Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

The lingering sound of the morning bell reverberates among the layered glazed tiles of the Daming Palace, slowly sweeping across every vermilion pillar.

In the past, officials would gather in front of the Taiji Hall, exchanging whispered reports on floods and droughts from various regions or rumors from the capital. But today, that usual clamor had vanished. A strange atmosphere, a mixture of engine oil and sandalwood, hung in the air, causing every official who stepped into the hall to unconsciously hold their breath.

Wang De was dressed in a brand-new, dark-patterned eunuch's robe, and the rolled-up item in his hands was no longer the bright yellow silk.

It was a dark blue scroll woven from special synthetic fibers. The surface of the scroll was not embroidered with auspicious clouds, but instead featured a badge with gears and gold coins intertwined, outlined with delicate silver threads. Under the refraction of the morning light, it exuded a cold and austere metallic texture.

Wang De stood atop the impossibly high jade steps, his movements slower than ever before, as if he were performing a ritual that transcended time.

He slowly pulled back the reel, and his voice was no longer the slightly shrill hoarse voice of the past, but rather a deep, resonant sound that had been modified by technology.

"Announcement of the Establishment of Datang Global Unlimited Liability Company"

The moment the first sentence was uttered, a unified gasp filled the hall.

Fang Xuanling's previously lowered eyelids suddenly snapped open, a hint of unprecedented absurdity flashing in his eyes, which were usually etched with the laws of the Tang Dynasty. He instinctively took a half-step forward, wanting to hear more clearly. But what followed plunged this old fox, who had lived through the chaos of the late Sui Dynasty, into a kind of logical dead end.

"Effective immediately, the administrative order of the Ministry of Personnel, the Secretariat, the Chancellery, and the traditional Six Ministries is abolished."

"Reorganize the Great Tang United Board of Directors as the highest decision-making body of the empire."

Wang De's voice echoed in the empty hall, each word he uttered like an invisible hammer striking the hearts of the ministers.

"Fang Xuanling is appointed as the CEO, responsible for overseeing global industrial operations. Changsun Wuji is appointed as the COO, responsible for performance evaluation in various provinces. Du Ruhui is appointed as the CSO, leading the lunar and ocean expansion blueprint."

The air pressure inside the hall dropped to freezing point in that instant.

Changsun Wuji's once neatly arranged official robe cuffs were now twisted into a pretzel by his violent spasms. His round face, usually unfazed even in the face of a collapsing mountain, was now distorted with shock. His mouth was slightly agape, his jaw almost dropping to the ground, his gaze darting back and forth between Wang De's cold imperial edict and the stiff faces of his colleagues.

CEO? COO? These strange codes were like a swarm of wasps from another world, buzzing into his ears and disrupting all his cognition.

Wei Zheng, standing at the front of the queue, was prepared to risk his life to remonstrate with the emperor and denounce his foolishness. But when he heard the words "abolish the administrative order," the words "tyrant" that had risen to his throat were abruptly cut off.

He realized that this was no longer a minor matter; it was about uprooting the very foundation of the Tang Dynasty.

"This...this is outrageous! Has the Tang Dynasty become a marketplace of merchants?"

Fang Xuanling murmured to himself, his voice soft yet carrying a tremor deep within his soul. He had lived to such an old age, witnessed dynastic changes and the Xuanwu Gate Incident, but he had never witnessed such a mad act as directly reorganizing an empire into a single ledger.

While the courtiers were still in a state of deep bewilderment, a series of light and rhythmic footsteps broke the silence.

A group of eunuchs dressed in black, form-fitting uniforms filed in. They were no longer carrying official seals or letters of appointment.

Those were pure gold nameplates, gleaming alluringly under the lights, displayed on a tray.

"Please accept the appointments, Executive Directors."

As soon as Wang De finished speaking, the eunuchs split up and headed to the front of the line.

Fang Xuanling extended his trembling hands and accepted the heavy gold nameplate. The nameplate was cold and hard, with his name etched in high-precision laser on the front and a barcode representing power on the back. Along with the nameplate, a lanyard and an employee badge with a full-body holographic image of him were also presented.

