Murong Junsheng did not call out, but instead picked up a book from the desk and carefully examined it, seemingly forgetting about Xiao Rufeng's presence.

The Emperor did not call for him to rise, so Xiao Rufeng naturally did not dare to get up. He knelt straightly and uprightly, with perfect decorum. After about the length of time it takes to burn an incense stick, Xiao Rufeng began to feel numbness in his knees and his entire body started to feel paralyzed. It was at this moment that he heard a question from above.

What was being asked? Xiao Rufeng didn't quite understand the meaning behind it, but he knew that this phrase came from "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. He inwardly sighed with frustration but didn't dare to speak recklessly.

Bam! Something brushed past Xiao Rufeng's cheek and fell straight to the ground. It turned out to be Murong Junsheng angrily throwing a book down, with relentless words flying towards Xiao Rufeng, "This is how you've been studying these days? Ah! You can't even answer such simple questions. Are you really putting your heart into reading? You're not making any progress!"

Xiao Rufeng remained silent, unable to speak, as he knew this was not his place to intervene. And with Murong Junsheng's imposing presence fully displayed at this moment, he dared not utter a word.

There wasn't even a word of explanation! Murong Junsheng was infuriated, angry at his lack of assertiveness and diligence. His already restless heart reached a new level of frustration. Today, he received news once again of the massive invasion by the Xiongnu, burning, killing, and plundering the border towns. They treated the people of Murong Dynasty as worthless, trampling on them at will. In the court, the officials were timid and dared not speak, endlessly trying to appease the Xiongnu. Even the so-called military officials were indecisive about war, all because they knew that those military officials didn't regard him, the emperor, with any respect. They were all partisans of the Dou clan, following the orders of General Huwei, Dou Wei. Dou Wei's power and influence were overwhelming, posing a hidden threat to his throne. Murong Junsheng knew better than anyone else that, if he wanted to secure his throne, Dou Wei had to be eliminated. Whether it was dealing with the Xiongnu or getting rid of Dou Wei, he desperately needed a talented general. However, looking at the court, it was either the Dou clan faction or a bunch of weak and cowardly individuals. That day, when Xiao Rufeng dared to confront the Imperial Concubine, Murong Junsheng had a slight interest in him. He repeatedly inquired about him through Lu Zixuan and finally decided to employ him, to cultivate a new general. But he didn't expect Xiao Rufeng to squander his promotion like this, showing no dedication. Today, in his frustration and spur-of-the-moment question, a simple question, Xiao Rufeng stuttered and struggled to give an answer. What had he learned in these days? Did he apply himself to learn? It was truly a waste of his efforts.

"The emperor calms down, the underling deserves to die!" Seeing the wrath of the emperor, Xiao Rufeng knocked his head hard on the ground, clenched his teeth, and said, "I dare not defend myself, but I beg the emperor to listen to a few words from the bottom of my heart." After a brief pause, he closed his eyes tightly, as if making a firm decision, and said, "I, as an underprivileged child, have never attended a proper school or private academy. All I had was secretly listening to the teacher outside the academy reciting the Four Books and Five Classics, poetry and songwriting. I secretly practiced writing on the sand field without understanding the profound principles. I didn't even recognize many characters and became the target of others' ridicule. Even my martial arts skills were learned from an odd old man I accidentally encountered in my childhood. I wanted to change my current life and make a name for myself. That's why, when I saw the imperial palace recruiting guards, I secretly registered behind my mother's back. I don't deny that I have ambitions, so when the emperor gave me this opportunity, I was extremely grateful in my heart and encouraged myself silently. I don't hide it from the emperor, these past few days I've been revising whenever I had the chance, but my aptitude is limited, and there's not enough postnatal support. Many things are beyond my comprehension, and I can't even recognize many characters. I want to inquire, but it's a confidential matter and not for outsiders to know. I can only ponder it on my own. I'm sorry, your majesty, for not living up to your expectations." With that, Xiao Rufeng slammed his head on the ground again, truly feeling useless.

The atmosphere froze for a moment, with a complex expression on Mu Rong Jun Sheng's face as he looked at Xiao Ru Feng, who had a guilty look on his face and blood stains on his forehead. Suddenly, all the anger in Mu Rong Jun Sheng disappeared. He knew that everything he had said was true. He hadn't noticed before, but now he could see that Xiao Ru Feng's complexion was particularly haggard, with dark circles under his eyes that seemed more severe than usual. It seemed like he hadn't rested for many days. For a moment, there was a hint of pity in his heart, as if blaming himself for speaking so harshly without considering the environment in which Xiao Ru Feng had once survived, and simply blaming him blindly.

"You..." Murong Junsheng was somewhat speechless, but as a monarch, he quickly suppressed all the emotions he shouldn't have had. "Get up!"

Xiao Rufeng stood up upon receiving the order. He knew that his heartfelt words had won the gamble, successfully extinguishing the emperor's rage and safeguarding his future prospects. However, what caught him off guard was the emperor's next words, which were, "Since you understand so well, enlighten me!"

As he watched the book handed over by the emperor, accompanied by the emperor's patient explanation, Xiao Rufeng felt an unprecedented warmth.