherit the throne' is considered unlucky."
At that moment, someone was about to speak, but Zhao Jiaqi preempted him: "There is no right to refuse, nor is there a right to abstain. Each person must draw one."
"As for who goes first and who goes second, you decide yourselves."
Fan Sen's words were blocked by his mother. He felt as dejected as a rooster that had all its feathers plucked.
The couple stared at them. Seeing that they remained silent for a long time, Zhao Jiaqi's lips curved into a wicked smile.
"It seems you want your mother to choose? That's fine, but whoever is chosen will be unlucky."
Zhao Jiaqi's gaze was fixed on the eldest son, who looked extremely reluctant. Fan Sen saw his mother's expression and knew she wanted him to be the prince. An alarm immediately sounded in his heart.
He quickly jumped out, looking flustered, and said, "Mother, my brother and I will draw lots. You don't need to choose."
If they drew lots, there was still a fifty percent chance of not drawing it. If they didn't draw lots, then his mother would definitely make him inherit.
Thus, Fan Sen and Fan Yao played rock-paper-scissors to decide the winner. The winner would draw first, and the loser would draw last.
Unexpectedly, the unexpected happened. Fan Sen won and went first to choose. After much deliberation, he picked a slip of paper.
Fan Zehao smiled and told him to open it: "See what you've drawn?"
He also wanted to know. He opened it and saw the four characters "inherit the throne" written on it. At this, Fan Yao was overjoyed.
He immediately clapped his hands, congratulating his elder brother: "Big brother is indeed big brother. This burden must fall to the eldest son."
Zhao Jiaqi looked at her schadenfreude younger son and let out a cold laugh, saying, "Fan Yao, as the younger brother and the second son, you must assist your elder brother in managing the Inner City. If you do not perform well as an assistant, I will certainly not let you off."
"Do not think that this has nothing to do with you. Your responsibility is not light."
Zhao Jiaqi spoke, and Fan Yao had to put away his gloating expression, turning to look very sincere: "Yes, Mother, please rest assured. I will definitely assist my elder brother in being the Prince of the Inner City."
But he added, "Isn't it a bit too early for my father to become the Supreme Emperor when he is so young?"
Fan Zehao heard that the fire of contention had now spread to him. His cunning old face immediately darkened: "Too early? Nonsense! I am already the one who decides the Supreme Emperor in Yun Country."
After he finished speaking, he waved his hand impatiently and said, "The obituary announcing Fan Sen's succession to the throne will be issued shortly. Since the emperors of various countries are present, it can be announced to them as well."
Zhao Jiaqi immediately chimed in: "Yes, yes. Let the children entertain the emperors of several countries. This would be a double celebration."
With that said, the couple felt it was a good thing and their eyes narrowed into slits with joy. If Fan Zehao's eyes weren't so large, Fan Sen would have had to rummage around his face to find where his eyes were.