After Transmigration, Her Whole Family Are Villains

Chapter 359

The first time at court.

It really shocked the officials.

No one had expected that the Empress, who was born a peasant woman, would be so incredibly strong.

In front of the officials, she broke off the armrest of the phoenix throne.

Not only that, but she crushed the wood into sawdust.

The wood of the chair could not possibly be rotten, otherwise, the officials of the Imperial Construction Bureau would all be executed.

Moreover, the chair was not newly made but passed down through generations, and the wood was so hard that even a knife would struggle to cut it.

As hard as iron.

And yet, the Empress broke it off right in front of the officials.

It was truly terrifying.

The officials who stepped forward felt their scalps tingle.

With such an Empress, what could they do if they sent their daughters to the palace?

One wrong move and they might be accidentally killed by the Empress.

Other palace struggles were about heartbreak, but theirs was about physical harm.

And the Empress didn't seem reckless at all; just look at how she raised Princess Caiyi, an expert in domestic strife.

The officials who stepped forward gradually regained their composure, their backs drenched in cold sweat.

Those who had petitions to present afterwards became much more cautious.

On the New Emperor's first day of ascending the throne, his authority was established by the Empress.

On his first day, the New Emperor announced three things.

First, he would give each official who demanded he fill the harem a maidservant to fill their own households.

Second, he changed the schedule: there would be a major court session every seven days, no need to rise so early, and every five days there would be two days of rest.

Third, he would rehabilitate some officials. Those who participated in the Seventh Prince's rebellion were all sentenced to death, leaving some positions vacant, which would be filled by new appointees.

Some were colleagues who had been waiting for selection, others were young officials who had been wrongfully accused, such as Gong Qichi, the top scholar.

The New Emperor had a good memory and remembered the names of every official.

Those who were selected were moved to tears.

They bore the mark of the New Emperor, and barring any accidents, their careers would be smooth.

Gong Qichi wore the dark blue official robes of an Imperial Secretary.

Everyone knew that the New Emperor had been an Imperial Secretary before ascending the throne.

Clearly, this position was special.

Gong Qichi was deeply moved.

Looking back, the first time he met Chang Tian was in Kan'er Village.

He had never imagined it would lead to this.

Countless long nights of deep conversations, and now they met as monarch and subject, Gong Qichi felt a strange sense of pride.

He had contributed to this journey.

He hadn't forgotten.

The New Emperor promoted so many people, but Gong Qichi felt it was because of him.

It was as if someone hugged many people just to be able to hug him.

Sure enough, after the court session, everyone left, and Gong Qichi was asked to stay.

Some people hurried back to prepare betrothal gifts.

Gong Qichi was also a bit nervous.

With the distinction between monarch and subject, he didn't know how to interact or how to maintain the proper distance.

Although the New Emperor had risen step by step, with many instances where he had contributed, if he always took pride in that, he probably wouldn't be far from death.

Yet, there was always an emotional pull, feeling that their relationship was good, and it seemed strange to suddenly have the distinction between monarch and subject.

Throughout history, there have always been instances where the emperor, after ascending the throne, would execute his good friends.

Because friends became superiors, and others hadn't adapted, still treating him as a good friend.

The superior finally couldn't take it and, being too embarrassed to say "I'm now your superior, you should respect me," would just have the friend executed. Social anxiety is so terrifying... just because one is too socially anxious to communicate, they would have the other person "disappear."

Gong Qichi had some doubts in his mind.

Still, he gathered his scattered thoughts and headed towards the palace.

Not far in, he saw a little girl running out.

A boy followed behind her.

When they saw him, they both stopped.

The girl called out, "Hello, Uncle Gong."

The boy called out, "Hello, Teacher."

Seeing his lively students, Gong Qichi felt relieved.

According to common values, he should have supported the young lord, but he knew the young lord's personality, smart but solitary, which wasn't suitable, and the lord himself wouldn't have wanted that.

