Ye Lang's reason for posing these questions was not to simply tease people, but rather he felt that as an emperor, he needed to be a bit different. After all, this was not something that an ordinary person could do.
Being a bit different didn't mean one couldn't be a good emperor!
And there were quite a few peculiar people here, with a bit of psychological abnormality. There were even a few very rare, super peculiar individuals. In fact, this was proven by the fact that many people answered five questions correctly, and there were even those who could do more than ten.
Even so, Ye Lang had not anticipated the existence of someone who would answer all the questions correctly, and who was also a beautiful young girl that looked like an angel on the outside!
Someone a bit peculiar was suitable to be an emperor, but when someone was this peculiar, they were not suitable. This kind of person might even turn the empire into a living hell!
Therefore, Ye Lang had specifically excluded her from the list of potential heirs!
As for why Ye Lang didn’t directly say that these questions were reverse psychological test questions, it wasn’t that he didn’t say it, but rather, if he did, it would be of no use. There was simply no concept of this in this world; even if he said it, nobody would understand what that was, nor would it serve as any kind of evidence.
"The fewer questions the common people answer correctly, the better. It's best for it to be zero, while it's better for you to answer a bit more, but answering all of them... oh well, I don't know what to say, this has never happened before. Anyway, you all can just figure it out by yourselves. There's nothing else I can say." Ye Lang shook his head, looking deeply serious, and slowly left the grand hall.
...silence...
"Little brother, let's go. Why are you pretending after coming so far?" Ye Lan Yu said to Ye Lang, giving him a heavy knock.
"Ah! Oh, we have come so far, let's go quickly then, to avoid them coming to bother me with questions again." Ye Lang was indeed pretending, but he was doing so to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have set those questions. I never thought there would be such a terrifying woman..."
"Little brother, what did you test in the end?" Ye Lan Yu asked out of curiosity.
"The human psyche..."
"What?"
"Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand. You are just that foolish!"
"Bang!"
"Ah..."
"Are you itching to get hit, daring to say I'm foolish!"
"You are..." Ye Lang wanted to continue, but saw Ye Lan Yu's little fist swaying in front of him, so he cleverly did not continue.
"Hmph..."
"Mark my words, if that woman is not removed, this palace will soon be bathed in blood. Hopefully, it won't affect us." Ye Lang said thoughtfully.
He could guess this outcome, but he was not concerned about it because this was an internal matter for the royal family. Whoever the Emperor chose had no significant impact on him or the Ye family.
Moreover, he felt that Zhao Yarou was still young, and the Emperor was still in his prime. Even if this storm did break out, it would be decades later. There was no need to think so much about it for now. But, would it really take that long? Maybe...
Anyway, the storm caused by the test questions had come to an end for the day. Everyone went about their own business, leaving behind some doubts, contemplation, and resentment...
...
"Ye Lang!!"
"What? Don't come to bother me, I don't play duels!!"
After the duel that day, it seemed like people were looking for Ye Lang every day to challenge him. Though this time, everyone was wise enough not to let Ye Lang find a stand-in, and they established a rule that they couldn’t use a "person" as a weapon.
One might wonder why no one used to look for Yelang before, and why there are more people looking for him recently. Besides the fact that he set a precedent by agreeing to a duel with someone, there is another very important reason.
It seems everyone's opinion of Yelang is getting higher, especially now that he can test the prince and princess, and is being "appreciated" by the emperor. Some who previously did not see him as a threat are now starting to feel threatened.
Those who used to pursue the seven princesses but never paid attention to Yelang are now causing trouble for him and are attempting to force him to annul his engagement with the seventh princess through various means.
Yelang is not that kind-hearted; he won't annul the engagement just because someone else wants it. Although he doesn't care much about the marriage, he still respects the seventh princess's wishes. He won't, like others, cause embarrassment to others for his own comfort.
Moreover, the seventh princess has said many times that she wants him to fend off these boring pursuers, and he is willing to be a shield. After all, the seventh princess is his childhood friend.
"Since you don't even have the courage to agree to a duel, how can you protect the seventh princess, and how can you bring yourself to marry her?"
"What's there to feel embarrassed about? If she likes it, that's all that matters. And as for protection, do I need to tell you about that? Anyway, she is my fiancée now, so you better give up on that idea!" Despite the questioning, Yelang feels no shame, whether it's because of his thick skin or his fearlessness, is not known.
