Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Five watch.

It is exactly 5:00 AM.

Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Today's grand assembly is different from those of the past.

Outside the palace, the imperial guards stood solemnly, their armor and weapons gleaming.

Inside the hall, all the officials were gathered, and there was not a sound.

No one dared to whisper.

No one dared to look around.

Everyone lowered their heads, staring at the paving stone beneath their feet, as if it held some incredible secret.

Because everyone knows—

Today is the day of reckoning.

Too--

The day to establish rules.

"The Emperor has arrived—!!!"

The eunuch's shrill voice pierced the deathly silence.

A figure in bright yellow slowly emerged from the side hall.

All the officials knelt down in unison: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Nangong Ye walked up the steps to the imperial staircase and took his seat.

He did not call out immediately.

Instead, he slowly scanned the hall, looking at the kneeling courtiers and the faces that had wavered when Prince Jing forced him to abdicate.

No one dared to look up in their direction.

Then he spoke.

"All of you, rise."

His voice was calm and steady, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

The officials rose, but remained standing with their heads bowed.

Nangong Ye turned his head and looked at the area slightly behind him.

Shen Qingci sat there, dressed in a bright red phoenix robe, the phoenix embroidered with gold thread shining brightly in the morning light.

She did not lower the curtain today, but sat side by side with Nangong Ye on the imperial steps.

This is unprecedented.

But no one dared to say anything.

Because everyone knows—

This empress was the "destined wife" chosen by the late empress dowager.

He is the "chosen one" who holds the Imperial Seal of the State and attracts all birds to pay homage to him.

Even more so—

Now, he is the only one in the imperial court that no one dares to offend.

Nangong Ye withdrew his gaze and looked into the hall.

"Proclaim the imperial decree."

Xuan Ying stepped forward, holding a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands. He unfurled it and spoke in a loud voice:

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"Prince Jing, Nangong Shuo, harbors wolfish ambitions, colludes with rebels, secretly communicates with the Northern Desert, frames loyal officials, raises a private army, and plots a coup—his crimes are unforgivable!"

"Hereafter—grant him the privilege of suicide, leaving his body intact."

"His wives, concubines, and children were stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners, and exiled three thousand li away, never to return to the capital."

"His accomplices shall be punished according to the law. The ringleader shall be beheaded, the followers shall be exiled, and the accomplices shall be flogged eighty times and never be employed again."

After the first imperial edict was read, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

No one dared to plead for them.

No one dared to speak.

Prince Jing's fate was sealed the moment he forced the emperor to abdicate.

"The second imperial edict—"

Xuan Ying continued reading:

A general amnesty is hereby granted!

"Except for the ten heinous crimes such as treason, treason, murder, and adultery, other criminals shall have their sentences reduced by one degree."

Those exiled less than three thousand li shall be released and returned to their hometowns.

"Those who were imprisoned because of the Prince Jing case, and who were found guilty after investigation, will be released immediately, and those who were reinstated will have their innocence restored."

This time, there was finally some movement inside the hall.

Someone quietly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes.

Some people's eyes reddened, and they were on the verge of tears.

A general amnesty was declared...

This is... an act of imperial grace!

"The third imperial edict—"

Xuan Ying's voice suddenly rose in pitch:

"Promulgate a new policy platform!"

All the officials looked up.

New policy?

What new policy?

Xuan Ying unfurled a thick scroll of silk, his voice ringing out clearly throughout the hall:

"The ten new policies, drafted by Empress Shengchen and personally approved by His Majesty, are hereby promulgated throughout the land, effective immediately!"

"First rule: Reform the bureaucracy!"

"Abolish the old system of purchasing official positions, and select officials through the imperial examination system, based solely on merit!"

"Evaluation will be conducted every three years; the corrupt will be dismissed, the mediocre will be removed from office, the capable will be promoted, and the honest will be rewarded!"

"Officials from the capital who are to be transferred to other regions must undergo an examination by the Ministry of Personnel; local officials who come to the capital to report on their duties must personally present their observations of the people's livelihood!"

The officials were in uproar!

How many people's jobs will this take away?!

Article Two: Encourage Industry and Commerce!

"Abolish the ban on merchants holding official positions!"

"Establish a Maritime Trade Office to oversee maritime and land trade!"

Commercial taxes shall be levied in accordance with the law; any additional exploitation is strictly prohibited!

"Workshops employing more than one hundred people will be granted a three-year tax exemption by the government!"

The merchants' eyes lit up!

Those officials whose families were in business were overjoyed!

Article Three: Promote Schools!

"Government-run schools shall be established in each prefecture and county, and all, regardless of wealth, may enroll!"

"The school is divided into male and female sections—"

Xuan Ying paused, then read each word with exceptional clarity:

"Girls are also allowed to attend school!"

boom--

The hall erupted in chaos!

"Girls... girls enrolling?!"

"This...this is outrageous!!"

"Since ancient times, has there ever been any reason for women to be educated?!"

Some people immediately knelt down:

"Your Majesty! This proposal is absolutely unacceptable! The virtue of a woman is her lack of talent; this is an ancestral rule..."

"Ancestor rule?" Nangong Ye said calmly, "If the late Empress Dowager were still alive, she would be the first to punish you."

The man's face turned pale, and he dared not speak again.

Shen Qingci sat still, a slight smile curving her lips.

Article Four: Revise the Laws!