"What are you doing?"

"Flying kites, today the wind is strong," Mianmian pointed at the large kite Hei Ta was holding.

"Good, be careful not to fall."

"Goodbye, Uncle Gong."

"Goodbye, Teacher."

They passed by, still running.

Gong Qichi felt a sense of history repeating itself. When he was young and passed the imperial examinations, he also went to the palace to pay respects to the emperor.

He also saw princesses and princes running.

Their laughter was crisp.

At least the young lord was living well now, without any grievances. Gong Qichi felt that whether he was right or wrong, he had no regrets about the young lord.

The interruption from the two children calmed his mind, and he wasn't as nervous.

When he reached the Heart-Seeking Hall, it wasn't where the emperor received guests but where the emperor lived.

Being able to come here at least proved that the New Emperor considered Gong Qichi one of his own.

Led by a young eunuch into the room, the layout reminded him of Kan'er Village.

A small tea table, with charcoal in the middle, boiling tea, and around it were some fruits and local melons.

The New Emperor, who had been sitting majestically on the dragon throne, had changed into ordinary casual clothes, and the room was warm.

Seeing Gong Qichi, the New Emperor waved and said, "Brother Yehang, come and have some tea, it's too cold outside."

Gong Qichi first bowed, then went over.

Sitting cross-legged on the warm bed, he drank a cup of tea poured by the New Emperor himself.

The taste was bitter and sweet, strange, but it was the taste of the past.

Now new tea was in vogue, and this method of boiling tea was considered outdated.

But if the emperor made it, it would probably become fashionable again.

"Is Your Majesty accustomed?"

"It's okay, with Sister Xia and the others around, I feel fine. But Brother Yehang, they say that the emperor is a lonely man. If you think that because I'm the emperor, our past friendship is gone, then I might really become a lonely man. I'm afraid of becoming like the previous emperor. He was said to be very wise and kind when he was young. Power makes people confused. If that day comes, Brother Yehang, will you remind me?"

Jiang Changtian spoke sincerely.

Gong Qichi felt relieved, Jiang didn't change, even as the emperor, he still had a sincere heart.

He solemnly bowed and said, "I am willing, I will."

They drank tea and ate snacks together.

Just like before, they talked about many things happening in the court.

Gong Qichi was an excellent secretary, knowing the family backgrounds of every official in the court, analyzing them one by one, just like before.

He even bluntly said who was incompetent, occupying a position without doing any work...

Jiang Changtian listened very seriously, nodding from time to time.

After eating a snack that felt like lunch, Gong Qichi finally realized he should take his leave.

As he left the Heart-Seeking Hall, the cool wind outside made him tense.

He looked back at the imposing Heart-Seeking Hall.

He always forgot.

When he entered the palace, he had thought about the distinction between monarch and subject, but when talking, he unconsciously forgot.

A mature politician shouldn't act like this.

This was wrong.

The further he walked towards the palace gates, the more uneasy he felt.

He knew the New Emperor wasn't as simple as he remembered, just a sincere white-faced scholar.

Perhaps much more complex.

When Gong Qichi returned home, he felt a dull pain in his head.

At that moment, the palace's rewards also arrived.

The rewards were very Jiang-style.

Practical things.

Food, drink, and daily necessities.

And a piece of calligraphy.

Gong Qichi remembered that he had once praised Jiang's calligraphy, and he had never given him a piece.

He didn't expect that after ascending the throne, Jiang would give him a piece.

"Do things when you're clear-headed, read when you're confused, think when you're alone, control your emotions when you're angry. Brother Yehang, don't worry, I can do it. Self-discipline and perseverance, let's encourage each other." (Note 1)

Seeing this piece of calligraphy, Gong Qichi's uneasy heart finally settled, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang didn't change, still sincere.

He wouldn't change either, still loyal.

As long as you're willing to listen, I'll keep telling you the truth.