Fang Xuanling held the name tag as if it were a burning hot coal. He stared at the image of himself in a suit with sharp eyes on the name tag, his mind going blank for a long time.

He used to be the prime minister, a powerful minister second only to the emperor. Now, he's a CEO?

This change in title did not bring him a reduction in power, but rather an unprecedented, dimensional reduction attack from a higher-dimensional management logic. He felt as if he had been forcibly stuffed into a finely operating steel machine, becoming a cog that had to produce "profit".

Changsun Wuji, standing beside him, also received his own badge. He mechanically hung it around his neck, his fingertips touching the cold, golden edge, still in a dazed, bewildered state.

Just then, the empty space above the dragon throne at the end of the hall suddenly distorted.

With a deep hum, an absurdly large holographic control panel slowly emerged in mid-air. Countless streams of dark blue data swirled wildly across the surface, weaving together to create dazzling charts of global trade trends.

Li Shimin's figure appeared in the light.

He wasn't wearing the bright yellow dragon robe that symbolized supreme power today. Instead, he wore a bespoke black Zhongshan suit personally designed by Li Chengqian, exuding an imposing aura. The upright collar accentuated his sharp jawline, and a purple-gold badge representing his "Chairman" status was pinned to his chest.

He didn't sit down, but instead rested his hands on the edge of the control panel, looking down at the high-ranking officials below who were still wearing their employee badges and had blank expressions.

His eyes no longer held the feigned gentleness of the past, but instead revealed a cold, precise, and even playful violence.

"Distinguished board members."

Li Shimin spoke, and his voice, filtered through the amplification device, created a layered sense of oppression in the hall.

He no longer refers to himself as "朕" (Zhen), an ancient title that seems to have been thrown into the trash along with that imperial edict.

"From today onward, stop bothering this chairman with those ridiculous formalities. From now on, this empire will only recognize one standard: growth, and profit."

Li Shimin tapped his finger on the holographic control panel, and the entire wall of the hall was instantly covered by the projection, turning into a blood-red financial ocean.

"I, the chairman, will give you the highest salaries, the most powerful authority, and the most advanced tools. But if anyone dares to turn my financial statements green, don't blame me for implementing a bottom-ranking elimination system."

Li Shimin slowly raised his head, his bloodshot yet surprisingly bright eyes sweeping across the faces of each minister. The commanding presence he exuded made him appear more like a cyberpunk tyrant from the future.

"Distinguished directors, who would like to report to me on today's market performance?"

The hall was completely silent.

The high-ranking officials exchanged bewildered glances. Fang Xuanling opened his mouth, only to realize that he hadn't even learned how to interpret those flickering curves. Changsun Wuji subconsciously touched the badge around his neck, trying to find a trace of warmth from the old era, but only felt the cold, unfeeling touch of gold.

This sense of disconnect between civilized classes made these old foxes, who had spent their lives scheming and manipulating power, appear as clumsy as illiterate children.

Just as the courtiers were still struggling to process the immense impact of the word "Chairman," and just as this oppressive and farcical atmosphere was about to reach a breaking point, the heavy doors of the Taiji Hall were once again forced open.

"Bang!"

A loud bang was followed by a piercing scream of terror.

The Minister of Revenue—no, he should now be called the Chief Financial Officer of the Great Tang United Board of Directors—Old Lu, was scrambling into the main hall, disregarding all decorum. His once-neat official robes were now soaked with sweat, and his official hat was askew on his shoulder.

His face had lost its usual shrewdness, replaced by a twisted expression of fear.

He held a tablet computer tightly in his hand, its screen flashing a blinding, frantic blood-red alarm light. The red light flickered in the dimly lit hall, like a time bomb about to explode, making it impossible for anyone to open their eyes.

"Report! Report! Chairman! Something terrible has happened!"

Old Lu's voice, strained and cracking from excessive tension, suddenly exploded in the hall.

The Minister of Revenue (currently the Chief Financial Officer) suddenly stumbled into the main hall, holding an alarm tablet that was flashing a crazy red light.