Xuan Ying continued reading:

"Abolish the old practice of 'the husband is the head of the household,' and when husband and wife go to court, the facts should prevail, not the husband's words!"

"Women can establish their own households, inherit family property, engage in business and own property, and file lawsuits in government offices!"

"If a woman is abused by her husband's family, she may request a divorce, and her husband's family must not obstruct her!"

"If a woman is raped, the government must handle the case and is strictly prohibited from forcing her to commit suicide under the pretext of 'loss of virginity'!"

This time, it didn't explode.

It was—dead silence.

A deathly silence.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, but no sound came out.

These……

These are too much...

That's absolutely shocking!

Can a woman file a lawsuit?

Can women inherit family property?

Can a woman get a divorce?!

Is this... is this still the world where "a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl"?!

Shen Qingci slowly stood up.

She descended the imperial steps and walked step by step to the center of the main hall.

He walked up to the minister who was kneeling and opposing women's enrollment in school.

She looked down at him.

"My lord, do you find what I've proposed to be utterly absurd?"

The minister's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he gritted his teeth and said, "I...I am merely following ancestral rules..."

"Ancestor rule?" Shen Qingci laughed. "Does Your Excellency know that if Jinshu hadn't risked her life to protect me when I was in the Cold Palace, I would have died long ago."

"Does my lord know that in the war in the North, without the female medics who treated the wounded, at least 30% more soldiers would have died!"

"Does Your Excellency know that the Jinxiu Workshop employs over six thousand people, seventy percent of whom are women! They support one hundred thousand people!"

Her words were spoken with resounding force:

"The adults say, 'A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.'"

"Then I would like to ask: where is the 'virtue' of those women who were beaten to death by their husbands' families and had nowhere to seek justice?"

"Where was the virtue in those women who were sold into brothels and could never escape their fate?!"

The minister was deathly pale, kneeling on the ground, trembling all over.

Shen Qingci turned around and surveyed all the court officials in the hall:

"The ten new policies were drafted by me and personally approved by His Majesty."

"Anyone who has an objection, step forward now."

No one dared to make a move.

No one dared to utter a sound.

Shen Qingci waited a moment and then nodded.

"very good."

She walked back to the steps and sat down again.

"Since no one objects—"

She looked at Xuan Ying:

"Keep reading."

Xuan Ying took a deep breath and recited aloud:

Article 5: Reorganize military equipment, enforce strict military discipline, and provide compensation to the families of fallen soldiers!

Article Six: A thorough land survey shall be conducted, taxes shall be levied equally, and the annexation of land by powerful clans shall be strictly prohibited!

Article 7: Construct water conservancy projects, dredge waterways, and prevent floods and droughts!

Article 8: Establish public pharmacies to provide free medical treatment and medication to impoverished people!

Article 9: Open granaries to provide relief, care for orphans and widows, and adopt abandoned infants!

Article 10—

He paused, then his voice grew even louder:

"From this day forward, all matters of state shall be discussed jointly by the Emperor and Empress, and the two seals shall have equal effect!"

"Empress Shen, the Holy Empress, will retain her power to rule as regent, and this will remain unchanged for eternity!"

After reading the last sentence, Xuan Ying closed the silk scroll and took a step back.

Inside the hall, all was silent.

It was not a deathly silence of fear.

Rather, it was a shocking, awe-inspiring, and hopeful silence about the future.

Because everyone knows—

From this day forward, the world has completely changed.

Nangong Ye slowly stood up.

He walked to Shen Qingci's side and stood beside her.

Looking down at the kneeling courtiers inside the hall, looking down at this palace that has weathered three hundred years of storms, looking down at the rising sun outside the window.

"My beloved ministers."

He spoke, his voice not loud, yet it carried throughout the hall:

"Since I ascended the throne, I have made mistakes, errors, and sins."

"It was the Empress, the Empress Dowager's dying wish, and the true light of the Imperial Seal that allowed me to see myself clearly."

He paused, then tightened his grip on Shen Qingci's hand:

"From this day forward, I am no longer that tyrannical and suspicious emperor."

"From this day forward, this land will no longer belong to me alone."

"But—" He looked out of the palace, at the rising sun, at the layers of palaces bathed in sunlight, and at the countless ordinary people beyond the palace walls:

"The land belonging to all the people."

Shen Qingci smiled slightly.

She looked at the court officials inside the hall, at the imperial guards standing solemnly outside the hall, and further away, at the thousands of people who were about to hear the news of the new policies.

Then, she spoke softly:

"The old era has ended."

"A New Era—"

She and Nangong Ye exchanged a glance and said in unison:

"Starting today."

At this moment, the morning light completely leaps over the horizon.

Golden light bathed the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the entire imperial city, and all that followed—

This land has just experienced blood and fire, conspiracy and betrayal, collapse and rebirth.

In the distance, bells rang.

Ancient and solemn.

Wandering between heaven and earth.

Transmission to—

May it last for a thousand generations.

The new policy spread throughout the capital, bringing joy to some and resentment to others.

As night fell, Prince Su, Nangong Lie, sat alone in his study, staring at the four characters "Girls' Enrollment" in silence for a long time.

After a long while, he picked up his brush and slowly wrote four characters on the rice paper—

"The social order has collapsed."

The pen fell. Outside the door, a dark figure quietly knelt down: "Your Highness, those people... are asking when you will make your move."