Of course, most people would think it's the former!
In this way, the shield managed to deter some people.
"We won't let someone like you marry the seventh princess. If you want to marry her, you must ask us first!"
"Ridiculous, who are you? You don't know your place! Get out of here, or else be prepared for my revenge. This thirteenth young master of the Ye family is not to be trifled with!" Yelang said angrily.
Yet again, he managed to fend off another group of people.
"Yelang, others may fear you, but I don't!!" an arrogant young man spoke out. He did indeed have a background and strength that made him unafraid, and he represented a small minority that wasn't afraid of Yelang.
"Who are you?" Yelang asked, not giving any face to the man, as he was the only one present whom Yelang didn't recognize.
"Yelang, he is the grandson of the empire's top swordsman - Li Danteng," Zhen Xiaoyan introduced from the side.
The position of grandmasters like Swordsman and Warlords is special, with an extraordinary status wherever they go, especially the empire's top swordsman. When a grandmaster is alive, their family members enjoy great prestige. However, once the grandmaster passes away and the family does not inherit their strength, the family's status declines rapidly.
"Pleased to meet you," Yelang suddenly saluted, speaking very earnestly.
Was this his respect for the grandmaster? That seemed unlikely. Those who knew Yelang's personality would never believe that he would change his views just because the other person was the grandmaster's kin; he might not even change his views for the grandmaster himself, let alone the grandson.
"Li Danteng, you're finished!" Zhen Xiaoyan left with a vicious remark, then ran after Ye Lang.
Yes, Li Danteng was indeed finished, not because he was no match for Ye Lang, but because he chose a way to let Ye Lang duel.
For the safety of Ye Lang, some people would do things, things that even a Sword Saint would not be able to resist!
Even though they knew that Li Danteng wouldn't dare to take Ye Lang's life, those who cared about Ye Lang would not allow such danger to exist!
...
"Son, are you crazy? Why are you playing with life and death?" Ye Chengtian rushed into Ye Lang's small courtyard and found several people inside, Long Anqi, Ye Lanyu, Seventh Princess, Zhen Xiaoyan, and of course, the protagonist, Ye Lang.
"Again, how many times do I have to say..." Ye Lang looked at Ye Chengtian, smiling bitterly.
"What, have you all asked him?" Ye Chengtian asked Long Anqi.
"Nonsense! Are we supposed to wait for you to come back?" Long Anqi glared at Ye Chengtian, feeling very impatient.
"What do you mean?" Ye Chengtian asked.
"Son said that no one should interfere and let him solve it himself, he wants a formal duel!" Long Anqi frowned, seeming a bit worried.
"Duel my ass, have you ever wielded a weapon? Practiced magic? None of it!" Ye Chengtian exclaimed, others might not know about Ye Lang's situation, but they didn't either?
Ye Lang could be said to have never practiced any combat Qi or magic, they hadn't even seen him exercise, under such circumstances, who would think he could defeat a swordsman, let alone a seventh-level swordsman.
"I've wielded a weapon, and I've practiced magic," Ye Lang retorted.
"You have?" Ye Chengtian was puzzled, didn't he know?
"Bang!"
"Ah..."
Long Anqi directly knocked Ye Lang and said impatiently, "What he claims to have wielded, is just holding them, and practicing is just practicing, it didn't work out!"
"..."
"How is that possible? I really practiced magic. Otherwise, how did I master alchemy? Don't treat me as a porcelain doll, I am a man!!" Ye Lang protested.
"Go away, speak sensibly. Why did you agree to this life and death duel, when you refuse a normal duel?" Ye Chengtian asked with incomprehension.
"Because I want to prove that I'm not useless, that I have skills!" Ye Lang took out two brushes from somewhere and held one in each hand.
"..."
"Stop kidding, it seems I have to talk to Senior Li, it's best to cancel this life and death duel, otherwise, even if he's the First Sword Saint, I won't give him any face." Ye Chengtian's powerful aura completely emanated as he spoke.
"Husband, I support you!" Long Anqi said dazedly.
"Dad, I support you too!"
"Get lost, don't cause trouble, this time I want to have a formal duel, believe me this time, I will defeat that irritating person unscathed, and make him regret!" Ye Lang said seriously.
"Regret what? What are you talking about?" Seventh Princess asked in confusion.
"..." Zhen Xiaoyan blushed because she had also asked Ye Lang this question.